There's an old joke that asks "Why did the blonde take a ladder to school?" "She wanted to get a higher education." As the Batcave blog has gone on I have never done much in regards to the book of Proverbs and I feel there's things you and I can learn here. To the world following God seems to be the path of the fool but it isn't. There is a part of a song by Geoff Moore that came to mind when I was getting this ready. "The way of the world, it may look wise. The way of the truth is to realize wisdom will only come through to those who are only the fool." We as believers have access to wisdom the greatest wisdom there is. We have access to God's wisdom. Follow along here in James 1:5 "If you need wisdom ask our generous God and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." So let's get a better look at all of this.
1. "My child listen to what I say and treasure my commands." Solomon is trying to get his son's attention here.
2. "Tune your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding." Think of this like an old radio and you keep getting static and nonsense. You have to get away from things seek God and let his word speak to you.
3. "Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding." Right back to James 1:5.
4. "Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures." See also Psalms 63:1 because God is our source of wisdom. "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water."
5. "Then you will understand what it mean to fear the Lord and will gain knowledge of God. Its one thing to know facts about God but when you seek him with all your heart you are changed by your proximity to him.
6. "For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding." This brought to mind 3 things. Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." The above verse says "From his mouth come knowledge and understanding look at John 1:1 "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God." The third thing that came to mind is your homework read Proverbs 3: 5-6.
I had this whole study ready and I went to church Sunday and Micah preached a sermon on Wisdom so here's some other verses i suggest more than a quick look at this week. James 3:13-18 and Proverbs 9:10 also Colossians 2:3
Not sure if anyone reads the stuff i put at this point. I've heard the original version of this song by Dennis Jernigan and of all the remakes of this song Charmaine has always done my favorite. I picked up her demo cd of this at Half Price books a few years back and fell in the love with the way she sings this.
All in All by Charmaine All in all - Charmaine
Only a fool by Geoff Moore and the Distance Geoff Moore Only a Fool
Walk with the Wise by Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman - Walk With The Wise
James (3:13): I believe what God is saying here is that if we seek him out and live our life for Him, good deeds will follow because we are filled with the Holy Spirit. I also believe God wants us to do good deeds for him and not others so in leading us to do good deeds we do not need to tell anyone about what we have done. God sees all. We don't have to tell anyone else. It should not matter to anyone else but God when we do a good deed.
ReplyDelete(9:10) Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. I have personally witnessed what happens to a person who does not fear the Lord. God's anger is nothing to mess with. He asks us to fear Him because he knows what you are doing at all times. We can't hide from the Lord. He knows and we know when we are doing wrong. When I sought a new, better relationship with God it was because I knew I needed to change. He has brought me out of the darkness and into the light. The first thing I did was to fear the Lord. Once I had the fear of the Lord in me, He started to push me towards reading and educating myself on His word and how to live according to His word.
(2:3) In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. When have studied God's word and use his words as a guide for how to live our lives we will have an understanding of God's secret plan, which was to know Christ himself. In Christ lies a hidden treasure: wisdom and knowledge.
Thanks for the homework Zach. All were great reads.