593-Wisdom is Calling#
(JP Text Group - shalom 整理)
Peace, dear family, welcome to your arrival. Today is Sunday, and we will look at God's words together.
The topic of sharing is: Wisdom is Calling.
Proverbs 1:20-23:
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 "How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.
Let us pray together first.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to receive wisdom from you. Help us to walk according to your words in our lives, for you are the beginning of our wisdom. When we have your words, we can live a victorious life. Renew our minds through your words, so that we no longer act according to our own will, but learn to rely on you in all things, gaining strength through your words. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Proverbs contains mostly general life principles. Even those who do not believe in Jesus can apply these principles in their lives, helping them avoid many detours. Most of Proverbs was written by Solomon, who summarized his life experiences, and there is much wisdom worth learning from. For example, the detours he took, we do not need to take again; the things he saw, we do not need to rediscover. As long as we believe in his words and act according to them, that is enough.
There are many encouraging things in Proverbs that we should do; there are also many things that we should not do. Especially those that Solomon repeatedly emphasizes to avoid, how should we act? A wise person will act according to these words, without needing to test whether they are true. A truly wise person receives these truths and allows them to enter into their lives. May we also have such wisdom, thank the Lord. Solomon stated his purpose for writing Proverbs, which includes providing some teachings for young people, so they can learn and benefit.
Proverbs 1:4-5:
4 To give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.
Regarding the words in Proverbs, we do not need to interpret them spiritually or dig deeply for other meanings. When Solomon wrote these proverbs, they were primarily for many non-believers to read, easy to understand and know how to act. These words left for us are also to let us know how to act.
So what does Proverbs bring to people? It first mentions giving prudence to the simple. What is a simple person? A foolish person, a stubborn person. Acknowledge that we are not so smart or flexible; well, read these proverbs, and you will become a flexible person.
To give knowledge and discretion to the young. Young people have enthusiasm and motivation, but what they lack most is knowledge and discretion. What people often say about having courage without wisdom mostly refers to young people, because their experiences and understanding of the world are very limited, often acting based on their imagination of the world.
This is why many college students, upon graduation, impulsively start businesses, all with beautiful dreams. Why do the vast majority fail? Because they enter the world with a beautiful dream based on what they learned from books. After failing, they realize that the development of this world does not follow the way it is described in books; the enemies do not cooperate; the market does not cooperate; in the end, they fail. What is lacking? Knowledge and discretion. So how can we fill this gap? Read Proverbs more, one chapter a day, and you will finish it in a month. Cultivate this habit.
Verse 5 says: Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.
Those who already have wisdom still need to read these proverbs because when the wise hear them, their learning increases. The wisdom of this world has no upper limit; as long as you are willing to learn, it will continue to grow. If even the wise are constantly learning, how much more so for others?
To give discretion to the discerning. Discretion is how we handle the problems we encounter in life; this is key. Even if you have learned a lot of knowledge, it does not mean you can handle problems; talking about theories on paper is always easy to fail. Knowledge and wisdom are different; knowledge is an objective understanding of things, which you can learn from books.
We learn about the habits of certain animals, human psychology, and some laws of nature, etc.; these can be learned. But wisdom is the ability to actively and correctly use the knowledge learned; this is a manifestation of ability. Many people read many books, possess a lot of knowledge, and end up becoming bookworms, not knowing how to handle many problems in life.
Just like many people can watch a cooking video from start to finish and say they know how to do it; in their minds, they have completely grasped the process, but when they actually try to operate, they find that many things are not as they imagined. This is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is dead; wisdom is alive. People, because of knowledge, have the ability to conquer and use material, but often misuse that ability due to a lack of wisdom. Pride and arrogance ultimately lead to self-destruction; having knowledge without wisdom often ends in sorrow. Thinking they can do anything, they end up experiencing failure.
Proverbs 1:20-23:
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 "How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.
Is wisdom easy to obtain? It is particularly easy. The wisdom we speak of today does not come from worldly wisdom but from true wisdom that comes from God, which can truly change lives and transform living.
And such wisdom is particularly easy to obtain. This word is not far from you; it is in your mouth and in your heart. Wisdom calls in the streets. Imagine what kind of people would go to the streets? It is a place where basically everyone has to go. Raising her voice in the public squares, what kind of place is that? In the square. Are there many people in the square?
Verse 21 says: She cries out in the noisy streets. Here it describes wisdom as if it were a person, always calling out to companions, shouting in the places where people gather the most, where knowledge waits for people.
