The School of Wisdom — Westlake Bible Fellowship

0:00 Opening Prayer and Introduction

Let's pray. Heavenly father, thank you so much for this opportunity to share your word. Thank you so much, father. You've written it. You've taught it.

And all I get to do is open it up and and just share it again. And so, lord, I thank you for the wisdom that you gave to Solomon. I need not add any additional wisdom to this opportunity today. I just give it all to you and and thank you for the privilege of being able to share your word today. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. So I work at Faith Academy for those folks that are new here. And it is a school for missionary children located in The Philippines. It's been around for now sixty eight years. And we just finished fifteenth year for us.

But one of the things that's interesting about working at a school, especially a school for missionary kids, where missionaries are the staff, is that every fourth quarter, it's a rough quarter, It's a rough quarter because people are coming and going. I shouldn't say coming. They're mostly going. They do announce, hey, we've got some new staff coming in next year. Rejoice with us.

And so we're celebrating that we have staff, but we're always, always recruiting always looking to the Lord for provision of staff and you think well why? Well if you think about that typical missionary alright typical I'm not talking about actually most of the assemblies CMML and and the like They're not like this but the typical missionary is four or three years on the field and then one year off. So three or four on the field and one year off. And if you think about that and say, okay, let's extrapolate a little bit and say, okay, their children would be three or four years at school and then one year off. What if they get called to another mission location?

Well, they would then be in a transition as well. So at any given time if I could just hold up 25 at 20 each and you say, well these people just got back from the mission field and these people are getting ready to go on the mission field and now you've only got basically 60% of your student body or staff that are settled and they're like, fourth quarter means nothing to me. I'm just going to continue to do this when I get back. Maybe I'll go home for the summer but that's a very transient environment, don't you think? Transient environment.

And so with that, you have a lot of people that are praying for godly wisdom. A lot of people praying for godly wisdom and you're praying along with them. And so today, we're going to be looking at godly wisdom and specifically, we're going to look at that from the wisest man who ever walked the planet besides Jesus, of course, and that was King Solomon. And we're gonna go to what he wrote specifically in Proverbs eight. In Proverbs eight, it's the wisdom proverb.

And I just give you a perspective. So we had we had the privilege, Miriam and I had the privilege of being back in The United States a few times each year, a couple times each year. We come back, but we're not coming here. We were back in February 2024, February 2025. We were at Emmaus Bible College.

Recording in process. We also went to few other locations and in that process we did some recruiting. And so there was a student by the name of Bennett who we met. It was so fun because we were here for this class over here, right? Recording Recording in in And we're like jackpot.

We got 28 chances of having even one kid that's going to say, hey, I'd like to go to Faith Academy to teach. Well, they set us up in the hallway and they said that when they come and go over this three hour night class that you're going to be sitting outside in the hallway representing faith, they'll talk to you as they go in and out to use a restroom or take a break or what have you. So we're talking with different people. Well, there just happened to be a class down the hall. Had nothing to do with this class, but it happened to be down the hall.

So that's what went down and we're excited and we got a long list of names of people that are interested in Faith Academy and we present them to the HR department, zero show up, zero pan out. And then we get an email from another person and says you might remember me, I talked with you like oh yeah yeah yeah, I remember is it that kid or that kid, I don't remember, we'll see. He says the Lord has led me, I've been praying, the Lord has led me to come to Faith Academy for my internship. It's five weeks long and I will be there during the spring of next year which happened to be the spring of twenty five. And so we're eagerly looking forward to meeting this kid and he then follows up with another email and says, hey you said that sometimes you host student teachers, would you be willing to host me?

And we're like, sure, we'll host you. So we had this guy moving in with us for five weeks, we didn't even know who it was, right? He shows up from the airport, there you go, oh, it's that guy. So that was our introduction to Bennett. Well, Bennett was a fun loving kid.

Oh, goodness. That kid turned five weeks into five years into five weeks. He just was so active, loved by everybody. And he came down to his last month and he said, please join me. I'm gonna be fasting and praying about what the Lord would would have me do.

I'm seeking Godly wisdom. So he was going to the school of Godly wisdom and he was an example to us. He was 20 years old and he was gonna be graduating. He's since then graduated, by the way Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana, plug for them. So he he said please join me in prayer.

So we joined in prayer. There were so many people that you know just wanted to come up and put their arm around his shoulder and say you know what Bennett, God loves you and I have a wonderful plan for your life. And that is to be here. Now some people are older and they know the four spiritual laws from campus who say for Christ and it was God loves you and he has a wonderful plan for your life. I just threw that one in there.

So anyway, see who can remember that. So but Ben was like, you know what? Just pray with me. Just pray with me. So it came down till he left and everyone saw him off.

