So, we began a new series a couple of weeks ago on the subject of WISDOM. I am calling this series Wisdom - The Principal Thing. I am calling it this because the Bible says that Wisdom is the principal thing - that is, the top, first and best thing.
 
Someone might be thinking - “What about love? Isn’t it the greatest virtue of the Christian life?” or either “What about faith? Isn’t it impossible to please God without faith?” Both of those questions are legitimate but the fact is, the Bible says that wisdom is the principal thing and does not say this about any other virtue. However, through my studies on the subject of wisdom I have found that the wisdom that descends from above is, in fact, walking in love (compare James 3:17) and believing in God (compare Proverbs 9:10). In other words, you cannot separate godly wisdom from faith and love anyway. They are all woven together to create the first fruits of a pure and undefiled religion that God has called us unto. Amen?  
 
So, let’s look again at Proverbs 4:5-8: It says, “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
 
So, we can see just through this one passage of Scripture that there is indeed great value and worth in obtaining wisdom from God, amen? And that is what we spent part one of this series looking at. We looked at many of the different by-products of acquiring wisdom. We saw that with wisdom comes “honor, promotion, favor from God, wealth & riches, length of days, life, happiness, blessings, etc.” 
 
So, we need to honestly ask ourselves the question - Am I experiencing an abundance of all of these blessings in my life? If not, then based on this Scripture, I need to start loving wisdom and embracing her. I need to exalt and honor her. To most believers, this is not on their radar to do this. But should it be? If we desire these things in our life, it should!
 
Therefore, we learned that this is the first thing we need to do - begin to exalt and embrace her. This describes simply just holding her in higher esteem than we currently do. And the awesome thing is by us simply valuing wisdom in our hearts, we begin to attract her. And then when we obtain her, she brings with her all manner of good things in our life.
 
Now it stands to mention again that the tell-tale sign that you and I truly know and understand these things is by how excited and enthusiastic we get about hearing it. In other words, if we are truly exalting, embracing and loving wisdom, she will have our hearts. So, if the preciousness of wisdom does not stir something up on the inside of us, then it is not real to us. It is that simple!
 
So, last week, we began defining wisdom. We first of all looked at what wisdom is not. And we saw that wisdom is not knowledge or understanding.
 
Yes, wisdom is not simply accumulating more information than others. You can accumulate a vast amount of knowledge and still be void of wisdom. I received the following statement when studying this: you can have a cap and a gown or a robe and a crown and still be a fool. In other words, you can have several degrees or hold a prestigious title or position and still be unwise.
 
We saw how many of these highly intellectual people in the world are lauded for their “wisdom,” but in many of these cases, they claim to be atheists. And the Bible says, regarding this, that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God (see Psalm 53:1). So, it doesn’t matter how much knowledge and understanding one seems to have, if they do not believe there is a Creator, then they are a fool.  
 
So, we endeavored to define wisdom, and we saw that while possessing knowledge or understanding is not the same as having wisdom, they both work together with wisdom. Regarding this - one definition of wisdom is as follows: Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Therefore, knowledge can exist without wisdom; but wisdom cannot exist without knowledge.
 
I used a physical example to define wisdom and show the difference between wisdom, knowledge and understanding - the example of automobile mechanics:
 
We saw that knowledge could be described as being able to look under the hood of a car and tell which parts are the engine, the transmission, the radiator, the battery, the alternator, etc. Understanding would be the ability to know what each of these parts do and what their function is regarding the vehicle running correctly. But how many of you know that just because you can lift the hood on your car and have the “knowledge” of which part is the alternator, and just because you have the “understanding” of what the alternator does, does not mean that if your alternator goes out that you yourself will know how to fix it. That is where wisdom ties in. 
                                                                                            
So, we then saw that a couple of good one-word definitions that I have been able to find for “wisdom” are “skillful” and “expert.” In other words, having wisdom in an area is being skilled and an expert in that area.
 
So, regarding our example of auto mechanics - a good, skilled auto mechanic not only “knows” what every part of the car is, not only do they “understand” what they do and why they do it, but they know how each of these parts work together. Yes, one who is “skilled” or an “expert” in auto mechanics could take the vehicle apart and put it back together again. In other words, the one who is “skilled” and an “expert” in fixing cars knows the correct application of all of that knowledge they have.       
 
Therefore, that is why I like to define wisdom like so: wisdom is being skilled and an expert in the arena of life - because as important as being skilled in the arena of auto mechanics is, what we really want to become an expert at is life. Amen?
 
You see, this is the wisdom that you and I truly are looking for! Not just the earthly wisdom that will only help in things that pertain to this temporal life. Sure, there are benefits to having wisdom in regard to the things of life, but the wisdom that comes from above (i.e. God) contains the skill and expertise that will not only help us in this life but has the promise of the life that is to come   (1 Timothy 4:8).
 
We saw that one way you could answer the question, “What is wisdom?” is with one word - GOD! That’s right: God is wisdom! In fact, the Bible actually teaches us in three places (Romans 16:27, 1 Timothy 1:17 and Jude 25) that God alone is wise. That means that just as there is none good but God (not meaning that there is no one else who ever does any good things, but simply that God is the only One who is purely good and has this as an unchanging part of His nature), likewise there is none wise but God, which means the same thing: that while we might only scratch the surface of wisdom that descends from above, no one else can ever compare to God’s wisdom.
 
So, we went over to the Book of James because it gives us the primary difference between God’s wisdom and this world’s wisdom. We looked at James 3:13-17 which says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
 
We saw how in verse 13, James asks a rhetorical question: “Who is wise and understanding among you?” – indicating that there was evidently a group of individuals in this church he was writing to who claimed to have all of this wisdom and understanding (Probably that same group who wanted to become teachers that James warned in 3:1). So, James answers this question by saying that if you really have true wisdom, it will be displayed in your life by how you conduct yourself. In other words, wisdom is not just knowing something and having all the answers. Wisdom is simply living rightly. In other words, wisdom is not us being able to win a debate; wisdom is us having the common sense to make good decisions in life and actually doing so.   
 
Therefore, wisdom is more than just being able to quote a bunch of Bible verses about a topic, such as love; it is knowing how to apply these truths about love to your life and actually being a doer of these verses that you know. So, knowledge would be us learning the truth. Understanding would be us learning how to apply the truth. But wisdom would be us actually living the truth.
 
This is why we looked at verse 17 – which is where James defines the God kind of wisdom - that all of these traits and characteristics of wisdom are good and loving behaviors. No, not just theories or philosophies; true wisdom is the applied knowledge from God. So, in essence, God’s wisdom is pure and without hypocrisy. It is a peacemaker. It is considerate and non-contentious. It is open to reason. It is merciful and produces all manner of good fruits.
 
