This day we will be considering the topic: “who is a wise man?
I will be taking our first Bible reading from Proverbs 1:5 “A wise man will hear and will increase learning and the man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel”
Our God is a God of principles and His kingdom is regulated by principles, and if our God is a God of principles and His kingdom is regulated by principles, then life itself is governed by principles, to claim ignorance of these principles is to position one’s destiny for a crash.
Why are these principles crucial to destiny? Why must you avail yourself to hear and increase learning? These principles are sets of boundaries for our protection because of the complex and the confused nature of man after the fall of man.
Another reason why these principles are so crucial to destiny is because they are set of conducts to regulate human relationships.
Obedience to these principles are what creates the atmosphere for us to be empowered to get wealth. Proverbs 1 says a wise man will hear and increase learning a man of understanding will attain unto wise counsel
Why will a man increase learning? Why will a man of understanding attain unto great counsel?
One of the principles I have learnt in life is never to exercise myself in matters too big for me,
what you don’t know is above you, what you know you are above!
Every circumstance of life you may find yourself whether good or bad, provides you a platform to start another journey of life.
Every unpleasant situation you find yourself provides a platform to start another journey of life if only you will know what to do.
No wonder Paul was saying in the book of Philippians 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering made comfortable unto death”
Daniel 11:29 says for the people that know their God shall be strong and shall do exploits. It is the knowledge of these principles that secures the future in God for a man.
1 Corinthians 6:12 ‘all things are lawful unto me but not all things are expedient, all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any”
This means in life, your right to do some things is not as important as doing what is good for you.
Deuteronomy 6:18- “Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said”.
If you must possess the land, you shall do that which is right and good before the Lord. It is doing the right and good thing that catches God’s attention to do what He has promised.
Important Principle Of Life
– Never embark on a journey of destiny without been taught or instructed because to embark on a journey of destiny without tutelage can be likened to a man on the island of loneliness and a man on an island of loneliness is one step away from suicide.
Who Is A Wise Man?
I think that one of the ways to become wise in life, is to know the signpost of a foolish man, What are these signposts?
Signposts Of A Fool
1. A fool says there is no God: some people say there is no God while some put up attitude that suggests God is a liar,
God is not a liar, “the strength of Israel is not a man that should lie nor alter that which he has spoken”, “let God be true and all men liars” (Psalm 14:1, Romans 3:4, 1 Samuel 15:29)
It is impossible for God to lie, any challenge you are facing, never attribute it to God, it is traceable to man this is because the greatest frustration of man is not knowing what to do.
So don’t ever fall into the bracket of those who put up attitudes to make God a liar (Hebrews 6:18)
2. A fool does not act according to the Word of God:
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”
It is not the knowledge of the scripture that guarantees your future, it is the practice of the demands of the scripture that guarantees the future.
Don’t keep quoting the scriptures, you must check out for the conditions, and demands, know what you must do to make it work, whatsoever He tells you to do, do it (Scripture)
3. A fool is quick to despise instruction. A foolish man is not open to learning, the prodigal son is an example, he assumed he knew everything about life so he requested for his share of his inheritance
His father looked at him and said there are so many things he is ignorant of, because it is one thing to be a son, it is another thing for your life to be a reality of sonship. (Proverbs 1:8-10, Luke 15:11-24)
His father told the prodigal son, no, the time is not right. Yet the prodigal son insisted, so he took his inheritance and wasted it in a far country.
It is dangerous to put an inheritance in the hands of a fool
God will never make the mistake, of putting an inheritance in the hands of a fool, no!
Why do you need to open up for learning and instruction?
openness to Instructions and learning is needed for capacity development, if capacity must be developed there’s something new you need to learn each day, understanding also is needed for capacity development, because the prodigal son lacks capacity, he wasted the resources.
Openness to Instruction and learning is needed for character development, it is needed for experience in life so as to avoid potholes of life.
Experience is needed to make you unshakable in life.
4. A fool is quick to throw caution into the air
2 Chronicles 26 tells the story of a king that began reigning early in life, he was marvelously helped by God, but when he became strong, he threw caution into the air, the Bible says he ended as a leper, the end of that king was worse than the beginning,
fools are quick to throw caution into the air, but the wise will become caution-conscious, faith may make you stretch but consciousness is what brings you to a place of rest.
5. Anything you put in the hands of a fool will die: why? Because a fool is full of excuses to justify failure (Proverbs 26:13)
6. A fool will pay more attention to the gift without paying attention to character development, there’s the story of a man in the Bible
Samson was the only judge in Israel whose birth was announced by an angel. His parent rehearsed the instructions of the angel of God in Samson’s ears as he grew.
The exploit of Samson was great the name Samson was feared amongst the Philistines but the Bible says in Judges 14 that Samson went down!
In Judges 14:1 Samson went down because of Character defect, though he was a great man of God, he went to the wrong places, why? His attention was on the gift of God more than his need to work on his character defect.
Be aware that any character defect one refuses to pay attention to, is what the devil will use as a tool of destruction for that same person.
Character defect is a medium through which the enemy destroys several people’s destinies.
The Philistines put out Samson’s eyes, and that was the beginning of Isreal’s troubles, remember that when Eli’s eyes too was blind, Israel was in trouble? (1 Samuel 3)
There was no open vision; the word of God became scarce, so wherever there is character defect, the enemies goes for the eyes, making you blind spiritually so you won’t see what the Lord wants you to see and know.
Samson was later taken to the prison, and became an object of mockery, character defect that you don’t pay attention to will bring you down from a great height in life.
Samson ended his ministry untimely because of character defect, you must pay attention to character defect in order to last in the journey of life and fulfill purpose.
7. A fool considers correction as insult to his person
8. A fool will eat up today’s seed hoping to have harvest tomorrow
Avoid these signposts of a fool and you will have great results in life.
Prayers
1. Father please help me to be a million times wiser in Jesus mighty name
2. Help me Lord to recognize early and to deal with my character defects on time in Jesus mighty name
3. Father please help me not to play into the trap of my enemies in Jesus name
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