Turn with me to the book of John,
please, the gospel as it is recorded by John. John 11, beginning in
verse 55. And the Jews' Passover was nigh
at hand, and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before
the Passover to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and
spake among themselves as they stood in the temple, What think
ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief
priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any
man knew where he were, he should show it that they might take
him. They asked a question concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ and His attendance to the Passover. What do you think? Do you think he'll be here? Do you think he'll come to the
feast? Commandment had been given. If
any man knew where he was, show it to the Pharisees. They were
going to take him. Do you think he'll show up? The attendance of this Passover
was according to the law. All righteousness must be fulfilled.
He must be there. Do you think there's a possibility
that He would not show up any other time that He said He'd
be there? Before the foundation of the
world, do you think that there would ever have been a possibility
that He would have not been beheld by the Father ever before Him? Do you think that there would
have been a possibility that in the fullness of time that
God was manifest in the flesh? Do you think that there was a
possibility that He would not have been there? Do you think
that there would be a possibility that when His time had come,
that for which He had set His face as a flint, do you think
that He would have not been in the garden, that His soul being
exceeding sorrowful, that He would be in that place fully
aware as He had every day of his life borne the sufferings,
the burdens of his people every day. While we have reprieves,
he was a man of sorrows. Do you think that there would
be a possibility that he would not have been exactly standing before Pilate, he said, while in the garden,
I could have called 12 legions of angels. They could have delivered me. You think the possibility wouldn't
be there. You think that there's a possibility
that when he said where two or three are gathered together in
my name, I'm in the midst of you. Do you think there's a possibility
that He's not here? What think ye? That He will not
come to the feast? No, He's here. And He is precious,
glorious, precious. May the Lord be pleased to grant
us worship for His namesake. Let's pray together. Our Father, how we ask You this
morning, settle our hearts. Grant that we might realize, by being taught by the
Spirit of God, peace that has been wrought for Your people
by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless, we ask, the Word
Bless it to Your honor. Bless it to our comfort and our
good, for Christ's sake. Amen. Turn with me, if you would, to
the book of Proverbs, chapter 8. Proverbs, chapter 8. I'd like to speak this morning
on a subject that I've entitled, a message I've entitled this,
Wisdom, Prudence, Understanding, and Strength. The last time we looked in the
book of Proverbs, we considered three things concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ. The first thing we considered
is that He's the only one worthy to be heard. The Father has instructed
us, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Hear Him. Hear Him. Everything else that man has
to say, it doesn't matter. What sayeth the Scriptures? The second thing we considered
is that His Word must be revealed to a sinner. It's given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. It's given unto you to understand.
No man understands until the Spirit of God reveals the Word
of God. The third thing we considered
is that His Word is life. The words that I speak unto you,
they're Spirit and they're life. continue in our study of the
revelation of wisdom himself as the Spirit of God gives us
some understanding. I'd like to look at verses 12
to 14 and remember that while we're looking in the Scriptures,
if we don't see, if we fail to see Christ, His glory, His honor,
His setting forth the redemption of His people, His people's need
of Him. If we don't see that which we
consistently know is so concerning the gospel of God's free grace,
if we don't see that, no matter what we see, we haven't seen
the gospel. The gospel is a person. The gospel
is not a doctrine. It's the doctrine concerning
Christ. Doctrine means the truth about.
That's what doctrine means. Y'all believe in doctrine? Yeah, we believe in doctrine.
