A friend asked me this question and I wasn’t sure how to respond.

I thought to myself… Having a beautiful wife, kids, serving God at church and in my community… going to seminary, great job… those are all part of my dream.

But she wanted more. What about traveling the world, serving the poor and needy? What is my dream?

I went to bed that night a little bit discouraged. Who am I and What am I doing with the life that God gave me?. God then gave me this verse. It comes from Matthew 6:9-10…

our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

This is my dream. This should be the dream of every Christian. The dream to see God’s name be EXALTED. To see God’s KINGDOM COME, to see his WILL BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven.

This should be the beginning point of my dream and the dream of all Christians. Any dream apart from God is idolatry. Where should I go from there? God himself is the highest and greatest thing that we need.

As the last part of our study in MaDiS (MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN SOCIETY) we look at loving God with our actions. God cares for the poor. He identifies with the sick and infirmed. We are to look to God and see his heart. Our heart, hands, feet should do the work that brings HIM MOST GLORY. So how do we make a difference in society?

5 things to examine our LIVES:

1. Do you LOVE God’s WORD?

Do you love spending time listening to his message to you? Do you listen?

2. Do you LOVE to PRAY?

Do you love spending time talking to God, telling him about life and desires and dreams? Do you thank him and praise him during the day?

3. Do you LOVE God’s PEOPLE?

Do you desire to spend time with other brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you desire to see his people grow in depth and knowledge of Him? Do you desire to see his people LOVE one another in fellowship?

4. Do you LOVE SERVING God?

This is missions. Is your desire and dream to serve the poor and needy? Do you desire God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven? Does your heart fill with compassion and desire to help the sick and the widows and orphans? This is true religion according to James.

5. Do you LOVE to GIVE to God?

Are you generous with your money? Are you willing to give up all for the sake of Christ? Do you tithe? Where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

What is your dream? Where are you when you evaluate your life within these FIVE indicators? May God give you the desires of your heart. Finish by reading Matthew 25 – parable of talents and parable of sheep and Goats…

What do you think the bible say about money? What are some things God says about money and wealth and poverty?

What does the bible say about wealth? We either worship money or we worship God with our money.

How do we view money, wealth? We are stewards. We view all money as gifts from God and we give it, and use it for God’s glory, and kingdom. Spend, save, invest and tithe. Money is fleeting, temporary.

We tend to see rich and poor, but the bible actually talk about 4 types of people.

There are four types people:

2 kinds of rich and 2 kinds of poor

Righteous rich and unrighteous rich, and Righteous poor, unrighteous poor.

Righteous rich = give, generous, worship God with money, godly life, money as blessing
Unrighteous rich = rip people off, thieves, steal, gains wealth unrighteously, stingy.
Righteous poor = like Jesus, not because of sin, but work hard, but just poor. Injustice, oppression, generous, blue collar, restaurant
Unrighteous poor = get rich quick, lazy, lotto, gambling, lose money, waste… sluggard,

We normally think in terms of rich and poor… like robin hood, the rich are bad and the poor are good.. It’s not that simple. It depends if you are righteous… wisdom

Pr.22:2 Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. (NIV)

Wisdom proceeds wealth. Do you seek wisdom? This will help you to be righteous and help you to be wise in making money and wise in managing and stewarding money. Issue is not wealth it is wisdom. You can give lots of wealth to someone, but if they don’t have wisdom they will squander it. You see this with Lotto syndrome, big inheritance, etc.

WISDOM IS GREATER- Wisdom is better than wealth

Proverbs 8:18-21 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

Pr.13:18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. (NIV)

Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. (think of investing as exercise, little by little, you be in better health, investments)

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (NIV)

Pr.22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (NIV)

Pr.22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. (NIV)

When we have wisdom, we are able to deal with righteouness. We can make a budget, we can tithe, we recognize we are stewards and not possessors. We are servants of God and not lords. We recognize that wealth is fleeting and that more important than the wealth issue is a spiritual issue. Very practical…

Proverbs talk about working smart and hard. A lot of people work hard and not smart. People who want to get rich quick. Schemes, gambling: friend quit teaching to go pro poker… Wisdom is greater than wealth.

Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies
far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD ?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Wise – think beyond themselves, think for next generation.

Fool – look only at themselves. What can I buy for myself?