He's on his way to the airport. School's not out yet. And we're just praying and praying and praying that he would come back and we get an email from him and he says, the Lord's answered my prayer, I'm not coming back. So it was a it was a disappointment on our part but that's life, that's life in our in our environment. So another example, another example, back in 2017, 2018 school year, that's a long time ago, right?

There was a young woman who was taking a gap year. She graduated from high school in Canada and said, I would like to go to Faith Academy just to volunteer for the year. No strings attached, whatever you want me to do I will serve. I will serve. And she prayed and asked the Lord for wisdom, she shows up.

So well beloved as a volunteer that when we get to the end of the count of the school year just like we just had, there was a special little banquet acknowledging all the people going on furlough or leaving. And the principal said I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm bringing up a volunteer. I would like to acknowledge this young woman by the name of Clara and she's had such an impact on our school and would you just encourage her with me, maybe someday the Lord will bring her back. Well that experience for Clara led her to go to college in Canada, six year program for education majors.

Isn't that amazing? Six year program. And so she went to college and she felt that the Lord was leading her back to Faith Academy. Again, she saw God's wisdom and it was to lead back to Faith Academy in the twenty five-twenty six school year. Well that's still next year right?

And so what happened unfortunately is we had a teacher on contract and within about two months after the school year started this year, just this past year, this teacher said, you know what, I have to break my contract, I have to leave, which turned a little domino effect and all these different teachers like, well who's going to cover this class, who's going to cover that class. We even had the deputy head of school step in to cover one of those classes, it causes, it caused turmoil, caused turmoil. Well she heard about that and she started praying again. Lord, would you have me go a whole semester early? And the Lord answered that prayer and she showed up in February and she has now a new mentor teacher named Miriam, my wife and so she's coming back again next year.

She's not going to be teaching high school like she thought she was, she's going to continue on in the middle school. Why do I bring all this up? Because I think that that little example is probably something going on in your heart and in your mind right now. We're always seeking Godly wisdom. The question is, do we really know what it looks like?

8:17 What is Godly Wisdom?

Sorry hoax, can you? Thank you. So Godly wisdom, it's spelled out in scripture for us. In the book of James chapter one verse five, we read this, but if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him. So what a phenomenal verse, right?

First of all, if you're lacking wisdom, which I think we can all say at any given day, many times in the day we're lacking wisdom. First of all, we need to go to God. Let him ask of God and will he will he discipline you? Will he say shame on you, you don't know this answer? No.

None of that at all. Instead he gives to all men generously, all generously and without reproach. No rebuke, no criticism. And it says it will be given to him. So the question really comes down to, are we seek, excuse me, seeking Godly wisdom?

Well in Proverbs eight, Solomon had this amazing inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Amazing because he decided by God's leading to personify wisdom. Personify wisdom. Our most favorite examples of personification are Disney classic movies like Toy Story, you know, you got a bunch of toys, they talk, they speak, they think, you know, you got fish like finding whatever, thank you. So all these different things that Disney does with cars and airplanes and even now feelings.

You even have feelings talking to each other. Here we have wisdom speaking to us so clearly that we are able to see God's guidance through a teacher. So if you don't mind, for these next few minutes, we're going to go to class. We're going to go to God's wisdom class and and she starts out calling class order. Verse one, does not wisdom call and understanding lift up her voice?

Where does she do this by the way? What is that location spot that wisdom speaks from? Well, not just any classroom location, but... And she doesn't just stand off on the side. She boldly takes her her place in a prominent location so everyone, everyone can hear her teaching.

Where is that? Well, then verses two and three says, on top of the heights beside the way where the paths meet she takes her stand. Beside the gates, at the opening of the city. At the entrance of the doors, she cries out. Now let's take a look at, break this down.

On top of the heights, well, if you were trying to promote something right now, perhaps you're in HR or something like that or you're publicizing, you're promoting something. We just have this out here, we've to sign out front. That's our method. Excuse me, for VBS. Well back then they didn't have the computers, they didn't have Instagram, they didn't have all these different methodologies you can put out a message.

So where would you go? Well you go to the main area of the city and you go as high as you can so when your voice would go out it'd cover the most number of people, right? So on top of the heights, the highest location to be seen and heard. Beside the way, not off to the side but right here beside the way. Infers a purpose and a direction.

How about where the paths meet? How many times you said, I've come to a fork in the road. I've got to make a decision here. I've got, I've got, this is a pivot point. We use all these different metaphors of saying, I am at a moment in time where I have to know this way or that way.

Where do you go for wisdom? Wisdom saying, I'm right here. I'm yelling it to you. I'm screaming it out. I'm crying it out from where those paths meet.