At the city gates, the city gate is also a thoroughfare for people. What kind of people are at the city gate? There are judges, elders, and those who are prominent; these people also need wisdom.
Making her speech in the city. Whether in the streets, in the public squares, in the noisy streets, at the city gates, or in the city, these places are where ancient brothers and sisters, or crowds, gathered the most; wisdom calls out and speaks there.
What does this indicate? Different groups of people, whether in the streets, in the squares, or sitting at the city gates, all need wisdom. When wisdom calls out here, what is the correct response for people? It is to respond to her and receive her. However, the fact is that people are deaf to wisdom. Thus, verse 22 illustrates the characteristics of the world: they do not recognize themselves.
Verse 22 says: "You simple ones, how long will you love simplicity?" What is a simple person? An ignorant person. The more ignorant a person is, the more they love ignorance. When you talk to them about wise words, they do not want to listen and feel that their lives are fine, with no need for change. They think, "I have simple meals every day, and I am content; I do not need to strive for progress; lying flat is also quite good." Their thoughts are foolish in God's eyes, but they love ignorance.
Just like everyone in darkness, they have become accustomed to the darkness; like frogs at the bottom of a well, they think their understanding is correct, believing the sky is only as big as the well opening, and no matter what you say, they refuse to believe. This is how simple people love ignorance. When encountering such people, do not talk to them anymore, for their time has not yet come. Simple people love ignorance, and we can only wait for them to want to change; then wisdom can give them opportunities and have an effect on them; otherwise, they will continue to love ignorance.
Proverbs 13:20 says: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."
This clearly states that when you walk with the wise, you gain wisdom; you will see how wise people do things, and you will learn a lot from them, thus gaining wisdom. For example, if we walk with Jesus, we can see how Jesus does things and why everything He does is victorious. As we carefully reflect and imitate Him, we also gain such wisdom, gaining life and victory in our lives.
Then it says that a companion of fools suffers harm. What are the characteristics of a fool? They love ignorance, cannot listen to others' advice, and almost always fail in their endeavors, often failing at the same point. This is quite astonishing. If you fell into this pit last time, when you walk by this time, can you not remember to avoid this place? But no, they fall again. If you associate with such a person, you will surely suffer harm.
To associate means to walk with them, to work with them. You have already reminded them last time, and this time they fall again, and no matter how you advise them, they do not listen. This is called a fool. They still think, "What's the big deal? Who doesn't make mistakes in life?" If so, would you continue to associate with such a person? Therefore, a wise person will make wise choices.
It later mentions that mockers delight in mockery. The Bible often refers to mockers as proud people. These proud people may not necessarily be capable, but they think they are very capable, so such people are called mockers. Mockers delight in mockery; the more proud a person is, the more they like to boast about themselves and exaggerate many things. They enjoy doing this; how can you change them?
Proverbs 9:7-8:
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
What does this refer to? A mocker is characterized by being very flamboyant, self-aggrandizing, and often likes to criticize others. But do not point out their problems; if you dare to point out their problems, they will surely insult you; if you rebuke such a person, you will be unable to extricate yourself, as they will always resent you.
So for such people, our approach is to leave them be; do not criticize them, for you cannot change such people. They like to boast and often praise themselves while belittling others; they live their lives this way. How can you change them? If you try to rebuke them, they will hate you.
So the Bible tells us to rebuke the wise, and he will love you. He can understand your intentions; while those mockers will not see your good intentions as a reminder; they will think you are cursing them.
For example, if you tell them not to do certain things because there will be bad consequences, they will think, "What right do you have to stop me from making money? What right do you have to prevent me from getting such benefits?" If this thing really happens, they will hate you, saying, "It's all your fault; because you said that, I encountered bad results." They will push all the responsibility onto you.
So what to do when encountering a mocker? Leave them be. Because mockers love mockery, they are already extremely inflated inside and cannot listen to others' advice and rebukes. Their falling into the pit is a necessary result. This is what we refer to as a person who is very stubborn; no matter what you say, even if you are right, they will not listen. Therefore, Solomon tells us not to criticize such people, not to rebuke such people, because you cannot change them.
It later mentions that fools hate knowledge. What is a fool? The previously mentioned simple person; what is the difference between a fool and a simple person? A fool is both ignorant and stubborn; they have stubbornly taken ignorance to an irredeemable level.
Proverbs 17:21 says: "To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool."