Finally, we looked at Matthew 10:16 and brought a good balance to what wisdom truly is. Matthew 10:16 says, “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” We saw that godly wisdom uses good, common sense and makes strategic, thoughtful decisions, but not for selfish, harmful motives. All that it does is righteous and good. Yes, we certainly want to be “harmless” in our dealings - meaning, we are not to violate the love command. This is at the top of our priority list - doing good, being kind, showing mercy, etc. Therefore, we are gentle in our dealings, not harmful and not self-seeking. However, we are also to be wise as serpents - meaning, we do not naively put ourselves in the position of being hurt, or doing foolish things that lead to loss in our lives. Like a serpent, we make small, calculated movements in our dealings with people and things in this world. Yes, our aim is to imitate Love Himself and be good and gracious in our interactions with people, but we do things wisely - that is, in a slow, systematic fashion, being led by the Spirit of wisdom. Amen!  
 
THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
 
This week, I would like to continue looking at what wisdom is by looking at one of wisdom’s primary characteristics. So, I am titling today’s message, “The Heart of Wisdom.”
 
So, let’s begin by going back to Proverbs 9:1 and looking at what is at the very core of wisdom. This proverb says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
 
Now, the fear of the Lord is not being “afraid” of God; it is the reverence, respect or you could say, placing the appropriate value upon God and the things that He values. Let me give you a good example of this:
 
Say, someone that is held in high esteem were coming to your house like a king, queen, the president or a spiritual leader. Did you know that many of you would do a thorough house cleaning, put it in order and then would likely change many of the things that you normally would do if those distinguished guests were not coming? Do you know what that is? It is the “fear” of that person. Now obviously, you are not afraid or terrified of them; but because you respect the position that they hold, you behave in a certain way and do certain things out of respect for their position.
 
This is why I love statement the Lord gave me regarding our two primary, most common exhortations - Loving God and Fearing God: He told me that we “love” His person; we “fear” His position. In other words, He is both our God and our Father. He holds the position of God, Lord and Sovereign, but He also is our Father, Brother and Husband. Therefore, we “love” His personality based on our relationship with Him, but “fear” His position as the Lord God Almighty.   
 
So, the very heart and foundation of wisdom is recognizing that there is indeed a God, and living a life of respect and reverence for Him. If one does not have this basic understanding, they are unwise. I don’t care how many degrees they have, how many letters they have at the end of their name, or what position and title they hold, if they do not recognize and respect the One True and Living God, they are a fool. On the other hand, if we have this reverential awe and respect for the Lord God, then we will behave in such a way that prepares us for standing before Him one day. Therefore, the beginning of wisdom, in essence, is that it looks at the things it cannot see and makes decisions based upon that unseen, eternal realm.
 
Let’s look at this from a natural perspective to help us grasp this core characteristic of wisdom. We will do so by looking at the heart of wisdom in regards to our physical bodies and our finances:
 
PHYSICAL WISDOM
 
First of all, one very obvious example of the heart of wisdom would be taking care of our bodies:
 
You see, wisdom will suppress the cravings of the flesh to eat fast food every day and just “veg-out” on the couch 24/7. Of course, that is an extreme example that hopefully none of us are practicing today, but it is an obvious example of foolishness. Saints, we need to walk in wisdom with our eating and exercising habits and not just live to gratify our flesh.
 
You see, our flesh is bent on gratifying itself today! In other words, it wants whatever it feels like right now. For example, a good sign that your flesh is trying to take control of the show is when you feel like you just have to have that candy bar at that moment. That is the time to suppress your flesh and treat it like you would a child and say, “You know what? If you are going to pitch a fit about it, you aren’t getting anything!”
 
You will experience this the most when you go on a fast. Your flesh will kick and scream and tell you that you are going to just die if you don’t eat something right now! Of course, this is not true because the truth is your body can go days without eating and be totally fine. But our flesh is just like a spoiled little kid though - totally irrational and selfish! But wisdom will discipline those physical cravings of the flesh because it will first consider how those eating, drinking, and exercising habits will affect it in the future.
 
This is just one example of how the heart of wisdom can be applied to our everyday lives. So, let’s look at another natural aspect of the heart of wisdom…
 
FINANCIAL WISDOM
 
Another matter that we simply cannot avoid in regards to the heart of wisdom is the area of finances. Let’s look at an example of this that we can all relate to - credit cards (I’m sure everyone will like this one)…
 
When dealing with credit cards, many Americans have the mindset that they are a means of getting what they want today even though they do not currently have the money. For instance, many of us will say things like, “I can put this new flat screen, high definition television on my credit card and then I’ll own it.” But the reality is, we don’t really own it because we are going to have to pay for it down the road, plus some!
 
You see, wisdom will not do this. The reason why is because wisdom will consider what something is going to cost down the road before acting on the impulses of the flesh to purchase it now.
 
Now don’t get me wrong - I am not saying that using credit cards is unwise (Sorry Dave Ramsey😊); it just becomes unwise when we do not handle them correctly. This occurs as we spend money on our credit card knowing that we will not be able pay it back immediately, thus incurring those high interest rates. But if we use a credit card with the mentality that we will make it a priority to pay it back at our first opportunity, then there is nothing wrong with them.
 
However, my point is that it is unwise to simply gratify the flesh and not consider the repercussions of those decisions. So, in regards to this, we should do our best to avoid using credit as a means to get what we want today at the cost of tomorrow.
 
Now we can flip this principle of wisdom regarding credit cards because, did you know, you can actually use credit cards to your benefit? For example, Shannon and I have used credit cards for some time now that earn us cash back. Of course, that is not a tremendous amount but when you charge everything you can on it (while deducting those payments out of your checkbook register as if you were using a check or a debit card), then it can add up.
 
For instance, when we have to make a major purchase, we use the credit card even though we might have the money sitting in our checking account. Why? Because we want to earn the rewards with the credit card company on that purchase and then we will turn around and pay it back before the interest sets in. There are some credit cards that earn travel rewards and I know a man who earned a free trip to Hawaii for himself and 3 other family members after just a few years of charging everything he could on that credit card while paying the bill in full every month! This is how credit cards can actually benefit us.
 
So, I am not saying that using credit cards is wrong; what I am saying, however, is it is just how most Americans use them that is wrong.
 
As I was writing this about the misuse of credit cards, a particular scripture was ringing in my heart: “The law is good if one uses it lawfully” (1 Timothy 1:8)
 
You see, in the circles that I have run in, most people have this negative perception of the Mosaic and Levitical Laws. We understand that the law was given by God strictly to show us His unattainable righteous requirements - all with the hope of us throwing our hands in the air and asking for mercy. In this case, God sent the Messiah - the Lord Jesus - to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law for us so that when we responded in this manner, He would save us by grace. This is using the law “lawfully.”
 