BLESSINGS – God blesses the righteous with wealth

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain and your vats with good wine.

Pr.10:22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. (NIV)

Pr.13:8 A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat. (NIV)

Proverbs 13:21 Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

RIGHTEOUS WEALTH – GENEROSITY, WISE LIVING

- Those with money must be generous

Pr.10:15-16 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. (NIV) 16 The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.

Proverbs 11:24-26 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. 26 People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.

Pr.13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (NIV)

Proverbs 18:11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.

Pr.19:4 Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man’s friend deserts him. (NIV)

Pr.19:17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. (NIV)

Pr.22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (NIV)

Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Proverbs 29:7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

Wealth is FLEETING

Why is being rich or poor not “that” important? Wealth is fleeting. Holiness, righteousness is eternal.

Pr.11:4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. (NIV)

UNRIGHTEOUS WEALTH (get rich quick, dishonest, evil, illegal, drugs, etc.)

- The wealth of fools will not last

Pr.11:16 A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. (NIV)

Proverbs 11:18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last

Pr.11:28Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. (NIV)

Pr.14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. (NIV)

Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. (think of investing as exercise, little by little, you be in better health, investments)

Proverbs 15:27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

Pr.18:23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly. (NIV)

Pr. 21:6 Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist.

Pr.22:16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich–both come to poverty. (NIV)

Pr.22:22-23: Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those der them. (NIV)

RIGHTEOUS POOR – INJUSTICE, single mom, hard working dad 1 income, widow

- Poverty is the result of injustice and oppression or circumstances

Pr.13:23 A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.(NIV)

Pr.14:20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. (NIV)

Pr.13:25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry. (NIV)

Pr.15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. (NIV)

Proverbs 16:8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Proverbs 17:1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, [a] with strife.

Pr.19:1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.(NIV)

Proverbs 28:6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28:19-20 He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. 20 A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 29:13-14 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both. 14 If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure.

UNRIGHTEOUS POOR – LAZY, SQUANDER, GAMBLING, GET RICH QUICK

– Foolish behavior leads to poverty

Pr.10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. (NIV)

Proverbs 13:7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

Pr.14:23-24 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (NIV) 24 The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

Proverbs 15:6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Pr.20:13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare. (NIV)

Pr.21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.(NIV)

Pr.21:17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich. (NIV)

Pr.22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.(NIV)

Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

WISDOM IS GREATER THAN WEALTH

Seven things we can gain from Proverbs:
- God blesses the righteous with wealth
- Foolish behavior leads to poverty
- The wealth of fools will not last
- Poverty is the result of injustice and oppression
- Those with money must be generous
- Wisdom is better than wealth
- Wealth has limited value.

INTRODUCTION

As we read through proverbs, addictions is a major issue. It is a very practical book and it deals even with today. What are some addictions we see in today’s society? What are some that we face in our own lives?

Wasting time, shopping, drug abuse, etc. food disorders, anorexia (Page 12)

Addiction is it a disease? Most secular social sciences, doctors, psychologists view addictions as a disease. What are the implications of doing this?

Look at disease: cancer, diabetes, leukemia

Compare to certain addictions: alcoholism, drug, gambling, sex addiction, etc.

When we look at addictions with the disease model, it takes the responsibility off the person, but when you look at addictions it is a lifestyle or way of life that someone chooses.

How does the bible see addictions? Biblically, addictions are seen as sins and ultimately a disorder of worship or idolatry.

6 Addictions found in Proverbs

Adulterous – addicted to sex, cheating on husband
Sluggard – addicted to comfort, someone who is lazy
Greedy, stingy – worship money, status, comfort,
Proud – worship themselves, proverbs teaches a lot about pride, what they want, feel
Drunkard – worships alcohol, it is a big issue… alcohol
Glutton – worships food, loves to eat, food becomes a god…

As you read through proverbs, you see addictions work out. Addictions is a sin, it is a worship issue. It is an idolatry issue. What I mean by this is when we look to things to comfort us, when we look to things to ease our pain, or entertain us, and we take it to an extreme… these things start controlling us, we begin worshiping such things.

IDOLS LIE (Promises lots, but never satisfies, leads to death)

Proverbs 5:3-5 – honey, taste good, lie this will be wonderful (Hook)… bitter as wormwood, path leads to death (reality). Promise: beautiful, seductive, alluring but in the end it leads to death.

