Amen. In your Bibles tonight, Proverbs chapter 1. We're going to begin reading here in the first chapter, first verse. Look at the first six verses this morning. I don't know if this is going to be something that we'll continue or not. I'm kind of seeking the Lord. I'm not just kind of. I am seeking the Lord as to what is next as far as our Wednesday night preaching and where to go. I'm going to start in Proverbs tonight, but I make no promises. and I'm looking forward to sharing this text with you. I love the Proverbs, and if nothing else, starting out a new year on January the 1st, perhaps you could do something that someone encouraged me to do as a teenager. It's probably the thing that began to help me fall in love with the Bible and reading God's Word. was reading a proverb a day, one every day. There's 31 and most months have 31 days in them, all months have at least 31 days in them. It's a good thing to do, to read a proverb a day. How many of you have ever at some point in time in your Christian life, read a proverb a day for the month. And it's a wonderful thing. And to spend a lot of time in the proverb is something that will help you. I remember specifically as a college student, you're kind of in a new world dealing with mentalities and things, living with folks you've never lived with before. And I remember how much God used the proverbs in my life to help me I have patience to deal with some of the things you deal with in the dorms and in a new world, really. It's kind of funny. I would like to find the copy of Scripture. I don't think I have that copy of the Bible that I was using at that time, but I'll never forget because as I was reading through the Proverbs, I'd put a C beside the verses that really helped me, but I've got to confess it wasn't C for Cody because Cody really needed to work on that. It was C for Crown College, because I was saying, that's what some of these boneheads in my dorm need. Maybe I was a bit self-righteous, but that's the truth. We read and look at the Proverbs, and it'll help you. We'll begin here in chapter number 1, verse 1. Read it with me, if you would. I'll read it aloud, you read it quietly. The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity, to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. to understand the proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings." We come to the Proverbs and we begin with verse number 1, the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. A proverb is a short statement based on long experience. And a proverb is wisdom imparted. A proverb is something that gives us some understanding on life. Someone said it like this, that a proverb is the philosophy of heaven for the benefit of people living on earth. And that's a great way to describe A proverb. And when we come to proverbs, I want you to understand that proverbs are mostly principle and not promise. Sometimes if you take and make a proverb a promise, you'll find your heart is discouraged because not 100% of the time do exactly what the proverbs say happen. For instance, train up a child in the way he should go. When he's old, he'll not depart from it. There's lots of folks who have trained children very well and the end result was a broken heart. But the principle of the matter is true and stands that we should train up a child. And there's some sweetness in these principles. and we look at these Proverbs and God helps us. When we open our Bibles to Proverbs 1, the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, we understand that the majority of these Proverbs are going to come from the pen, heart, mouth of Solomon. No doubt things that he had learned as the wisest man that ever lived. If you remember the story of Solomon, God told Solomon he didn't have anything. Solomon prayed and asked God for wisdom. He had wisdom. God, because and through his wisdom, gave him everything. And I'll just tell you, understanding, wisdom, is something that all of us should yearn for and desire. And there should be in our hearts an understanding, a wise person understands that you and I need wisdom. If you ever get to the place where you don't think that you need wisdom, I want you to know something, you need wisdom. We all need to be growing in the Lord. Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel, he titles and begins this book. The Bible says this in verse 2. We consider the purpose of the Proverbs. Verse 2, to know wisdom. To know wisdom and instruction. It's important that we should know wisdom. We shouldn't be satisfied to live our lives in ignorance. We shouldn't be satisfied to live our lives in failure and repeated failure. Solomon says, here are some things that I want to write to you, and if you'll study them, you'll be able to know wisdom and instruction. To know. May God help us to have a desire to know. Look at the next phrase in verse 2. the words of understanding. Perceive. The word perceive is connected to the word perception. It has a lot to do with eyesight. And just so you know, I think that God gives us through the Proverbs an ability to see life clearly. We should yearn in our hearts to perceive the words of understanding. I think that it's possible to live our lives and not understand the things that are most important. But when we spend our time in the Proverbs, we'll find out that God will help us to see life more clearly. If you're in a stage of life where you think, I've got lots of problems and not as many answers. I've got lots of burdens and not as much clarity. I can't really see how this is all going to work and how to deal with it. God in His Word says one of the purposes of the Proverbs is for us to perceive. The words of understanding. The Proverbs will help you see clearly. Verse number three. The Bible says to receive the instruction of wisdom. To receive the instruction of wisdom. I love the word receive. To take in, welcome, to have. You see, in the Proverbs we'll find out that there's something that we can have for ourselves. Instruction in wisdom. Receive it. May God help us to receive instruction and wisdom, to