Scott Wiley here, the Executive Director of Wisdom International. We're celebrating our 25th anniversary this year. What began as a radio programme in a single city has grown into a global ministry now in sixteen languages. We're hosting a banquet to celebrate all that the Lord has done and you're invited. Please visit wisdomonline.org slash twenty-five.
That's wisdomonline.org slash twenty-five. There's a link in the show notes. And now here's Stephen with today's message from Wisdom for the Heart. Every day in America, on average. 1,000 unwed teenage girls become mothers.
A thousand teenage girls have abortions. 4,000 teenagers contract a sexually transmitted disease. 500 of them take their first drugs. A thousand teenagers take their first drink of alcohol. Every day.
I mean, why not get drunk? Why not take drugs? Why not sleep around? Why not go after what they see the adults going after in this 21st century gold rush where I guess what I need to do is give my life to get stuff? In 1848, a man found a little nugget of gold.
on the banks of the American River next to Sutter's Mill. in Columbia, California. News eventually reached uh San Francisco. And a general store owner immediately recognized the opportunity what it would mean.
So he immediately purchased All the shovels. all the pans, all the pickaxes. in that entire region. And once he had them warehoused, he went out into the streets and began to shout. Gold, gold from the American River.
That announcement set off a frenzy. And over the course of the next year, a hundred thousand people would flock to Sutter's Mill. leaving San Francisco. That was 1849, and they were all nicknamed the 49ers, which is why the San Francisco football team is called the 49ers, which I don't really care about. I thought you might want to know that.
Samuel Brennan was a store owner and quite a creative man. He began selling those same shovels. And pickaxe is at exorbitant Prices And he actually became California's first official Billionaire. Because of it. But within four years while the gold rush lasted, 300,000 Miners arrive to dig for gold there on the banks of the American River.
by Sutter's Mill. They arrived by ship. Wagon train. By foot. Another man Arrived to pan for gold, but soon realized there was another opportunity.
And it had nothing to do with digging for gold. He noticed that all the miners By then, we're wearing these. Uh ripped. Torn. PAIDS.
And they had makeshift patches all over. What they needed was a good pair of durable pants.
So this man by the name of Levi You with me? I don't want to go too fast here, but he took canvas from wagons that were also used for tents. And then he, with his partner, developed the idea of using brass rivets. instead of simple thread at stress points. And he patented His creation.
His durable pants, known as blue jeans, just refused to wear out. They became all the rage. By the time he died, he left his family the patents and the clothing company. worth, in today's economy, $250 million.
Now I found it interesting that no single miner, according to historical records, ever made any more than about $20,000 in today's economy. But two men It's all Pickaxes and shovels and pans and pants. Made off of the fortune. You know, I couldn't help but think. Of what that moment must have been like.
Would save your brethren. rushed out into the street and began to shout Gold. at the American River. And it kind of reminded me of The appeal that we're given in Scripture in Proverbs chapter 8, where wisdom goes out into the street. And begins to shout.
She begins to call out. Choose my instruction rather than silver. And my knowledge over Gold. There's a gold rush. Worthy of the same intensity, the same passion, the same life commitment.
Pursue knowledge.
Now to adopt a what we could call a gold rush mentality We need to understand, as one author wrote, the gold rush of 1849 wasn't a weekend hobby. It wasn't a take it or leave it proposition. It was the decision. of a lifetime.
Now, Peter uses this same word in this list of supplements that we've begun to unpack, the word. Knowledge. He says, add it, bring it alongside your faith. Make sure you're pursuing this with. Passion.
He's not talking about something we're going to pick up. On a weekend. In fact, that which leads ultimately to spiritual growth We've already learned, Peter makes it very clear, it's not automatic. Spiritual maturity is not accidental. It's it's not even inevitable.
It is intentional. Which is why the Apostle Peter is warning the believer, we learned in our last study, that if you want to avoid Falling. He's not talking about losing your salvation. He's not talking about apostasy. He's talking to believers.
If you want to avoid a miserable, meaningless life, Pursue with passion. These supplements.