When comparing these two people, you will understand. If a person has a foolish son, they will often be grieved, saying, "How could this be? I have taught him many times, but he remains unmoved. You tell him not to do this, and he still falls into it." He always says, "Okay, I understand," but then falls again. A foolish son is not stubborn; he is ignorant, meaning he cannot remember; as we often say, he is slow to learn. You remind him today, and he can remember today, but forgets by tomorrow, often causing great grief, saying, "What can be done?"
But the father of a fool has no joy. The latter is even more troublesome than the former. Where is the latter's problem? You remind him, and he still opposes you, resulting in falling; you remind him next time, and he still opposes you, falling again. He can always fall into the same thing.
In ancient times, there was a saying called "waiting by the stump for a rabbit." A rabbit ran and bumped into a stump, dying. A person waits there every day, expecting the rabbit to come back and bump into it again. The latter belongs to the fool. You have already told him that it is impossible for another rabbit to come and bump into it; he says, "No, I believe this will happen." He is both foolish and stubborn; can such a father have joy?
So when we see such things and such people, it is all due to a lack of wisdom. You cannot say that these people are all unsalvageable; some believe in God, yet still remain this way, which is quite troubling.
Let me give you an example of a fool. In the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 25 records a story. When Saul was chasing David, David was fleeing everywhere. One time, David ran to the wilderness of Paran, where a man named Nabal was shearing sheep in Carmel. Nabal's name means fool. In the past, David had helped Nabal a lot in the wilderness. When David found himself in trouble, he thought, "I need some food." He sent people to find Nabal, who was shearing sheep at the time, saying, "Go see Nabal, mention my name, and see if he can give us some food."
When David's servants arrived, they mentioned David's name and said these things. As a result, Nabal said to David's servants, "Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men coming from who knows where?"
Let me briefly translate what this means. He did not not know David; he was doing it on purpose, deliberately mocking David by saying, "Who is David?" meaning: "I do not know David." "Who is the son of Jesse?" He knows his father; saying Jesse's son means what? It means how could Jesse give birth to such a thing? "I have heard that many servants are rebelling against their masters." His meaning is: I have heard that many servants are betraying their masters.
He regarded David as a servant who had betrayed his master and fled, saying, "How can I give my hard-earned sheep and meat to you, who come from who knows where?" Meaning: "I will never give it to you; you are ungrateful."
When David's servants heard this, they returned and told David. David was very angry when he heard this. Why was David angry? It means: "You can refuse to give me food and drink, but why insult me? I have not offended you; I have taken care of you a lot before; how can you do this?"
David took his servants and intended to kill all the men in Nabal's household. Fortunately, he had a wife named Abigail, who, upon hearing this, immediately went to meet David halfway, thus saving Nabal's family from the sword.
Nabal's wife was definitely a person with high emotional intelligence; with just a few words, she comforted David's heart and made him give up the idea of killing Nabal's family. You can find and read 1 Samuel 25 to understand this specific process.
Nabal spoke so flamboyantly; did he really have the ability? Did he really look down on David? Not at all. Nabal was very timid and not very capable, yet he could say such arrogant words. Later, his wife Abigail saw Nabal at home throwing a feast and drinking himself into a stupor. The next morning, when he sobered up, his wife told him what had happened, and unexpectedly, Nabal was so frightened that he died. This is a fool.
Why provoke David? He had not wronged you! Just for a moment of comfort in his mouth, he slandered others. In the end, he was so timid and liked to do such things. This is the characteristic of a fool: both foolish and stubborn. What is the final outcome? Very tragic.
Now let's return to the text. The text mentions wisdom calling, shouting, and making speeches, yet these fools, mockers, and stubborn people do not care about the call of wisdom.
Verse 23 says: "Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings."
God desires people to turn to Him, pouring out His Spirit to guide people on the path of righteousness. Let us explain this with the relationship between God and the people of Israel. The people of Israel are like mockers, fools, and stubborn people; no matter how God calls out, they always stray from God, fall, and ultimately suffer losses.
They are defeated by strong enemies and become slaves, then they cry out to God, and God saves them, but then they become like this again. This has been the case for thousands of years. Why can't they learn to turn back and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit through God's words? So this is a part we need to pay special attention to. This is not to criticize the past people of Israel but to serve as a warning to us. Many times, when we do things, we still forget to rely on God.