She is already there. Excuse me. How about beside the gates? At the opening to the city? You're probably familiar with the story of Ruth.

Everyone loves the story of Ruth. But there was a moment in time when in that story Boaz had to go to the gates of the city. Do you remember why? Because he wanted to marry Ruth, but he knew there was someone in the middle. There was this kinsman redeemer that had a closer relationship to Ruth than he did.

And so he went to the gates of the city. He called the elders together at the gates of the city and he said, here are my interests and etcetera, etcetera. I won't go into that. But anyway, that is where we're told wisdom will be located. So in the business world, in your social life, in your schooling, there is not a spot where wisdom is not crying out to you.

And the last one, at the entrance of the doors. Don't you love that? When you come in here you go through a few doors. Whether you go through the double doors in the back, the side over here, but then you come in here. And Jim, I was later than you so I'm sorry.

But anyway, it's one of those things where you want to come early. You want to come early and you want to be ready. And so if you come early and you're ready, you've entered those doors and you've got a purpose. And this is where wisdom is going to meet you. Do you seriously want to know God's truth for your life?

Do you seriously want to have wisdom, Godly wisdom, the wisdom of Solomon? She's right there screaming. She's not she's not just screaming, she's just crying out. Who's she crying out to? You may say, well I'm not a student.

Well we all are folks, we all are. Here's a little example of a classroom. And you've all been in classrooms at one time whether you were homeschooled, public school, private school, whatever school, you have been in a classroom. You know what that environment's like. Well who are the, who are the class, the students in her class?

Well it says to you, O men, I call and my voice to the sons of men. O naive ones, understand prudence and O fools, understand wisdom. So who's she calling out to? She's calling out to all people, all mankind. And then she gets a little bit more personal, naive.

Is naiveness a sin? If you're naive, it just means you haven't experienced it yet. Right? Other people have. And so if you're naive, you're vulnerable.

And yet wisdom is so gracious, so kind. Since you're naive, listen. What about the last line, the last sentence? You fools, understand wisdom. Now I fit all four of those categories in one day and I bet you could say the same thing that you would say that I have been foolish or I have been naive and I definitely am a part of mankind.

So these these examples show that everyone is open to the role in this class. No one is cast out. No one is exempt. She's calling out to all of us. What's the message?

15:37 What Wisdom Offers

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There's nothing crooked or perverted in them. They are all straightforward to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge. Wow. Talk about a nice list of class objectives.

Every teacher out there right now would say, yep, you got to have your class objectives. You've got to aim at these goals or your students will not receive the information that you want them to receive. They won't walk out of the room with the knowledge that you, they expect to have in this class. So first of all, she goes straight to the top. I will speak noble things.

Now we here in The United States, we don't really understand nobility, alright? We have a president and the president depending on which news source you're looking to is either a genius or a blooming idiot. It just depends on which news source you're going to. There's very limited amount of pure journalism that just states a fact and doesn't put a bent on it here or there. Let's just face it, alright?

Well we, where we're from, unfortunately the world is controlled by the worldwide news locations and the number one is CNN. And so I have believers at Faith Academy who are all saying, so Todd what do you think about this that I've heard? And I said where did you hear it? Oh, CNN. Well, I just encourage you, maybe listen to something else, alright?

You can go online and you can find other sources. Because if I speak to you about this, you're probably going to say, well isn't that a little different than what we're hearing? And it's true, alright? But when it comes down to nobility, think about nobility. It's a person that has been appointed to be the ruler of the land.

We may think, that's not good because we're so used to our system, right, to have one ruler. Thailand still has a king. There's still a monarch in England, right? But they say, actually the parliament runs a place that's more for show. It depending on what you're talking to.

But there are places where nobility is the top and Jesus says, I will speak noble things. She's commanding us to listen, speaks words that apply to the nobility. But who is actually the noble? The King of Kings. And if we can put ourselves under that type of nobility, we have no problems.

There's no matter what side of the political aisle we would be on. If we're under the king of kings and that's what's so beautiful about Proverbs eight, there is no alternative. She even says that there's no wickedness in what you're going to hear from me. There's nothing that's crooked. There's nothing perverted.

There's nothing you can go, well I need to do a fact check on that. No, this is the creator of wisdom sharing with you godly wisdom for your benefit. So she says my lips will reveal right things, my mouth will speak truth. Wickedness, well it's an abomination to my lips, you're not going to hear it from me. Everything from my mouth will be righteous, nothing crooked, nothing perverted, all straightforward and right.

Is there a place that you can go to anywhere in the world where you're going get that type of information? No. Nowhere. But God's word reveals that to you. Even if a person is not a believer they could go to God's word and they could say, this is something that I can I can learn from?