Sex in itself is not bad, but God created it for the marriage relationship… when we crave it, this comes in the form of pornography, sexting, adultery, orgies, etc.

Proverbs 5

Comfort in itself is not bad, God calls us to rest 1 day of the week. But if we seek to rest all days or try our best to take the easy way out… we become what the bible calls sluggard.

A WORSHIP ISSUE, A HEART ISSUE

So it is a worship issue. A lot of times we’ll see an alcoholic quit drinking, but end up turning to food and gaining a lot of weight. Or if they overcome drinking, they become really proud. They end up giving up one idol for another. We offer up our lives, our family, our friends to these idols. They have taken us captive but we have also willingly given it up to them.

God made us to worship. He made our hearts in such a way that we are to worship something or Someone. But if we see addictions as an idolatry issue, we’ll see that our hearts clinging to something other than God. When we look at our own lives, or in the lives of others, we’ll see certain things that are addictive…

You don’t have to say them out loud, but think about what is making you worship them, what takes up all your time? What takes up all your money? What do your relationships look like when they come between you and this thing? (What stuff makes you angry, lie, cheat, steal?) What affects your physical health? Addictions will affect all areas of your life, because it becomes a god… it is idolatry.

Q. Proverbs talks about addiction to food, addiction to alcohol, addiction to sex, addiction to comfort, addiction to comfort… what are some modern things that we deal with?

Addictions: I can’t stop gambling, I can’t stop eating, I can’t stop drugs…

As I was going through this study, I saw in my own life stuff that are addictive, and stuff that I must repent of.

For example: eating, especially eating sweets. I don’t need it, it actually is making me fat, but for some reason, I like to eat it, it gives me a quick high then I crash. God calls me to be a …

Or it could be a website. I have to do work, but instead, I find myself online for most of the day… in the end I lose out on 5-6 hours of work because I couldn’t control myself in playing…

Is it a habit that we have? People say it is bad, but I’ve done it and it isn’t that bad… (I’m thinking of eating disorders, gambling, pornography, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc.)

Addictions can be real subtle, it can definitely catch you off guard. It starts off pretty innocent, but in the end it enslaves you. Like all sins we try it a little bit and nothing really happens, so we start down a slippery slope.

SIN ENSLAVES US, WE ARE FOOLISH

When we talk about sin, you can see that it enslaves us. The bible clearly calls sins enslaving. Idols end up controlling us. Addictions, cravings only satisfy for a little bit and then we need more, we need a fix. Think again… what it your life is calling out to you? I want more of… I can’t wait to do this…

When we are addicted to something, we become fools… all we want is this thing, whether it be sex, alcohol, money, drugs, comfort, pride, etc.

Proverbs 9: 13 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. 16 “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. 17 “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” 18 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Proverbs 23: 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”

Addict to Alcohol – physically destroying themselves… it lies… it offers all these promises… it looks sweet, but it is destroying us physically, taking over our lives. People are beating us up, but because we are so wasted, we don’t feel anything.

Alongside wisdom, foolishness is calling out to us. Come eat this, come drink this. Most addicts when they recall the first time they tried something, it didn’t seem bad… they try it, nothing happens… and they think they’re in control, but in the end, the substance controls the addict. (page 72)

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Proverbs 27: 22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him.

Proverbs 26: 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

No matter how hard you try, you can’t change a fool. He’ll continue to do the stupid things he has always done.

WISDOM, PROVERBS – WISE MAN, SELF CONTROL

Where does wisdom come in?

That is why bible calls self-control a fruit of the spirit. And that is why Proverbs calls the person one who has self-control, a wise person.

Self control means living within boundaries (p. 209)

Proverbs 25: 28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

We resist boundaries, we consider boundaries to be violations of our personal freedoms, but scripture calls lack of personal boundaries actually enslave us.

In the biblical times, a city used they wall for protection. It kept out thieves and robbers, and neighboring country from attack. But we proverbs call the man who lacks self control as like a city whose walls are broken down.

What kinds of boundaries do we have in our lives?

How do we build a wall of protection so that addictions or sin in general? It means having wise alternatives to rebuild walls that protect us from our favorite idols with haste and diligence.

