Wisdom For The Family

BY WISDOM A HOUSE IS BUILT, AND BY UNDERSTANDING IT IS ESTABLISHED - Proverbs 24:3

'ESTABLISHED' means 'to be set firmly, to be stable.'

PROVERBS OFFERS GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS

1. A Parent is to Give DIRECTION:

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” - Proverbs 22:6

'TRAIN' means 'to put something in their mouth to be tasted.'  If we don’t give them a taste for the right things, others will give them a taste for the wrong things.  The message kids hear clearest is NOT the one we SHOUT OUT but the One we LIVE OUT!

2. A Parent is to Give CORRECTION:

PARENTAL KEY - They may not always RESPOND, but you STILL have to SAY it!

“A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but discipline will drive it away.” - Proverbs 22:15

“Discipline is the tool, to keep our children from becoming a fool.”

“If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them” - Proverbs 13:24

'PROMPT' means 'ready to act whenever necessary.'

The purpose of Correction is Reflection to get them back in the RIGHT Direction

The KEY is BALANCE: CORRECTION & DISCIPLINE AND AFFECTION & PATIENCE

3. A Parent is to Give AFFECTION: Prov. 15:17

Set an atmosphere in your home and take time to DISPLAY AFFECTION to your children with your time and with your talk.  Provide boundaries for your children your best and trust God to do the rest!

Wisdom - A Road Map

I'm writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I'm drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don't want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns.  Hold tight to good advice; don't relax your grip. Guard it well! - Proverbs 4:11-14 (Message)

Don't get distracted from good advice.  Hold onto wisdom.  Say, "I want to stay on Wisdom Way"

What is wisdom?  WISDOM is knowing the right thing to do, what to do and then making the choice to do it.

WE ALL HAVE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE NOT FOLLOWED GOOD ADVICE

• We Think We Know Better
• We Want To Do It
• It Only Affects Me, It’s Not Hurting Anybody Else

If you walk in wisdom's way, were you are today is not where you'll stay!

RESULTS- Then we FIND OUT:

• We Really Didn’t Know Better
• We Might Have Wanted the Actions, But We Didn’t Want the Consequences to the Actions
• We Not Only Hurt Ourselves But We Hurt Somebody Else

When We Don’t Follow Good Advice – We Are Following the WRONG WAY

God Does NOT Want You to Live in a MESS; God Wants You to Live in SUCCESS!

HOW DO WE LIVE IN SUCCESS?

GOOD ADVICE

Proverbs 4:13 Hold Tight To Good Advice

• From Our Parents
• From Other Wise, Godly People
• From Our Pastors

GOD'S ADVICE

Proverbs 4:21 Keep My Message in Plain View at All Times.  Concentrate!  Learn it by Heart!

• Joshua 1:8 says: “…You Will Make Your Way Prosperous and Have Good Success”
• Psalm 1:3 says “In All You Do, You Prosper”
• Proverb 8:14 says “Good Advice and Success Belongs to Me”

STRATEGIES TO INCREASE IN WISDOM - Proverbs 2

We seek for things like more money (most make millions in a life time), more time (most spend 9 years of their life watching TV) or a better spouse (when we need to be a better spouse).  We should not seek these things, we should seek more wisdom from God.  We need wisdom in our work, our relationships, our family, our mouth and our money.

Proverbs 2 starts with ‘IF’. Promise and blessing is CONDITIONAL on our action.

1. Accept His Word – Proverbs 2:1

Accept means to lay hold of, to seize.  The bible is our handbook or manual for living.  We need to learn it and live (do what it says).  It makes sense that the manufacturer knows best what to put in the manual and how to operate the item.

2. Apply Our Will –  Proverbs 2:2

Heart is referring to your mind, your thinking, the determination of your will.  Wisdom does not happen on its own; we need to seek after it.  Why do we let other's decisions guide our actions?  We need to be determined to be wise and make good decisions.

3. Ask For Insight  – Proverbs 2:3

Insight is clear understanding of complex situations.  You don't need counsel on situations that are pretty obvious, but for complex situations, you can ask God for insight.  We don't need worldly wisdom but godly wisdom.  James 1:5 encourages us to ask God for wisdom.  He has a generous portion for you!

4. Actively Pursue  – Proverbs 2:4

Seek wisdom like it is a treasure!  Don't be casual in your seeking or you may not find what you are looking for.  What you need is already there, you just have to search for it.  It may be an inconvenience or put you out of your comfort zone.  When you are looking for treasure, you can't always look pretty; sometimes you have to get messy or get out of your comfort zone.  We need to realize there is value in being wise!

BENEFITS OF SEARCHING FOR WISDOM - Proverbs 2:5-20

• Knowledge Of God - Proverbs 2:5
• Victory And Protection - Proverbs 2:7
• Good Judgment For Living - Proverbs 2:9
  Discretion is forethought, foresight, caution in practical affairs - a word from God does not displace getting wisdom; in fact, in justifies getting wisdom all the more!
• Deliverance From Evil People - Proverbs 2:12
  'Perverse' means foolish or deceitful
• Empowerment To Live Right - Proverbs 2:20

We need to become treasure seekers.  The treasure of wisdom will empower us to live blessed and not stressed!

5. THE GREATEST BENEFIT OF SEEKING WISDOM IS THAT WE WILL GROW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST!

In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden - Colossians 2:3

If we gain godly wisdom then the effort to actively pursue that wisdom was all worth it.  Wisdom is the beginning of Exponential Increase!

Wisdom - The Most Important thing

GETTING WISDOM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO! – PROV. 4:7

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

1. Prayer For Wisdom - Proverbs 1:1

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God..." James 1:5

1. Purpose of Proverbs - Proverbs 1:2-3

To Teach Wisdom and Discipline

• Wisdom is the ability to make good choices.
  If you know the right thing, you’re knowledgeable - if you do the right
  thing, you’re wise.  Don't equate knowledge with wisdom.

• Wisdom is the application of knowledge.
  You don't have to have a degree to be wise.

• Wisdom is the skillful use of knowledge.
  The book of Proverbs is not a book of promises, its a book of wisdom to
  help us skillfully use our knowledge to guide our lives.

2 Ways That You Can Get Wisdom:

• Trial and Error (knowledge)
  - personal experience

• Instruction of Others (wisdom)
  - benefit of learning from their experience

3. Pursuers of Wisdom - Proverbs 1:4-6

"Study to show yourself approved..." - 2 Timothy 2:15 - get into Proverbs!

Proverbs  Was Written For:

• Those who can be easily influenced – will increase in discernment
• Young People – will give them knowledge and good judgement
• Wise – will increase in learning
• People of Understanding – will receive increased guidance

We need to increase our capacity for wisdom.  Luke 2:52 tells us even Jesus grew in wisdom...

4. Prerequisite for Wisdom - Proverbs 1:7

A fool is one who acts without counsel and disregards Godly instruction. Characteristics of a Fool:

• Cannot receive instruction;
• A know-it-all;
• So strongly opinionated, you can't tell them anything;
• a talker and never a listener (a listener - engaged in process with right heart and attitude)

These qualities will hold you back from increasing in God.

Wisdom can be found in LIVING FOR JESUS and LIVING LIKE JESUS - "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." - Colossians 2:3

HOW DID JESUS LIVE HIS LIFE?  “The FEAR OF THE LORD is the beginning of Wisdom” Proverbs 1:7  Fear is reverent submission, to honour, to respect, to submit to.

The foolish person will live in a way that pleases himself and others but a wise person will live in a way that pleases God.