Solomon is the author of the Book of Proverbs and he was credited with writing 3,000 proverbs. The Book of Proverbs only contains about 900 but these alone, if acted upon, could change the course of a nation or an individual, even today!
A proverb is a short popular saying expressing a well-known truth or fact. It’s an axiom or a principle to live by. The purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to give the reader skillful and Godly wisdom. It’s a practical book dealing with life’s issues.
The biblical definition of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (a reverential fear) as that’s where it begins and God is its source. (Prov 1:7). Earthly wisdom is really no wisdom at all because “the wisdom of this world is folly with God.” (1 Cor 3:19).
Man’s wisdom fluctuates according to the popular vote!
Solomon was the son of King David, chosen by God to be the next King and he was overwhelmed at the prospect of filling his father’s shoes with the responsibility of leadership. There must be many sons and daughters who at times feel overwhelmed and fearful of not ‘measuring up’ because of a parent’s fame or success or even of the expectations put upon them. And just as many who have dreams and aspirations but have no one to help them on their path of life! Solomon was no different; underneath his royal position was a young man who had to face his own fears and insecurities. God was aware of his feelings and appeared to him in a dream and told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom and understanding so that he could govern God’s people well (1 Kings 3:5, 2 Chron 1:11-12).
What did Solomon desire more than all else? Wisdom. Not gold or long life. Wisdom. It’s great to be talented and have knowledge, but it’s more valuable to have wisdom and to know how to apply it appropriately. If you aspire to anything in this life, desire wisdom.
As a young Christian eager to be baptised in water, I attended my church course on water baptism and had some understanding of what I was about to do. The custom of the church was to give every person who was baptised a certificate of baptism with a scripture verse specifically for them from the Lord. My verse was “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6
I remember feeling a little disappointed (ok Lord, very disappointed!) Why was that? Because I wanted a scripture that spoke of healing the sick, raising the dead etc. I wanted to get out there, wherever that was, and do the business! I wanted to do and experience all the things that I had read about in the book of Acts. I felt so on fire for God that at times I didn’t know what to do with myself. I could have saved myself a lot of pain and disappointment had I embraced that scripture and let it be the plumb line for my life.
The years went by. I knew that the anointing was upon my life, I’d prayed for others and they were healed, I had planted a church and life was good for me but not so good for my children! During that period of my life I really lacked wisdom, I loved Jesus but I wasn’t involving him in most of my decision making, and when things were going wrong I avoided dealing with it because I didn’t know how. I was not trusting the Lord wholly and I was depending on my own understanding, and I was not really seeking His will concerning my domestic problems which, when added up, led me down the wrong path and into the wrong potting shed! However, making bad choices doesn’t mean the point of no return! I allowed my bad choices and the consequences of those, especially the stress, to take my eyes off Jesus and I became overwhelmed by the situation. My health, finances and relationships all suffered. I felt a total failure, something I wasn’t used to feeling!
Eventually I got to the place of realising that I couldn’t stay where I was and that I needed to make some changes, after all I knew better! God was really good to me during that difficult time; He provided for me in every way and the Holy Spirit’s presence was so comforting as he filled me to the depths of my being as I sat on my couch in silence with him. I always loved reading my Bible, but at this time I really didn’t know what to read. The Holy Spirit impressed upon me to read a proverb a day. I had to smile because for many years this had been part of my time spent with him, but for some reason I had stopped reading that section of scripture.
I had bought a new Bible, the New Living Translation version, and when I got to day four and read my baptismal scripture it was like the verses jumped off the page! Thus, I embarked on a journey of putting into practice those things that I have talked about previously. As I sat with Him daily he reminded me of how David dealt with his pain - he poured out his heart to God, had his rant and rave, then remembered the goodness of God and began to worship the Lord. So, I poured out my heart, ranted and raved, shed my tears (bucket loads), repented of my own mistakes, forgave others and myself, and thanked the Lord for his goodness.
Things didn’t change in one day; the Holy Spirit had to heal my sick heart.
There were days that felt so dark but yet His presence was with me! It was a process that probably lasted several months. I was struck by the number of times that Proverbs mentioned having wisdom and sound judgement.
‘Get wisdom; develop good judgement. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgement. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honour you.’ Prov 4:5-8 NLT.
Every day as I read a daily proverb I ask the Lord for that day’s wisdom and sound judgement. I still do this most days as I don’t want to make unnecessary bad choices. I wanted to learn from my mistakes and be wise enough to know that my being ‘in control’ was not in my best interests. I made a good choice that day despite the enemy’s best attempts to keep me in condemnation; to put into practice what the Holy Spirit had been trying to teach me all those years ago! Do I still want to heal the sick, work miracles and raise the dead? You bet I do! My heart still leaps and races when I read, talk or think about those things!
Wisdom and sound judgement contribute to us having the staying power to run our race effectively. I cannot change the past but I can live in a better now! No matter how many times I read the Book of Proverbs I still find something new, some nugget that challenges me.
Maybe you’re in a similar place to the one I was in, maybe different circumstances but you feel lost. Stop for a moment and pray this with me; Father I just don’t know what to do or where to turn, my life seems to be falling apart. Will you journey with me as I read the Book of Proverbs? Heal my heart, give me the wisdom and sound judgement daily that I need. Holy Spirit be my teacher and help me to be the overcomer that you say I can be. I believe that what you did for Chris you will do for me! Amen.
I know that Holy Spirit will not disappoint you as you embrace the journey together! One Proverb a day- like medicine, but for your soul!