If we struggle with food, then have steps to eat in public; if we struggle with internet, it means having passwords; if we struggle with alcohol, find a different route so as not to pass bar; if we struggle with gambling, have someone

How do you respond to someone who is an addict?

p. 112 Don’t overreact to the addict’s irresponsibility or times of intoxication. The addict will use it to draw attention to you rather than the real problem. Overreactions such as extreme anger or extreme fear usually work against wisdom rather than with it. Remember that addiction is against God more than it is against you. This doesn’t mean that you should be passive, although there will be times when you won’t know what to do. In fact there will be times when you should be angry. Let love and wisdom be your guide. They lead neither to enabling nor condemnation. Instead they surprise with grace aim for the conscience and allow the user to feel the consequences of his actions.

Some of the things you have to deal with is lying, cheating, stealing, etc. when you deal with an addict. The addict no longer seeks to obey the law of God… instead he seeks to satisfy his own desire, his addiction… whatever he can do to get his next fix.

How do I get self control?

A wise man keeps himself under control (Proverbs 29:11)

An essential feature of sin is that it loathes boundaries, preferring instead to follow its own desires. It is a heart issue. It affects the body, if affects the mind, but ultimately the source of the idolatry affects the heart.

LEARNING TO SAY NO

Titus 2:11-14 – We have to say no to ungodliness and seek God, treasure Jesus Christ.

Self-control is possible because of the grace given us in Jesus Christ. It is this ever present grace that teaches us to say “no”

Do you have wise people in your life? Do you spend time with wise people? Are you reading through proverbs? Do you hunger for God? Why do I let the idols become like God to me?

Saying “no” sets a boundary for us. Our heart is with Jesus, when we are able to say no to temptations… this is spiritual warfare. We are at war. Bible calls this progressive sanctification. Doing battle with internal temptations or taking our souls to task. In God’s sovereign plan, conversion does not bring about instant moral perfection, instead God’s plan is that we fight indwelling sin. God has declared war, there is something praiseworthy about the fight as we participate in it. The fight itself brings glory to God.

Sin is very self-centered. One of the techniques the book uses is one of spiritual warfare. Every time we think of ourselves, we should think of God ten times. Meaning, for each time I desire something for myself, spend a minute or two thinking of God. By setting our hearts and minds to God, we lose interest in those false gods, those idols.

Example:

THE CHURCH

Benefits of the Church:
Church changes our identity: Notice the difference between “I’m Jim. I’m an alcoholic” and “I’m Jim. I am part of the body of Christ, I am part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” We are now defined not by our addiction, but by Christ

The church teaches us to remember: addictions is ultimately a disorder of worship; we worship our desires over God. We desire things of earth more than the one who rules it. Worship is the true deepest need for addicts as it is for all people. It is during worship that we are most fully human. As we worship, the Spirit changes us. Sometimes this change is more ordinary and gradual. God transforms us.

The church has everything we need: in our battle with sin, we need a team of people. We need teachers to help us understand scripture, prophets to help us apply, interceders to pray for us, preachers to focus our eyes on Christ, encouragers to remind us of God’s grace when we feel like failures, wise men and women to discern when we are making foolish decisions, and people of faith to tell us that everything God has said is true in Christ.

Addiction is ultimately a worship issue. When something over takes us, enslaves us, Christ offers a way out.

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:

4 questions:

What has been helpful and why?
Do you believe the underlying cause of addiction is idolatry?
How have idols lied to you in the past? (I have to have a boyfriend/girlfriend)
What idols need to be smashed right now?

EASTER Sunday April 4, 2010

The central holiday for the Christian religion and the central point of Christianity is this day where we celebrate the Lord’s death and resurrection. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2:2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Luke 23-24 Read, reflect and share.

As we approach EASTER, we celebrate one of the more famous Jewish holidays. It is called Passover.

Exodus 12:1-30 Every Jewish boy and girl knew this story because God commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the Passover feast every year. They were told to eat unleavened bread, lamb, and put the blood over the doorpost.

That day God would send the final plague to Egypt. He will kill the first born sons of whichever house did not have the blood of the lamb. V.13 the blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destruction will touch you when you pass over Egypt.

This image of the lamb is not unique to this story. Although the people of Israel saw this and remembered how God delivered the people of Israel, it also had a deeper and more profound meaning.