Well here's here's one that I think as I was praying about this, this is the one that's really interesting. The last, I actually will confess to you, I've shared this message before, three weeks ago today. I shared it to our church in The Philippines. Many of the people in our church in our Philippines are so poor they live in a ditch. That's the best way for those of you who've heard me tell you about this.

It's basically the road is here. It's got this big drainage. Ditch goes way down to a creek and it takes about maybe three minutes to walk down to that creek. It's a very long decline. And when they get to the bottom and there's that creek, they go along the bank of that creek and there's a little village.

A lot of the houses are basically sticks with different things attached to them, scrap metal, some wood but not too much, a lot of tarpaulins, a lot of tarps because they tarps are cheap in The Philippines and as soon as the sale's over you're going to see them on a lot of people's houses, all right? So you can say what what was on sale back in 2022? Well just look at that house, all right? So it's interesting how they build things down there. Well there is a fairly well a better, not not wealthy I won't use that word, but the higher ups of that village they actually have concrete block walls.

They're not painted so but they have the courses of concrete blocks and they've got the mortar in the middle and they've got a tin roof on it and they would be the higher level socioeconomically. There are two people that actually besides us that aren't missionaries that actually have a car and there's about three or four that have a motorcycle. Everybody else they walk. And so you may say well that's interesting but why are you sharing that? Well this next thing is you look up here, her value.

21:10 Wisdom vs. Worldly Riches

Verses ten and eleven. Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than jewels and all desirable things cannot compare with her. Think about this. Think about this just for a second.

If someone asks you what is success? I look at a lot of young people here, praise God for you that you're here and you're sitting under his teaching, not mine, his, alright? And if you say well what is success in life? And most of you would say, well it's to get a good education, get a good job, have an, have a wonderful career, have a family. Again, I'm just generalized using general terms.

And I'm not going to argue with that because I've heard it my whole life too. So if I could call that really good, the Lord is saying, I still got something better for you. I've still got something better for you. So in this verse, you do not read that silver and gold and jewels are bad. Do you read that anywhere?

It's not bad. In fact, as we as we go on, you're gonna see that wisdom is saying, I want to give this to you. Now before you start going, oh, Eichenauer is now preaching a prosperity gospel. Boy, what happened to him? That's not at all.

That's not at all. This... I'm just giving you what scripture reads. This is what scripture reads. It's not bad.

What do we know from other scriptures? That the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. The love. So where it is? So let's just say, what's wrong with these people in The Philippines that they're living in poverty?

Well, there's a lot of things you could say systematically that are wrong. A lot of people that are pursuing things, but it's typically they are born into poverty and the only way they see to get out of it is education, and some of them do, but then they have the strings attached to that, that if I get a good job, I'm now pulling the whole family with me. That's the system of majority of the world. The majority of the world, that's the system. To get out of poverty, find the one child in your family that can lift you out and the whole family ties on.

And that's how they get out of it. We don't have that mentality here because folks we're in the 90 percentile or higher. This is not something I'm saying be ashamed of. Please do not take that. This is not something to be ashamed of.

But what a blessing we've been given and with those who've been given much, what's the scripture say? Much is required. Much is required. Okay? So what does wisdom say?

Accept my instruction and not silver. And knowledge rather than choice gold. It's all a comparison. For wisdom is better than jewels and all desirable things cannot compare with her. So when you look at this you see the jewels, all this worldly value, it's less than.

It doesn't say it doesn't have value. But the best way to give it value is what? To pass it on for God's kingdom. That's the thing that many of us miss. Think about the...

Think about this. God said, Jesus said in the parable, I'll give you five talents. I'll give you two. I'll give you one. Right?

And they went out and invested them. Said the same thing to the person that had doubled the five to the person that doubled the two. Same thing, well done. Why did the one that just kept the one, why did they get in trouble? Because they didn't do anything with it.

It wasn't that they were stupid, it wasn't that they were evil, no, they just didn't do anything with it. They were still given something by God or by the master in this case. They just didn't do anything. Hoarding is the only thing you're going to see in scripture that you are going to be rebuked for. Hoarding it, not doing anything with it.

How about the farmer? The farmer, he didn't do anything. He had a farm and all of a sudden boom, he had a booming crop. Huge resources came in And you read that in Luke 12. And what what do you read?

He talked about me. Hey, I've got all this stuff. I know I will build bigger bars. I will sit back and chill and live life to the fullest. And what did what did God say to him?

You fool. He didn't take what God had given them and then invest it and pass it on for God's kingdom. God gave it to him. God expected him to pass it on, to share it. He didn't say don't keep anything.