We rely on ourselves, fall, fail, suffer severe losses, and still do not remember to rely on God in all things. Isn't this the true state of many Christians? Therefore, wisdom is not difficult to find; as long as we are willing to seek, we will always find it.
The scriptures we just read actually show that wisdom is not the exclusive property of a few but is available to everyone. Is it difficult to believe in Jesus? Is it difficult to grasp the truths of the Bible? It is very easy; as long as you want to grasp it, you can. Moreover, this wisdom, this life, is truly needed by everyone, for it is the way of life and the principles of victory in living. But unfortunately, even though truth is calling, even though wisdom is inviting, most people do not heed it and do not obey it. Let us look at the attitude of the world towards wisdom.
Matthew 11:16-17:
16 "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 'We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
This is a very strange generation, isn't it? Children sitting in the marketplace calling out to others, playing a flute, which is such a joyful thing. They do not dance, showing indifference.
"We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn." No matter what kind of expression you show them, these people are indifferent; how unfortunate. Jesus is life, wisdom, and peace, which everyone needs, and all the answers are with Jesus. Yet when the true Lord of life calls out to companions, no one cares about Him; most people live their lives turning away from Him, which is too unfortunate.
Proverbs 1:24-27:
24 "But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand; 25 since you disregarded all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you; 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you."
This is like wisdom speaking to us in dialogue. Here wisdom says: "I called, but you would not listen." It is that people do not want to listen to the words of wisdom; "I stretched out my hand, but no one paid attention." Wisdom reaches out to people, yet they do not respond. What are people doing?
Verse 25 says: "But you disregarded all my advice."
In the Bible, there are many words where God repeatedly tells us not to do certain things, yet some people still do them. For example, Proverbs tells us not to think about getting rich overnight; that is a trap. Have we not repeatedly warned people in sermons about high returns, promises of quick wealth, and to never believe them? No matter who speaks these, they are scams.
Yet there are always those who do not believe this heresy, thinking, "What if it is true?" There are always these self-proclaimed smart people who fall for it, and then they cry out to God, "Lord, why didn't you protect me? Why didn't you stop me?" Have you noticed that wisdom here speaks as if a person is saying: "I called, but you would not listen. I reached out to you, but you ignored me, instead going in the opposite direction, disregarding my rebuke. Therefore, disaster will surely come."
Verse 26 says: "I will laugh when disaster strikes you."
Is wisdom laughing at people? Not at all; the meaning here is that when people fall into traps, what can wisdom do? So everyone must remember that wisdom is not gloating; it is a warning for those who have not yet made the same mistakes. It wants to tell those who do not listen to wisdom: "If you continue down this path, the consequences will be very bad. When disaster strikes, who can save you? When you suffer pain and fear, what will you do? There is no need to suffer this pain." So it serves as a warning, reminding us not to learn from these fools, not to learn from mockers, and especially not to be stubborn like fools.
When these fears come upon people, it is like a storm, like a whirlwind, and pain and trouble quickly come upon them. The reason these wise words are written here is that God does not want us to act this way. God places life and death, blessings and curses before us, giving people the opportunity to choose; He absolutely does not force people to obey Him. This is our God; He has always given people opportunities, waiting for them to turn back.
Let us think about it; were Adam and Eve not like this? God simply told them, "You will surely die if you eat; do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Yet Adam and Eve still chose to eat, and death came upon them. You cannot say that God indulged them or did not care for them; it was they who refused to listen to God's words. Since there are already such examples, should the people of Israel not learn a lesson? Unfortunately, most people do not take God's words seriously.
Isaiah 30:15-16:
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. 16 You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
When you read this passage, what do you think? Do you feel it is quite sad? This is what the prophet Isaiah said. The book of Isaiah belongs to the prophetic books, and prophetic books have a characteristic: when the people of Israel go astray, God sends prophets to tell them: "You are going the wrong way; turn back quickly. If you turn back, blessings will still come upon you; if you do not turn back and continue forward, disaster will come."
What the people of Israel usually do is ignore the words of the prophets and kill the prophets, saying, "Who told you to point out my problems?" They eliminate the problem-solvers, thinking that if they do not have anyone to point out their issues, they will no longer have problems, and no one will rebuke them or stop them from moving forward. Ultimately, what happens? Their families are destroyed.
When Isaiah speaks these words, look at what God said: "In repentance and rest is your salvation." Where is there rest? Only in God is there rest; where is there salvation? Only by coming to God can you have salvation. So when you return to rest, it means you are already saved.