receive instruction of wisdom, justice. I like the word justice. Justice is a beautiful word. We must not misconstrue it. Justice means just, justifiable, right. May God help us just want to be right. You know what's exciting about wanting to be right? A person who is truly willing to be right is also willing to be wrong. You see, if you're ever going to get right, you're going to have to come to a place in your life where you're willing to be wrong. I remember as a child how hard it was at times to admit that I was wrong. I know as an adult it's even harder now. justice. We need to yearn to be right, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment. The word judgment has to do with the decisions that we make. Judgment. There's nothing wrong with being a person of good judgment. God help us to be people of good judgment, to make wise decisions. God says in the Proverbs, the Proverbs are going to help you with making decisions. Judgment and equity. Equity. That's a word that's been tossed around and misapplied in many ways. Equity is a word that has to do with balance and evenness and not, as one prophet said, half-baked. Burn on one side, roll on the other. Not heavy on one thing and light on the other, but a life of balance, equity. I don't know about you, but I want to know wisdom. I want to perceive understanding. I want to receive instruction. And God says the purpose of the Proverbs is to help you with that. Finally, verse 4, the purpose of the Proverbs is to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion." What does the Proverbs propose that it will do? It will give subtlety to the simple. The word subtly means shrewdness, craftiness. It's this idea of, I'm not going to be fooled by that. The Bible says that it will give the simple subtlety. It will give subtlety to the simple. Someone who is simple-minded, gullible. Somebody who is immature. The Bible says that the Proverbs will give subtlety, shrewdness, to the simple. When I think about that, I think it would be important that moms and dads include the Proverbs in what they're teaching their children at home. Perhaps as you take time to study and know the Proverbs, you can impart that wisdom to your own children. It's kind of fun to think that there's an emphasis here on the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David. No doubt David has imparted wisdom to Solomon and God's imparted wisdom to Solomon. The product of this, Solomon is going to pin the majority of the Proverbs in order To help the simple have wisdom. How many of you are around your children and you think, Lord help us if they ever have to make a real life decision? This is scary, right? These children one of these days are going to have jobs and spouses and families. Oh Lord help us all. The Bible says that one of the purposes of the Proverbs is it will give shrewdness, subtlety to the simple. And it says this, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. I don't know about you, but I'm encouraged to know that the Bible says there's a portion of Scripture and all, of course, all of the Bible's profitable for this. But in specific connection to the Proverbs, the Bible says that Hey look, these verses, these emphasis, these truths, these are things that will give the young man knowledge and discretion. I want from the young men in my house for them to have knowledge and discretion. The Bible says the Proverbs is a great place to go. It's exciting. It makes me want to read it. It makes me want to spend more time in it. It makes me want to look at it fresh and anew. You see, the Proverbs has a purpose. Number two, the Proverbs has a product. The Proverbs have a product. Look at verse 5, a wise man. The product of the Proverbs is a wise man. The next few verses describe a wise man. Look what a wise man will do. The Bible says, a wise man will hear. Can we park there just a minute? We're not talking about training kids now, we're talking about training our own selves. A wise man, do you want to be wise? A wise man, the Bible says, will hear. A wise man will hear. Something that's been on my heart here lately is I really don't mind when people disagree with me. That's okay. It's no problem. I don't expect to be right 100% of the time. I don't mind if folks disagree with me. But you know something that bothers me? Is if people will not hear what's on my heart. If people won't listen, if people won't take a minute to hear and process, at least consider. You don't have to agree, but don't you think you should consider The words of my mouth, not just me, but the truth is I've got to be willing because a wise man will hear. A wise man will hear. You see, wisdom, a wise man will hear. I want to ask you a question. Have you got your ears turned on to what's going on around you? Do you have your ears turned on so that you'll hear and consider and take time to process what the people in your life are saying, what God and His Word is saying, what the circumstances of life may be applying to you. Are you willing to hear? Are you one of those people that runs through life with your mind made up, unwilling to learn? That's not wise. A wise man will hear. I challenge you. This week, it'll probably happen. Normally, it's somebody that is a bit annoying to you. Maybe they're old-fashioned, or maybe they're new-fangled, and you don't want to listen. You don't like to hear it. And they say something, your response in your heart is immediately just turn it off. You may nod and grin, or you may just be flat-out rude. Change the subject and not listen at all. I remind you of something. A wise man will hear. A wise man will hear. A wise man will hear. May God help us to be hearers. One of my favorite passages of scripture says that we are to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Let's hear. Let's listen. What do you have to lose? A wise man will hear. The Bible continues, it says, a wise man will hear and will increase learning. A wise man will hear, also a wise man will learn. The product of the Proverbs is learning. A wise man will increase learning. If you've