I want to invite you to turn your Bibles to James chapter 3 this morning. This morning, as we are looking at what the Bible says about wisdom, certainly it is an essential topic in our world today. And aren't we thankful for God's unchanging truth? James wrote the book of James, and some people have called the book of James the Proverbs of the New Testament. We are preparing today to look at true wisdom in Proverbs chapter 8, and we will be helped by reviewing the contrast James made between worldly wisdom and the wisdom that is from God. So I'll be reading from James chapter 3, verses 13 through 18. And for those of you in Grace Bible Club, hopefully you've memorized verse 17. And so be watching for that as I read from James chapter three, verses 13 through 18. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior, his deeds and the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. It's rather sobering to realize that even with all of these tools behind me up here, that a person could end up with a house that was built all wrong. Just having these tools isn't a guarantee that the end result is going to be profitable, helpful, beneficial. There has to be some applicational knowledge Maybe we could call it building smarts or building wisdom. I remember years ago when I was in the flooring trade, I was around a lot of construction projects and involved in them, and it just so happened that I worked for Carl Peppard's brother over at Lake Harmony. And I remember having a conversation with the building contractor, and he made this comment that just stuck with me. He said, you have to make good choices as you're building. And he may have even used the word wise. You have to make wise choices as you go along in the process. And I thought, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. You can have all the facts, you can have all the right tools and still come out with something that is a mess if you don't have applicational information and ability. During our greeting time today, Brother Olin reminded me about the importance of math and we talked a little bit about that because I had a I had an idea about something that I thought about sharing with you all and I decided, no, it's not working. So if you're curious and you want to hear about it, see me later. Because what I feared is six of you would be on board and the rest of you would sleep. So we just left that one at home. But you've got to have the ability to process the situation before you. You can have all these tools and a lot more tools than this and still not be able to get the first thing right if you don't know how to use them. So, bringing that over into where we're at today with talking about godly wisdom, it's pretty sobering to realize that Solomon had The most wisdom ever, next, of course, to Jesus. He was a distant second to Jesus. But it did not end well. It did not end well at all. So, we have to keep that in mind. Even application, even wisdom has limitations. But we need to look at it. It's foundational and so we're going to do that today. We're going to look at Proverbs 8 and related verses. And we've been looking at Kings. And of course, we've heard about Saul and David and Solomon. And in all three cases, they started out really good. They were off to a great start. Saul delivered the Israelites from a threat, from an enemy nation. David, of course, took down this giant that was over nine feet tall. Solomon was given the option to ask what he wanted and he asked for wisdom. So they all started out really good, but then as time went along, they made very, very bad choices. Multiple times Saul thought he had a better idea than God. David broke three of the Ten Commandments in one incident. with Bathsheba as he coveted, he committed adultery, to cover it up he murdered. Solomon, of course, married 699 times too many. trying to create these alliances with neighboring countries. And in the course of that effort, he brought in all these women from an idol-worshiping background. You know, if they could talk to us today, what would they say? Well, Saul would probably quote Samuel and say that to obey is better than sacrifice. David would probably talk about God's great grace and not giving up even though you've done terrible things. Solomon would possibly say that living selfishly is a dead-end road. They'd all say, you should learn from our example. So here we are, we're ready to look at wisdom and we've seen these examples. At times they were relying on God's wisdom and then at other times they relied on their own understanding and they made very, very bad choices. The dictionary says it this way, the wisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. In other words, wisdom is application of information and ultimately it comes from God And we desperately need it. Now I am looking around in vain for a device that has something to do with electronics. And I don't see it. So Jonathan is setting out to see if he can provide the device that I need. Thank you, Jonathan, to the rescue. By the way, all of you that heard Brother Jonathan's message at the park last week, you benefited, I'm sure. And that was a really, really good piece of work there, brother. We appreciate it. So here we go, Proverbs 8. And right off the bat, we're just gonna start reading, okay? So I'm praying that you will stay awake because there's gonna be a lot of reading this morning about very important information. And I told Brother Fred earlier this morning, I would just hate to bore you to death talking about wisdom. That just doesn't sound right. Proverbs 8, first five verses. Now wisdom, before I read, wisdom is being portrayed here as feminine. And wisdom is the one speaking, okay? So keep that in mind as we go through this. This is the wise, woman, the wisdom in a feminine person speaking. Does not wisdom call? And understanding lift up her voice on top of the heights beside the way where the paths meet. She takes her stand beside the gates at the opening to the city, at the entrance of the doors. She cries out, To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O naive ones, understand prudence, and O fools, understand wisdom." This is wisdom's call. Listen, don't miss it. This is important. I was remembering some teachers I had in school that were able to get our attention. I'm not making this up. Mr. Heck would come into our classroom and