On the other hand, to use the law “unlawfully” would be to try and fulfill the righteous requirements of the law while rejecting the sacrifice offered through the blood and body of the Lord Jesus. In other words, using the law “unlawfully” would be us using the law as a means of justification before God. So, you see, the law is not bad in and of itself; it is just how people have used it that is bad.
 
Likewise, credit cards are good, if people would use them “lawfully.” But the problem is many use credit cards as a way of gratifying their flesh today without giving any real thought to what it will cost them tomorrow. 
 
But, on the other hand, wisdom will make financial decisions today that will be beneficial tomorrow. In other words, wisdom will invest as opposed to incurring debt! This is the heart of wisdom in regards to the financial arena.
 
THE HEART OF WISDOM
 
You see, this is one of the reasons why I call this the “heart of wisdom.” It is because at its very heart, wisdom considers the future in all of its current decisions. In other words, the heart of wisdom is that it always looks ahead and always considers the future when making current decisions.
 
But isn’t this just a common characteristic of a wise person? Through the knowledge and experiences of life, a wise person who chose to learn from their life-lessons, will make adjustments the next go around. In other words, because of what they learned will happen when they do certain things, they consider the outcome of their current decisions. This is wisdom, and this is exactly the opposite of what a fool does…
 
You see, a fool is always surprised by what ends up happening in the future. “Wow! I didn’t know that was going to happen!” they say, or, “Oops, if I would have known that was going to happen, I wouldn’t have done that.” So, a fool is shortsighted and blind and doesn’t consider the outcome of their current decisions. A wise person always thinks ahead.
 
For instance, a fool will speak without thinking - never considering how what he is about to say will affect him or those hearing him. In regards to this, a fool will vent all his feelings. Yes, what is in his heart will become obvious because he will always let you know what he is thinking no matter how inappropriate it might be. A fool will also just blare on without giving any thought to his destination. He will rarely consider how what he is about to do will affect him down the road. So, you see, a fool conducts himself in the exact opposite manner of the wise.
 
On the other hand, those with the heart of wisdom will not vent all of their feelings. They will consider the effect that their words will have before they speak them - and in many respects, godly wisdom will restrain any words that would be hurtful and harmful to the hearers. The wise will also consider where what they are about to do will take them before they move forward - thinking ahead as to whether or not their current decision will lead them away from God’s perfect plan for their life. To put it simply - the heart of wisdom is that it looks ahead and considers where it is going.   
 
SPIRITUAL WISDOM
 
So, as I have stated thus far, a foolish person will just blare on without ever giving any forethought to the implications of his or her decisions. But a wise person will first consider how what they are about to do to, for example, their body and how they are about to spend their money will affect them in the future. But, you see, this principle of wisdom that we have been talking about is something that reaches well beyond just simple credit card debt as well as any other worldly examples. This is also how most people live their lives spiritually…
 
For example, in regard to sin, fools will succumb to temptation because they will not consider the future ramifications of their sin - how it will affect them spiritually, physically, emotionally, etc. So, giving in to temptation is, in essence, a failure to walk in the wisdom of God.
 
What will wisdom do in regards to temptation? It will do everything it can to not even enter into the tempting circumstances. In other words, it will think ahead and do whatever it can to abstain from the fleshly lusts that war against the soul (see 2 Peter 2:11).
 
The Cross of Christ is a great example of this heart of wisdom that we are talking about… In Hebrews 12:2 the author tells us that Jesus “for the joy set before Him endured the Cross despising the shame.” In other words, Jesus looked beyond the temporal pain and suffering of the Cross and unto the joy that would come as a result of His obedience. Aren’t you glad Jesus had the heart of wisdom at that time? And the author used this example to motivate his readers to take up their Cross and continue to strive against sin (see verses 3&4).
 
Saints, as long as we are living on this earth we will always have this option before us - Will we resist temptation now for the joy set before us or will we fulfill the lust of the flesh and sacrifice the long-term rewards?  
 
One passage of scripture stands out as an example. In Matthew 7:24-27, we are told that a wise man hears and does the sayings of Jesus. A foolish man hears, but does not do, the sayings of Jesus. The storms of life COME AGAINST BOTH OF THEM, but the wise man uses what he has been learning and doing to weather these storms, whereas the fool is ruined by them.
 
SPIRITUAL DEBT vs. SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT
 
You see, there is such a thing as “spiritual debt” as well as financial debt. It is sad to say, but the truth is that the vast majority of people that have ever walked on this planet lived their life with this debt mentality.
 
What do I mean by “debt mentality?” I mean that they lived solely for their earthly life - fulfilling their own selfish, carnal desires - and they are paying for it right now in eternity. Some gave their heart to God but still lived conformed to this world - that is, they were born again believers, but they went through life only living for themselves and did not lay their treasures up in heaven. While these will still live in the presence of God for eternity, they will not receive the great rewards that they were capable of receiving. On the other hand, most people that have lived on the earth never even acknowledged the existence of God and lived totally ungodly and carnal lifestyles, having never received the salvation that was offered through Jesus Christ. These will experience spiritual “bankruptcy”- having their part in the lake of fire for eternity where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.
 
Both of these examples are the bookends of what it is like to live in spiritual debt. But, on the other hand, there are the few that find the path of life and live a life of consecration to God - putting their flesh under and sowing themselves towards their eternal harvest. These are the spiritually wise - the ones that have invested their life for their glorious future!
 
Let’s look over at a verse in the 90th Psalm that I see as culminating everything we have been saying through this teaching (This Psalm was actually a prayer that Moses prayed during the time Israel was wandering in the wilderness for 40 years):
 
In this Psalm, Moses prayed for something that I believe we should all pray for consistently for our own lives and the lives of others. In this awesome prayer, Moses shows us how the heart of wisdom applies to our life on this earth versus our life in eternity.
 
So, what was it that Moses specifically prayed for that will enable us to gain a heart of wisdom? In verse 12, he asked the Lord to “teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” What a powerful verse this is! 
 
What Moses was asking Yahweh was to teach them to count the number of days that they had. What does this mean? Just think about it: The carnal human tendency is to suppose that we will live on this earth forever. Most people (particularly young people) just float through life never considering that their life may end soon. Since this life is all that we have ever known, we just live life never really considering what happens after we die. But life after death is a reality that we must consider! As a matter of fact, eternity is something that we better consider because how we live our life now will determine where and how we will spend eternity.
 
Do you see how vague this is to most people, even Christians? But this is exactly why Moses prayed this for Israel… He prayed that God would teach them to calculate and evaluate their days on this earth so that they would be ready for the next life. So I pray now for us… “Lord, teach us to number our days as well - to see how short this life really is so that we would make the most of our time here on the earth. Lord, give unto us this heart of wisdom.” Amen!
 
