WEBVTT 00:00:01.066 --> 00:00:02.266 Well, good morning everyone. 00:00:02.266 --> 00:00:04.865 Welcome for Mother's Day here at Valley View. 00:00:04.865 --> 00:00:06.633 It's great to have you here. 00:00:06.633 --> 00:00:11.300 And we decided to celebrate Mother's Day today by having one of our AC units go out. 00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:16.000 So if you're a little warm, especially up in this region, we apologize. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.332 Just think about how warm you were as a mother holding a small child. 00:00:20.332 --> 00:00:24.765 It'll bring back fond memories, all part of the plan. 00:00:24.765 --> 00:00:26.899 We're continuing our study of the Book of Proverbs. 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:32.799 And how timely is it that we're in Proverbs chapter eight, which is all about Lady Wisdom? 00:00:32.832 --> 00:00:35.732 We planned that perfectly, I promise. 00:00:35.732 --> 00:00:36.600 No coincidences. 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:46.000 The Lord knew. Lady wisdom, Mother's Day, chapter eight of Proverbs and Proverbs is all about the search for wisdom. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:47.232 How do we get wisdom? 00:00:47.232 --> 00:00:48.432 How do we find wisdom? 00:00:48.432 --> 00:00:49.633 It's what everybody wants. 00:00:49.633 --> 00:00:51.700 It's what everybody's looking for. 00:00:52.932 --> 00:00:55.600 Years ago, I got to know a guy in ministry. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:57.566 His name was Chuck Farneth. 00:00:57.566 --> 00:01:00.432 This guy was a world class fly fisherman. 00:01:00.432 --> 00:01:01.700 I know you're thinking that's a thing? 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:07.700 It is apparently, this guy really knows fly fishing ins and outs, catch a fish anywhere. 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:09.132 And I was really impressed by him. 00:01:09.132 --> 00:01:11.066 We started to learn fly fishing from him. 00:01:11.066 --> 00:01:12.599 We would go out fishing. 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:20.566 One of the things early on he told me was, John, if you want to catch a fish in these big raging rivers, if you want to know where to find one, you got to think like a fish. 00:01:20.566 --> 00:01:25.599 Well, I didn't know fish thought all that much, but I thought, okay, teach me. Let's learn. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.099 No, you got to think about where's the fish likely to be out here. 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:29.033 Where's it going to go? 00:01:29.033 --> 00:01:30.200 Where's the protection? 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:31.665 Where's it most likely to be exposed? 00:01:31.665 --> 00:01:33.700 Where's the food likely to be flowing by? 00:01:33.700 --> 00:01:36.799 What part of the river has a slightly lower current next to a fast current? 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:40.766 You got to think how a fish might act so that you can find where the fish are. 00:01:41.766 --> 00:01:42.865 So this guy was crazy. 00:01:42.865 --> 00:01:44.665 We would go fishing and he would stand in one spot. 00:01:44.665 --> 00:01:46.933 The river like for 12 hours straight, not move. 00:01:46.933 --> 00:01:48.700 He just would go and go and go. 00:01:48.700 --> 00:01:50.733 And those of us who were with him are just dying. 00:01:50.733 --> 00:01:57.299 We're on the bank wanting to eat food and drink water and just try to survive and the day would end. 00:01:57.299 --> 00:01:59.332 And one time in particular, I was with a friend. 00:01:59.332 --> 00:02:00.599 It was dark. We're starving. 00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:01.465 He goes, you know what, guys? 00:02:01.465 --> 00:02:04.433 Let's go. Let's go find a Pizza Hut. 00:02:04.433 --> 00:02:06.099 I said, find a Pizza Hut! What are you talking about? 00:02:06.099 --> 00:02:07.066 You don't know where one is. 00:02:07.066 --> 00:02:08.532 We're in the middle of nowhere, Arkansas. 00:02:08.532 --> 00:02:09.733 He's like, no, we'll just get in the car. 00:02:09.733 --> 00:02:11.900 We'll go find one. I'm like, okay. 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:26.832 So he starts driving down the road and we're, you know, we're driving. It’s nowhere, Arkansas, the middle of nowhere and probably 30 minutes down the road here, suddenly arises out of the darkness like Gandalf showing up for battle a Pizza Hut appears. 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:33.066 And so we go into Pizza Hut and I'm like, Chuck, how did you know there would be a Pizza Hut here? 00:02:33.066 --> 00:02:34.432 You said you didn't know there. 00:02:34.432 --> 00:02:39.866 He said, if you want to find a Pizza Hut, you got to think like a Pizza Hut. 00:02:39.866 --> 00:02:42.400 And I don't even know what that means. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:44.832 But I like how it sounds. 00:02:44.832 --> 00:02:47.165 If you want to find a fish, you got to think like a fish. 00:02:47.165 --> 00:02:51.032 If you want to find a Pizza Hut, you gotta think like a Pizza Hut. 00:02:51.032 --> 00:02:55.199 If you want to find wisdom, you got to think like wisdom. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.366 Meaning, you got to think about where is wisdom likely to be? 00:02:58.366 --> 00:03:01.032 Where am I likely to find wisdom? 00:03:01.032 --> 00:03:10.866 We're going to see in Proverbs chapter eight today four ways to think like wisdom, four ways to think like wisdom so you can find wisdom. 00:03:10.866 --> 00:03:13.466 In fact, we're going to see the call of wisdom. 00:03:13.466 --> 00:03:14.832 Wisdom is calling for us. 00:03:14.832 --> 00:03:16.500 The character of wisdom. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:21.733 There are attributes to wisdom you want to look for, the creation or beginning of wisdom. 00:03:21.733 --> 00:03:25.532 And then lastly, we'll see the covenant or the promise of wisdom. 00:03:25.532 --> 00:03:27.099 So we're going to be in Proverbs chapter eight. 00:03:27.099 --> 00:03:30.400 If you'll turn there, you should have the page number on the screen. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:35.733 Those page numbers match up to the church Bibles we have to make it easy for you to find. 00:03:35.733 --> 00:03:39.133 If you don't have a Bible, we'd love to give you a Bible that's for you to keep. 00:03:39.133 --> 00:03:40.099 They're out in the lobby. 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:46.366 You can slip out any time and grab one, but you want to turn to page 499 in the church Bibles, turn to Proverbs chapter eight. 00:03:46.366 --> 00:03:51.432 We're just going to read the first five verses as we talk about the call of wisdom. 00:03:51.432 --> 00:03:52.800 What is the call of wisdom? 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:55.233 How is wisdom crying out to us? 00:03:55.233 --> 00:03:57.832 Look at Proverbs eight verse one through five. 00:04:00.332 --> 00:04:03.332 Does not wisdom call? 00:04:03.932 --> 00:04:10.300 Does not understanding raise her voice on the heights beside the way, at the crossroads. 00:04:10.300 --> 00:04:14.566 She takes her stand beside the gates in front of the town. 00:04:14.566 --> 00:04:19.365 At the entrance of the portals she cries aloud. 00:04:19.365 --> 00:04:20.899 To you, oh, men, I call. 00:04:20.899 --> 00:04:30.432 And my cry is to the children of man, O simple ones, learn prudence, O fools, learn sense. 00:04:30.432 --> 00:04:36.399 Here we have in these first five verses we're introduced to the call of wisdom. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:44.432 Wisdom is crying out, and wisdom is some use the word personified portrayed here as female. 00:04:44.432 --> 00:04:46.699 It says, she raises her voice. 00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:48.266 She takes her stand. 00:04:48.266 --> 00:04:50.800 She cries aloud. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:55.365 We saw in chapter one the first hint of this, the same thing. 00:04:55.565 --> 00:04:58.565 Wisdom cries out. 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:00.833 This is important to understand because it's interesting. 00:05:00.833 --> 00:05:20.533 Proverbs isn't really known as a controversial book in the Bible, but Proverbs chapter eight, it's the most controversial chapter of Proverbs, and we're going to get into a little bit later, the most controversial verse in the most controversial chapter of Proverbs, and likely has led to some of the greatest controversy in the history of the church. 00:05:20.533 --> 00:05:23.399 I know you didn't come this morning on Mother's Day looking for controversy. 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:31.333 I don't hope to stir up any new things, but it's important to know what has been said about a passage, what is there and why it is there. 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:40.065 Now, Wisdom. Lady Wisdom in chapter eight does something that I think is so powerful in our search for wisdom. 00:05:40.065 --> 00:05:45.432 In looking for wisdom, it's important to know wisdom is there. 00:05:45.432 --> 00:05:47.432 Wisdom is there crying out. 00:05:47.432 --> 00:05:49.632 In fact, look at the places that are mentioned. 00:05:49.632 --> 00:05:55.333 She raises her voice at the heights, at the crossroads, at the gates, at the entrance. 00:05:55.333 --> 00:05:58.165 She's not hiding somewhere off in the corner. 00:05:58.165 --> 00:06:00.333 She's not playing hard to get. 00:06:00.333 --> 00:06:02.632 She's front and center looking. 00:06:02.632 --> 00:06:09.199 In fact, the imagery here, the gates of the city would have been the border between the country and the city. 00:06:09.432 --> 00:06:16.000 And she's looking for the naive, looking for the country bumpkin who's coming to town and needs wisdom before they enter the city. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.233 Don't move to the big city without wisdom. 00:06:19.233 --> 00:06:21.466 You're going to get chewed up and spit up. 00:06:21.466 --> 00:06:24.132 And she's standing there saying, I've got wisdom for you. 00:06:24.132 --> 00:06:26.399 Come to me, I'm not trying to hide. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.000 It's free for the taking. Come find it. 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.000 Okay, I heard a story this week. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:34.699 This guy's wife's grandfather. 00:06:34.699 --> 00:06:40.800 He shared with me that when he immigrated to the US, he was on a ship. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:44.565 And all their worldly possessions with him and their luggage. 00:06:44.565 --> 00:06:47.833 All the money they had to their name with him. 00:06:47.833 --> 00:06:52.100 Meets a guy on the boat and said, have you ever been to America? 00:06:52.100 --> 00:06:52.399 No. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.932 Never been and never been coming there for the first time. 00:06:55.932 --> 00:06:58.365 Well, you know, America is just full of thieves. 00:06:58.365 --> 00:07:00.565 Everyone's trying to steal all your money. 00:07:00.565 --> 00:07:01.966 You know that, right? 00:07:01.966 --> 00:07:04.000 No, I had no idea. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.500 Yeah. In fact, do you have one of these? 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:06.333 Do you have a money belt? 00:07:06.333 --> 00:07:09.932 You need a money belt so you can keep your money safe, protect from other people. 00:07:09.932 --> 00:07:11.000 Do you have one? 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:13.766 No I don't, I'll tell you what I'm willing to do for you. 00:07:13.766 --> 00:07:16.333 I will store all your money in my money belt for you. 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:17.800 Really? 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:19.665 You would do that for me? 00:07:19.665 --> 00:07:21.100 Yes. Okay. 00:07:21.100 --> 00:07:23.733 So he gives him all his money. 00:07:23.733 --> 00:07:24.500 Of course. They're on a boat. 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:25.533 He's not going to go anywhere with it. 00:07:25.533 --> 00:07:26.300 He can keep an eye on him. 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:28.800 But then they get off the boat. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:30.333 They gather all their luggage up together. 00:07:30.333 --> 00:07:34.100 Since I have all your money, since we're together, let's go find a place to stay together. 