April 4, 2008

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 Scripture KJV

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

Introduction to Problems

Proverbs 1:1-7

All of us have problems from time to time.

·           It would be great if modern science could develop some sort of pill that a person could take and all their problems would vanish away.

·           Now some folks think that drugs and alcohol are the answers to life’s problems

·           However – they only create a different and many times more serious set of problems

Many people run from their problems – while others will deny that they even exist

·           “No problem” has become a very popular saying - BUT FRIENDS – It just isn’t true!

This morning – I want us to consider how to deal with problems properly.

·           Many Christians have been taught that they way to deal with problems is to pray them away

·           Now – prayer is a very important part of the Christian’s life, but it isn’t the way that we should handle our problems.

·           Some will teach that with enough faith we can be free from all problems, stress, illness, and disappointment.

DEAR FRIENDS – When we start believing this line, spirituality starts being measured by our lack of problems instead of our response to them.

·           However – we must turn to the Word of God for the answers to life’s problems and the way we should deal with them.

PRINCIPLES ABOUT PROBLEMS

A. It Is Incorrect To Think That Once You Come To Christ – All Your Problems Will Be Solved

1.       Jesus never made that promise – and it is terribly wrong for anyone to make that claim

2.       The very opposite is true

3.       Jesus said:  “… In the world ye shall have tribulation …” (John 16:33)

·         with these words.

B. It Is Incorrect To Believe That All Problems Are The Result Of God’s Chastening Hand Because Of Sin

1. God does chasten His children when they disobey Him
2. However, many times God allows problems into our lives to mature us and to make us more like Christ.

James 1:2-4 – (2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (3) Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (4) But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

·           James makes it implicit that Christians (brethren) would be facing trials in their Christian walk

DEAR FRIEND – Trouble and trials are never encouraging.

V.2 - - Nevertheless, James in the wisdom of Spiritual maturity, counsels them to be glad when various testing comes

V.3  - He refers to faith for the first of twelve times in the epistle

·           The word conveys the sense of “endurance,” “steadfastness” or “perseverance”

·           God allows trials to develop the virtue of spiritual perseverance

·           It is a mark of spiritual maturity

·           God knows this and thus allows such testing.

V.4 – James therefore counsels – as God’s people – we are encouraged

·           The verb have is imperative

DEAR FRIEND - It is imperative that we allow patience to fully develop through testing

·           The alternative is to give up!

The goal is that we be:

 (1) Perfect – the word so translated means among other things the idea of being “mature”

·           In this case – the thought is to be spiritually mature

(2) Entire – Patience is good in that we might be entire

·           A sense of being “complete”

(3) Wanting nothing – not to be lacking spiritually

DEAR FRIEND – Trouble does come in the Christian’s life.

·           Sometimes its our own folly or lack of wisdom

·           However – God on other occasions allows it to come – nevertheless – to develop spiritual maturity and perseverance within

·           Therefore – we are directed therein rather than mope and complain

C. It Is Incorrect To Believe That Exposure To Biblical Instruction Alone Will Result In The Removal Of Problems

1.         This is no more the answer to our problems than prayer

2.        The Word of God is not some magical incantation that will cause clouds to clear and the storms of life to disappear!

Example: Reciting the Lord’s Prayer in times of trouble as if there is some sort of hidden power in these words.

Matthew 7:24-27 - Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

HEAR ME THIS MORNING CHURCH - Both the fool and the wise man are exposed to the sayings of Jesus

·           The difference – the wise man is a doer of the Word

James 1:22 – “… be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

·           Our duty is as simple as it is profound  - God has called us to DO His Word and not just hear it

·           To be a hearer only is self-deceiving

DEAR FRIEND – Exposure to God’s Word does not in itself produce maturity.

PROBLEMS AND PROVERBS

A. Someone has said that the Book of Psalms teaches us how to get along with God, while Proverbs teaches us how to get along with people.

1.       Psalms helps us in our devotional life – while Proverbs helps us in our practical life

2.       Psalms brings us into the heavenlies – while Proverbs sets our feet in the grass roots of human life

B. Solomon’s advice on daily living is the practical advice of someone who struggled with problems – just as we do.

C. Solomon begins his book by listing the benefits of studying these Proverbs

1.       The first benefit of studying Proverbs is that we’ll “know wisdom and instruction.”

·         Wisdom is looking at life from God’s point of view

2.        The second benefit is that we will learn “to discern the sayings of understanding”

·         Understanding is responding to life from God’s viewpoint

3.        The third benefit is that we will “receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and equity.”

4.        The fourth benefit is that we’ll gain “prudence,” “Knowledge,” and “discretion.”

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT WISDOM

Proverbs 1:20-23 – (20) Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open square. (21) She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: (22) "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. (23) Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.”

A. Wisdom Is Available

James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

B. Wisdom can be Spurned

Proverbs 1:24-26 – “Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,”

C. When Wisdom is rejected – the results are always bitter

DEAR FRIEND – We may casually cast wisdom aside, but the consequences are anything but casual

complacency of fools will destroy them”

PROFILING THOSE WHO SPURN WISDOM

A. The Simple Person

1. The word naïve or simple carries the idea of “a wide open door”
2. The simple person is wide open – easily influenced – gullible
3. This person lacks discernment, becoming an easy target for someone such as the harlot described in Ch. 7
4. The simple are easily enticed because they lack understanding and are therefore unaware of danger
5. Solomon tells us in 22:3 that the simple also never learn from their mistakes.

Proverbs 22:3 – “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished”.

B. The Scoffer

1. The word scoff means “to turn aside, to mock, to reject vigorous contempt, to refuse, to show disdain, to be disgusted.”

DEAR FRIENDS – Scoffers don’t simply disagree – they seem driven to scorn and ridicule anything that opposes their ideas

C. The Fool

1. Typically – when we think of the word fool – we picture someone who lacks intelligence
2. But Biblically – the meaning of “fool” is “not so much one lacking in mental powers, as one who misuses them – not one who does not reason – but reasons wrongly.”

IMITATING ONE WHO EMBRACES WISDOM

A wise man will hear and increase in learning – and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel

A. First: Wise people are willing listeners

Proverbs 15:31-32 - A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.

B. Second: Wise people desire to learn and grow

Proverbs 9:9 - Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 10:14 - Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

C. Third: Wise People eagerly seek out and accept wise counsel

he who heeds counsel is wise.

CLOSE

The only way for us to deal with our problems is to apply Biblical principle.

·           Man’s wisdom will not give us the answers

·           We must turn to the wisdom found only in the Word of God

In the next few weeks we will consider several problems that we all face.

·           The answers to each one will be found.

·           It will be up to us to apply them

If we can trust our eternal destiny to the Word of God.

Don’t you think it is sufficient for our every day living?

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