We believe the truth about Christ. That's doctrine, truth. The truth
of. I mean, you could be talking
about the doctrine of communism. It's the truth about communism. We see a person, but we see Jesus,
the Scripture says. And as we worship in the hearing
and the believing of Christ, let's ask the Spirit of God to
teach us. Lord, cause these words, as the
Scripture says in 1 Thessalonians 1, to come to us not in word
only, but Lord, Burn within my heart these words. I don't have
the ability to. Those two on the road to Emmaus,
they didn't have the ability to make His words burn in their
heart. I mean, you can't drum that up. And I'm going to go
today, and this is going to be a Spirit-filled time of worship. A Spirit-filled
message. If the Spirit blesses it to you,
your heart burns. Ask Him. He said you have not
because you ask not. If you have not called upon the
Lord truthfully before now for this service, for this message,
for this frail piece of dirt, if you have not prayed for me,
ask the Lord. Ask the Lord. Ask Him. Pray. Ask Him. Ask, knock, seek, How often should I do it? He
said, because of much importunity. Lord, Lord, Lord. Keep knocking. How long do I
knock? How long are you breathing? Pray
without ceasing. Ask Him. Let's look first of
all at the discretion of his work, the discretion. That's
how I did that first point, the discretion. Here's what he says
in verse 12. Wisdom. Wisdom is Christ. You know that. I, Christ, dwell
with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions. Here is the Lord setting forth
not necessarily what He gives, but who He is. Wisdom. The wisdom of God. What is it going to take for
God Almighty to save a sinner? Should God be just and justify
a sinner? You know, that's going to take
wisdom. That God be just and justify to declare innocent
a sinner. What's that going to take, wisdom?
That's going to take Christ. Almighty God is going to have
to be just in putting away guilt, truthfully. Sin is going to be
dealt with, all sin. It doesn't go away. I mean, everything that we've
done, everything that we've said, it doesn't go away. We might
kind of put it away and forget about it. Well, that's kind of
gone there, you know. Oh, no. It rains. It snows. The sun comes
out. It melts. It goes away. That's gone. No, it isn't. It's
somewhere. It's still in this universe.
It's not going away. Sin doesn't go away either. A
book of remembrance. Almighty God is going to deal
with sin. All manifestations of it. How can God be just and
justify a sinner? How can God put away the guilt
of His people? How can He robe them? How can
they be holy before God? We only know that in the Gospel.
That's how we know. Glorious Gospel of Christ. Here we see wisdom Himself, the
wisdom of God, the omniscience Himself. He who declares the end from
the beginning, from ancient times, the things that are not yet done,
saying, My counsel shall stand and I will do all My pleasure.
Here, wisdom says, I dwell with prudence. Prudence. It's that attribute
of God that knows how and when and the manner that is best to
accomplish the purpose that He has wisely decreed. I made mention
a few weeks ago, gave an example of this. A military leader may
know that a battle's got to be fought, the enemy is We're going to have to deal with
this enemy. But a wise military leader knows
the best time, best way, best manner. What is it going to take? Is this going to be basically
an air war? How will we do this? That's prudence. Prudence. dwell with prudence. That which Almighty God knows
is the best way. You think about that as we go
through and He chastises us and we go through these trials in
our life. Our wisdom dwells with prudence.
He knows that which is best. He knows that which is most merciful. Galatians 1.15 says, When it
pleased the Lord who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me by His grace. When it pleased God. Why did the Lord call me out
of darkness when He did? I came up in false religion. I went to the Catholic Church
because my mama went to the Catholic Church. My mama started going
Southern Baptist Church, you know, one false religion for
another false religion. So I started to go to the Southern
Baptist Church. And somewhere in the late 70s,
Almighty God was pleased to cross my path and began dealing with
me concerning my need of Christ. When did He call me out of darkness?
I can't tell you exactly the time. I can tell you about when
it was, but it was when it pleased God. I know that there was a
time that I went from darkness to light. When was a baby conceived? I've
used that one before. When was a baby conceived? Ask
that baby. Ask me. What day were you conceived
on? I don't have any idea. I'm here.
I know that. When it pleased God. That's the
best answer you can get. When it pleased the Lord. Wisdom
knows not only what is best, but he knows the best way to
accomplish. Peter said in 2 Peter 2.9, The Lord knoweth how to
deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto
the day of judgment to be punished. Almighty God decreed the salvation
of His elect. Before the foundation of the
world, He decreed this. Before the foundation of the
world, chose them in Christ. He decreed that they would be
saved. Wisdom. Prudence put them in
the Lord Jesus. Prudence sent the Lord Jesus
into this world. Prudence. The prudence of Almighty
God made His soul an offering for sin. This is the best way.