00:07:34.100 --> 00:07:35.665 Great idea. 00:07:35.665 --> 00:07:37.033 They go to a hotel. 00:07:37.033 --> 00:07:38.565 Hey, you go get us a room. 00:07:38.565 --> 00:07:40.766 I'll watch our luggage. 00:07:40.766 --> 00:07:46.600 And of course, he comes back out and the guy's gone and all their luggage is gone. 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:49.100 All their worldly possessions gone. 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:51.000 Welcome to America. 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:53.632 Yeah. 00:07:53.632 --> 00:07:56.065 That guy needed some wisdom. 00:07:56.065 --> 00:07:56.932 He needed to know. 00:07:56.932 --> 00:07:58.432 Here's how things operate. 00:07:58.432 --> 00:08:00.432 Here's what you watch out for. 00:08:00.432 --> 00:08:01.733 He needed someone going. 00:08:01.733 --> 00:08:03.665 Don't listen to that guy. 00:08:03.665 --> 00:08:06.000 Not everyone is as they seem. 00:08:07.033 --> 00:08:09.165 He needed someone who could help navigate him. 00:08:09.165 --> 00:08:12.165 And Lady Wisdom is saying, I'm here. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:13.632 You want to find me? 00:08:13.632 --> 00:08:14.432 I'm here. 00:08:14.432 --> 00:08:15.333 Come to me. 00:08:15.333 --> 00:08:18.333 I'm not hiding from you. 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:22.399 Here's the problem, though, with wisdom. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:23.800 It's hard. 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:25.600 It takes effort. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:28.033 Even though she's there, crying out. 00:08:28.033 --> 00:08:32.500 There's all the other a lot of other paths that seem easier to take. 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:37.399 I mean, if you want to pursue wisdom, you've got to put forth effort. 00:08:37.633 --> 00:08:41.832 You've got to find people who have wisdom, seek it out from them, ask. 00:08:41.832 --> 00:08:43.399 You've got to listen. 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:45.865 You've got to read good books, study the scripture. 00:08:45.865 --> 00:08:48.966 The easy path just fills us up with fluff. 00:08:48.966 --> 00:08:50.299 That's the easy way to go. 00:08:50.299 --> 00:08:53.299 It's the way that most people turn. 00:08:54.299 --> 00:08:56.399 How do we search out wisdom? 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.633 She gives two commands here towards that end. 00:08:58.633 --> 00:09:02.299 So look at verse six, two things in particular to look out for. 00:09:02.299 --> 00:09:02.932 Verse six. 00:09:02.932 --> 00:09:07.932 She says here verse ten, she says, take, let me read these and unpack what that means. 00:09:09.533 --> 00:09:12.932 Hear, for I will speak noble things. 00:09:13.265 --> 00:09:19.100 From my lips will come what is right, from my mouth will utter truth. 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:22.700 Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 00:09:23.533 --> 00:09:26.533 All the words of my mouth are righteous. 00:09:26.765 --> 00:09:29.000 There is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:33.133 They are all straight to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge. 00:09:33.133 --> 00:09:36.133 Take my instruction instead of silver. 00:09:36.299 --> 00:09:44.732 Knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot even compare with her. 00:09:46.033 --> 00:09:52.299 So the first thing wisdom says here to the naive, the simple at the gates, those who are coming, who need wisdom, who need insight. 00:09:52.299 --> 00:09:55.299 She says hear, listen. 00:09:55.332 --> 00:09:58.832 That's the first step in gaining wisdom is to listen. 00:09:58.832 --> 00:10:03.100 A friend of mine says all the time he says it of people at his church. 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:04.932 He wouldn't say it here. 00:10:04.932 --> 00:10:08.332 He says if they ain't listening, they ain't listening. 00:10:08.332 --> 00:10:10.133 Meaning why keep talking? 00:10:10.133 --> 00:10:16.500 If someone isn’t open to hearing what you have to say and you've all been in those conversations, you see their eyes glazing over. 00:10:16.500 --> 00:10:17.832 Parents, you know what I'm talking about. 00:10:17.832 --> 00:10:19.200 You're giving a great lecture. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.232 You think it's of imminent importance. 00:10:21.232 --> 00:10:24.466 You should be at Harvard delivering this lecture. It's so good. 00:10:24.466 --> 00:10:26.232 And they're just like, I zoned out. 00:10:26.232 --> 00:10:27.232 Gone. They ain’t listening. 00:10:28.932 --> 00:10:31.332 Sometimes we're not open to wisdom. 00:10:31.332 --> 00:10:32.100 We're not listening. 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:33.133 We don't want to hear it. 00:10:33.133 --> 00:10:35.365 I want to do what I want to do. 00:10:35.365 --> 00:10:39.365 And I don't want things like facts or the truth of the Bible getting in the way. You've been there. 00:10:39.365 --> 00:10:40.932 You know what I'm talking about. 00:10:40.932 --> 00:10:42.166 I want this thing so much. 00:10:42.166 --> 00:10:45.166 I don't care what anyone else says. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:51.765 But we got to get a place, got to get to a place first and foremost where we want to hear what wisdom says. 00:10:51.765 --> 00:10:53.633 Hear the truth. 00:10:53.633 --> 00:10:55.133 That's what she says of her words. 00:10:55.133 --> 00:10:55.966 My mouth. 00:10:55.966 --> 00:11:01.365 And I love all the language here relating to the mouth, the lips, the tongue, the words. 00:11:01.365 --> 00:11:03.600 I speak truth in verse seven. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.066 My words are righteous. 00:11:05.066 --> 00:11:07.000 They're not twisted or crooked, they're straight. 00:11:08.932 --> 00:11:10.200 This is in contrast. 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:13.899 Now you remember the context of where we are in the book of Proverbs. 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:18.432 The last few sermons we looked at chapter five, chapter six, chapter seven. 