WhatIs

Wisdom?

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning

of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One

is understanding.”

Proverbs….The Book of Wisdom

• Wisdom / Wise Men / Being Wise is mentioned at least 100 times!

• There are 2 whole sections where “Wisdom” speaks….. 1: 20-33 and 8:1, 4-36

Proverbs 8: 12-13

12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;

I possess knowledge and discretion.

13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and

arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

Proverbs 2: 1-15

The Benefits

of Wisdom

WhatMakes

SomeoneA “Fool”?

The First Degree is the Simple or Naive Fool,

who is unthinking and gullible. He lacks the most basic

understanding of moral cause and

effect.

The Second Degree is the

Self-Confident Fool. He is

known by his stubbornness,

arrogance, and by hisbig mouth.

Proverbs 3: 5-75 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and shun evil.”

The Third Degree is the

Committed Fool, who has decisively

rejected wisdom, and instead pledges their allegiance to

destructive thoughts and anger.

Proverbs 8: 34-36

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.”

A further-developed version of this condition is the Shameless Fool.

It describes someone who has not only rejected

wisdom, not only made a commitment to

destructive ideas and behaviors. He is also ignoble, irreverent,

boorish, rude, and even vile and villainous.

Proverbs 14:8

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give

thought to their ways,

but the folly of fools is deception.”

Differences Between The Stages:

The Naive Fool doesn't realize that sin has consequences.

The Self-Confident Fool doesn't believe that sin has consequences.

The Committed Fool doesn't care that sin has consequences.

The Fourth Degree or terminal stage of

Character Deficiency Syndrome is reached by the Scornful Fool.

He is a Mocker who is openly

contemptuous of spiritual truth and

moral righteousness.

Proverbs 1: 29-31

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.”

Proverbs 5: 22-23

22 “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;

the cords of his sin hold him fast.

23 He will die for lack of discipline,

led astray by his own great folly.”

Proverbs 13:14“The teaching of

the wise is a fountain of life,

turning a man from the snares of death.”

1) Do you have an established routine where you pray for and seek God’s Wisdom for your life?

2) In what ways have you lived in ignorance about the commands of God that are in The Bible?

3) Are there areas of life where you’ve become over-confident and fail to ask God for wisdom?

4) Who are some individuals in your life that are hostile to your faith in Christ? PRAY FOR THEM!