In the 90th Psalm as well as several other places in Scripture we are reminded of our human frailty. The Scriptures that are ringing in my ears even as I am writing this describe mankind as grass (see Isaiah 40:6-8 & James 1:9-11). And the point of emphasis in these Scriptures is that we are like grass in that we grow up one day and are cut down the next. Some of us are beautiful, glamorous, and successful like the flower of the grass, but we all will suffer the same fate of death regardless of what we accomplish here on the earth. We are all but a vapor.
 
I know that many Christians like to rest on a misinterpretation of Romans 8:28, thinking that all things are going to work to their good regardless of how they live their lives. But this is not so - you can’t take this scripture out of its context. First of all, it says that all things work together for good TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. So having a whole-hearted love for God is one requirement. Second, this verse is a continuation of the chapter, which starts with another requirement of “those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. So this verse does not give you “blanket blessings” as you live your life however you please.
 
You see, in the world success is sought for. People live their whole lives to make a buck and be able to retire one day. And although there is some wisdom in preparing for our future here on the earth, if that is all we live for, then we are living a life of vanity.
 
You see, our life on this earth is so short in comparison to eternity. And I believe the church has allowed the same mentality of the world to creep into it. We have adopted the same carnal and foolish thinking that is only concerned with this earth-life. This is indeed a grave mistake because a day is coming, soon and very soon, when we will stand in front of our Master and have to give an account for the stewardship of our life on this earth. I personally want the Lord to look at me and say, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in little (i.e. in this short life) and now you will become ruler over much (i.e. in the eternal kingdom of God)!”
 
So which end of the spectrum are you going to strive for? Are you going to live for today and be in debt for the future or are you going to live for the future and lay down your life today?  Life is short, my friends; so live for eternity!
 
So, in conclusion, we could say that making current decisions that will positively affect our future is the heart of wisdom! By far the most important aspect of this is regarding the spiritual because he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:8). But we should also incorporate this characteristic of wisdom into our earth-life as well - physically, financially, etc. And the best wisdom we can use in any situation is to be led - seek and follow the Holy Spirit’s wisdom.
 
My brother and sister, if we would live our lives with a heart of wisdom we would be making one of the greatest decisions we could ever make in our life. My prayer is that you will take this truth and begin to reevaluate your life to make sure you are investing in those things that are of eternal value. Never forget: what we do today will echo for all eternity! What sound will you make?

We began a new series last week on the subject of WISDOM, and I am extremely excited that the Lord has led us to camp on this subject over the next few months because the wisdom of God is such an important part of our lives. And this is exactly what we learned last week.
 
And before I begin to review what we talked about last week, I wanted to reiterate to you that the Lord has given us a book that is all about the wisdom of God, and that’s the Book of Proverbs. So, as we are going through this series, I encourage you to spend time studying this Book of Wisdom. You can read one chapter a day and generally cover the entire book in one month. Shannon and I have started a Bible study where we are going through this book together, and we encourage you to do something similar as well.
 
But the truth is, most believers do not put this subject at the top of their list of priorities. I explained last week how the Lord showed me the reason that most Christians do not get as excited about this particular subject. It is because:
 
a. They don’t think they need it. In other words, they think they are just fine, they know what they are doing, etc. Most people are deceived into thinking this, but the truth is - when we see what the fruit of wisdom is, we will recognize that we need more wisdom in our lives. And that led me to the second point…
b. They don't see the value of it. You see, if we saw how valuable wisdom is and all of the benefits it yields in us, we would hunger and thirst for more of it. Yes, if we saw that with wisdom comes all of these other things that we seek after, we would desire wisdom far more than most of us currently do.
 
But the truth is this, we all need much more wisdom than we currently possess. There is not a person that I know, who cannot stand to have more of the wisdom of God operating in their lives. And in last week’s message, I proved this very thing to you:
 
So, let’s quickly review what we talked about last week by looking again at Proverbs 4:5: It says, “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
 
So the first things we see here is the command to get wisdom, which lets us know two things - first, that we need it, and second, that it is “gettable.” Because God would not tell us to get it if we could not get it.
 
Second, we saw how Solomon - a man who had certainly acquired wisdom from the Lord - said that wisdom is the principal thing. No, not love, not faith, not grace. He said wisdom is the principal thing. And we saw that this phrase “principal thing” literally describes in the Hebrew language something that is the head or at the top. It describes something that is first or something that is at the beginning. So, some good translations of this phrase then would be that wisdom is “the first thing” or it’s “the top thing.”
 
I said that most of us, when we hear the word “principal,” think of the director of a school. This position is generally called “principal” because they are the head teacher or the head-honcho (if you would). This word “principal” is also where we get the term “principalities” from, which are commonly a reference in the New Testament to the highest-ranking demons in the kingdom of darkness. So, they are the top-ranked class of demons in Satan’s kingdom.  
 
In fact, the Hebrew word that is used here in Proverbs 4:7 is the same word that is commonly translated as “first-fruits.” Now the giving of “first-fruits” was when the children of Israel gave the first, and therefore, the best of their harvest to the Lord as an offering. So, when we think of the giving of “first-fruits,” we think of giving our first and our best. Therefore, we can clearly see that Solomon was saying that wisdom is the first and best thing! In other words, it is at the top of all things that we could acquire from the Lord. Now that is a pretty strong statement, isn’t it? Wisdom is the first and best thing! That’s the reason Solomon continually said to get it!
 
So, what we did last week is we learned why - why wisdom is the first, top, head and best thing. We did this by looking a myriad of Scriptures that teach us of wisdom’s worth and value:
 
Looking again at Proverbs 4:8-9, we will begin to find out what wisdom brings with her: Solomon said, “Exalt her, and she will promote you. She will bring you honor, when you embrace her…” So, we saw that both promotion and honor come by simply valuing wisdom. Sure, these things don’t come from the east or from the west; promotion and honor come from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7). However, does that mean that the Lord is just picking and choosing whomever He wants to exalt? No! Again, this verse says that when we exalt wisdom, we will be “exalted.” So, maybe a problem with many is because they have not placed the appropriate value on wisdom - seeing her importance and living like that is true - they have failed to be honored.
 
So, we need to honestly ask ourselves these questions: Do I love and embrace wisdom? Do I exalt and honor her? To most believers, this is not on their radar to do this. But should it be? If you desire things like honor and promotion, it should!
 
Therefore, we learned that this is the first thing we need to do - begin to exalt and embrace her. This describes simply just holding her in higher esteem than we currently do. And the awesome thing is by us simply valuing wisdom in our hearts, we begin to attract her. And then when we obtain her, she brings with her all manner of good things in our life.
 
