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The Blessings of Sound Wisdom
"He layeth up Sound Wisdom for the righteous."
(Proverbs 2:7)
by Katie Stewart
Preface
hen the righteous
plead with the LORD, "Order my steps in
Thy Word" (Psalm 119:133), they become
stewards of the "Sound Wisdom" the LORD has treasured-up for them. His Word becomes their
Staple in life. "Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). His Counsel becomes their only Guide in
a humanistic world. "Thou shalt guide
me with Thy Counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (Psalm 73:24). His Wisdom proves that "the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise
in their own craftiness" (1Corinthians
3:19).
I wouldn't trade the security and safety there is in Christ Jesus for all the health
benefits and promises of all the insurance companies in the world, because "safety is of the LORD" (Proverbs 21:31). I wouldn't trade the One Who is called "The Health Of My Countenance, and My God" (Psalm 43:5), for all the medicines and health techniques,
whether "time-honored" or "state of the art", before which this
world wishes me to bow. I wouldn't trade away all the deep riches inherited in the
Person of my LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, "riches
of the full assurance of Understanding, to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God,
and of the Father, and of Christ" (Colossians
2:2), for the opportunity to inherit all the so-called "wisdom" of all
the universities the world over. I wouldn't trade "His
Secret" that "is
with the righteous" (Proverbs 3:32), for
all the sought-after secrets with which this world can entice. "Yea doubtless, and I count ALL THINGS but loss for the Excellency
of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for Whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." (Philippians 3:8).
- Ephesians 2:7 "That
in the ages to come He might show the Exceeding Riches of His Grace in His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus."
- Ephesians 3:8 "Unto
me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the Unsearchable Riches of Christ."
- Philippians 4:19 "But
my God shall supply all your need according to His Riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
- Colossians 1:27 "To
whom God would make known what is the Riches of the glory of this Mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, The Hope Of Glory:"
- Hebrews 11:26 "Esteeming
the reproach of Christ Greater Riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he [Moses] had respect
unto the recompense of the Reward."
The righteous (that
is, the ones who fit His description of righteousness, e.g., "if ye keep My Commandments, ye shall abide in My Love" [John 15:10]-- Topical
Links on Sound Doctrine ---New Window)
will heed His exhortation and reap the blessings of a life directed by His Wisdom.
"My son, let not them ["Wisdom... Understanding...
Knowledge" (Proverbs 3:19-20)] depart from thine eyes: keep Sound Wisdom and Discretion:
so shall they be Life unto thy soul, and Grace to thy neck" (Proverbs 3:21-22).
The Wisdom of the LORD's Proverbs: Commands Lovingly Obeyed Reap Rewards
From the Book of Proverbs--
- 2:1-5 "1 My son, if thou
wilt receive My Words, and hide My Commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine
ear unto Wisdom, and apply thine heart to Understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after Knowledge, and liftest up thy
voice for Understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid
treasures; 5
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the Knowledge of God."
- 2:6 "For
the LORD giveth Wisdom: out of His mouth cometh Knowledge and
Understanding."
- 2:7 "He
layeth up Sound Wisdom for the righteous: He is a Buckler to them that
walk uprightly."
- 2:8 "He
keepeth the paths of Judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints."
- 2:9 "Then
shalt thou understand Righteousness, and Judgment, and Equity;
yea, every good path."
- 2:10-14, 16-19
"10
When Wisdom entereth into thine heart, and Knowledge is pleasant unto thy
soul; 11
Discretion shall preserve thee, Understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee
from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; 13 Who leave the paths
of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness
of the wicked... 16
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth
with her words; 17
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the Covenant of her God. 18 For her house inclineth
unto death, and her paths unto the dead. 19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold
of the paths of Life."
- 2:20-22
"20
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 For
the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain
in it. 22
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted
out of it."
- 3:1-2 "My
son, forget not My Law; but let thine heart keep My Commandments: For length of
days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee."
- 3:3-4 "Let
not Mercy and Truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table
of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good Understanding in the sight
of God and man."
- 3:5-8 "5 Trust in the LORD
with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In ALL thy ways acknowledge
Him, and He shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart
from evil. 8
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."
- 3:9-10 "Honour
the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall
thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out
with new wine."
- 3:11-12
"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction:
For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he
delighteth.
- 3:13-18
"13
Happy is the man that findeth Wisdom, and the man that getteth Understanding.
14 For
the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof
than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou
canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her
left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace. 18
She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is
every one that retaineth her."
- 3:19-20
"The LORD by Wisdom hath founded the Earth; by Understanding hath He
established the heavens. By His Knowledge the depths are broken up,
and the clouds drop down the dew."
- 3:23-24
"Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not
stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou
shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet."
- 4:1-2 "Hear,
ye children, the Instruction of a Father, and attend to know Understanding. For I
give you Good Doctrine, forsake ye not My Law."
- 4:3-4 "For
I was My Father's Son, tender and Only Beloved in the sight of My mother.
He taught Me also, and said unto Me, Let Thine heart retain My Words: keep My Commandments,
and Live."
- 4:5-6 "Get
Wisdom, get Understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the Words of My mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall
keep thee."
- 4:7-8 "Wisdom
is the principal thing; therefore get Wisdom: and with all thy getting get Understanding.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour,
when thou dost embrace her."
- 4:9-10 "She
shall give to thine head an Ornament of Grace: a Crown of Glory shall
she deliver to thee. Hear, O My son, and receive My sayings; and the years of
thy life shall be many."
- 4:11-13
"11 I
have taught thee in the way of Wisdom; I have led thee in Right Paths.
