WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:07.919 Proverbs is where we're at uh in our series, and so Proverbs chapter 11, verse 14, uh is what we're looking at here uh today. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:21.359 Now, uh, we have all found ourselves, each one of us here in this room watching this online, you found yourself in multiple situations where you just have no idea what to do. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:21.839 Right? 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:22.960 I am at a loss. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:29.920 I don't know how to proceed, I don't know what to think here, I don't know which decision to make, which direction to go, right? 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:36.159 Things, you know, you've wondered things like what is the best course of action here in my life? 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:40.320 How do I how do I figure out this problem that lays in front of me, this dilemma? 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:47.679 You know, how am I supposed to think rightly about this issue that I have been presented with? 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:54.719 Or how do I give this person the best kind of advice and counsel uh that they are asking me? 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:11.280 I mean, these are the kinds of situations and scenarios, these are the kind of questions that we ask ourselves or we're asked over and over again, uh, many of us multiple times a day, which of course just exposes our need for wisdom, right? 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:13.599 I need wisdom, it's what we've been talking about. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.159 I need, I need help, right? 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:16.959 We really do. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:22.319 Well, this verse that we're looking at here today shows us where help is found, right? 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:24.000 We know that it is from the Lord. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:29.040 We're gonna see one of the avenues in which He provides this help for us here. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:31.760 And so here is our big idea if you're jotting this down. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:33.519 This is the main focus here today. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:34.480 Wisdom, okay? 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:40.079 Wisdom is embracing my need for the guidance that wise counselors provide. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:41.280 Okay, I'll say it again. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:47.200 Wisdom is embracing my need for the guidance that wise counselors provide. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:57.599 You might remember from last Sunday we looked at and talked about the dangers and the perils of isolating ourselves from others, right? 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:17.199 Keeping people at arm's length and not letting people in, you know, isolating ourselves from genuine fellowship with other people, other believers, and specifically the context really being the local church, the dangers of isolating ourselves from the local church, though these days it seems it's easier than ever to do that. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:27.439 When you think about restrictions and distancing and pandemic and staying at home orders and all of that kind of stuff, it just seems very easy to completely detach. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:29.759 And uh, many of us, many of us have done that. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:41.280 We've seen the dangers of it, we talked about the dangers of it, the mental dangers of that, mental health, physical health, the imp the impact that that can have, and then of course on our spiritual health as well, right? 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:50.080 And and these relationships that we are to have with people are are not just about social connection, right? 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:52.400 Though I would argue that that is extremely important. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:01.039 It's not just about that, though, it's about recognizing that that God puts people in your life to help you navigate it, right? 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:02.800 To help you navigate life. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:11.520 You and I, we weren't designed to maneuver through our various circumstances and decisions and and predicaments alone. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:12.879 We weren't designed that way. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:17.599 You know, we, you and I, we are not all wise in and of ourselves. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:36.800 We just we just are not, which means that that when we isolate ourselves from relationships, okay, when we distance ourselves from other people and believe the lie that we we're fine enough on our own, when we believe that, we will always at some point eventually veer off course. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:51.039 In some way, we will resist that urge, that that lie that you're tempted to believe, that you don't need people, that you can just do this and you're fine or better by yourself, because that's just not true, not according to the Bible. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:56.240 From cover to cover, the importance of relationships with people is so key. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:56.800 Right? 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:04.960 And what we're gonna see here in our in our verse is that with wise counsel from others, we can succeed, right? 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.919 We can prevail, we can do well. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:11.120 That wise counsel, though, is is again what we need. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:12.560 So let's look at this verse here. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:14.639 Bit of preamble getting to it. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:16.879 But here it is, 11 verse 14. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:17.519 Take a look. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:23.199 It says, uh, where there is no guidance, a people falls. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.800 Okay, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:31.759 Okay, so let's go back to the beginning, unpack that a little bit. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:35.519 It says, Where there is no guidance, a people falls. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:38.879 That word guidance there means literally what you would think it means. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:42.879 Okay, it just means advice, uh, direction. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:51.439 The word guidance there originates actually uh from that idea of ropes that would be used to steer a ship. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:51.759 Right? 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:58.480 Like you think about a sail and a mass, or they're they're yanking on ropes and and pulleys and all of that. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:00.319 That's where that's where that comes from. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:03.439 It's like an early guidance system for a ship. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:14.399 Okay, wise people are are just like those ropes in our lives that help us steer into the direction that we need to go, right? 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:25.120 So that we don't make we don't make mistakes, we don't make make dumb decisions and and and run ourselves aground just like a ship would when it loses the ability to steer. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:32.079 A wise guidance from other people in our lives helps us navigate around storms. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:32.399 Right? 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.920 Sailors would see a storm in the distance, and so what would they do? 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:37.519 They would go around it. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:39.759 Because storms bring problems. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:40.560 Right? 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:42.720 You and I, we we don't need that. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:52.160 And many storms, many problems in life, honestly, could be avoided and navigated around if we were to appreciate and look for advice and counsel. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:56.639 Okay, the verse says, without this type of guidance, keep going. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.240 It says a people falls. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:10.000 Again, it's just that idea that isolating ourselves and not seeking the counsel of other people, and maybe most importantly, not heeding the counsel of people, uh, it just sets us up for a painful fall. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:13.439 These are avoidable mistakes. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:21.600 But it says there, but in a in an abundance of counselors, because about a considerable variety of advice and counsel. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:26.639 This verse is saying, talk to as many people as you can, get as much counsel and advice as you possibly can. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:29.439 It says, when you do that, there is there is safety. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:30.480 You see that word? 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:36.399 That word safety just literally means deliverance or or rescue or freedom from danger. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:39.600 I think we would all say that we want that. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:45.519 I mean, personally in my life, I'm trying real hard right now to like apply this verse. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:59.279 You know, as I think about, like, man, what how do you like navigate and lead a church through a pandemic with all of these guidelines and rules and decisions that that are being made for us that we are to follow? 00:06:59.519 --> 00:06:59.839 Right? 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:05.920 And I think I've kind of let you in a little bit on where I'm at with that, and and I'm and I'm really wrestling with it, I'll be perfectly honest. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.759 And I need prayer, right? 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:17.920 And I really do need that as I as I look and I survey the landscape and a lot of what I'm kind of hearing from the media and from the government just doesn't really pass the sniff test for me. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:18.959 It really doesn't. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:24.000 I see some of the inconsistencies of what we're being told to do, right? 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:33.199 And the restrictions that are being placed on us, the the impact this is having on people, the impact this is having on our on our economy, the impact that this is having on the church. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:39.199 I'm seeing, I mean, I grow more and more concerned by the day in what we're being told. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:44.480 And again, I'm just kind of giving you a bit of kind of insight into where my mind is at a little bit. 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:59.680 And so for me, as I'm trying to apply this verse here, I'm literally having so many conversations these days with other counselors, other pastors, other leaders, other experts in in different areas to try and just find out, like figure out what is the best course forward here. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:04.879 I want to avoid the dangers of saying or doing something dumb. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.079 Right? 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.079 Of stepping out and doing something foolish that I will regret. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:23.519 But on the other hand, I want to avoid the dangers that come from inaction and just going along with things when when things aren't always rooted in data and fact and truth. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:27.360 Okay, and so I just I just like, man, do I need wisdom in this? 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.199 And I need counselors, I need people who will help me and guide me. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:33.039 I mean, we all need this, don't we? 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:38.000 And some of you are like literally, everything I'm saying about the pandemic and stuff, you're like, man, I'm I'm hearing you on that. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:39.039 Like, we need wisdom. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.720 But but in all kinds of areas of life, we need counsel. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:50.240 It's areas of relationships, it's financial counsel and advice. 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:51.759 It's like how to how to parent. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:55.519 I need I need counseling in my marriage, I I need help. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.080 Right? 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:57.200 We need this. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:11.120 So if if if wisdom is really embracing my need for the guidance that that wise counselors provide, then I really want to leave you with three things here before we go to prayer. 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:19.360 Okay, here are three things that that you and I need from others, and we must provide for others. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:24.159 Alright, so here are three things that you need and others need from you. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:30.639 Here's the first one gospel saturated direction instead of man-centered advice. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:38.879 When people come to you, they don't just need to hear some kind of man-centered tip. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:45.840 They need to hear the scriptures, they need to hear God's word through you, they need to hear godly counsel. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:47.200 That's what's gonna help. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:49.039 That's what they need from you. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.039 That's what you need from other people. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:58.879 Okay, we we don't want to just give tips that kind of sound good on one hand, but does it really align with the Bible? 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:01.519 Does it really align with what's true? 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:03.600 I love Galatians 2.14. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:06.399 Talks about how Paul confronted Peter. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:11.919 Remember, it says, when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, it says that he confronted him. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:12.799 Right? 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:17.440 We we need we need counsel, we need we need guidance that is in line with the scriptures. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.120 This is what you need, this is what others need from you. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:21.919 Here's the second one. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:23.679 It's a little bit related to what we just said. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:29.679 We need a willingness to say the hard thing instead of sympathizing with the flesh. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:32.159 Right? 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:44.080 You ever had somebody come to you and and they need help and they may not even really realize that they need help, and they're saying things, and you're kind of getting the sense, oof, like there's some things that aren't quite right there with you, but but there's that fear. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:49.919 I I don't really want to say the hard thing, I'm lacking the courage or the boldness, or even maybe the clarity to do that. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:58.000 And so you end up kind of sympathizing with the flesh, and oh, poor, poor you, yeah, you're right to be bitter, and man, are you ever right to be angry? 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:02.000 And you just kind of coddle the person and you're stroking their flesh. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.519 That's not helpful. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:04.080 Right? 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.679 People don't need that. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:06.960 You don't need that. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:10.879 We need to have the conviction and the courage to sometimes say the hard thing. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:14.240 And let me say this how you say that is everything. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:20.960 I'm not saying we need to be like dropping truth bombs on people and detonating their lives and wrecking them with truth. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:21.919 I'm not saying that. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.759 No one likes that, no one appreciates that, no one responds well to that. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.559 Jesus came full of grace and truth. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.399 That's what John 1.14 says. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:34.000 There's that blend, that mixture of grace and truth. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:38.799 We need to be willing, willing to say the hard things, but we need to do it with gentleness. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:41.440 We need to do it with respect, we need to do it with patience. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.720 Enough flesh sympathizers. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.559 You don't need it, I don't need it. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:48.320 Here's the third one. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:56.720 Okay, we need pointing to the God of wisdom instead of a codependence on man. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:02.879 You ever had someone come to you and ask for counsel or ask for advice, and you're like, man, that's that's kind of cool. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:04.399 That makes me feel pretty good. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:04.960 Right? 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:12.240 And your pride starts to get a little bit inflamed, and you kind of like that they came to you, and you like the ego stroke that that is for you. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:18.720 And and sometimes what we can do is we forget that the wit any wisdom that I have is from God, right? 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.879 We're just conduits of his wisdom. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.480 That's that's all we are. 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.240 We don't want to be building up a codependence on man. 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:30.559 And maybe you've been this in your life or you've seen this other in other people's lives as well. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:36.240 Some people can't make a decision, can't move forward unless they've they they've sought your advice on that. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:38.399 It's like you don't want them to depend on you. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:38.960 Who are you? 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:39.679 Who am I? 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.480 We're nothing. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:46.399 We we want to point them to the God of wisdom, not to depend on man in some unhealthy way. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.320 Proverbs 2 verse 6 says, For the Lord gives wisdom. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:53.279 From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:54.399 Let's remember that. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.360 Let's remember that. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:01.919 When we need wisdom, yes, we're gonna go to the Lord, but we're looking for the wisdom that they can give us that's really God's wisdom, right? 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:09.360 Likewise, we want to give wisdom that is the the Lord's as well, not man-centered, not sympathizing with the flesh, none of that stuff. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:15.600 So, hey, listen, have you embraced, listen, have you embraced your need for this kind of guidance? 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:20.399 Have you have you humbled yourself enough to be like, man, I need help in this. 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:23.120 I'm struggling a bit here, I need I need counsel. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:30.080 And then on the flip side of that, are you also able to give that kind of guidance? 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:35.600 To give that kind of counsel when people come to you for it. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:41.759 I think there's a lot to be praying about here as we think about these things, and these things kind of settle on our souls. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.799 And so uh, I'm gonna pray here in just a second, and then we're gonna go to that. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:54.879 And we're, you know, as we've been doing over the last little while here, we're just gonna, you know, pray in small groups as John comes and as John uh leads us uh just quietly here through with some music. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:55.600 We're gonna pray. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:14:01.440 You can pray individually if if that works best for you, or pray with your family, or spin your chair around, uh, what have you. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:04.399 Again, we're gonna have Zoom prayer here at uh at 11 a.m. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:08.240 If you're at home and you want somebody to pray with, I would love to pray with you. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.559 I'll be I'll be there uh rate a little 11. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:12.480 But the prayer points are gonna be on the screen. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.240 Let's really seek the Lord for this. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:23.600 That the Lord would grow our relationships with each other here, that we would invest in each other, give God godly counsel, and receive godly counsel. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:26.000 All right, so let me pray and then we'll get into that. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:29.120 Lord, we Lord, we thank you for this time. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.399 We thank you for this simple verse that packs a punch. 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:41.759 Lord, we thank you for this verse that shows us that we need to humble ourselves and we need the counsel that you have given to other people, Lord. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:50.000 You have have built the church, you have built the community of believers to help each other out along the way of life. 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:55.919 And Lord, today, for so many reasons, our need for wisdom has just been highlighted. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:05.679 So, God, as we go to prayer now, I pray that you would do a powerful and mighty work of transforming our hearts, Lord. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:12.480 Lord, that we would bring glory to you as you grow our relationships strong. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:17.679 And so, Lord, as we do this, hear our cries, hear the cries of your church, Lord. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:24.879 Help us to pray boldly, help us to pray with conviction, help us to pray with courage, and then act upon these things. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:28.320 We pray all of this in Christ's name. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:29.279 Amen.