We then began to look at several other Scriptures like Proverbs 3:14-15; 8:10-11, 19, 16:16 & Job 28:12-19 that expressly state that wisdom is worth more than gold, silver, precious stones and anything else we could desire. And we learned that the reason why wisdom is more valuable than these precious things is because with wisdom comes these precious, natural things.
 
We looked at both Proverbs chapter 3 and 8 in depth and saw many of the benefits of finding and acquiring wisdom in our lives. Quickly, we saw that with wisdom comes:
 

1. Length of days (3:16)
2. Pleasantness and Peace (3:17)
3. Happiness (3:13,18)
4. Life More Abundantly (3:18, 8:35)
5. Riches and Wealth (3:16, 8:18-21)
6. Honor (3:16, 8:18)
7. Favor from God (8:35)
8. Righteousness (8:18)
9. A Blessed Life (8:32-34)

 
So, do you have more than enough riches and wealth in your bank accounts? Have you obtained all the favor you want from the Lord? Have you received all of the honor and promotions you desire? Are you a happy person? Are you on your way to living a long, peaceful and pleasant life? If you cannot answer a definite YES to all of these questions, then you can apparently stand to have more wisdom in your life - because we’ve learned that all of these things come with acquiring wisdom from above! Amen!
 
Now it stands to mention here that the telltale sign that you and I truly know and understand these things is by how excited and enthusiastic we get about hearing it. So, if the value of wisdom does not stir something up on the inside of us, then it is not real to us. It is that simple! Therefore, church, let’s receive this revelation and receive all the benefits of wisdom in our lives. Amen?
 
WHAT WISDOM IS NOT
 
So, an obvious next step in our series on wisdom is to define it. Let’s do this by not only asking the question, “What is wisdom?” but also by asking, “What is wisdom not?”
 
You see, wisdom is a very difficult thing to define. Like agape love, it has a variety of meanings and is hard to adequately describe. However, one of the best ways to begin describing wisdom is by talking about what wisdom isn’t.   
 
First of all, wisdom is not knowledge. Wisdom is not simply accumulating more information than others. You can accumulate a vast amount of knowledge and still be void of wisdom. I received the following statement when studying this: you can have a cap and a gown or a robe and a crown and still be a fool.
 
You see, the term “fool” is the title that the Bible gives to the one void of wisdom. In other words, the opposite of a wise person in the Bible is a fool. And you know what the Bible says that a fool does, right? Psalm 53:1 says that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” But isn’t it interesting that these self-proclaimed atheists who say that there is no God are the ones who are lauded for their “wisdom”? Yes, these are usually those who are highly intelligent and scholarly, yet the Bible calls this belief that there is no God the epitome of foolishness.
 
And do you know why this is? It is because Proverbs 9:1 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” In other words, the very foundation of wisdom is recognizing that there is indeed a God, and living a life of respect and reverence for Him. If one does not have this basic understanding, they are not wise. I don’t care how many degrees they have, how many letters they have at the end of their name, or what position and title they hold; if they do not recognize and respect the One True and Living God, they are “unwise” (to put it nicely). 1 Corinthians 8:1 tells us that only having knowledge puffs you up (setting you up for a fall.) On the other hand, there are some who are wise that don’t have a very high IQ. This is because they have recognized that true wisdom comes from God and have received it from Him.
 
Secondly, wisdom is not understanding. Thus, the reason that we see Solomon saying, “Get wisdom! Get understanding!” (Proverbs 4:5, 7). If they were one and the same, then why tell us to get them both? Amen?
 
No, understanding literally describes insight, discernment and to realize something. My favorite way to describe biblical understanding is that it is “the ability to put two and two together”- thus “understanding” is to not just knowing what something is, but why something is the way that it is. 
 
DEFINING WISDOM
 
So, no, possessing knowledge or understanding is not the same as having wisdom. However, they both work together with wisdom. For example, it is for this reason that I have always liked the following definition given to wisdom: Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. In other words, wisdom is different than simple knowledge in that wisdom knows how to take the knowledge it has accumulated and then apply it. Therefore, knowledge can exist without wisdom; but wisdom cannot exist without knowledge.
 
For example, let me give you a good natural example that describes the roles that both knowledge and understanding play - the example of automobile mechanics:
 
You see, we can study everything that is underneath the hood of our car and be able to tell which parts are the engine, the transmission, the radiator, the battery, the alternator, etc. But this is simply “knowledge.” We might even have the “understanding” of what each of these parts do and what their function is in regards to the vehicle running correctly. But how many of you know that just because you can lift the hood on your car and have the “knowledge” of which part is the alternator, and just because you have the “understanding” of what the alternator does, does not mean that if your alternator goes out that you yourself will know how to fix it. That is where wisdom ties in. 
                                                                                            
So, what role does wisdom play in this? Before I answer that question, let’s now answer the question: What is wisdom?
 
The best one-word definitions that I have been able to find for “wisdom” are “skillful” and “expert.” In other words, having wisdom in an area is being skilled and an expert in that area.
 
Now looking back at our example of auto mechanics - a good, skilled auto mechanic is the one who has the “wisdom” regarding what is underneath the hood. In other words, he or she not only “knows” what every part of the car is, not only do they “understand” what they do and why they do it, but they know how each of these parts work together and can fix the car if it needs it. Yes, one who is “skilled” or an “expert” in auto mechanics could take the vehicle apart and put it back together again. In other words, the one who is “skilled” and an “expert” in auto mechanics knows the correct application of all of that knowledge they have.        
 
Therefore, as wisdom is commonly defined - It is the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. In other words, wisdom is the ability to use knowledge and understanding in order to think and act in such a way that common sense prevails and choices are beneficial and productive. So, that is why I like to define wisdom like so: wisdom is being skilled and an expert in the arena of life - because as important as being skilled in the arena of auto mechanics is, what we really want to become an expert at is life. Amen?
 
For example, sticking with this analogy of automobiles: you could say that “knowledge” knows what a traffic signal is and understanding is knowing why it is there. So, these other two virtues know where the traffic signals are located and what the three colors mean. But wisdom, on the other hand, applies that knowledge in a prudent and skilled fashion. In other words, wisdom applies the brakes and stops at the traffic signal. Wisdom respects the yellow light and begins to brake, knowing whether it has the time to make it through the intersection before it turns red. Wisdom even pauses after the light has turned green to make sure no “fools” are running the red light from the intersecting road.
 
Another good example along the same lines is that knowledge knows what brake lights are and knows that it means when the car’s brake lights come on in front of it; wisdom knows when and how to apply the brakes. In fact, wisdom looks ahead of the car in front of it and looks for other cars in its lane that have begun applying their brakes. Then it correctly assumes that the car before it will put on their brakes before they actually do.
 
So, do you see how wisdom functions in this example? It looks ahead! It considers what is going to happen before it does! This is a significant characteristic of wisdom which we will get more into in the future.
 