Just pass it on. Even, even in the book of Acts, even the book of Acts you got, you got Joseph also known as Barnabas. And he had extra property and he sold that property and he brought the proceeds to the disciples. Wonderful, right? We're we're told about about it in the book of Acts.

Wonderful gesture of generosity. But someone else says, hey, let's follow that. They unfortunately were were... It's revealed to us that they were deceptive in that. And yet Peter did say to them before the Lord struck him dead.

No one no one told you what to do with that. So I stress this, it doesn't matter if you're dirt poor and I I seriously say that or very wealthy. It's what do you do with the wisdom that God gives you. So we go back to James a little bit. James, Jesus' half brother, he wrote this, who among you is wise and understanding?

27:20 Godly vs. Worldly Wisdom Contrast

This is that contrast between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom. James pointing out that what whenever jealousy and selfish ambition exists, the source is not godly wisdom. It's earthly, natural, even demonic. Many people want to have silver, gold, jewels, and will do selfish things to acquire them. We just had the musical Annie at at Faith Academy.

And one of my favorite lines was Daddy Warbucks, the millionaire that brings Annie into his house. And he was talking to someone and he says, well, actually I just wanted to achieve wealth and I didn't care what I did to get there. I figured if I stepped on people to get there, it didn't bother me because I wasn't coming back down the ladder. Are there people that you know that use people to gain wealth instead of use wealth to gain souls for Christ? Which one do you want to be?

Many people want to have that but they do not know these things have no comparison. No comparison to the value of Godly wisdom which defined by James in the following two verses. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy. And the seed of fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Now you can also find, Proverbs nine, the following chapter.

Proverbs nine talks about the source of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy one is understanding. So there we go back to the king of kings. Do we honor, do we respect, do we revere Jesus, the king of kings and the lord of lords? Well that's, that right there is the source of godly wisdom.

And that knowledge of the holy one that leads to understanding. So back to class. Who does wisdom live with and who does wisdom not care for? Well, in Proverbs eight verse twelve and thirteen says, I wisdom dwell with prudence. I find knowledge and discretion.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth I hate. Now when I was a kid I was told you don't use the word hate. That was just growing up. Couldn't say that to my but I hate you, you know, was no, that was forbidden. But here we have God himself in scripture pointing out God does hate things, right?

What does God hate? What does wisdom hate? Evil. Pride, arrogance, evil ways, and a perverted mouth. So who is God living with though?

Who is God living, I'm sorry, who is wisdom living with? Prudence. Wisdom lives with prudence. Now some, that's a word that's not really commonly used. Oh, my friend is prudent.

Well, what's that? Okay. It's basically someone who's cautious. I think in our culture right now, extreme sports, you know, let's go jump off a bridge on with a bungee cord tied around our leg, you know, that's exciting. Let's jump and bounce off of walls and do all these exciting things.

Let's go out onto a dirt bike and ride them with our grandkids. Oh sorry. Woah, did I say that? Anyway, no. It's fun.

Look what happens. Look what happens. Anyway, my point is this, we don't have a culture that's careful. We don't have a culture that's careful. You've been in a culture where if you're not careful, you can get really messed up.

Had the privilege of sitting in a in a little library in New Jersey with somebody who was a White House appointee to The Middle East during Trump one point zero. And he was on a break. He was on a sabbatical and he committed his time to CMML. And CMML's physical location changed greatly. As Mrs.

Parsons who used to be the hostess of CMML's headquarters slash guest facility, she said boy this place has gotten secure. Alright. They now have two levels of security, it changed our CMML prayer handbook where what information is being revealed, you can't just show up at the gate and expect to be let in, all these things happen because of his influence. And someone talking to at the end said hey do you ever, would you consider doing this at Faith Academy? Would you come to The Philippines?

He said absolutely. I would not only come to The Philippines and help you at Faith Academy, I will help every single missionary in The Philippines and I will go to every single one their locations and I will help them from becoming SPD. What's SPD? Stupid people die. That's a military term.

Stupid people die. Well if you if you say well that's interesting. Well he said well my family was in the green zone. The Palestinians and the Israelis and we lived right here in the middle. He said it was going good with our children until one day my my daughter was riding home on her bicycle and she got chased by a gang and we decided it's time to move.

So the point is prudence is lifted up by godly wisdom. This is a counter cultural thought. What else is? Discretion. Discretion.

To be discreet is almost like, well you're an old, you know, you you're you're you're you're a Debbie Downer. You're you're you're taking us down here. We're not having fun. We're not enjoying life because you're being so discreet. Instead let's go party, let's go live fully.

And yet contrast, who's the one that does give us abundant life? John ten ten. Jesus said, I came to give you life and to give it to you abundantly. Worldly wisdom is going say here's how you get it. Godly wisdom says it's right here.