Having God’s wisdom will help you in every area of your life. So many people, young and old, want to find that one special person to marry. How many times have some of you ignored that inner voice of wisdom giving a warning of ‘stop’ or ‘don’t’. Or when there’s a tough time in the relationship the first thought can be divorce or a fling! Without the wisdom of God, which by the way He freely gives when asked, we go along with our own wisdom or the wisdom of someone else, which is often based on their own experiences, good and bad!
The wisdom of this world embraces the popular and not so popular vote! I don’t have to agree with someone to love them or care about them.
God hates lots of things but he never hates the person. He hates divorce because of what it does to the family but he doesn’t hate the divorcee. He hates sin but loves the sinner. Jesus died while we were yet sinners, thank God that he did, otherwise we would have all been wiped out! God doesn’t ignore our sin and yes there are consequences to sin, as sin is a symptom of a greater need. I believe that as Christians we can hold onto our integrity and be a voice of truth without destroying another individual who is also made in the image and likeness of God. He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone!
We don’t stone adulterers any more, neither do those who give false prophecies drop down dead. I haven’t heard of a modern-day Ananias or Sapphira (though I’m open to correction). Jesus brought us into a new covenant, a better one bought through His death and resurrection. We no longer live under the law of the Old Testament. It is summed up in one commandment: Love the Lord your God with your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbour as yourself! A side thought, how much do you love yourself?
When you do something wrong or have an unhealthy lifestyle, drink, drugs, adultery, or stealing, lying and cheating, all the hurtful things that we do have consequences and often hurt or destroy others as well as ourselves. What do you want to receive when confronted with your sin - mercy or judgement? You want mercy, so do I. There’s another part to that, James 2;13, that goes along the lines of, to him who shows no mercy, no mercy will be given.That does not mean we have a license to do whatever we like to whomever we like! If we love Jesus we won’t steal, cheat, lie, kill or rob. Love will restrain us! The consequences to our sin may be a prison sentence, a job loss, divorce, loss of a loved one, etc. The point I’m making is that God is merciful to us when we repent, but His way of achieving this does not include sending others to humiliate, shame or abuse us into submission. We not only need to know the truth but we must also know the Lord’s heart towards other individuals and have the wisdom to know what to say if anything!
Most people would love Jesus if he walked the earth today. Sinners flocked to Him, just like you and I. Jesus loves sinners, they are His ‘specialty’. Remember Zacchaeus? The little guy, a tax collector who ran and climbed a tree so that he could catch a glimpse of Jesus! Jesus saw him in the tree, called him by name and invited himself to dinner at his home. As a result, Zacchaeus changed his lifestyle found true joy and peace and repaid those he had cheated. Are you positioning yourself to catch a glimpse of wisdom as it passes you by?
We need wisdom and sound judgement to deal with an ever-changing society and how we relate to it. You and I can love others and still maintain our integrity and be loved back by those we disagree with, if we use the wisdom and judgement of heaven rather than the wisdom of man!
"Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." Proverbs 3:15 NLT
"Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you." Proverbs 4:6 NLT
Do you want revelation and insight for business deals, the next job, holiday plans, relationships, even the school run? Ask for wisdom, believe that you receive it and then apply it. Wisdom will protect you and your family from accidents, shady business deals and harmful relationships.We need God's wisdom for all aspects of life! The Holy Spirit is the one who will guide you and lead you in all things. Take notice of His warnings as well as His encouragement, and look for His peace. Wisdom can come from the most unexpected source!
"If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honour you." Proverbs 4:8 NLT
Wisdom will make you great! Society believes that greatness is achieved through hard work, the right connections, or having plenty of money. While having these things may achieve a certain level of greatness, true greatness takes wisdom. The wisdom not to give up, the wisdom to develop discipline, the wisdom to ask others for help. This is the wisdom that will make you great. This wisdom you can only get from God.
"Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer." Proverbs 9:11-12 NLT
There is so much conflicting health information appearing daily, it's good to know that you don't need to rely on following the latest food fad for weight loss or wellbeing. Wisdom, when asked for, will show you which professional’s advice to follow, or whether to get a second opinion or to stand on the promises of God. Wisdom will not be swayed by a Doctor. Google, Safari or your best mate! God’s wisdom will multiply your days.
There is a link between wisdom and humility. It is demonstrated in the Book of James, "If you need wisdom, ask." It is that simple. Humble yourself, ask for wisdom, have a teachable spirit, and God will give it to you. He is the ultimate source of wisdom. The Book of James contains wisdom for the benefit of the church as well as the individual. James knew the value of wisdom and explained this when he wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 NLT
James tells us that it is a good thing to ask God for wisdom. James asked the rhetorical question, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13 NLT
There is a vast difference between earthly wisdom and Godly wisdom, as he writes, “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 NLT
Jesus was full of wisdom and as a young child He grew in wisdom rapidly. Jesus told His disciples that when persecution begins to grow, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.” Luke 21:15 NLT This tells us that He is the true source of all wisdom. When Jesus came to teach in His hometown, “He taught them in their synagogue so that they were astonished, and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?’” Matt 13:54 NLT
There are benefits to having wisdom, for yourself and others. I have discovered of late that more people are coming to me for advice and there have been countless times when I have been amazed at what has come out of my mouth! People have thanked me for my wisdom. I have to laugh because it’s not my wisdom but the wisdom from the Holy Spirit!
Ask for your daily dose of wisdom and sound judgement, it just might prevent you from making unhealthy choices, or it might save your life, or heal a body; and don’t forget to pass on the wisdom that you receive to someone else. That wisdom just might be the miracle they need!
“ Wisdom comes from experience that is viewed with a teachable heart.”
Rick Joyner.
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