Now let's pick up our study. Let's go back to Peter's second letter, chapter 1. If you have a copy of his letter, And let's get a running start here at verse 4. Five again. Where we began This list last Lord's Day.
For this very reason Make every Effort. In other words, give it everything you've got. To supplement your faith. You've already got that, you're a believer, but add to it. Virtue.
And virtue add to that. with knowledge.
Now, Peter's already used the compound word for knowledge. twice in these introductory Comments. But here he uses the simple form, which Hebrew scholars believe refers to simple practical knowledge that can expand over time. This knowledge enables the believer to discern Between right and wrong, and then to demonstrate it. One decision At a time.
Solomon writes in Proverbs chapter 1. And verse 4: That the intention of that collection of Proverbs, that wisdom literature, those wise sayings, is to impart. Two. Youth Knowledge. That same word of the Hebrew language.
Now you might think when I say that, oh, that rules me out because I'm not a youth any longer. But maybe you immediately think, man, I wish I hadn't come to Christ so late in life, or maybe knowledge has already passed me by. Let me encourage you, Bruce Walkie, the A Hebrew scholar is now 95 years of age. wrote that this same word used for youth is used in scripture to refer to a baby. Exodus chapter 2.
It's also used to refer to a 17-year-old teenager by the name of Joseph. Genesis 37. And then it's used to refer to Joseph as he's reaching his middle years. Later on in Genesis.
Now Walkie writes this. The word for youth can refer to anyone on the threshold. of new growth. And that's encouraging because that includes every single One of us as believers. Because we're not only in the process of growing older in the faith, but growing up.
In the faith. Have you ever thought about the fact that every time you open the Bible, you are on the threshold? of new growth. In a sense, you're a youth.
So Peter is writing. to every one of us, young and old, to add this supplement. To our faith, to pursue. practical Knowledge. Where do you find that?
Well, the 49ers, you know, they knew they had to head to Sutters. Mill and the banks of the American River. They had an idea.
Well, the roadmap to this supplement Called knowledge, which is worth more than gold, is found in God's Word. And if you're growing in your understanding of Scripture, you know there are times when you'll see a word. In the Bible, and we've come to that word knowledge in the New Testament. And in order to understand it, you use the rest of the Bible, or maybe a passage or two, to give you commentary on the meaning of that word.
So let's do that this morning. Take your copy of God's Word and turn it over to Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1, where Solomon uses This word describes it, contrasts it. Give some insights.
Some clues. to the map. Proverbs chapter 1. And verse 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
There is the Hebrew counterpart. Fools despise Wisdom. and instruction.
Now you ought to know that knowledge, wisdom, and instruction are like triplets. In the Bible. Oftentimes are treated, like it is in this text, as synonyms, basically stating and emphasizing. The same truth. A person who really wants to add this Supplement is going to fear the Lord, but those who don't.
Water.
Well, they despise The word. The promise of knowledge, and this is why Peter's going to make it one of the seven supplements. Practical knowledge, if I could say it this way, does this: it guides a person to make. The right decision. For the right reason At the right time.
with the right attitude. That is practical daily.
So it's more than memorizing Facts. It's not about becoming smarter. It's about becoming more Submissive to what we learn in The word of God.
Now, Solomon gives us that contrasting character in this verse. He doesn't give us a name, he just describes him, calls him a fool. He says here, the fear of the Lord Is the beginning of knowledge.
Now, let me contrast that. There's another person, that fool, he despises wisdom. and instruction.
So here you have a follower. who fears the Lord. And you have a fool. Who despises? and defiance.
The Lord.
Now, a fool, you ought to understand, in biblical terminology. is not someone with a low IQ. A fool is not somebody who funked out a kindergarten. We're about to take second grade twice. The word fool in the Bible is someone who.
Rejects. The Word of God. who defies the Person of God. And because of that, they're unable. Through life, they constantly fail at making the right decision for the right reason at the right time with the right attitude.
Which is why somebody could graduate at the top of their class. But fail. in the basics. of life. I'm not trying to be unkind, beloved, but the world is filled with educated.
Fool. Mm-hmm. The world is filled with brilliant Brilliant. Yeah. Failures.