In life, when people often lack rest, they become very impatient, making it easy to make mistakes. So you need to return to rest and see what God's words say. When a person is in rest, they have strength; even if the problem is difficult, when you return to rest, there is always the strength of salvation.
You will gain strength in quietness and trust. When a person has rest in their heart, their outward demeanor is calm and steady. Wise people are usually not very impatient; they can calmly deal with whatever happens, and in that calmness, they have the strength to know how to solve problems, and this strength often comes from their inner self. Therefore, when we learn to rely on God's words, we have rest, and in rest, we gain strength. Hallelujah.
God actually hopes that we can live such a life, no matter what happens, to learn to pray to God, to learn to call upon God. It is not waiting for wisdom to call us while we ignore it, nor waiting for wisdom to reach out to us while we remain indifferent; the result will surely be disastrous. We should take the initiative to seek wisdom, right? How did the people of Israel do at that time? God had already called out to them, but they would not listen; what did they say?
Verse 16: "No, we will flee on horses." So you will surely flee.
People want to run fast; do not people in the world hope to run fast? Dear family, many times, running fast does not necessarily mean winning; it is only by walking correctly that you can win. If you run in the wrong direction, you cannot win, right? Therefore, the direction must be correct first. Some people are always particularly anxious to do things; if your choices are wrong, being anxious will only lead to greater mistakes.
The people of Israel said, "We will flee on horses." So you will surely flee. Indeed, they did not want to listen to God's words, saying, "We will flee on horses, we will run further, we will fly higher." That is the meaning. As a result, they indeed fled, but where did they go? They fell into the enemy's trap; the faster you run, the happier the enemy is.
It later says, "We will ride swift horses." This is the rhythm of taking off. Why are you flying so fast? So those who pursue you will also be swift. You run so fast, and what happens? The ones chasing you also run fast, and in the end, you get caught.
The people of Israel set an example for us; they ran fast and ultimately fell into the enemy's trap, becoming slaves, and finally losing their nation. How pitiful. Often, people only remember to call upon God when they have suffered greatly and cannot handle things themselves. What do they expect? That God can solve their immediate problems; they are not relying on God. This is the most frightening part.
Proverbs 1:28-31:
28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes."
What does this mean? It seems different from the messages we received before. Previously we said: "You will call and I will hear; you will seek and you will find; you will knock and the door will be opened." It seems that God will help you as soon as you call upon Him.
Here, why does it say, "You will call to me but I will not answer"? God already knows the hearts of these people because they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Their hearts do not truly seek God; they just want to find God to solve their problems. This is what is frightening.
How many believers live like this? Always relying on themselves, suffering wounds, and constantly failing. Finally, when they have no way out, they call upon God, "Lord, please solve this problem for me." Once the problem is solved, they immediately disappear. They do not listen to God's words; even if you solve this problem for them, they will still fall into the same problem. Why? Because they are fools; they are only frightened by the difficulty, so they come to you for a temporary solution. Once this problem is solved, they will continue to fall into the same problem. This is because they hate knowledge. So dear family, if we do not continuously seek God, if we do not sincerely seek God, but only to solve immediate problems, we will still fall. It is not that God does not help us; it is that we have not learned to rely on God.
So the passage that says, "You will call to me but I will not answer; you will earnestly seek me but will not find me," does not mean that God is unwilling to help people; it means that people do not truly seek Him.
So later, God directly states the true thoughts of these people: "They do not listen to my advice; they spurn my rebuke." They are unwilling to act according to God's words. What is the final result? "They will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." What does it mean to eat the fruit of their ways? It means they walk the path they think is right, but end up failing and falling, repeatedly falling and failing; this is the ultimate result for people. What should they truly do? Seek God, fear God, and act according to God's words. We have been talking about relying on wisdom; what can wisdom bring to people?
Proverbs 1:32-33:
32 "For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
When you have wisdom, you are different. The final result for fools is to harm themselves; fools also harm themselves. But if you listen to God's words, you will surely live in safety, enjoy peace, and not fear disaster. It does not mean we will not encounter problems; when we do encounter these disasters, God gives you wisdom to overcome all problems, and this wisdom is not difficult to obtain. How can you obtain it? Just receive it.
Exodus 35:30-33:
30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with all kinds of skills— 31 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 32 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts."
Through this passage, we see how easy it is for God to give wisdom to people. First, the Lord has chosen him, which shows that Bezalel already has a heart that fears God, a heart willing to listen to God's words, and a seeking heart.