he would say in this big voice, he was a big man, okay, people, listen up. And he was an entertaining guy. He had stories, stories, and more stories that he could tell. Exciting stories, like when he was on the fire department. And at different times, he was able to just have us spellbound. But listen up, people. Then there was a teacher. in later years that I had, that one day in class decided to get our attention, he just turned over a table right in the classroom. Just wham! The table, the eight-foot table goes flying on the hard floor. He got our attention. But my favorite one was Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown was my fifth-grade math teacher, and if somebody was not paying attention, he would pick up a chalkboard eraser and whip it at them. Wham! Well then, everybody else was afraid they might suffer the same fate, so everybody paid attention because they didn't want to get one of those. So listen, pay attention. This is important. So now begins a long list, and for those of you that are taking notes, you're going to be writing furiously just to keep up. So we fill in all these blanks, all these different characteristics of wisdom. Wisdom says, I am truthful, and we read about that in verses 6 to 9. Listen, for I will speak noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right things. For my mouth will utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverted in them. They are all straightforward to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge." Wisdom says, I am truthful. We are living in a time where truth is being attacked. Some of our young people go off to institutions of higher learning, and they're told that everything's relative. Nothing is absolute. I have a family member that had that experience 40 years ago. It was already bad 40 years ago. It's just gotten worse since. And all those things that you were told when you were young, Don't cling to those. Truth is being attacked. Let's look at some more verses from Proverbs 22, 17 to 21. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise and apply your mind to my knowledge for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you. that they may be ready on your lips so that your trust may be in the Lord. I have taught you today, even you, have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge to make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may correctly answer Him who sent you." Words of truth. They're certain, they're sure. And if you encounter somebody along the way that tries to talk you into this everything is relative idea, don't buy it. Wisdom says, I'm valuable. Way more valuable than tangible. silver, gold, jewels. You can see that on the screen there. All desirable things cannot compare with her. Verses 18 to 21 say, riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield is better than choice's silver. I walk in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of justice to endow those who love me with wealth that I may fill their treasuries. Wisdom is way more valuable than stuff. In Job, More comparisons of hard goods, coral and crystal, are not to be mentioned, and the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. It's vastly more important. Wisdom says, I'm linked with excellence. I wisdom dwell with prudence and I find knowledge and discretion. They're close at hand. Discretion. It's closely related to discernment. Understanding. Some of you are planning on joining us upstairs in 202 for the parenting class. I've gotten that word that some of you are planning on that. Maybe a few more of you will decide here on the spot to join us. That would be great. What a task parents have to relay excellent information, truth to their children. Wisdom says, I'm an opposer of evil. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate. Wisdom is against those things. These are selfish attitudes, words, actions. Wisdom is against these because they're in rebellion to God's truth, to God's ways. True wisdom is against worldly wisdom. Now, worldly wisdom is spelled out for us in James. Brother Mark read it for us. Let's look at that portion one more time that describes worldly wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not, is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing." This past week, we were able to go to an event at which Abby Johnson spoke. And the day that she spoke was the 12-year anniversary of her walking out of Planned Parenthood permanently. Some of you have seen her story on the screen, unplanned. or you've read the book or you've heard other comments. Amazing the grace and mercy of God that reached in there and pulled her out of that industry that is earthly, natural, and demonic. And disorder? You can't get something more disorderly than a mother deciding to kill her own baby. That's pretty disorderly and evil. So we're reminded about how the world's wisdom is so opposite of God's wisdom. Wisdom says, I'm reliable. Verses 14 to 16, counsel is mine and sound wisdom, I am understanding, power is mine. By me kings reign and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule and nobles, all who judge rightly." Wisdom, God's wisdom, enables rulers to be discerning and judge correctly, and we are seeing the opposite all around us, just time after time. It comes on the news. You know, such and such a court made such and such a decision, and such a judge decided this, and such a judge decided that. And it seems like a lot of the time, it doesn't square with this. Proverbs 29.4 says, the king gives stability to the land by justice, but a man who takes bribes overthrows it. Wisdom goes on to say I'm inaccessible. It's available. I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me. James tells us what to do. He says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Wisdom says, I'm with God. The Lord possessed me, wisdom says, at the beginning of his way, before his works of old, from everlasting I was established. from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth, while He had not yet made the earth and the fields, nor the first dust of the world." from everlasting wisdom was established. Listen to some of the things that Job has to say about wisdom. With him are wisdom and might, to him belong counsel and understanding. And then in Job 28, some interesting questions. Where then does wisdom come from and where is the place of understanding? Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the sky. Abaddon and death say, with our ears we have heard report of it. God understands its way and He knows its place, for He looks to the ends of the earth and He sees everything under the heavens. And then closely connected to that is wisdom says, I'm creative. Wisdom was involved in all of creation. When He established the heavens, I was there. When He inscribed a 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 forth the sea its boundary so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth, Then I," remember it's wisdom talking, "'I was beside him as a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in the world, his earth, and having my delight in the sons of men.'" So Isaiah asks this question, so who gave God advice? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or as his counselor has informed him? With whom did he consult and who gave him understanding? The answer to that is no one. And who taught him in the path of justice and taught him knowledge and informed him of the way of understanding? Nobody. He's the ultimate source of it. Well, as we get toward the end of chapter 8, we see wisdom's consequences. Now, usually that word gets used in a negative kind of a tone of voice. Well, now, son, you're going to have to suffer the consequences because of what you did, that kind of a way. Well, it can also just mean result. So these are the results of wisdom. There's blessing. Verse 32, "'Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways.'" Verse 34, "'Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts.'" Blessing comes with wisdom. He who gives attention to the Word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord, Proverbs 16.20 tells us. Another consequence of wisdom is wisdom. You're thinking, Pastor Dale, doesn't that sound a little bit redundant? Well, it does, a little bit. Let's read the verse. Heed instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. Verse 33 tells us, look at what Proverbs 9.9 says, give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. So the result of wisdom is wisdom, more wisdom. It's kind of like when you're building something, you've got a place to lay the next layer on. So that's one of the results of wisdom. Another one is life. Verse 35, he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life to turn aside from the snares of death. and favor from the Lord," verses 35 and 36, "'For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death.'" Quite a contrast there. Life, a benefit of wisdom. Opposite that is death. going to disregard, turn away from God's wisdom, death is that result. So we have zoomed through Proverbs 8, and we've heard some of the information about wisdom. That's the scary part about this. I don't want it to sound so academic. But it's foundational, it's important. We've gotta have this so we can build. The next three Sundays will all be from the book of Proverbs and we'll be looking at some more specific things that flow out of this. But ultimately, wisdom culminates in Christ. As Colossians 2, 3 tells us, in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is the ultimate in wisdom. Here's the mysterious God, 100% God, man, 100% Jesus Christ, and He knows everything about you and me, and He has provided salvation It's just amazing that He is willing to reach to where we are. And really, ultimately, the only way that we're going to make any progress in this whole realm of wisdom is by putting our faith in Him. He's the way. He's the way, the truth, and the life. You've heard that before, right? Those last two verses from James 3 give us a really, really good summary about the wisdom from above. Boil it all down. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy, and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. And Jesus lived that out in everything he did and everything he said. He demonstrated the wisdom that's from above. He was the embodiment of wisdom. We, well, yeah, I think so. We all have a tendency to lean on our own understanding. That's our natural tendency. We've sung this before. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. As Paul Tripp has explained, no one has more influence on you than you do. Some of you that come to 202 today, you'll get to hear Paul Tripp, very gifted brother. But we talk to ourselves all the time, he says. Not aloud. But we are frequently mulling things over, discussing things, working on things. And our assumption is, my assumption is, that I am giving myself great advice. Do you ever feel that way? You know, if everybody else would just see it the same way I do, it would be so much better. Thank you. Yeah, that's how we often think, maybe not in those words, but that's the attitude that's going on. It's kind of the default position. And we need to progress to leaning fully on Him and not on ourselves, and that's what That's what Jesus is ready to help us with. To overcome that selfish, I've always got things figured out mentality, and begin to pray about everything first. You know, pray first and ask questions later. Instead of, well, let's see, what would work out best for me? See if I can figure this out. I've been guilty of that a boatload of times. In fact, some of my family members, I think they've meant well, but I think some of them have falsely attributed wisdom to me at times when I was slow to answer on something. Because I would, what they didn't know is that while it looked like I was being thoughtful and being slow to speak, I was trying to figure out, how can I make this work out best for me? That's really what was going on. Now, I don't want to throw everybody under the bus that's ever been thoughtful before they spoke, because generally that's a good idea. But it's very possible to still have a selfish mindset going through the motions of something that will look wise. You know, even a fool is considered wise when he's silent, right? That tells us that in Proverbs. But Jesus stands ready to help. He is the ultimate in wisdom. And taking the step to walk with Him through life, relying on Him to guide and direct, that's a major shift from what is natural. Relying on Him is unnatural and only made possible by a miraculous transformation called being born again. It's the only way to make that first step towards true wisdom.