00:11:18.432 --> 00:11:31.232 Each of those had large chunks of sections of that passage warning the young son about the wicked woman, the adulterous, the harlot, the woman trying to pull the young man off the path. 00:11:31.232 --> 00:11:34.633 And by the way, the same is true for young women. 00:11:34.633 --> 00:11:37.066 There are young men trying to pull you off the path. 00:11:37.066 --> 00:11:41.765 This isn't only written to sons, you can relate it to who you are. 00:11:41.765 --> 00:11:45.799 There are people out there who wish you ill. 00:11:45.799 --> 00:12:10.899 That's been the sections we've been looking at chapter five, chapter six, chapter seven, and the contrast here is mainly and I think this is the reason why wisdom is called She. It’s primarily the contrast, the way of wisdom with the way of folly, the way of the wicked woman, the woman who wanted to pull them off path, the woman who wanted to give them the easy way of love, the easy way out, rather than the hard way of wisdom. 00:12:11.932 --> 00:12:13.865 And she says, listen to my words. 00:12:13.865 --> 00:12:15.365 My lips bring truth. 00:12:15.365 --> 00:12:19.732 The lips of the wicked woman that takes you down a different path. 00:12:19.732 --> 00:12:24.033 The contrast between the two is drawn out in chapter eight. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:28.899 Okay, so the first step is to hear wisdom. My ears have to be open to it. 00:12:28.899 --> 00:12:31.432 I have to want to hear it to begin with. 00:12:31.432 --> 00:12:34.066 But once you hear it, what do you do with it? 00:12:34.066 --> 00:12:35.732 Look at what she said again in verse ten. 00:12:35.732 --> 00:12:40.732 Take, another way to translate that word, choose my instruction. 00:12:40.732 --> 00:12:45.299 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than gold, wisdom is better than jewels. 00:12:45.299 --> 00:12:49.832 Once you hear wisdom now you got a choice. 00:12:49.832 --> 00:12:51.700 What am I going to do with it? 00:12:51.700 --> 00:12:53.299 Am I going to accept it? 00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:54.966 Am I going to listen? 00:12:54.966 --> 00:12:57.533 Am I going to choose to follow the path of wisdom? 00:12:57.533 --> 00:13:02.033 Or am I going to choose to keep going down the road? 00:13:02.033 --> 00:13:04.399 I'm going down. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.399 The call here. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:19.865 And the very first part, if you want to know wisdom, if you want to think like wisdom, if you want to discover wisdom, listen to her call and choose to follow to begin with, those are the first steps toward wisdom. 00:13:19.865 --> 00:13:20.932 That's the call of wisdom. 00:13:20.932 --> 00:13:26.232 Now, the next thing to look for in our search for wisdom is the character of wisdom. 00:13:26.232 --> 00:13:32.466 I want to be on the lookout for the attributes of wisdom, things that when you see you go, that is a sign of wisdom. 00:13:32.466 --> 00:13:33.832 I need to keep my eye on that. 00:13:33.832 --> 00:13:36.765 I need to listen to this person. 00:13:36.765 --> 00:13:49.299 Look at verse 12 while we read through the character or attributes of wisdom, verse 12 through 21 I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence. 00:13:49.299 --> 00:13:49.966 And you might even. 00:13:49.966 --> 00:13:53.432 By the way, as I'm reading through this, if you like to write in your Bible, not everybody does. 00:13:53.432 --> 00:13:54.566 That's okay. I'm not going to make you. 00:13:54.566 --> 00:14:07.500 But if you like to, you might just circle some of the attributes of wisdom you see in here as we read through the some of the things that stand out to you, that you consider to be characteristics of a wise person, I wisdom dwell with prudence. 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:10.332 I find knowledge and discretion. 00:14:10.332 --> 00:14:24.133 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil, Pride, arrogance, the way of evil, perverted speech I hate, I wisdom, have counsel and sound wisdom, I have insight, I have strength. 00:14:24.365 --> 00:14:37.399 By me Kings reign and rulers decree what is just, by me princes rule nobles all who govern justly, all those who love me and those who seek me diligently, diligently will find me. 00:14:38.932 --> 00:14:43.566 Riches and honor are with me enduring wealth and righteousness. 00:14:43.566 --> 00:14:51.666 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. 00:14:51.666 --> 00:15:03.100 I walk in the way of righteousness in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me and filling their treasures. 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:04.399 Verse 12 through 21. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:10.600 List out some of the characteristics of wisdom, character qualities, the attributes of wisdom. 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:13.399 And there's a lot listed here that you want to be on the lookout for. 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:18.600 Verse 13, in particular points out the very core or beginning of wisdom. 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:20.765 It said in chapter one is the fear of the Lord. 00:15:20.765 --> 00:15:22.232 That's the beginning of wisdom. 00:15:22.232 --> 00:15:33.500 Until I fear him, my life won't be rightly centered for me to be able to even hear wisdom, one way that plays out is if I fear the Lord, I also hate evil it says. 00:15:37.865 --> 00:15:39.432 There should be something in us. 00:15:39.432 --> 00:15:44.399 There is a godly sorrow when we see evil at play in the world. 00:15:45.133 --> 00:15:57.133 And not that I hate people in particular, but there's something when I see evil play out, when I see people damaged through evil, when I see people hurt and broken through evil, there should be some. 00:15:57.133 --> 00:16:03.533 There should be a sorrow deep within me that is aware of that and sensitive to that and hurts alongside with that. 00:16:03.533 --> 00:16:09.000 That should be the natural result of fearing the Lord. 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:15.133 But some of the other attributes of wisdom here, verse 14 I have counsel, advice. 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:21.133 I should seek out good advice also should come with that is insight and strength. 00:16:21.133 --> 00:16:30.899 Wisdom puts you in a place of strength instead of weakness, in a place of dependence on God and His strength. 