It's the only way. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence. All that He decrees in wisdom,
He accomplishes with prudence. And it's all Christ. I, wisdom, I dwell. ever liveth
with prudence." Almighty God is causing all things
in this world to work together for good to them that love Him,
who are the called according to His purpose because He is
prudent. And He who speaks to His sheep,
those that hear the voice of the Shepherd, those that hear
His excellent speech, excellent things. Verse 6 says, to them,
he's pleased to reveal his discretion. He says in the latter part of
that twelfth verse, I find out knowledge of witty inventions. What does that mean? I mean,
it's just, what does that mean? I, wisdom, dwell with prudence.
I, the wisdom of Christ, I deal with prudence in knowing what's
best, how, when, where. And I find out knowledge of witty
inventions. Well, the first thing to ask
yourself, what do you mean by witty inventions? It's plots.
It's plots is what it means. It's inventions of evil intent. Inventions of evil intent that's
found in every one of us. And when he says, I find out,
it means I discover to. I show you. I reveal to you. I have wisdom. I deal with prudence. I know how to accomplish that
which I've purposed. And do you know the first thing
that he's going to do? when it comes to calling out
his people, he's going to discover their witty inventions, their
plots, the depravity of their old nature, and he's going to
show them what they are. How do you know, Paul, that you're
a wretched man? Oh, wretched man that I am. It's
because wisdom, who dwells with prudence, revealed it to him. I find out, I discover to my
people what they are by nature, the plots and the warrings, the
sin that dwells within. I make you wise unto salvation. That's what he's saying. I, wisdom, reveal to you. Paul says, I know that in me
that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing. And finding that
out is by the mercy and grace of God. Brings His people to
come to Him, to bow to Him. If He didn't reveal to me what
I was, I would continue in the way that I was born, thinking
that I don't really have a problem. I mean, compared to somebody
else, you know, I'm really not that bad. But see, when the Lord
finds out witty inventions and discovers to me, brings it to
my discovery. Can I say it like that so you
understand what I'm saying? He reveals to his people what
they are. He says the fear of the Lord
is to hate evil. I'm discovering something to
you. I'm revealing something to you. I'm discovering to you what you
are by nature. Evil. Evil. The Scripture sets forth that
the Lord saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man was only
evil continually. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. But Noah had the same problem
everybody else did. This is what he discovers to
me, that man by nature is evil. And the respect, the opening
of the eyes of our understanding, to realize that God Almighty
hates evil. How much does He hate it? Consider
the cross. Look upon Him who was pierced
for us. Look upon Him who was pierced
because of what we are. Now you say, well, they did that
back then. No. No, that's us. That's us. I hate evil. Christ was made what we are. He was made sin. And Almighty
God turned His back, forsook Him, dealt with Him. Lord, what do you mean evil? Proud look. Thinking too highly
of oneself and trusting in one's own self-righteousness for salvation. That's pride. I've said before,
a man by nature, he looks and he'll try to sound as humble
as possible and say, I've not done much, but at least I I tell you what, I'm not like
one of those terrorists. I don't try to kill people. And
let me tell you something, I may not be the best person in the
world, I'm not saying I am, but I'm certainly not the worst. The Apostle Paul says he was. He said, I'm the chief of sinners. Almighty God, wisdom Himself,
who deals or dwells with prudence, finds out witty inventions. And
this is what He discovers to us. I hate evil. Pride, arrogancy,
the lifting up of oneself. Arrogance. Arrogance. Christ
said, if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men. You know where
you that believe are right now? You're in the dust. Do you know the most comforting
thought? It's when the Spirit of God reveals to you that you
don't have anything to offer Him. When I've come to realize,
I mean, that's the biggest struggle that a man or a woman will deal
with. Trying to get away from that self-righteousness. It's
there. It's on me. It's in me. I can't get rid of it. I'm so
sick of it. Surely, surely, surely hours
and hours and hours of sitting here at this study going into
these Scriptures, surely that's got to mean something before
a righteousness before God. No. I'm just an unprofitable
servant. And I've done that, which was
my duty. The hardest thing in the world
is to get away from pride, arrogance. Well, at least I go to Katie
Baptist Church. I don't know about all these other people,
but at least I go here. The evil way. What way is the
evil way? It means any way except by Christ
who is the way. I am the way. Any way except
by grace through faith. Any other way. Any other way
that you think has established a righteousness
for you, that's an evil way. A froward mouth. This is the
simplest way I know how to say a froward mouth. Contrary to
the truth. Contrary to the gospel. Anything
that's contrary to Christ. I find out knowledge of witty
inventions. I discover to you what true respect
is. Respect of the Lord is to hate
what God hates. I hate it, but not like I wish
I would. I do hate it, and why do I hang
on to it? Oh, wretched man that I am. I
hate pride. You may, but I tell you what,
you still love it. I've got a heart that hates it,
but I've got another heart that loves it. And they're contrary
one to the other, and I struggle with it. Counsel, he says in verse 14,
is mine. Sound wisdom. I am understanding. I have strength. Here is the voice of wisdom again
speaking to His people of His work. He
is speaking to us. He says, counsel is mine. Christ Himself upon whom all
the wisdom, knowledge of Almighty God rests. Counsel. God's counsel. God's purpose,
God's decree, God's will. It's in His hand to give. Counsel's mine. Father, the words that Thou hast given
me, I have given them, and they kept them. And I read that. And I think,
oh, that that might be said of me,
that I've kept His Word. What is it to keep His Word?