come to the place where you think, I can't learn anymore, you're probably right. But you should have a yearning in your heart to learn. I'll just tell you, you're here on a Wednesday night. Good chance is you still have a burden to learn from the Word of God and learn from God's people. May God help us. Wise people want to learn. Wise people want to learn. A wise man will increase learning. It should be our life's ambition to keep learning. more about Jesus, more about His Word, more about what's right, more about what's good, more about how we can serve and be used of God. A wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. So we hear, we learn. The third thing as a product of the Proverbs, is we will attain unto wise counsel. The word attain literally means buy, like purchase it. It's interesting because it gives a sense of a wise man, not only is he hearing and learning, but a wise man is willing to make an investment in something that will help him. What does he do? He attains unto wise counsels. A wise man, you know what he does? He puts himself in the way of somebody that can help him and teach him. He puts himself in the way of wise counsel. He puts himself in a room with people that are smarter than himself. He puts himself in a place where he can learn. God help us to be wise, wise people. ask questions. A wise man. The product, a wise man. Verse number 6, to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. It's continuing this idea of attaining a wise counsel. The Bible says that A wise man will desire to understand the Proverbs. Let me talk to you about reading and studying God's Word. We don't read God's Word just to read the verses without understanding so that at the end of our time of reading we can say in our heart, I read the Bible today. How many of you have ever read the Bible and you finish reading what you read in the Bible and you were glad that you read the Bible, but you finished reading the Bible and you don't remember one iota of what you just read, nor did any part of it make any sense whatsoever. How many of you have ever been there? I'm raising my hand. Let me just tell you something. It's not super spiritual to recite words that you don't understand. It's just not. And it's not impossible for you and I to understand the Bible. A wise man, the Bible says, will attain unto wise counsel. How do I apply that in my life? I'm going to give you an instance. A wise man will attain wise counsel to understand a proverb. Now as you begin to read these proverbs, perhaps 31 chapters, one a day, would be more than you should try to cover. And that's okay. I'll never forget, in Bible college, one of my teachers, He was barely older than me and we were talking about our devotion. And I'd gotten in a habit where I was just reading something to be reading something. And I felt more spiritual the more I read. So I would read 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 chapters. But at the end of my reading, there was no benefit. I mean, it's good to read the Bible, don't get me wrong. But if you read the Scriptures just to say, I read the Scriptures, Or you hope to impart to yourself some extra measure of blessing from God because you read a bunch of words and didn't understand them. I'm not sure that's the right way to do it. And I remember this professor told me one day, he said, he said, Cody, he said, when we do our devotions, he said, sometimes a chapter or two or three is good. He said, but other times it might just be one or two verses. He said, take time to understand the Word. Take time to understand the Proverbs. A wise person doesn't just read the Bible as some religious act. A wise person reads the scriptures for understanding. A wise man will attempt to understand a proverb. Now, I'm going to let you know something that is really exciting. This is something that I didn't even have when I started preaching just a few years ago. We have access to an unlimited amount of resources for Bible helps. I use this app called Blue Letter Bible. I'd encourage you to try it sometime. It's an app, it's a website, but Blue Letter Bible, it's just full of concordance and strong, good, helpful, sound commentaries and help. We've got this amazing thing called Google, and I don't tell you that everything you find on Google, have you heard someone say, it's got to be true, I saw it on the internet, right? I'm not recommending that you just take for granted anything Google says is right, but we've got amazing opportunities to know the Bible. Perhaps you don't like this fangled internet age, but if you want to know the Word, I can help you do it in analog too. A strong concordance and a Bible are two things that can change your life. And I'm just going to tell you, if you say, I'd like to know more about studying the Bible, if you spoke to me about that, I'd love to help you. You see, a wise person attains to wise counsel. He attains to wise counsel to understand a proverb. The best way to understand the Word of God is by understanding its words. I want to challenge you to do something. Look them up. Look up the Word. Look up the definition. Look up its meaning. And when you understand the Word of God, then you can properly apply the Word of God and God's Word will change your life. It's wise. A wise man will attain into wise counsel to understand the proverb and the interpretation The words of the wise and their dark sayings. What's a wise man want to do? A wise man wants to hear, learn, and ask. There's so much we can find and so much help to get from the Proverbs. Can I challenge you this year? Make it a habit to find yourself in God's word. I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand physically, but in your heart, you should raise your hand to these questions. How many of you would say, I know that I need to do a better job spending time in God's Word? If that's you, would you raise your hand in your heart? You can raise it physically too. I'm there. May God help us to give God's Word a priority. It's a wise thing to attain into wise counsel and to understand the proverb.