12 When
thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou
shalt not stumble. 13 Take fast hold of Instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she
is thy Life."
- 4:20-27
"20 My
son, attend to My Words; incline thine ear unto My Sayings. 21 Let them not depart from
thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are Life unto those that find them, and
Health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of Life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from
thee. 25
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path
of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:
remove thy foot from evil."
- 5:1-2 "My
son, ATTEND unto my Wisdom, and BOW thine ear to my Understanding: That thou mayest REGARD Discretion,
and that thy lips may KEEP Knowledge."
The Precious Wisdom of the LORD Blesses Our Way To Heaven with Riches to Cast at
His Feet
he path to Heaven is paved with God's Wisdom, "because strait is the gate, and narrow is The Way,
which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). Like Pilgrim found out, in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" ---New
Window, when we lose our "scroll"
which is the Counsel of His Word, we "therefore
which believe He is Precious" (1Peter
2:7), grieve our Precious LORD. Upon repentance, we must then backtrack to regain
that which we lost, and long again for "the
Word of the LORD [that] was Precious in those days"
(1Samuel 3:1). "How Precious also are
Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!" (Psalm 139:17). Only then can we walk again in His Wisdom. Only
then will our Walk be blessed with Understanding and Discretion to avoid the pitfalls
and "sloughs" that threaten our progress.
Follow Christ Jesus as our Example, "for
even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
Example, that ye should FOLLOW HIS STEPS"
(1Peter 2:21). Strengthened and cleansed "with
the Precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot" (1Peter 1:19), we "ought [ourselves] also
so to walk, even as He walked" (1John
2:6). And if it means we must walk in this life "halt or maimed" before
entering Heaven, then so be it. "Wherefore
if thy hand or thy foot offend thee [or cause
you to sin], cut them off, and cast them from
thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having
two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire... For it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be
cast into hell" (Matthew 18:8; 5:30).
- James 3:6 "And
the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that
it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set
on fire of hell."
- Revelation 21:27 "And
there shall in no wise enter into [Heaven]
any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie."
The Precious Wisdom of our Precious LORD instructs
us to "lay up for yourselves Treasures
in Heaven". "19 Lay not
up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also"
(Matthew 6:19-21). The Word of God teaches us that "The
blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22). These riches, or "Treasures" are not
merely monetary, nor are they merely material. "Blessings
of the LORD" do surely give our physical
bodies warmth, comfort, and satisfaction; but the "True
Riches" which bless us deep to our souls
are the "Exceeding Riches of His Grace" found only in Christ Jesus.
- Luke 16:11 13 "Who
will commit to your trust the True Riches?... No servant can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the One, and love the other; or else he will hold to the
One, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
- Ephesians 2:7 "That
in the ages to come He might show the Exceeding Riches of His Grace in His
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
- Ephesians 3:8
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that
I should preach among the Gentiles the Unsearchable
[or, limitless] Riches of Christ."
- Philippians 4:19 "But
my God shall supply all your need according to His Riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
- Colossians 1:27 "God
would make known what is the Riches of the glory of this Mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory:"
- Colossians 2:2 "That
their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all Riches
of the full assurance of Understanding, to the acknowledgment of the Mystery
of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."
"True Riches"--
- 1. follow us to Heaven,
- ("Blessed
are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them" [Revelation 14:13]),
2. and are the "gold, silver, [and] precious stones"
- ("For
other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man build upon this Foundation gold, silver, precious stones... If any
man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a Reward" [1Corinthians 3:11-12,14]),
3. that come with The Reward we so joyfully cast at our Saviour's feet.
- ("The
four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the Throne, and worship Him
that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the Throne, saying, Thou
art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created
all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:10-11).
We desire the "Greater
Riches" that Moses desired because of
The Reward our Saviour so richly deserves. "Esteeming
the reproach of Christ Greater Riches than the treasures in Egypt:
for he [Moses]
had respect unto the recompense of The Reward"
(Hebrews 11:26).
Conclusion
et the Full Strength of the Word of God be the
Full Counsel that guides your life of faith and trust in Him. His Wisdom will
be your blessing. Think His Thoughts. Walk His Ways. Fulfill His Will as if it
were your own. "Thy Will be done in Earth,
as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Don't
limit God with hindrances of your own making. "Yea,
they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). Live by His Wisdom and He will "open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a
blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).
"Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect,
be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the
God of Love and Peace shall be with you"
(2Corinthians 13:11).
.
God Above Human Philosophy
by C. H. Spurgeon
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of
the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent"
(1 Corinthians 1:19).
"This verse is a threatening so far as the worldly wise are concerned, but to
the simple believer it is a promise. The professedly learned are forever trying to
bring to nothing the faith of the humble believer, but they fail in their attempts.
Their arguments break down, their theories fall under their own weight, their deep-laid
plots discover themselves before their purpose is accomplished. The old gospel is
not extinct yet, nor will it be while the LORD liveth. If it could have been exterminated,
it would have perished from off the earth long ago.
We cannot destroy the wisdom of the wise, nor need we attempt it, for the work is
in far better hands. The LORD Himself says, 'I will,' and He never resolves in vain. Twice does He in this verse declare
His purpose, and we may rest assured that He will not turn aside from it.
What clean work the LORD makes of philosophy and 'modern thought' when He puts His
hand to it! He brings the fine appearance down to nothing; He utterly destroys the
wood, hay, and stubble. It is written that so it shall be, and so shall it be. LORD,
make short work of it. Amen, and amen."
"Faith's Checkbook" ---New Window
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