What is it to keep His commandments? Can I sum it up right here before
we put ourselves under so much condemnation that we have no
hope whatsoever? It's to believe Him. It's to
trust Him. It's to trust that He Himself
will carry me. Brother Joe Terrell sent me a
little video. It was just one of the most inspiring
little videos. It was a dad. And he had a son. And this son It was, I mean,
this was an actual, this is an actual event. This happened.
This boy was a paraplegic and he could move. He could move his, I guess, from
the neck up. He could, because he, I mean,
I could see in the video that he was smiling. In fact, he may
have not been completely because his arms, he did raise his arms.
But nonetheless, the boy, he was crippled. He was crippled.
The boy was going to be in a kind of a marathon and he's going
to have to run, he's going to have to swim. And what it showed
the dad is here was this boy and his dad put him in a cart
and started off the race. Everybody else was running. And
here was this boy like in a wheelbarrow looking thing. And the dad ran
this boy. And that little boy was just
riding. That's all he did. And then it came to the swimming
part. And the dad put a rope around his own head. And the
boy was in a little boat. And the dad was swimming. women
across this river to the other side, and the little boy was
just in the boat. And he got to the other side, and Dad got
him out of the boat and picked him up and started running to
the finish line. And they got to the finish line,
and the little boy was raising his hands, victorious. Victorious. I made it. I made
it. And he didn't do anything. His
dad carried him the whole way. So we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us. Eye of prudence. Eye of wisdom deal
with prudence. Fear the Lord as to hate evil.
Pride, arrogancy, the evil way, froward mouth do I hate. Counsel
is mine. That which I have eternally purposed,
I will supply. And sound wisdom, what is that
sound wisdom? It means substance, reality. The source, all that is right
and honorable and just, counsels mine in sound wisdom. I am understanding. I am discernment. I am understanding,
meaning this, I understand the Father's will. That's understanding. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father. As the Father puts all trust
in me, I put all faith in Him as your representative. I know
the Father, the Father knoweth me. I am understanding. I know that which must be done."
That's understanding. And concerning the accomplishment of that which he understands,
he says, I have strength. He's a mighty God. The everlasting
Savior. Strength to accomplish. Strength
to order all things. Strength. He works all things
after the counsel of His own will. He moves kingdoms. I raise up kingdoms and I put
kingdoms down for you. I call some to be exalted for
a while. And then I put them down. And
I do this for the good of those that I have everlastingly loved.
I do it according to my honor, to my glory, to my praise. I have strength unto Him who
is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Can it be that truly I will stand
before Almighty God? Can it be that I will stand before
Almighty God? Holy. Holy. And without blame. before Him,
in love, in Christ, can it be that this frail creature that
has absolutely no ability to be able to see any possibility in myself, will my
sins truly be cast as far as the east as from the west." He said, I have strength. The
mighty God. Lord, have mercy on this sinner. Lord, as You say, I trust You. Save me by Your grace for Your
sake and for my good. Amen. gear.