GOD’S WISDOM
 
So, these natural examples I have just described to you are good definitions and descriptions of wisdom, but the wisdom we should be primarily looking for is not the wisdom of auto mechanics, traffic signals and brake lights; the wisdom we need is the wisdom that descends from above! Amen?
 
How many of you know that there is a BIG difference between natural, earthly wisdom and the wisdom that descends from above (i.e. God’s wisdom)? This is one reason that I like Dr. Charles Stanley’s definition of wisdom. He says, “Wisdom is the capacity to see things from God's perspective and respond according to Scriptural principles.” Amen!
 
You see, this is the wisdom that you and I truly are looking for! Not just the earthly wisdom that will only help in things that pertain to this temporal life. Sure, there are benefits to having wisdom in regard to the things of life, but the wisdom that comes from above (i.e. God) contains the skill and expertise that will not only help us in this life but also has the promise of the life that is to come (1 Timothy 4:8).
 
One way you could answer the question - What is wisdom? - is with one word - GOD! That’s right: God is wisdom!
 
In fact, the Bible actually teaches us in three places (Romans 16:27, 1 Timothy 1:17 & Jude 25) that God alone is wise? That means that just as there is none good but God (not meaning that there is no one else who ever does any good things, but simply that God is the only One who is purely good and has this as an unchanging part of His nature), likewise there is none wise but God, which means the same thing: that while we might only scratch the surface of wisdom that descends from above, no one else can ever compare to God’s wisdom.
 
A good example of this is found in that oft quoted verse, Romans 8:28: So, many have tried to make this verse out to say that God is the author of everything that comes into our lives and that He is using those things to perfect us, to teach us things, etc. Church, that is just not true! A good parable that describes Romans 8:28 is this: God is simply the greatest chess player that ever lived!
 
You know, chess is a game that is won through simple principles of wisdom. Like what? In chess, it is not just about your current move. It is a game where you must anticipate your opponent’s strategy and have your own strategy at the same time. But what makes a good chess player? A good chess player can take the move of their opponent and beat them with their own move! And that is what God has been doing to the devil for 6,000-plus years! Hallelujah!
 
WISDOM FROM ABOVE
 
So, this is where we need to get our wisdom from - from above, from God Himself, since He alone is wisdom. Amen? So, let’s go over to the Book of James because it gives us the primary difference between God’s wisdom and this world’s wisdom.
 
You know, James is commonly considered the New Testament Book of Wisdom. One of the reasons for this is because James differentiates worldly wisdom & godly wisdom. Let’s look at this passage of Scripture:
 
He says in James 3:13-17- “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
 
In verse 13, James asks a rhetorical question: “Who is wise and understanding among you?” – indicating that there was evidently a group of individuals in this church he was writing to who claimed to have all of this wisdom and understanding (Probably that same group who wanted to become teachers that James warned in 3:1). So, James answers this question by saying that if you really have true wisdom, it will be displayed in your life by how you conduct yourself. In other words, wisdom is not just knowing something and having all the answers. Wisdom is simply living rightly. In other words, wisdom is not us being able to win a debate; wisdom is us have the common sense to make good decisions in life and actually doing so.   
 
Do you remember the example that I used of wisdom being like a skilled, expert in automobile mechanics and how that is different than just simply knowing what all of the various parts of a car are and why they do what they do? Well, this is how that applies to godly wisdom: it is more than just being able to quote a bunch of Bible verses about something, such as love; it is knowing how to apply these truths about love to your life and actually being a doer of these verses that you know.
 
For example, knowledge would be us learning the truth. Understanding would be us learning how to apply the truth. But wisdom would be us actually living the truth. Again, this is why my own personal definition of godly wisdom is being skilled and an expert in the arena of life. In other words, wisdom is having obtained God’s knowledge and understanding it, and then becoming proficient in applying the truth to our lives.  
 
You see, as James begins to describe in verse 14-16: “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” 
 
What he is saying is that for one to say that they have God’s kind of wisdom yet have bitter envy and selfish ambition operating in their hearts is not possible. Why? Because if the wisdom that descends from above is planted in our hearts, then our lives will be full of good fruit – the fruit of God’s kingdom. Amen?
 
This is why when we look at verse 17 - where James defines the God kind of wisdom - that all of these traits and characteristics of wisdom are good and loving behaviors. No, not just theories or philosophies; true wisdom is the applied knowledge from God. And you can bet that everything you learn from Him will revolve around love, goodness and righteousness. Amen?
 
In James 3:17, he says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
 
Notice that James begins by saying that this wisdom is “first pure, then…” In essence, he is differentiating this earthly, sensual and demonic facade of wisdom that contains things like envy and selfish motives in the heart from God’s wisdom that is, first of all, pure on the inside (i.e. purity of heart). In other words, God’s wisdom is void of these selfish motives. It is pure, thinking more about others than it is its own self.
 
Then he goes on to describe this godly wisdom by saying it is “peaceable.” In other words, it is not contentious and creating divisions. But that is exactly what you see the earthly, devilish wisdom. It creates factions. It generates strife. 2 Timothy 2:23 teaches us to “avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” You see, this disputing back and forth and arguing over doctrine - when done from this sensual wisdom - does nothing but stir up strife. It is not peaceable.
 
You know, it has been well-said that peace is the manifest presence of God and strife is the manifest presence of the devil. So, when we sense that peace in our conversations, then we can know that God is pleased in the conversation. But when strife is being generated, you can bet the bank that the “wisdom” that is being shared is demonic. Amen? Simply ask yourself the question after you have engaged in these conversations: Do I feel closer to the Lord now or further away? This “afterwards test” will oftentimes indicate whether the activity we just participated in was wisdom from above.
 
Then James goes on to describe true wisdom as “gentle.” This word describes character that is reasonable, fair and considerate. It is the exact opposite of someone who is abrasive and contentious. Now we know people like this don’t we? And the people who are not “gentle” are generally the ones who think they know a lot. But again, if someone is dogmatic, abrasive and contentious in sharing the things they know, that is not godly wisdom. Wisdom actually is considerate of others. It is reasonable in its discussions.
 
As James goes on to say wisdom is “willing to yield.” The King James Version says, “easy to be intreated.” This word, which is only used this one time in the New Testament, describes being “compliant, submissive or open to reason.” How many times do you see people who think they know everything being completely unwilling to yield to other people’s views? No, wisdom is teachable, listening to learn what others know. It is not a “know-it-all.” If you aren’t open to instruction, you are limited in acquiring any more wisdom than you have - which is, in essence, foolishness.
 
This wisdom is “full of mercy and good fruits.” So, again, back to the deeds of wisdom. It is disposed to mercy. It produces good fruit. Godly wisdom is “goodly.”
 