In Genesis 22, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. Isaac asked where is the lamb? Abraham replied God will provide the lamb.

As we go through the Old Testament, the sacrificial system, the lamb was used as a way to take the sins of people. But this was an imperfect sacrifice. God needed a perfect sacrifice.

John 1:29-30 John the Baptist cried out Jesus is Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Matthew 26:17-30 Jesus takes the bread and the wine… the traditional Passover feast. But there is no lamb. Jesus is the lamb.

Whenever we do communion, we are in a sense celebrating the Passover feast. But we are not just doing that, we have a fuller understanding of what God intended by his revealing the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Revelation 5:6-10 The Lamb looking as if it had been slain

God was moving us throughout the bible towards this final event where the Lamb of God is not only sacrificed but also glorified. The communion we take is a remembrance and a reminder that we Christ is the lamb that was slain and that we now share in his victory.

Define: A trustworthy peer who we mutually choose to lovingly live with by seeking unique access and service for God’s glory and our mutual good.

Someone we trust, someone who has good counsel and we can talk to.

Peer – same level, spiritually, stage of life… single/married/ parent/child, teacher/student,

It is mutual. You choose them, but they also choose you back.

For God’s glory and mutual good… smoking buddies, drinking buddies, someone who uses you, gossips, steals, isn’t your friend. Dealer, want your money, etc.

We have many different relationships in life… you can’t choose your parents or your siblings, but you can choose your friends… We’ll be looking through some verses in proverbs and I hope you will learn two things:

How to be a good friend. People you can love, serve and honor…
How to choose good friends. I hope this will help you discern what good and bad friends are… because as you read proverbs you’ll learn about fake friends, gossips, people who use you or take advantage of you. These people will only give you more headache… learn discernment.

Background on the book of proverbs: It was intended to train children in righteousness and wisdom. That word we learned a couple lessons back… PRUDENCE… so today’s lesson is How to be a good friend and how to choose good friends.

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

When you walk with the wise you gain and grow in wisdom. I’m not talking about evangelistic relationships where you share Christ with. I’m talking about who you gain counsel and advise from. Those people that influence you… if they are wise, you will grow wise… but a companion of fools suffers harm. I want you to look at those people that have influence over you… are they wise or fools?

Proverbs also talk about fake friends. What are fake friends?

Proverbs 19:4 Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man’s friend deserts him.

Proverbs 19:6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

The problem is you don’t know who fake friends are until it is too late. Fake friends will use your time, popularity, possessions. Christians are generous. I’m not telling you to not be generous, but be discerning about who you are generous to. I know many of you are very generous with your time and talents and even your money and possessions, smarts. So wealth brings many “friends” be wary of freeloaders.

Example? I work for a company… people will send me resumes, and try to get them a job… or they know I give to charity, so they bring problems to me to gain sympathy and access to my money, etc.

SINFUL FRIENDS

Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

Cause trouble between friends or talks to much. Always wanting to know your business and then sharing with everyone else. Be wary. If someone tells you something about somebody else… they’re probably talking about you behind you as well.

Proverbs 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

This talks about forgiveness and grace. A good friend would be someone who is willing to forgive and cover over an offense, or let it go… but a bad friend will continue to bring it up again and again… being willing to let go and forgive.

Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Angry short tempered friend. Stay away from the guy cuz he’s going to create drama for you. If you have to be

PAINFUL FRIENDS

Proverbs 25:17 – Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house lest he have his fill of you and hate you.

Clingy friend, who always want to hangout. They’re not evil or mean, but they smother you. They want to be best friends with you. Too much. Stalker/groupie/demanding… who knows this type of person?

Proverbs 25:19 – trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.

