Proverbs 16, 16, how much better
is it to get wisdom than gold and to get understanding rather
to be chosen than silver? The natural meaning of this,
as we've seen so many times in the Proverbs, is an illustration
of the spiritual. This is a simple truth that very
few Very, very few people understand. If you take a look at this world,
everybody is obsessed with money, with making money. And that used
to mean gold and silver, as our text says. Now it just means
a piece of paper that's only, it's not worth anything except
that the government says it's worth something. What happens
when they say it's not worth something? I don't know. But it's the pursuit of every
person. Everybody's obsessed with making money or trying to. The scripture does say the love
of money. There's a song and I've heard
it quoted wrong so many times. I'm sure you have too. It says
money is the root of all evil. That's not what it says. Evil's
in the heart. It's the love of money. That's
the root of all evil. But how many people do you know
that are obsessed with learning? We don't even like the word,
do we? It conjures up images of school that we didn't enjoy
that much. And I'm sure there's exceptions
to that. I'm sure somebody somewhere is obsessed with learning. I
just don't know any of them. And understanding things, even
in a natural sense. We just wing it, don't we? We
just want to get by. We just want to satisfy and fulfill the lusts
of our flesh in the easiest, quickest way possible. How much
time do people spend learning as opposed to making money or
trying to make money? Very, very little. Even here,
we spend, what, three or four hours a week And then the whole
rest of our life, we're probably in some manner or another pursuing
the business of the flesh. Not always a bad thing, but it
puts some perspective on it. And wisdom, of course, is not
just an accumulation of knowledge. You can know a lot of things
and be a fool, and you can be wise and not really know that
much. That old blind man in John chapter 9, he said, I don't know.
I can't answer all your questions, but I know this. I was blind. And he made me see. Now I see. So wisdom is not just an accumulation
of information and knowledge, but in a natural sense, that
has a lot to do with it. That's mostly what it is. It's
learning things and knowing things. But you know, even, again, some
perspective on the emphasis that's put on actually learning. Even our institutions of education
have little to do with learning. I know, I was in them for a while.
More than 12 years. College a little bit. For the
most part, it doesn't have that much to do with actually learning
anything. And in order for people, especially
young people, to learn anything, they need to be inspired to learn
it. As long as it's just a chore,
they're not going to learn that. Not really. If they do figure
out how to answer the questions right, they're going to forget
it. And how much of it is useless anyway? Much of the basic things that
people need to know to function in this world are not learned. Except by painful experience
sometimes. Well, I know this, if young people
are going to be inspired to actually learn things, it's not going
to happen at school. It's not going to happen there. Not in
my experience. There's rare exceptions to that.
So this illustrates the spiritual. People are inspired by and motivated
to fulfill the gratifications of the flesh. That's what people
are inspired and motivated to pursue, and they do. They have
no interest, for the most part, in the things of God. None. And again, another parallel is
The places where the things of God are allegedly taught have
nothing to do with finding out who God is. You're not gonna find out about
him in most churches, so-called churches. Now that verse we quoted
a while ago, look at the context with me, look at 1 Timothy chapter
six, please, with me. 1st Timothy 6 9 Now this is talking to believers,
this is not a this is not talking to the world the world wouldn't
understand this at all But this is this is for believers 1st
Timothy 6 9 but they that will be rich fall into temptation
and the snare of and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which
drown men in destruction and perdition." That sounds bad,
doesn't it? It is bad. But notice, it doesn't say they
that are rich fall into temptation. It says those that will be. In
other words, you want to be. And I tell you what, most rich
people, what do they want? To be richer. In this world, that's the way
it works, isn't it? So it's not being rich, it's not about having
money. It's about the desire. But thou, O man of God, verse
11, look at that, O Christian, O believer, O child of God, O
sheep, flee these things. Not money. I'm gonna show you
that in a minute, it's not that. It's not flee money and the things
that money can buy. Flee this thing of always wanting
more and more and more. Run away from that. You're going
to have to run away from it because your heart is full of it by nature. And follow after what? Righteousness. Godliness. Follow after Christ. Follow after being like him.
Follow after him. Imitate him. And that's not about what he
would do. That's about what he did do. Faith. Go through this world believing
God. You see, there are certain things
in this world that people do that you wouldn't do if you believed
God. And there are certain things
you're gonna do that most people never will if you believe God. Love. People neglect that which is
most precious and pursue that which is really worthless. The
scripture says it doesn't exist. It maketh itself wings and flies
away. Patience, that steadfastness. to not be moved. You know, our
biggest fight goes on in here. The steadfastness of the heart
to determine to know nothing save Jesus Christ. To determine
to follow Him and lay hold of Him only and have no confidence
in this flesh. Meekness, humble obedience to
God. Fight the good fight of faith.
It is a fight, isn't it? It's a fight we're warring with
this flesh every day, which is what? It loves money, doesn't
it? It loves gain. It loves the things that money
can buy. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and has
professed a good profession before many witnesses. So you see the
context of that is important. In other words, seek you first
the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things will be
added unto you. The Lord knows that you have
need of these things. He gives us way more than we
need, doesn't he? Every day, way more. Another thing that the natural
and the spiritual agree on Where these things come from? One of
the things that people sinners hate the most The most intense
hatred Is to tell them that they're
beggars utterly dependent upon God. I don't like that Sinners
don't like that idea And it's true of everything What
do you have that you didn't receive? This world doesn't believe that.
And that's the truth in natural things as well as with spiritual.