James goes on to say that wisdom is “without partiality”- meaning that it does not show favoritism or give preferential treatment. James had just told this church that showing partiality is wrong (James 2:1-9). Some will say that this is “wise” to put the people with the deeper pockets in the best places; but again, what is our motivation there? That it is in our own best interest to do that. Therefore, that is the earthly wisdom that contains selfish motives.
 
Finally, James describes this wisdom from above as being “without hypocrisy.” This goes back to those who claimed to be wise yet were insincere and had all of these improper motives in their hearts.
 
WISE AS SERPENTS; HARMLESS AS DOVES
 
So, in essence, God’s wisdom is pure and without hypocrisy. It is a peacemaker (compare with James 3:18). It is considerate and non-contentious. It is open to reason. It is merciful and produces all manner of good fruits.
 
Yes, godly wisdom uses good, common sense and makes strategic, thoughtful decisions, but not for selfish, harmful motives. All that it does is righteous and good. 
 
A great balance in describing God’s wisdom is found in a very simple exhortation given to us by our Lord and Savior. It is found in Matthew 10:16. In it, Jesus said to His disciples, “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
 
Yes, we certainly want to be “harmless” in our dealings - meaning, we are not to violate the love command. This is at the top of our list of priorities - doing good, being kind, showing mercy, etc. Therefore, we are gentle in our dealings, not harmful and not self-seeking.
 
However, we are also to be wise as serpents - meaning, we do not naively put ourselves in the position of being hurt ourselves and doing foolish things that lead to loss in our lives. Like a serpent, we make small, calculated movements in our dealings with people and things in this world. Yes, our aim is to imitate Love Himself and be good and gracious in our interactions with people, but we do things wisely - that is, in a slow, systematic fashion, being led by the Spirit of wisdom. And what are we doing when we take time instead of hurrying into things? We are seeking and waiting on God’s wisdom. The answer to 101 questions in this life is “be led.” Similarly, we are told in Philippians 1:9-10 that when we are operating in God’s love, we walk in wisdom and avoid offense. Amen!  
 
So, don’t be quick to move and just blaze on without giving a lot of thought to where you are going and how you are getting there. For example, many people do not consider the outcome of their fleshly impulses. They just do what feels right at the moment, giving no consideration to what it will cost them tomorrow. Wisdom does not do this.
 
Wisdom is being skilled in the arena of life. It is living right with good, common sense. God has more than enough wisdom for us. Ask Him for it and find it by reading in His Word. If we live in this manner, we are living in the wisdom that is from above, and we will live like the dove, who flies above the snakes below. Amen, and so be it in our lives!

INTRODUCTION
 
We are beginning a new series today on the subject of WISDOM. I am extremely excited that the Lord has led us to camp on this subject over the next few months because the wisdom of God is such an important part of our lives.
 
Now most believers do not put this subject at the top of their “playlists,” and I for one have been guilty of that. But I have seen recently just how important the wisdom of God is to our lives, and it is MUCH more important than we realize.
 
But the Lord showed me that the reason precious few Christians get excited about this topic is because:
 
a. They don’t think they need it. In other words, they think they are just fine, they know what they are doing, etc. Most people are deceived into thinking this, but the truth is - when we see what the fruit of wisdom is, we will recognize that we need more wisdom in our lives. And that leads me to the second point…
b. They don't see the value of it. You see, if we saw how valuable wisdom is and all of the benefits it yields in us, we would hunger and thirst for more of it. Yes, if we saw that with wisdom comes all of these other things that we seek after, we would seek wisdom instead.
 
But the truth is this - we all need much more wisdom than we currently possess. There is not a person that I know, who cannot stand to have more of the wisdom of God operating in their lives. And in today’s message, I will prove this very thing to you.
 
THE PRINCIPAL THING
 
But first, let’s begin in Proverbs chapter 4 and we are going to look at verses 5-9:
 
Proverbs 4:5-9 says, “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
 
I want you to notice that in verse 7, Solomon - a man who had certainly acquired wisdom from the Lord - said that wisdom is the principal thing. No, not love, not faith, not grace. He said wisdom is the principal thing.
 
So, what does that mean? Well, the phrase “principal thing” literally describes in the Hebrew language something that is the head or at the top. It describes something that is first or something that is at the beginning. So, some good translations of this phrase then would be that wisdom is “the first thing” or it’s “the top thing.”
 
Most of us, when we hear the word “principal,” we think of the director of a school. This position is generally called “principal” because they are the head teacher or the head-honcho (if you would). This word “principal” is also where we get the term “principalities” from, which are commonly a reference in the New Testament to the highest-ranking demons in the kingdom of darkness. So, they are the top-ranked class of demons in Satan’s kingdom.  
 
In fact, the Hebrew word that is used here in Proverbs 4:7 is the same word that is commonly translated as “first-fruits.” Now the giving of “first-fruits” was when the children of Israel gave the first, and therefore, the best of their harvest. So, when we think of the giving of “first-fruits,” we think of giving our first and our best. Therefore, we can clearly see that Solomon was saying that wisdom is the first & best thing! In other words, it is at the top of all things that we could acquire from the Lord.
 
Now that is a pretty strong statement, isn’t it? Some would argue this, saying that other virtues, such as love, faith or grace are the principal thing. But right here in the Bible we have a pretty concrete statement that wisdom is at the front of the line and the top virtue we could possess!
 
Of course, one could make the case that agape love and the righteousness of faith were not introduced yet when this was written. Yes, even though love & faith were mentioned in the Old Testament, they certainly were not emphasized until the New Testament. But either way you look at it, wisdom is at the very least near the front of the line of all the virtues that we could acquire. However, I believe the Lord would say it this way: Love is the greatest thing, faith is the necessary thing, and wisdom is the principal thing. 
 
So, what I want to do today is show you from the Scriptures why: I want to show you why wisdom is so important and valuable in our lives - for the Scriptures have much to say about this. And as you see the value of wisdom and what she provides in our life when we acquire her, you will see how you certainly need more of her in your life.
 
VALUING WISDOM
 
So, let’s first of all, look down at verses 8-9 and we will begin to find out what wisdom brings with her:
 
Solomon went on to say, “Exalt her, and she will promote you…” Do you desire to be promoted? Maybe in your job or your calling? This verse tells you how promotion comes. It doesn’t come from the east or from the west; promotion comes from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7). But does that mean that He is just picking and choosing whomever He wants to exalt? No! Again, this verse says that when we exalt wisdom, we will be “exalted” (i.e. promoted). So, maybe a problem with many is because they have not exalted wisdom - seeing her true value and importance, and living like that is true - they have failed to be promoted. Just maybe.
 