Someone you can depend on. Trusting a treacherous man, an unfaithful friend, undependable friend. When you are in trouble, just seem to disappear when you need them. Dependable. When crisis comes or real need, you know they will follow through. A good friend needs to be Reliable and helpful

Proverbs 25:20 – whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

Cheery/optimistic, everything is peachy… someone who is the class clown or jokester, can’t be serious… when you are having a rough day. No help. Everything is fine, or chipper or happy… but won’t be any help when you are having a bad

DEVOTED FRIENDS

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity

When crisis comes, and a friend’s commitment becomes enlarged. That is what built the friendship. Real friends come when tough times come. You know who you are a real friend to when tough times come. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Some people think you will have a hundred friends. But in thirty years who will still be there? Devoted friends. You guys are still young, but choose friends who will be there for you… what 5 years or 10 years down the road. Will they still be there? Gracious, humble,

Proverbs says that one or two devoted friends will be better than few companions. Even Jesus ministry he had a lot of people love him, lot of people wanted to kill him, but he chose for himself 12 disciples and 3 that were even closer. He called them his friends.

SANCTIFYING FRIENDS

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy

Who is a good friend? The person who is confronting you, wounds you, to sanctify you. Carefully chosen words to point out sin, folly, and rebellion… help them to become better. You need to grow up, mature, you need to change. At first it feels like a wound, but it is because they love you that they are willing to tell you. That’s what a good friend does. If someone hurts you, confronts you about a sin… ask yourself… is this a friend? If they are, you should listen to them.

Example: Simon Cowell on American Idol – He’s probably the most honest person in order to wound but not to destroy… he speaks truth to the singers.

Nobody ever says that to me. Maybe nobody loved you that much…

Proverbs 27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

A good friend gives you wise counsel. If he doesn’t know what to do, he’ll read his bible, he’ll refer you to someone. This is someone who really cares about you and cares how you turn out. There is mutual edification. They’ll take time to give you an answer. We want to be that kind of friend, a good counselor… if someone comes to you for advice, you listen, you pray, you speak truthfully… honestly, words of life, they trust you, it is for God’s glory, and for your mutual good. A friend gives good counsel.

I may have discouraged you. You may not be a great friend and those people you think are your friends may not be your friends at all. Proverbs is here to train you up in wisdom. How to be a good friend and how to choose good friends.

How is Jesus a real friend to you?
How can you be a better friend? To whom?
Whom would you consider a good friend to you? Why?
In light of our study, what is changing in your thinking regarding friendship? With whom do you need to no longer be friends, and whom do you need to pursue more intentionally?

A good friend is a rare gift. And being a good friend is a lifelong commitment.

God made you for relationship. Chuck Garriott preached this last week. How does this reorient your understanding of friendship. Relationships are important in life. You need to ask yourselves these questions. Ask your parents talk with your real friends… how to be good friends, choose good friends and enjoy friendship in Jesus name.

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 at the head of the noisy streets [c] she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

What makes a wise man wise?

Proverbs describe a bunch of people…

Wise

– Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Listens to correction, reproof, listens to rebuke, accepts it. Humble, accepts our own failures and weaknesses so that we can be strong. When we do listen God pours out his spirit into our hearts and makes his thoughts known to us. There is special blessing for the wise man. v.23 dwells secure in God v. 33.

Fools

– hates knowledge, ignore counsel, would not listen to correction, reproof, rebuke. Hated knowledge, did not choose fear of the Lord. v.29

Mockers, scoffers – scoff, make fun,

Simple

– In between.. haven’t decided yet, easily influenced. Easily influenced to foolish ways.

Give me some examples:
- Who do you know that is wise?
- What are some foolish things we do?
- Ignoring the correction of our parents…
- Chasing after girlfriend and boyfriend.
- Telling gossips your secrets.

Proverbs was written by Solomon, when he became king asked him what he wanted. Solomon chose wisdom… 1 Kings 11:1-3 indicates that King Solomon had hundreds of wives and hundreds of concubines, he became so obsessed with power and wealth and women that it overshadowed his spiritual life and in the end he worshipped false gods… even though God gave him wisdom, Solomon did not fear the Lord above all else.

Wisdom affects all areas of life: We talked about wealth last week, we talked about friendship

Family, marriage, raising children.

When talk about these things, it’ll remind you of certain people and probably yourself. The wise man will see the foolishness in themselves and desire to be changed. God offers this to us. As we read in 1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

The fool follows the crowd. As we saw what happened in the stock market and the real estate market this past decade… as we see in schools, and in most settings. The fool will say, so and so is doing it, that means it’s okay for me to do it.

The wise person would ask: What does God desire above all else?

Ex. When I became engaged with my wife, family actually suggested for us to live together first… make sure we’re compatible with each other… then get married. I had two choices to make: Honor her family but dishonor God or Honor God and go against her family? We decided to wait six months to get married. We did not live together before marriage.