Remember what the Lord said, we read Deuteronomy 8.18 not
long ago, and this is the culmination of it. But thou shalt remember
the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get
well. Haggai 2.8, the Lord said, the
silver's mine, the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. He may give us some of it, he
has, and he may continue to, but it's his. James 1.5, listen
to that, here's the spiritual. If any man lack wisdom, where
are you gonna get some? Let him ask of God. Let him ask of God that giveth to all liberally
and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Look with me at Proverbs 2, if
you would, please. Proverbs chapter 2, verse 1. I believe this will help us on
our text. Where does wisdom come from? Proverbs 2, 1, my son, if thou
wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee, so
that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart
to understanding." Don't just come to the worship service and,
you know, sometimes, I've been right where you are. I sort of
say all my life, pretty much all my life. I remember when
I was, you know, what church was to me was falling asleep
on my grandpa, my papa's arm and getting a piece of candy
right before that. He'd have it in his pocket, you
know, he'd give me, he'd be sneaking it to me. My parents didn't know
about it. And then I'd fall asleep. It was a pretty good place to
sleep. But, but ever since I've been paying attention or known
anything about what was being said, you know, there's, there's
been times even at conferences where I'm barely hanging on.
I'm just sitting there, you know, barely hanging on. But may God
give us grace as much as possible in this flesh to apply our hearts
to what's being taught and said. Sometimes we can. Sometimes it's
a lot harder. Yea, verse three, if thou cryest
after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding,
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for
hid treasures. People search for hid treasures,
don't they? But not this one. They don't.
That's why that illustration is used. Because everybody's
always looking for that pot of gold, aren't they? The ship's
going to come in. It already has, and we don't
even care about it. As for his treasures, then shalt
thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of
God. For the Lord giveth wisdom. If you like it, ask him. Out
of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. That's why
I prayed a while ago, Lord, don't let us just hear my words. Let
us hear from you. Out of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for
the righteous. He is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly. Verse eight, he keepeth the paths
of judgment and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt
thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity yea,
every good path, when, verse 10 is one of the things I wanted
to really get to here. When wisdom entereth into thine
heart, and we already know how that happens, the Lord gives
it. He just said that. And when wisdom entereth into
thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant, it's not a chore, it's
not a grief, It's pleasant unto thine soul. When God puts wisdom in your
heart, knowledge is not so grievous anymore. It's not so taken for granted
anymore. It's not so neglected anymore. It's something that you actually
crave. It's pleasant. Pleasant to your
soul, learning the truth of Christ, going through the Bible verse
by verse together like we do, learning the things of God and
who God is and what he's done, his ways, his word, his will. There'll be nothing more pleasant
to you than that when God puts wisdom in your heart. And that's my prayer for all
of us. There's not much to this world.
And as a believer now, you'll learn that more and more as you
get older. There's not much to it. Doesn't
mean you don't have to work in it and live in it, labor in it. But there's not a whole lot to
it. Solomon experienced it all, didn't he? We're gonna look at
that more tonight in our study in First Kings, but I wanna read
you part of, it's not tonight's study, because we won't get this
far, but it's in the same chapter. He said, it's all vanity and
vexation of spirit. Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness in all these things. will be added
unto you. He didn't say, I might just add
some of this other stuff too. He will. He knows that we need
what we need. And he never just gives us what
we need. He always gives more, doesn't
he? We're his children. You just give your children what
they strictly need? I don't reckon. You're probably spoiling them,
aren't you? Probably spoiling them just a little bit. God told Solomon to ask him for
one thing He said wouldn't name it And Solomon asked for wisdom
turn over there with me, please and first Kings chapter 3 will
close here First Kings chapter 3 verse 5 First Kings 3.5, in Gibeon, the
Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, ask what
I shall give thee. And Solomon said, thou hast shown
unto thy servant David, my father, great mercy, according as he
walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness
of heart with thee, and thou hast kept for him this great
kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne
as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou
hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am
but a little child. I know not how to go out or come
in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people, which thou
hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted
for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge thy people. that I may discern
between good and bad, for who is able to judge this thy so
great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord
that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, because
thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long
life, neither hast thou asked riches for thyself, nor hast
asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thy self-understanding
to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according
to thy words. Lo, I have given thee a wise
and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee
before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both
riches and honor. so that there shall not be any
among the kings like unto thee, all thy days. Isn't that interesting? If having money was bad, the
Lord would have said, I'm gonna give you wisdom and be sure you
stay away from money. Whatever you do, don't pursue
money, don't have anything to do with riches or anything like
that. No, that's not what the Lord did. He gave him what he
asked for and what he didn't ask for. And what God clearly shows here
is that money can be a great blessing. Think about it. He was pleased with Solomon here. And he gave him money. He gave
him a lot of money, a lot of things, a lot of riches and honor
in this world. Money can be a great blessing,
but not without wisdom. Not without wisdom. The chief,
principal thing is wisdom. Wisdom from God. Proverbs 4,
7. Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom, and with
all thy getting, get understanding. Think about who said that. The
man that had some of it. the man who had the most of it.
He had more of it than anybody's ever had before or since, other
than, of course, the God-man, the Lord Jesus, is the wisdom
of God. But Solomon, God gave him wisdom,
and he says to us, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
you gotta have it, you gotta have it, you gotta have it. And that's of course, it's wonderful
to have some wisdom in natural things, but the wisdom of God
is Christ and he is our wisdom. And what a blessing. Let's pray
together.