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:41.166 But also what happens is you get wisdom for leading. A prince, a king who leads well has godly wisdom guiding them, and we all want that. 00:16:41.166 --> 00:16:46.633 If you're in any realm where you can give leadership to anyone, you need wisdom to do that well, we want that. 00:16:46.633 --> 00:16:54.732 We want to help people be better than they would ever be by leading them well, that is found, that's an attribute of wisdom. 00:16:55.033 --> 00:17:04.133 But then also notice this in verse 18 -- riches and honor are with me enduring wealth and righteousness. 00:17:04.932 --> 00:17:05.232 John. 00:17:05.232 --> 00:17:06.766 That's the message I came for right there. 00:17:06.766 --> 00:17:07.500 Keep preaching that. 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:09.432 Tell me more about that. 00:17:09.432 --> 00:17:12.432 Now look, here's the point. 00:17:12.766 --> 00:17:17.465 The point of this isn't, hey, find wisdom so that you can get rich. 00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:20.032 We're not that kind of church. 00:17:20.032 --> 00:17:24.400 We're not here preaching that. Now, I hope God blesses you and gives you abundance. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:28.665 I hope you are wise enough to be able to handle it first and foremost. 00:17:28.665 --> 00:17:33.700 That's what we pray for first and foremost, because riches may not be a blessing. 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:35.066 I’ve seen that time and again. 00:17:35.066 --> 00:17:38.266 Someone comes into money and it ruins their life because they're not ready for it. 00:17:38.266 --> 00:17:40.032 They don't have wisdom. 00:17:40.032 --> 00:17:42.965 So we're not up here praying that and proclaiming that. 00:17:42.965 --> 00:17:46.532 But here's what happens when you focus first on gaining wisdom. 00:17:46.532 --> 00:17:48.432 Focus first on God's character. 00:17:48.432 --> 00:17:49.865 What may come our riches. 00:17:49.865 --> 00:17:55.732 And if they do, you'll be ready to honor him with what he has given you. 00:17:55.732 --> 00:17:59.299 You know, verse ten and 11 said, wisdom is better than jewels. 00:18:01.532 --> 00:18:03.500 Way better than jewels. 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:04.900 Is wisdom. 00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:11.799 Likely, more than likely, often, if you're living according to wisdom, God also brings blessing to your life. 00:18:12.165 --> 00:18:16.532 He may not, but often does. 00:18:16.532 --> 00:18:18.232 If you're walking in character. 00:18:18.232 --> 00:18:21.566 If you're walking in wisdom, you know that happened with Solomon. 00:18:21.566 --> 00:18:27.133 If you think back to First Kings chapter three, God said to Solomon, almost like a genie in a bottle. 00:18:27.133 --> 00:18:28.432 Which is a weird way. 00:18:28.432 --> 00:18:31.066 I'm not calling God a genie, but it was almost like that. 00:18:31.066 --> 00:18:32.200 What do you want, Solomon? 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:33.099 Ask me whatever you want. 00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:36.099 I'll give it to you. 00:18:36.099 --> 00:18:38.766 I mean, how many times have you played around with that question? If you. 00:18:38.766 --> 00:18:40.766 If you had one, one thing you could ask. 00:18:40.766 --> 00:18:42.465 You could ask whatever you want. 00:18:42.465 --> 00:18:45.599 I bet almost none of us said, you know what I would ask for? 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:46.766 I would ask for wisdom. 00:18:46.766 --> 00:18:49.432 That's the thing that I would want more than anything. 00:18:49.432 --> 00:18:52.432 Most of you said I'd ask for more asks. 00:18:52.432 --> 00:18:54.799 Right? I said, give me more request. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.500 Let me ask again and again and again. 00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:59.566 Endless amount of,... whatever. Solomon said. 00:18:59.566 --> 00:19:01.532 I need wisdom to lead your people. 00:19:01.532 --> 00:19:04.566 You've been gracious to put me in protection over your people. 00:19:04.566 --> 00:19:06.900 And God said, because you answered that way. 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:09.833 And instead of asking for riches, I'm going to I'm going to give you riches too. 00:19:11.532 --> 00:19:19.165 And of course, that brought challenges to Solomon's life, ultimately, that led to his heart straying away from the Lord. 00:19:19.165 --> 00:19:22.833 Even the wisest man to live struggled with this. 00:19:22.833 --> 00:19:26.732 Who are we to think we can handle abundance? 00:19:26.965 --> 00:19:34.532 But the point being here, oftentimes the two are related and we need to make sure our hearts are ready for that. 00:19:34.532 --> 00:19:35.799 That's the first place to start. 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:39.333 I mentioned in the midweek update this week my buddy Greg. 00:19:39.333 --> 00:19:45.432 I was a mountain biking with him and Greg was sharing about how God had been working in his life. 00:19:45.432 --> 00:19:47.200 And by the way, I don't think I put this in the letter. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:53.133 Greg is 73 years old out there, mountain biking, getting after it, doing great. 00:19:53.133 --> 00:19:56.333 A little more careful maybe, than the rest of us riding a little more wisely. 00:19:57.732 --> 00:20:10.732 But Greg said, John, I have grown more as a Christian and as a husband in the last year than the previous ten years combined, and I shared in the midweek update that he did this because of a simple ten minute prayer strategy a day he starts his day on his knees in prayer. 00:20:10.732 --> 00:20:18.732 I didn't share in there what he prays for though, and during that prayer time, what he focuses on is God's character. 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:24.400 He said, John, most of my prayer life had been gimme, gimme God, give me more. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:25.299 This is what I need. 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:28.200 If coming to him, asking him for stuff, it's okay to ask him for stuff. 