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- 11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. [a]

Proverbs instructs us to be diligent in our work. He teaches us to prepare now so that in the future we will have enough. Observe the careful labor of the ant so that he may gain wisdom and heed the warning about the result of his sloth. The ruinous end that awaits the sluggard is described with some of the same image and the ant is calling is called wise in laboring for its provision in 30:24.

In what ways are we wise with the time that God gives us?

In what ways are we like the sluggard, the sloth?

Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? Proverbs 6:25-28

In what ways do people have wise relationships?

In what ways do people have foolish relationships?

8: 32 “Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”

9: 7 “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. 10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”

11:17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

11:24 One gives freely yet grows all the richer, another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but he who hates reproof is stupid.

12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

The person who receives sudden wealth has not worked for it enough to understand its value and has not gained sufficient skill in managing it (28:20) By contrast, Proverbs prefers diligent, patient, careful albor that will incrase wealth over time.

13:16 In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.

What is Folly?

13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Who are the fools? What are some of their characteristics?

13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

14:1 The wises of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.

14:15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

Who is simple among you? Gullible?

14:29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

15:4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

15:5 A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent

15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

God’s eyes are in every place. He knows the good and the wicked. He knows our hearts and motivations. He knows when we lie and tell the truth. He knows when we are helping the poor or making fun of the weak.

God knows. Fear of the Lord allows us to know God and honor him.

17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

17:28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is deemed intelligent.

What makes a wise man wise? Why is keeping silent something a wise man would do?

19:25 Strike a scoffer and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding and he will gain knowledge.

26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

In what ways can we be like a fool? In what ways do we need to call out a fool so that he doesn’t think he’s wise?

Example?

26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

26:13 The sluggard says there is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!

26:14 As a door turns on tis hinges so does a sluggard on his bed.

26:15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Who is the sluggard among you? Do you think you wise in your own eyes? What does fear of the Lord say to the Sluggard?

27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

28:14 Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

29:3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

29:9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs and there is no quiet.

29:11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

What is it about how we speak that displays wisdom? How does fear of the Lord help us to speak rightly?

29:20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

In what ways can we be wise today by trusting in God?

When I first became a Christian I started reading the bible. I read the NT twice before reading the OT. When I finally read the OT, I read proverbs but never really understood what it meant. I’m turning 33 this year and have been a Christian for over 10 years. I am only now slowly understanding what the book of Proverbs has been trying to teach me. When I first became a Christian, I read proverbs and thought I’d be like Confucius or some Jedi knight, getting wise when reading it. I read it a couple times and then thought, hmm, looks like so works oriented. I thought as Christians we lived by grace, why do we have to DO all these things?

Proverbs is intensely practical living. It doesn’t just make you smart or some intellect like Confucius. It helps you to see the wise way of living and the foolish ways of living. You’ll be able to discern the good friendships vs. the bad. You’ll be able to see what planning will do for you vs. laziness. You’ll be able to see how wisdom is related to Jesus Christ and salvation because that is the direction we want to go. It is knowing to do the right thing or saying the right thing at the right time, it is also knowing what not to do and what not to say at a specific time.

That’s why I want to continue with the next few lessons on Proverbs.

Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young- 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance- 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools [a] despise wisdom and discipline.

Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom: Warning Against Enticement

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 9 They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. 11 If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul; 12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, [b] and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse”- 15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; 16 for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. 17 How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! 18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves! 19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets [c] she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 “How long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Wisdom Literature: Proverbs
To read Proverbs well, one must have a good grasp of who the character types and what function they serve in the book. The most obvious character in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges readers to be wise, that is, to embrace God’s covenant and to learn the skill of living out the covenant in everyday situation (2:2). The wise person has done that (10:1); usually proverbs focuses on the one who has made good progress in that skill, whose example is worth following (9:8).
The fool is the person steadily opposed to God’s covenant (1:7). The setting of Proverbs assumes there can be fools even among God’s people. This kind of person resists even the offer of forgiveness found in the covenant (14:9, 15:8). These people are dangerous in their influence (13:20; 17:12) and cause grief to their parents (10:1); but they are not beyond hope (8:5).