In life. And remember, this is Peter's warning, not just to the world out there, to every believer. Who reads it? Add these supplements. In fact, in 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 8, I'll go down there very quickly, put on the screen for you, but he writes: if you practice these supplements, these qualities, they will keep you from an ineffective.
And unfruitful life. That's a nice way of saying it'll keep you from becoming. A brilliant failure. wasting your life. As a Christian.
How can you tell if you're adding this supplement? of knowledge, practical knowledge. To your life.
Well, it's going to show up. in this contrast between your life and the life Of a fool, somebody who rejects God, rejects, defies the living God.
So, what's a fool look like?
Well, let me give you four very quick descriptions. There are many of them.
Solomon will use the word fool 71 times in the book of Proverbs. I'll give you three or four times, okay? First, a fool is described as arrogant. The way of a fool is right. in his own eyes.
You're not going to change their mind. Even though they're running their lives. off the road into the ditch. Ask them how they're doing. Hey, we're doing great.
I love my life. Really? Yeah. They're right. In their own eyes.
Secondly, a fool is described as shallow. He gives an interesting proverb here in Proverbs 14, 7. Leave the presence of a fool. And they'll hang around them. Why?
For there you do not meet. Words of knowledge. In other words, they're not going to say anything meaningful. Their thinking about life is superficial, their perspective lacks. depth.
Their influence might be a mile wide, but it's going to be only what? An inch deep. That's a great description of the influencers, many of them on social media today. Their influence is a mile wide. Hundreds of thousands of followers.
But what they offer is shallow. Self-centered. Trivial. Life for them is best described by the title of that game you might have played called Trivial Pursuits. It's a fun game.
But for a fool It isn't a game. It's their way of life.
Solomon is warning, don't spend a lot of time around them because You're never going to get any true godly. Knowledge, there's no depth there. They're going to distract you, not direct you. Third, A fool is described as Unteachable. He writes, Whoever loves correction loves knowledge.
But a foolish person Hates. Reproof. In other words, a person is growing In knowledge, in making the right decisions, happens to be open to being corrected when they make a wrong. Decision. But a fool can't be Corrected.
They're never wrong.
Now Solomon's dad King David gives a description. I'll add this is the fourth and final one. Psalm 14.1, a fool is described as unaccountable. The fool has said, in his heart, there is no God. Note that they're not necessarily saying that out loud.
They might be in here today. But in their heart, you know God, I'm going to keep him over there. I'm not going to acknowledge him. I'm living my own life. My own way, that's what you call unaccountable.
So you see, there's a clear contrast between growing in knowledge. And growing more and more into becoming a foolish Person. Again, in biblical terminology, a fool has nothing to do with SAT scores. And I'm so glad about that. It has nothing to do with graduating with honors.
Which I didn't do. It has everything to do with being a submissive person to the wisdom. Of God. That's why in this list of supplements, Peter connects knowledge with virtue. Add to your faith.
Virtue. And the virtue Knowledge, they're connected. Virtue, let me define it this way: as we learned last Lord's Day: virtue is a pure. Definition. of right and wrong.
From that book. It's a pure definition of right and wrong. Knowledge is the practical demonstration. of right and wrong. I'm going to live accordingly.
by the standard God has given me. Which is why then you cannot separate knowledge from a relationship. with God. And that's what the world around you. wants to do, which is why so many people are making so many tragically foolish decision starting at a very Young age.
Josh McDowell illustrates that in his book. He calls or entitles right from wrong. In that book, he writes, Every day in America, on average, 1,000 unwed teenage girls become mothers. A thousand teenage girls have abortions. 4,000 teenagers contract a sexually transmitted disease.
500 of them take their first drugs. A thousand teenagers take their first drink of alcohol. 2,000 teenagers drop out of school. Six. Commit suicide.
Every day. In America. No wonder. A young person, I mean, why not get drunk? Why not take drugs?
Why not sleep around? Why not? Go after what they see the adults going after in this 21st century Gold rush, where I guess what I need to do is give my life to get stuff. Why not? I'm an accident.