With such a heart, after God chose him, He filled him with the Spirit of God, which is what we call the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is also within you; as long as you place Jesus first in your heart, take His words as the standard, and with the revelation of the Holy Spirit, you can also have wisdom, understanding, and knowledge like Bezalel.
At that time, Bezalel wanted to do all kinds of work for God. For example, making gold, silver, and bronze, cutting stones, and carving wood; God used him. What do you want to do for God to manifest His glory? In your field, you might say, "I want to earn more money to glorify God." That is fine; or you might say, "I want to have eloquence to testify and glorify God." That is also fine. As long as you have such a heart and believe that God has such ability, seek Him sincerely, and you will surely find Him. Through God's words and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God is willing to give to you. Amen.
Proverbs 9:10-12:
10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
There are many parts in this passage that we need to learn. First, it mentions how to have wisdom; what is the beginning? The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.
What does it mean to fear God? Simply put, it means God is in the first place in your heart, in your work, and in your home. The first thing you think of when you get up should not be brushing your teeth or how to work; it should be to thank God first. When you encounter problems, do not think about how to solve them; think about praying to God first. This is the fear of God.
When you have such a heart, you already have the beginning of wisdom. What is said here is just the beginning; it does not mean you have wisdom. This is just a start; to continue doing this will give you wisdom. How to do it? Know God. There are many ways to know God, such as listening to sermons, reading the Bible, and meditating; all of these help you to know God, thus continuously increasing your wisdom. When you keep knowing God, what will you gain?
Verse 11 says: "For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life."
What does this mean? Good days will surely increase. Amen. It does not mean that today our days are longer than others; that is not the meaning. When you know God, you will find that good days in your life increase, and good things multiply. Amen.
"Years will be added to your life." Originally, when you keep knowing God and placing God first, your age will also increase; that is, you will live longer than others, and be healthy and full of wisdom. It is not like many people who lie in bed for years, which is meaningless. What does God want to give you? Health and longevity. Amen. How can you obtain these? By reading God's words more, increasing wisdom, and knowing God.
Verse 12 says: "If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you."
Do not think that reading God's words is for God; it is for yourself. "If you are a mocker, you alone will suffer." It means if you want to be proud and boastful, then fine, you will bear all of it yourself! God will not be with you in your pride. What I mean is that when you are proud, it is you who is proud, not God who is proud with you. Amen.
Proverbs 2:2-6:
2 "Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
I have also told everyone how to gain wisdom: "Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding." Therefore, we have wisdom by listening and seeking. Amen. Listening to what? Listening to God's truth; fearing God, you will have wisdom. Do not listen to all kinds of nonsense; do not care about others' gossip; these are not important, and they are not wisdom. Listening too much will only make you troubled. Focus on seeking understanding; you must be dedicated to doing this. Do not seek here today and there tomorrow; seek diligently, Amen. Cultivate the habit of reading the Bible daily and meditating on the Bible, Amen.
"Call out for insight; cry aloud for understanding." We need to use our cries in the right places; do not boast everywhere; seek understanding. Amen. "Lord, how should I use your words today?" Seek Him this way, pray to God.
"Look for it as for silver; search for it as for hidden treasure." This tells us what kind of mindset we should have in gaining wisdom: it should be like searching for silver, not resting until you find it; like searching for hidden treasure, with enthusiasm and strength, you must find it. Seek God's truth with this mindset.
When you have such a heart, you will know God and gain wisdom from God. This is the wisdom that God gives you; knowledge and understanding come from Him. Still, the same words: if you have time, do not waste it; seek God's words, meditate on God's words. You say, "I am very busy." Then you must prioritize God's words. Do not say, "I have no time to read the Bible, no time to listen to sermons, no time to gather," etc.
It is not that there is no time; perhaps it is just that this matter is not important in your life. If He is important, you will give Him time. Such a person will gain wisdom, and everything in life will become very simple.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for helping us gain wisdom from your words. When we rely on ourselves, many chaotic things will arise, and we may not be able to handle them. But when we have your wisdom, you will give us understanding and wisdom to easily solve problems in life. Because our Lord has overcome this world; He has already won. By relying on His strength and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can easily experience victory. Help us to have such a vision, to become wise people, and to live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thank you and praise you.
A new week has begun, and I believe this week will be a blessed week. I will also see better days coming because you are with me, and you will lead me to experience your goodness. All glory be to you. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.