The simple is the person who is not firmly committed either to wisdom or folly; he is easily misled (14:15). His trouble is that he does not apply himself to the discipline needed to gain and grow in wisdom.

Proverbs uses other terms, both positive (righteous, upright, diligent, understanding, prudent) and negative terms (wicked, lazy, lacking sense). These do not designate different groups of people from the wise and the fools; rather the terms are commonly co-referential; they apply to the same people looked at from different angles. The righteous is the one who has embraced the covenant. Seem from the perspective of his faithfulness to God’s will; the wise is the same person, seen from the perspective of his skill in living out God’s will; the prudent is the same individual seen as one who carefully plans out his obedience. Likewise, the wicked is the one who rejects God’s covenant, seen from the angle of his opposition to God, the fool is the same person seen from the angle of the stupid course of life he has chosen. This helps to see the many sides of godliness and ungodliness.

These characters serve as a caricature of both wisdom and folly. Portraits of people exaggerated for easy identification. The positive figures serve as ideals for the faithful, to guide their conduct and character formation. The negative figures are exaggerated portraits of those who do not embrace the covenant, so the faithful can recognize these traits in themselves and flee them.

There are different levels of the negative terms: The scoffer is worse than a fool (21:24), and the person wise in his own eyes is almost beyond hope (26:12). The difference is one of hardness in unteachability (the great sin in Proverbs). The simple is not as far gone as the fool. All of these are what the OT calls “uncircumcised” in heart and what Christian theology calls “unregenerate.”
Proverbs also use consequences or cause and effect. When you are prone to do something, it describes what the logical outcome should be. Some themes within Proverbs include sexuality and love, wealth and poverty, discipline and laziness, friendship and being a good neighbor,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil (3:5-7)

The Lord reproves him whom he loves as a father the son in whom he delights (3:12)

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse; and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer or he will hate you ; reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. (9:7-9)

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion (11:22)

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid (12:1)

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. (15:22)

Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice (16:8)

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body (16:24)

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (18:2)

Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge (19:25)

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him (22:15)

Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. (22:29)

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. Eat and drink he says to you, but his heart is not with you (23:6-7)

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod he will not die, if you strike him with a rod, you will save his soul from sheol (23:13-14)

Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (24:1-4)

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver (25:11)

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head and the Lord will reward you. (25:21-22)

Do not answer a fool according to his follow lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own eyes (26:4-5)

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. (28:6)

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy (28:13).

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. (29:15)

How does this relate to Jesus? When Jesus taught he used vivid images, illustrations to teach. He also used comparisons to contrast the wise and the foolish. There is a recognition of the folly in all of us.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

What makes a wise man wise?

Some people lump all Christians together and all non-Christians together and then does some sort of comparison of a random Christian and a random non-Christian. But Lewis points out that is the wrong type of comparison. We must compare whether the same person would be nicer as a Christian or a non-Christian.

Just like if you were looking at toothpaste. You would see if the person’s teeth are whiter before and after, but you can’t compare person a’s teeth who doesn’t use and person b’s teeth who does use. It could be genetics or conditions in which the person lives that contributes to the person’s teeth.

Just like where a person was born or the conditions in which they live or parents they were born to, etc…. these conditions are different for every person, so we cannot judge rightly. Comparisons then must be made for that person to the same person.

But if Christianity is true, what exactly is God’s plan. This chapter called nice people or New Men points us to a transformation that God is doing in us. Lewis makes this example… we are not going to be horses that jump higher and run faster… we are going to be transformed in a sense so incredible like those same horses will be given wings so that jumping higher and running faster would be no longer a problem, instead there is another dimension to existence. So God is turning us into new creatures… we have been adopted into the family of God, we are going to be made into sons…

God is transforming us from the inside out into a Christ-like being, in a sense so incredible that we cannot possibly imagine.

That is truly amazing…

We looked at what Lewis considered the Great Sin. It is in the heart that we see the great sin. We hate it in others, but often times we are blind to it in ourselves. It is Pride. It is the sin that made the devil the devil.

We looked at Philippians 2 on Humility as the opposite of Pride and also reviewed some of the virtues.

On a personal note, I’m starting to see that only through time and experience will people see how great their sin is and how great the grace of God is. Also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year… We’re almost done…

Blessings

-LL