Life is an accident. The universe is an accident. What kind of meaning is there in an accidental life?
So we give them the gospel, right? That they are here on this planet not by accident but by divine appointment. And the way to have a life Worth living is to have a relationship with the creator of their lives, the creator of the universe, the creator who is personal. And knowable. and is returning.
And that's why Solomon makes this connection here in Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 7. Look at it again. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of the Lord. What does it mean to fear the Lord?
You might write this down. To fear the Lord means To fear the Lord. Again, I don't want to go too fast.
Now, you might find it a little more comfortable. And it would be accurate to use the secondary meaning of that Hebrew term for fear to mean reverential trust. But the primary meaning Is to fear God. Perhaps you've noticed in your study of Scripture that You've got this familiar response. For anybody who comes in contact with the glory of God.
Who has a a vision of The glory of God, like Isaiah. He sees the glory of God upon his throne, and he says, Woe is me, for I am doomed. I'm a man of unclean lips. I live around a people with unclean lips. My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
In other words, one glimpse of the glory of God, and Isaiah saw himself and everyone around him as sinful and in trouble with God. And an angel brings a coal from the altar representing atoning work and. Cleanses them. John the Apostle sees a vision of God the Son in Revelation chapter 1. And he writes, I fell down at his feet like a dead man.
We would say they're not vernacular. I passed out. Just a glimpse.
So there is this sense of awe and trembling that leaves. us with a correct understanding that we are contemplating. We are Observed. We are in relationship with a holy and majestic and merciful and perfect God who also has the attributes of wrath and terror and righteousness and holiness. Holiness.
And that colors. The decisions we make. The fear of the Lord. affects our practical knowledge in life. He's watching That's encouraging.
It's also sobering. It leads us to desire to live in a way then That would please him as we make the right decision. for the right reason. the right time. with the right attitude.
Now Solomon goes on giving us a little more commentary. The fear of the Lord. is the beginning of knowledge. The Hebrew word for beginning is Understood as foundational, the foundation. of knowledge.
the fount the very basis. Of of Practical knowledge. is a relationship. with the living God. And how do we get to know the living God?
by this written word, which discloses him. Apart from this, we're using our imagination. That's why you can talk to people out there, and you can ask me, hey, do you know God? Yeah, I know God, and then they'll tell you it has nothing to do with the God of this book. You know Jesus?
Oh yeah, he wouldn't hurt a fly. See, you and I will never walk in the will of God if we know little to nothing about the Word of God. It isn't just this. It is its author. For the past 30 years I have had a A treasure.
In my study, it's on my second shelf above my desk where I study at home. It was given to me 30 years ago by a missionary. to China, working with the Underground Church. In a region where officials were especially brutal. For the church that would gather.
And if you owned a Bible, you were going to prison. The believers where he was working had managed to obtain a copy of the Bible and they kept it hidden. But they would bring it out. when they gathered as an assembly. to worship the Lord.
And the believers then through the course of the afternoon would huddle around it and one at a time they they would they would literally copy as much as they could of a page of the Bible onto little sheets of paper. And they would take those sheets of paper home. I was given one of those sheets. It's about this big. Written in pen on a piece of paper in Mandarin.
Which is another way of saying I have no idea. What it says. There are no verse markings. There's no text. Added, it's just a little Sheet of paper.
A rare gift. A treasure. You know, I often think when I see it, That it isn't a tragedy for somebody to have one page of the Bible. That's not a tragedy. The tragedy is having an entire copy of the Bible.
and never reading it. Not treasuring it. studying it. Learning it.
So here's the point to add the supplement of knowledge is to add into your life with passion. with everything you've got. Diligence, gold rush. desire. For the Word of God.
So how critical is it? Why? means everything. Because we cannot apply to our lives. what we do not know.
You cannot live out. Would you have that learned? I believe there are a lot of frustrated Christians today. They're trying to live. But they're now learning.
Practical knowledge. This is valuable. As God. That was Stephen Davey, and this is Wisdom for the Heart. A production of Wisdom International.
Learn more at wisdomonline.org. Mm-hmm.