Then Solomon goes on to say that - “She will bring you honor, when you embrace her…” Could you stand to receive more honor in your life - more respect, more love, held in a higher esteem? Well, the Bible tells us that this honor is brought to you and I when we embrace wisdom. Now to embrace her is another way of saying that we love wisdom and desire to hold on to her - a far cry from rejecting and devaluing her in our life.
 
So, honestly, ask yourself the questions - Do I exalt wisdom? Do I embrace her? In other words, do I lift her up, holding her in high esteem? Do I love her by embracing her and not forsaking her (Compare Vs. 6)? To most believers, this is not on their radar to do this. But should it be? If you desire things like honor and promotion, it should!
 
And that is the first thing we need to do - begin to exalt and embrace her. This describes simply just holding her in higher esteem than we currently do. And the awesome thing is, by our simply valuing wisdom in our hearts, we begin to attract her. And then when we obtain her, she brings with her all manner of good things in our life.
 
So, let’s look at some of those things now:
 
Solomon goes on to say, “She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.” Now this is obviously symbolic. Solomon is not talking about a physical ornament or crown being placed on our head. And thank God - for the grace and glory that wisdom herself brings to us is worth far more than jewels, silver and gold.
 
It seems like we have some Scriptures that stress this point 😊 Let’s look at some of them:
 
Proverbs chapter 8 (which we will look at further in a moment) says in verses 10-11, “Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. Then in verse 19, wisdom says of herself: “My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.”
 
Proverbs 16:16 says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver!”
 
Job said in Job 28:12-19, “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be purchased for gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.”
Finally, look over at Proverbs chapter 3 and you will see another reference that echoes Proverbs 8:10:11:
 
Proverbs 3:13-18 says, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, in her left-hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.”
 
Notice, first of all, that this man or woman who finds wisdom is a “happy” man or woman. How many people out there are seeking happiness, yet they are looking for it in natural things. That is not where we find it, saints! This Scripture says that happiness is found in finding true and godly wisdom.
 
But notice that this passage of Scripture says that this wisdom has “proceeds.” So, what are proceeds? It describes income, revenue and profits. In other words, when we find wisdom, we will see some income, revenue and profits in our lives.
 
And these proceeds are more than just natural, tangible blessings (even though they certainly include that). Solomon goes on to say that “her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the (natural) things you may desire cannot compare with her.”
 
Now that is more than enough witnesses to establish us in the truth that wisdom should be desired more than all of these other things we see as so precious. Yes, wisdom is more valuable than any natural thing we could desire.
 
So, let that sink in. The Bible says that acquiring wisdom is better than acquiring silver, fine gold, rubies and anything else we might desire in this world! It says that rubies and any other precious metal or stone are worth less than wisdom. Therefore, it says that it is better to acquire wisdom than to acquire all of these precious natural things.
 
So, don’t you reckon we should be spending some more time seeking her than we do? Amen to that! She is more precious and valuable than anything we could possess on this earth!
 
But a good question then is - why. Why is getting wisdom better than getting all of this prosperity and promotion?
 
WISDOM’S WORTH
 
Well, let’s look at some more of these benefits of obtaining wisdom by looking at Proverbs chapter 8, where we have a chapter of hearing from wisdom herself, and where she explains the benefits of us obtaining her.
 
Beginning in verse 15, wisdom declares, “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.” (Proverbs 8:15-21).
 
So, notice what comes with wisdom: it is the very things that we have just seen that wisdom is more valuable and precious than - riches and wealth! In other words, we see that one of the reasons that wisdom is worth more than all the gold, silver and precious stones that we could desire here on the earth is because with wisdom comes these valuables. Amen!
 
Now this should remind us of a very familiar story in the Bible in 2 Chronicles chapter one, where God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?” And Solomon asked first for wisdom (and also knowledge) so that he could effectively lead God’s kingdom. Well, God then said to him that because he didn’t ask for riches, wealth, honor, the life of his enemies or long life that He would grant him the wisdom and knowledge, but also give him the riches, wealth and honor too!
 
You see, the reason Solomon received from the Lord the riches and honor along with the wisdom was because, as these verses say, they come as a by-product of wisdom. Amen!
 
Then, look down at Proverbs 8:32-36 and notice some more benefits of getting wisdom: She goes on to say, “Now therefore, listen to me, my children: for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me (i.e. wisdom) finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”
 
So, now we are seeing that blessed is the man or woman who receives instruction from wisdom and whoever finds wisdom, “finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.”
 
Are you experiencing all the “life” that God says is yours? You know, we just spent months talking about the good life that God has prearranged for all of us to live. So, we are not that far off subject here - for this Scripture says that we find this life when we find wisdom.
 
But this passage also says that when we find wisdom, we obtain favor from the Lord! So, again, ask yourself the following questions: Have you found that good, quality of life that God says is yours? Have you obtained all the favor you desire from the Lord? Or, better yet, ask this question: Do others see you as truly finding life and obtaining favor from the Lord? If not, then your new goal in life should be - getting wisdom! Amen?
 
Then someone might say, “Yeah well, these life favor, honor, riches and wealth are just not that important to me. I just am happy to live a good, full life.” Well, that’s why Solomon goes on to say back over in Proverbs 3:16-18 that “length of days are in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor.”
So, if you don’t care much for what is in wisdom’s left hand, seek her for what’s in her right hand, for “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”
 
How many of you would like more pleasant and peaceful paths? They come through wisdom! “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.” Friends, a happy, pleasant, peaceful life is found in walking in the wisdom of God.
 
So, whatever it is that you seek in life, whatever it is that you desire, it is found in getting God’s wisdom. Amen!  
 
CONCLUSION
 
So, do you remember that I told you that I was going to prove to you that you and I have a need for wisdom by answering the question of how valuable wisdom is? Let me ask you a few questions:

1. Do you have more than enough riches and wealth in your bank accounts?
2. Have you obtained great favor from the Lord?
3. Are you constantly being honored and receiving promotions?
4. Are you a happy person?
5. Are you on your way to living a long peaceful and pleasant life?

 
If you cannot answer a definite YES to all of these questions, then you can apparently stand to have more wisdom in your life - because we’ve learned that all of these things come with acquiring wisdom from above! Amen!
 
So, as we begin to go through this series and learn more and more about wisdom, I encourage you - Get wisdom!
 
“Well, how do I get it, pastor?” We will get more into this in the coming weeks, but did you know that the Lord is so good that He has given us a book that is all about the wisdom of God. It’s called the Book of Proverbs.
 
So, as we are going through this series, I encourage you to spend time studying proverbs. You can read one chapter a day and generally cover the entire book in month. Shannon and I have started a Bible study together, where we are going through this book together. And we encourage you to do so as well.
 
Church, begin to seek the Lord for wisdom and make it your new life-goal - to obtain wisdom from God! Amen.