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:30.133 By the way, he said. 00:20:30.133 --> 00:20:36.732 But what I needed to do was focus first and foremost on who he was, on his character, on who he is, to rightly center my life. 00:20:36.732 --> 00:20:39.599 And when I started to do that, I saw everything change. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:41.833 All the little things that used to bother me about my wife. 00:20:41.833 --> 00:20:47.232 She do the smallest little thing and it would upset me now that it went away. 00:20:47.232 --> 00:20:49.133 No big deal. 00:20:49.133 --> 00:20:52.133 We didn't ask her to verify that. 00:20:53.432 --> 00:20:55.299 No big deal. 00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:56.799 Ten minutes of prayer. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:00.833 First, focus on who he is on his character. 00:21:00.833 --> 00:21:06.700 First, focus on the character of wisdom and let the rest follow. 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.965 So we have the call of wisdom. 00:21:07.965 --> 00:21:11.599 She's crying out, I'm here! Come find me. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:13.732 The character of wisdom. 00:21:13.732 --> 00:21:17.965 Now look what's next at the creation of wisdom, the beginning of wisdom. 00:21:17.965 --> 00:21:20.965 Look at verse 22. 00:21:21.232 --> 00:21:26.333 The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old ages ago. 00:21:26.333 --> 00:21:31.932 I was set up at the first for the beginning of the earth, and there were no depths. 00:21:31.932 --> 00:21:42.400 I was brought forth when there were no springs abounding with water, for the mountains had been shaped before the hills I was brought forth. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:48.799 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:50.266 When he established the heavens. 00:21:50.266 --> 00:22:01.566 I was there when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command. 00:22:01.566 --> 00:22:03.266 When he marked out the foundations of the earth. 00:22:03.266 --> 00:22:06.465 Then I was beside him like a master workman. 00:22:06.465 --> 00:22:15.099 And I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in the children of man. 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:18.099 All right, a lot there to cover. 00:22:18.232 --> 00:22:28.200 This is the most controversial section of Proverbs eight that I was referring to, and in particular because of verse 22, because it says the Lord possessed me at the beginning. 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:32.633 And if you have an ESV Bible, you'll see a footnote, and down at the bottom it says or fathered. 00:22:32.633 --> 00:22:34.432 It could be translated as fathered. 00:22:34.432 --> 00:22:39.900 You might say beget, or it even says some translations created. 00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:50.633 Now, the problem with that is Proverbs eight is often seen as a pointing forward to Christ because it says things like I was there with him in the beginning creating. 00:22:50.633 --> 00:22:52.465 And so some have taken this verse. 00:22:52.465 --> 00:22:54.365 The Lord created me, possessed me. 00:22:54.365 --> 00:22:57.200 At the beginning of this work, bear with me for just a second. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:01.633 I want to highlight this because this is important in the history of the early church in particular. 00:23:01.633 --> 00:23:08.799 Some took this verse to say, well, because this is similar to how some of the ways we describe Christ, therefore Christ must be created. 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:12.465 Therefore he's not co-eternal, therefore he's not a member of the Trinity, not fully God. 00:23:12.465 --> 00:23:15.833 And therefore we can't believe in the Trinity anymore. 00:23:15.833 --> 00:23:17.833 You see the jump they made there? 00:23:17.833 --> 00:23:19.532 This was called the Arian heresy. 00:23:19.532 --> 00:23:23.566 It was hugely raging in the early church three hundreds, four hundreds. 00:23:23.566 --> 00:23:28.232 This is important to highlight for one reason we have to understand church history. 00:23:28.232 --> 00:23:30.900 You've got to look back at what people have already argued about. 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:34.700 And so when it shows up again today, you're not shocked and surprised. 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:39.266 This is the same thing that shows up in things like Jehovah's Witness and Mormon. 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:40.932 Jesus isn't fully God. 00:23:40.932 --> 00:23:42.432 They would say. 00:23:42.432 --> 00:23:43.465 It goes back. 00:23:43.465 --> 00:23:44.833 It happened long ago. 00:23:44.833 --> 00:23:49.833 How do we rightly understand this section to know that's not what this is saying? 00:23:49.833 --> 00:23:57.833 Well, I want to point out a couple of things, because these this chapter does relate to other parts of Scripture in some very interesting ways. 00:23:58.932 --> 00:24:00.865 In fact, I'm going to look at four ways. 00:24:00.865 --> 00:24:12.133 And here in particular, because in verses 22 through 23 where it talks about wisdom at the beginning of the world, wisdom as an act of old, wisdom set up at the beginning of the earth. 00:24:12.465 --> 00:24:17.400 The important thing to understand here is that wisdom existed long ago. 00:24:19.333 --> 00:24:22.333 This should create humility for us. 00:24:22.432 --> 00:24:30.532 If you ever happen to stumble on a piece of wisdom, if you ever find yourself going, I think I just displayed wisdom in that moment. 00:24:30.532 --> 00:24:33.266 That's not the time to get prideful. 00:24:33.266 --> 00:24:34.333 That's the time to go. 00:24:34.333 --> 00:24:37.365 And thank you, Lord, for providing what you created long ago. 00:24:37.365 --> 00:24:44.266 I didn't discover I discovered it, I didn't create it much like a natural resource. 00:24:44.365 --> 00:24:48.266 No one who digs up gold goes, I created gold. 00:24:49.766 --> 00:24:54.133 I am the creator of gold. No, I discovered it, it already existed. 00:24:54.133 --> 00:24:55.833 I had to find it. 00:24:55.833 --> 00:24:58.066 That's the main emphasis here. 00:24:58.066 --> 00:25:03.665 Long ago, before you ever existed, before anyone was around. 