Discretion and prudence actually is part of living the abundant life. And I don't think we have any problem of understanding that pride and arrogance are our biggest issues. I can speak for myself there. But that is the the easiest sin for anybody to fall into is pride. To think that it is about me.

And it's not. It's all about the Lord. The evil way, the perverted mouth I hate. I don't want to be in that category where God is saying, I actually hate what you're doing right now. I don't want to be there.

34:19 What Wisdom Owns

A lot of people think that Christians are weak. Well they point to that verse where Jesus says blessed is the meek. Turn the other cheek and yet where's the power? Where's the power? The power is in knowing that I serve the king of kings.

As I'm obedient to the king as his servant, as his child. That he will empower me to live life to the fullness. What about that advice and counsel? Isn't that kind of how I started? Don't we all seek wisdom and counsel and advice?

We you can spend a lot of money and go to a psychiatrist or you can go spend a lot of money and go to a psychologist. You can sit down and say here's your $70 a half hour later, but are they leading you into godly wisdom? Or you can sit down with your Bible and say, Lord, please anoint what you want me to learn here and let me sit down and study your scriptures. That that that was awesome on that picture, wasn't it? What was greater than?

Showing the God's word and studying God's word. So wisdom gives you counsel or advice and gives you understanding and gives you power. Now wisdom has a track record. Wisdom has been guiding Godly leaders since creation. Wisdom is not bragging, just stating facts.

By me kings reign, rulers they decree justice. By me, princes rule and nobles all who judge rightly. Again, this is one of those things where it's hard for us unless we study history and know the specifics of how different world leaders made decisions unless we know enough about them to say, oh they were a godly person and they made these decisions. Well here we have it right here in scripture that this is where righteousness comes from. This is where justice comes from.

If you dig a little deeper and you find that things are blessed it's probably because they sought God's word. What are some other benefits that wisdom gives you? I love those who love me and those who diligently seek me will find me. That goes back to James five sixteen doesn't it? God is not hiding wisdom from you.

Oh, I gotta I gotta do a search. I gotta go to Google. No. It's it's it's right there. If you diligently seek wisdom you will find it.

Riches, oh here we go again. Riches and riches and honor are with me. Enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold and my yield better than choice of silver. Anybody get a CD lately and it says the APY, that y stands for yield.

How about talk to a farmer and they're planting their seeds out there, they want their crop to do what? Yield a harvest. Here we have that word yield in here and it's basic that my yield says wisdom is better than choice silver. It's hard to try to find value when you're comparing scripture to modern day terms. You know, do we need to throw in bitcoin here?

Do we need to throw in titanium or some other amazing alloy? This is an all ultimate valued element. Do we need to say well why did The United States want to purchase this area? Why did The United States want to receive these special areas of Ukraine? You know all these things that come up and there's a reason because people said there's value in that.

There's value in that. We need to acquire that to have value and yet God is saying it's not that that's of value but this is higher than that. It's higher than that. I walk in the way of righteousness in the mindset of the paths of justice. Doesn't everybody want justice?

Can only come through godly wisdom. To endow those who love me with wealth that I may fill their treasuries. This is again, this is the part, we don't hear too much about that. I I have to confess to you, I've been in a job in the last seven years that's totally blown me away because I'm talking with people of wealth. I'm talking to people that are poor.

But it's the same message. It's the same message. Has God entrusted anything to you? Has God entrusted anything to you? And the answer is well yeah.

Time, talent, treasure, relationships, ministries. I'll just go with the big five. A lot of people talk about time, talent, treasure that that's that's a alliteration thing. But has God entrusted relationships to you? As you're sitting next to someone right now, you probably have a relationship with them at least most of you.

And maybe it's time to have one with the person that's sitting next to you that you don't know. And that relationship entrusted to God in Godly wisdom will allow that to bear fruit, bear yield, and bring out treasures. Time, talent, treasure, relationships. What about ministries? Do we ever own our ministry?

Well my ministry is this. I can see how it happens all the time. I have to change the vocabulary and what we put out at Faith Academy to the public. I'm changing it every day to get away from vernacular that says we own this ministry, we own this school. No we don't, it's God's school.

We're just passing through. This is not your building, this is God's building. It's not my building, it's not whoever, I I remember Scott Doringer putting in some of these. Remember that Scott? We had some good conversations putting in that ceiling.

But it's not our building is it? It's his. It's totally his. And what the Lord chooses to do with this building, what the Lord chooses you to with your time and your talent and your treasure is between you and him. But to possess it?

To possess even your own children, your grandchildren? They're not my kids. They're God's. They've been entrusted to me for a while. How do I steward what God or who God has entrusted to me?

