Better: Week Four


BETTER (week four)
WISDOM IS BETTER THAN GOLD

· How many of you have important decisions to make?
· Date, College, Job, House, Aging Parents, More kids, Stay at home
· We make our decisions and our decisions make us.
· Who you are today is a result of decisions made yesterday.  Who you are tomorrow is a result of decisions made today.
· Solomon became King—sacrificed 1000 bulls to the Lord
· Lord asked, “What do you want?”
· What would you ask for?

Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?" 2 Chron. 1:10

· Didn’t ask for wealth, riches, honor, long life, death of enemies
· Solomon said, wisdom better than weapons of war, strength, gold.
· No answer to prayers? Maybe asking wrong question...
· Relationship / different—wisdom.
· Financially successful / more money—wisdom.
· Please God w/decisions / /Rules—wisdom.
· Good parent / kids obey—wisdom.
· Solomon compares fools/wise
· His message: Don’t be a fool.
· Fools don’t know they are foolish until after the fact.

DON’T BE A FOOL—GET WISDOM

· FOOLS ACT BEFORE THEY THINK.
All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly. Prov 13:16

· FOOLS SPEND ALL THEY EARN.
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down . Prov 21:20

· FOOLS HURT THOSE THEY LOVE.
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Prov 14:1

· FOOLS THINK THEY KNOW IT ALL.
The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Prov 12:15

HOW DO I GET WISDOM?

1) FEAR GOD.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Prov 9:10

· Fear consequences, what people think, failure, rejection—not God
· Fear in Prov. 9 is the same word as reverence.

2) ASK GOD.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5

3) HANG OUT WITH WISE PEOPLE.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Prov 13:20

· Decided I wanted to be good at 3 things:
            Serve God with my whole life
            Good marriage/family
            Best pastor/leader I could be
· Hang around people that make me wiser/better.

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver! Prov 16:16

· Why not better? Scared.
· We fear the change that will take place to be better.
· Normal may not be good, but at least it doesn't scare me.

· Do not let fear stand in the way of a better life, marriage, family, job, adventure.

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