00:25:03.665 --> 00:25:06.099 Wisdom was at work. 00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:12.932 Now, the other thing to point out here too, though, is look at look at how it's described, the setting of creation. 00:25:12.932 --> 00:25:18.333 Verse 26, 4 , 5 and 6-- Earth was no depths. 00:25:18.333 --> 00:25:24.000 I was brought forth no springs before the mountains, before the hills, before he made the earth. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:27.665 The imagery here is the chaos of creation. 00:25:28.465 --> 00:25:33.432 And if you think back, this relates it's very similar in language to Genesis chapter one. 00:25:33.432 --> 00:25:36.032 The earth was without form and void. 00:25:36.032 --> 00:25:38.066 Darkness was over the face of the deep. 00:25:38.066 --> 00:25:40.965 The spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 00:25:40.965 --> 00:25:41.900 It was chaos. 00:25:43.833 --> 00:25:45.932 And here's the phrase I want you to remember in the midst of this. 00:25:45.932 --> 00:25:48.932 How does this relate to chapter eight? 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Wisdom brings order to chaos. 00:25:52.766 --> 00:25:54.432 You know what I'm talking about. 00:25:54.432 --> 00:25:58.099 Think about your life before knowing Christ, before having wisdom. 00:25:58.099 --> 00:26:01.000 It was chaos. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:02.865 It was out of order. 00:26:02.865 --> 00:26:05.532 You felt like you were always a step behind. 00:26:05.532 --> 00:26:07.032 You couldn't get your handle on things. 00:26:07.032 --> 00:26:07.432 You. 00:26:07.432 --> 00:26:09.266 Who here knows what I'm talking about? 00:26:09.266 --> 00:26:12.266 That chaotic season. 00:26:12.766 --> 00:26:15.766 But when Jesus shows up, he brings order. 00:26:16.532 --> 00:26:19.299 He brings order in the midst of chaos. 00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:23.133 It says in Colossians chapter one, this is how is points forward to Christ. 00:26:23.133 --> 00:26:28.032 This is what chapter eight is doing more than anything, pointing forward to Christ. 00:26:28.032 --> 00:26:33.665 Because in Colossians chapter one it talks about how he's before all things, he is preeminent and in him. 00:26:33.665 --> 00:26:37.000 And this is verse 17, all things hold together. 00:26:38.732 --> 00:26:42.000 If you're able to hold your life together, it's because he's at work in you. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.000 His wisdom is in you. 00:26:45.432 --> 00:26:47.266 Also note his sovereignty. 00:26:47.266 --> 00:26:50.465 I'll just highlight this in verse 27 through 29. Six times. 00:26:50.465 --> 00:26:52.799 It says when he. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:55.032 When he established the deeps, he drew a circle. 00:26:55.032 --> 00:26:57.732 When he made the firm, he established the foundations. 00:26:57.732 --> 00:26:58.932 He assigned the sea. 00:26:58.932 --> 00:27:00.566 He marked out the foundations there. 00:27:00.566 --> 00:27:03.133 He did it, not me. 00:27:03.133 --> 00:27:04.333 He is sovereign. 00:27:04.333 --> 00:27:06.500 I can trust him. He's in control. 00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:09.500 He's the one creating. 00:27:10.032 --> 00:27:13.700 You know, even Jewish scholars, not Christian. 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:15.232 One guy in particular. 00:27:15.232 --> 00:27:18.633 Long ago, this this would have been writing. 00:27:18.633 --> 00:27:25.700 He would have been writing around the same time as Christ. Philo was his name. They're always wrestling with, how do we describe who God is? 00:27:26.932 --> 00:27:31.266 This guy in particular was trying to describe the creative force that was a work alongside God. 00:27:31.266 --> 00:27:33.266 Clearly something else was there with him. 00:27:33.266 --> 00:27:44.799 He speaks of us and we the very word this author used, this Jewish author used to describe the creative force of the world alongside God the Father was the logos. 00:27:44.865 --> 00:27:49.099 And if you remember our study of the book of John, that's the same word used of Jesus in John chapter one. 00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:50.965 In the beginning was the logos. 00:27:50.965 --> 00:27:53.965 The word and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:27:53.965 --> 00:27:57.799 The same creative force, his sovereignty was there at the beginning. 00:27:57.799 --> 00:28:02.965 That's where some of the links are happening here in Proverbs chapter eight. 00:28:02.965 --> 00:28:06.432 Now, that's a little bit of a deep dive into the beginning. 00:28:06.432 --> 00:28:08.532 And the point being, we can trust him. 00:28:08.532 --> 00:28:09.532 He was there. 00:28:09.532 --> 00:28:11.232 He we should have humility. 00:28:11.232 --> 00:28:17.266 He brings order and he brings joy and delight. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:23.700 All of this leads us to the promise he makes in the midst of this, the covenant of wisdom. 00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:26.599 And this is where the chapter ends. 00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:29.599 Look at verse 32. 00:28:30.432 --> 00:28:33.432 Now, O sons, listen to me. 00:28:33.965 --> 00:28:38.599 Blessed are those who keep my ways, hear instruction, and be wise. 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:40.200 Do not neglect it. 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:42.599 Blessed is the one who listens to me. 00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:46.566 Watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. 00:28:46.965 --> 00:28:53.965 Whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. 00:28:54.599 --> 00:28:58.599 But he who fails to find me injures himself. 00:28:58.599 --> 00:29:01.599 And all who hate me love death. 00:29:02.665 --> 00:29:05.465 Here's the promise, the covenant of wisdom. 00:29:05.465 --> 00:29:07.599 Here's what wisdom is pointing towards. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:21.932 If you want to know true blessing in your life, if you want to know true fullness, if you want to find life at its fullest and favor from the Lord, seek wisdom. 00:29:21.932 --> 00:29:24.000 Pursue wisdom. 