40:52 Where Wisdom Gets Teacher Training

Did you see our sign? I said, yeah, that's quite a quite a statement. Han Dong God's University. Hondong Global University is the name of it. Their goal was to become 30% international in the next seven years.

And thereby they're coming to Faith Academy and saying, we like to recruit your students and we'll give full tuition scholarship to all the non Koreans. This is a Korean school. And they said well we want to become international. And so to get international students we know we need to give them scholarships. And so very popular we have our first student graduating, just graduated last two weeks ago and will be attending Hondong Global University from California.

But an M. K. Living in The Philippines and she'll be attending Hondong Global University. But see that's not truly God's university, right? Proverbs is truly God's university.

And so to get that teacher training you have to hang out with the master teacher. So who is the master teacher where godly wisdom got their training? The creator, capital c. The lord possessed me, verse 22. I'm sorry.

Now then sons, listen to me. For blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. Blessed is the person who listens to me watching... Wait, I'm sorry.

I I jumped ahead, my apologies. I got... Oh, maybe I skipped one. Oh, we're just going to go right here. Alright, 32.

Somehow, hold on just a second. There we go. Got them out of order. My apologies. Alright, here we go.

22 to 26. The Lord created me at the beginning of his way before his works of old. How long ago? Before creation. From eternity I was established.

From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth when there was no ocean depths, I was born. When there were no springs abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was born. While he had not yet made the earth and the fields nor, check this out, first dust of the world. You ever think about that, that God created dust? In in creation, God created dust.

It's not part of the fall. Why? I don't know yet, neither do you. But isn't that interesting? And and verse 27, when he established the heavens I was there.

When he inscribed the circle on the face of the deep. When he made firm the skies above. When the springs of the deep became fixed. When he set for the sea its boundaries so that the water would not transgress his command. When he marked out the foundations of the earth.

All this, have you ever read Job? You get this whole stuff in verses chapters 38 to the end, right? And I'm like I'm reading Job here in Proverbs eight, all about the beginning and yet wisdom says, I was there, right there with him every day. Day one, day two, day three, etc. Verse 30, then I was beside him as a master workman.

I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him. And look at this, verse 31, Rejoicing in the world, his earth and having my delight in the sons of men. In the sons of mankind. You delight Godly wisdom. Think about the six days of creation.

The seventh was he rested, right? Everything was good. Then the next day it was good. What happened on that sixth day? Men and women were created.

It was very good. Very good. The reason wisdom is so righteous and powerful is because God is the source of wisdom. The amazing fact is that God can give us the same wisdom he used to create the universe. Think about that for a second.

The same wisdom that God used to create the universe is for you. Verse 32. Now then, listen to me. For blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction, be wise and do not neglect it.

Blessed is the person who listens to me watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorpost for one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. But one who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death. Now when you think about a class, there's always got to be a conclusion. And in this class, wisdom concludes by doing something that many teachers do.

46:12 Listen to Wisdom

Can you imagine this with me? Every window is open. Why is it open? Because there's people standing outside every window. The doors are open.

Standing room only back there. The whole back area is full. People leaning against the doorpost right here. That door is open. People are leaning against that to hear Godly wisdom.

That's what God expects. That's the power and the value that God is giving us here today in Proverbs eight. So valuable that you would stand at the doorpost. Has anyone ever been to a standing room only event? How about an Avon leg versus Avon football game?

I stood for 0.75 in cold weather to watch Mason and your youngest son play on the, well actually you had three sons on that, at that particular year. Connor. Yeah, Connor. Yeah, three guys are on the field. And I was thinking, this is crazy.

This is for a football game and it's cold weather. Avon did win by the way. God has put that in there. But that's what God's talking about. Watching daily at my gates.

Waiting at my doorpost. This is convicting. For me to be here in my seat, showing honor and respect to my brothers and sisters in Christ. And eagerly waiting for the word of God that's going to be shared from this platform. It's not so hard for me to ex ex share that with the church in The Philippines, cause there are times we have events with that, what I just described to you actually happens.

We don't have enough seats and they're at the window and you're sitting here on the bench. It's a hard wooden bench and it's not real comfortable but about this far over is the wall and there's kids standing there just staring at you. But they're there because it's like a vacation bible school or something like that and they're there to hear whatever they're to listen to. So it's not that hard to think about. But if we truly value that, we would invite more people.

And those people would invite more people and they would say, this is where I come to get truth and wisdom and it's changed my life. So she wraps up her class as I said, three times she says listen to me. She says watch at my gates daily, wait at my doorpost and what do I promise you? You will be blessed if you keep my ways. He who finds me, finds life.

He who finds me, finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. Wouldn't that be nice if that's how it ended? Verse 35. Would it be nice if that's how it ended? Unfortunately or fortunately, it doesn't.

Why? Because the Lord knows our hearts. He knows that we would stray. We we think about earlier. Lord I know I'm prone to wonder.

And thereby verse 36. That last verse. But he who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death. I'm a living example of a miracle.

I broke my neck when I was 18 years old. I did something really stupid. I was not discreet. I I did not have prudence. I dove into 18 inches of water.

I thought it was three feet, but that's still not smart, Okay? And yet I'm a walking miracle that I'm not a quadriplegic. I actually was paralyzed for a while. It's not about me. I'm just saying stupid people die or stupid people get paralyzed or stupid people have injuries or stupid people have regrets.

And it's because I wasn't showing Godly wisdom. Maybe you could say something that you've done. Well, isn't it great that wisdom is not going to chastise you and criticize you the rest of your life? I do have a crick in my neck, I get stiff necks a lot. I have sore back at times because you you mess up with your spinal cord, it hurts doesn't it?

Done. And so the point is that if you if you sin against God, you will injure yourself. Not necessarily physically, but a lot of times it's physical. And you will injure others. Sin is...

Grows, magnifies so fast. It's almost like the coronavirus. And yet, what can wisdom do? Forgive, give grace, not rebuke or reproach, but say, we start today. We start today.

We've just gone to class. Wisdom finishes her class by saying students listen up. I'm giving you one more warning. If you sin against me you will injure yourself. And if you hate me, it just basically means you love death.

Flip that around the verse before, he who finds life. He who, I'm sorry, he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. We all want a blessed life. We all want God's favor. Are we willing to pursue the teacher?

Are we willing to enroll now? Enroll now. That's one of the things I love about The Philippines. Everywhere you go it says enrollment ongoing. That's just a phrase they use.

Enrollment ongoing. Everyday they're recruiting students to come to their Christian school. We couldn't find enrollment ongoing with a with a an icon here. But if you can imagine that. So how do you enroll in this class?

Well, it's pretty simple. You start today. You don't have to wait till the fall. You don't have to wait till January, the new term. Start today.

How about go to the School of Wisdom? Did you know that Billy Graham said I read one pro, read, said, sorry, past tense. He said I read one proverb a day. There's 31 of them and there's godly wisdom in every single one of them. Eight is the favorite and it just happened to be June 8 today.

Ain't that cool? So go home this afternoon and read through Proverbs eight and see what God will teach you that you didn't hear today. And then tomorrow when you wake up and have your quiet time, read Proverbs nine and just test it. What happens if I, oh, I forgot to do that. Don't beat yourself up.

Wisdom is not going to chastise you. Jump in that day. Every day look at the calendar and say, today that's the day I'm gonna read it. Second, starting today. Can you study the bible and say I will learn Godly wisdom and I will live it out.

Starting today. And thirdly, could you make it a goal? Could you have a goal? How many classes you go to where you don't have a goal at the end of it? Make a goal to read through the Bible in the next year.

What happens if you don't make it in a year, twelve months? Well, I can tell you life gets busy sometimes. And I kind of find myself feeling a little guilty when I don't, oh, it took me fourteen months this year. Okay, so you get a fourteen month year of reading the Bible. Is that something bad?

Well, no. The next day you start again. Took me fifteen months the next month. Okay, I'm getting slower in my reading. I don't know what it is, but just find the nuggets.

Find the nuggets. You're reading in the Old Testament, you're reading in the New Testament at the same time and you find they match up. What happened with Proverbs and Job? You find that all the way through scripture. The treasures are there.

54:15 Closing Prayer

You challenge us no matter how wise we might be in our own mind. Lord, we know that you give godly wisdom. No matter how many times we've read your word, we know that there's more nuggets, there's more treasures that are there For people that we admire because they have the scriptures memorized. Lord, we can memorize scripture. You will empower us to do so.

For those of us who confess we're naive or we're actually even foolish. Father, thank you for your grace and your mercy, your kindness that you're not gonna reproach us. Instead, you're gonna graciously receive us and say, let's start today. Let's start together today. Lord, we thank you that we have sat under the teaching of the master teacher.

The king of kings and the lord of lords through the, through your son, Solomon. The wisest man that ever lived besides Jesus. Father, help us to learn from that. And father, if you do choose to bestow upon us the blessings that we receive because we're pursuing godly wisdom, may we remember they're not ours to keep. That you want us to pass that on, to share it with others, to never hoard whatever you've given us, whether it be time, talent, treasure, relationships, ministry.

Lord, thank you for your word. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

The School of Wisdom — Proverbs 8-9

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The School of Wisdom — Proverbs 8-9

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