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:26.799 There's no other way. 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:34.432 And by the way, the fullest, fullest expression we have of wisdom is in Christ. 00:29:34.432 --> 00:29:37.333 But we see wisdom in plenty of other places in life as well. 00:29:37.333 --> 00:29:42.200 In fact, I think it's appropriate on Mother's Day to to speak to the wisdom of mothers. 00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:46.099 I ran across the story this week. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:50.865 You may remember the dropping of the first atomic bomb in World War Two. 00:29:50.865 --> 00:29:54.932 Do you remember the name of the plane that dropped the bomb? 00:29:54.932 --> 00:29:57.932 Okay, there we go, said with confidence. 00:29:57.932 --> 00:29:59.165 Enola Gay. 00:29:59.165 --> 00:30:00.465 Yeah, I heard mumblings. 00:30:00.465 --> 00:30:02.532 Many others also remember that as well. 00:30:02.532 --> 00:30:09.633 In fact, there's a picture on the screen of that plane and their crew, but many don't know who the plane is named after. 00:30:09.633 --> 00:30:22.599 Oftentimes planes were named after, you know, the latest hot movie star or a girlfriend or ex-girlfriend or somebody that they wanted to honor that was often more of a love interest. 00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:32.965 Now, Paul Tibbets was the pilot of the Enola Gay, and he wondered, who can I name my plane after? The plane, they're they're actually getting ready to fly out in a day or two. 00:30:32.965 --> 00:30:34.232 Plane did not have a name. 00:30:34.232 --> 00:30:37.665 It's like we can't just drop it from random plane number 82. 00:30:37.665 --> 00:30:40.165 It's got to have a name. 00:30:40.165 --> 00:30:44.400 And he thought what his first thought was, what would my mother call it? 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.365 He had so much respect for his mother. 00:30:46.365 --> 00:30:49.200 She had guided him every step of the way. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:54.000 He had first wanted to be a doctor, and his dad was so proud of him for wanting to be a doctor. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.732 And he said, you know what? 00:30:54.732 --> 00:31:06.266 I'm going to fly planes, which wasn't as big of a deal as we would consider it now, as maybe as admirable as we would consider it now, is more like a bunch of crazy guys going out trying crazy things. 00:31:06.266 --> 00:31:08.000 It was still in its infancy in a lot of ways. 00:31:09.133 --> 00:31:10.500 His dad thought he was crazy. 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:13.932 His mom there was there supporting him every step of the way. 00:31:13.932 --> 00:31:15.566 I love you, you're going to do great. 00:31:15.566 --> 00:31:17.865 It's going to be okay. 00:31:17.865 --> 00:31:31.365 When he was flying over now North Africa, when they were dropping bombs and doing missions and other planes every step of the way he could, when he felt like everything was falling apart, he could hear his mother's voice calming him all along the way. 00:31:31.932 --> 00:31:33.833 And he thought, what would my mother say? 00:31:33.833 --> 00:31:34.766 What? 00:31:34.766 --> 00:31:40.266 And he said, there's no greater name to put on this plane than to put her name on the plane. 00:31:40.266 --> 00:31:47.500 Who would I want beside me in the most intense moment of my life, other than her? 00:31:47.532 --> 00:31:48.865 I think many of us. 00:31:48.865 --> 00:31:52.732 Of course, not everyone has had a perfect mother. 00:31:52.732 --> 00:31:54.133 I'm not saying my mom's perfect. 00:31:54.133 --> 00:31:55.133 She's great. 00:31:55.133 --> 00:31:57.799 Not everyone has had a mother full of wisdom, even. 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:08.700 But when we see real wisdom in your mother or in anyone, it points towards eternal wisdom rooted in Christ and in who he is. 00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:12.333 And that's where we need to turn. 00:32:12.333 --> 00:32:14.865 And that would be my final plea for you today. 00:32:14.865 --> 00:32:19.133 If you don't know wisdom, come to know Christ. 00:32:19.133 --> 00:32:25.099 If your life is chaotic and out of order, come to follow Christ. 00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:27.066 Seek him out. 00:32:27.066 --> 00:32:29.532 We're going to be doing baptisms here in a couple of weeks. 00:32:29.532 --> 00:32:29.932 We'd love. 00:32:29.932 --> 00:32:33.799 I'd love to talk with you about getting baptized, about following Christ. 00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:37.500 Maybe you have talked with me about that circle back around and say no. 00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.500 Yeah, now it's time. 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:41.099 I'd love to be a part of that. 00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:42.400 We're honored you're here today. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:44.133 I'll be down front after the services. 00:32:44.133 --> 00:32:54.032 If you'd love to talk about coming to know Christ, follow him and gaining true wisdom through following him, it'd be a great time today to talk about that. 00:32:54.032 --> 00:32:57.032 Let's pray. 00:32:57.133 --> 00:32:58.700 Jesus, we thank you for this morning. 00:32:58.700 --> 00:33:10.566 We thank you that we can gather on Mother's Day, and we can look at your words to us about finding wisdom in Proverbs chapter eight. 00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:14.799 This world thinks it's full of wisdom. 00:33:15.133 --> 00:33:19.000 It's worldly wisdom, and much of it leads us astray. 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:27.465 Much of it is meant to pull us off course, like the woman of folly in chapter seven and six and five. 00:33:28.232 --> 00:33:30.365 Thank you for providing us with wisdom. 00:33:30.365 --> 00:33:34.232 Thank you for helping us to see true wisdom in you. 00:33:34.232 --> 00:33:39.333 Jesus, help us to lean on you, to trust in you, to depend on you for all things. 00:33:39.333 --> 00:33:41.200 We love you. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:43.133 It's in your name we pray. 00:33:43.133 --> 00:33:43.532 Amen.