Proverbs Could Change Your Life: Proverbs 3:1-35

You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in practical ways. Hey, everybody, it is Friday. If you're listening day by day and tgif there we go, thank the Lord. That's great. Yes, and for as a matter of fact, my wife is off on Fridays and when I work. But she's on the rest week. It's just like Fridays are a bad day for. Her, but she doesn't go to work on Fridays. Oh, I thought you're saying she's a little off on Friday. And Friday is my day off. So Fridays are great days. Great, good for you guys. Yes, this is like a date day. Well, I don't know, honey. If you're listening, let's go on a date. It's either date day or chores day. She's right, she's listening in the morning to this because she listens to the Bible Guys every single morning. Every single morning, every morning. Okay, well, just in advance, we're gonna apologize, Liz. She actually says, she actually says, I don't know what I do if you stop the Bible guys, and she means it. Wow, it's so nice. It is nice. We have a lot of listeners that say that that that's how they start their day, or that it's an everyday thing. I just had a conversation with a really, really great guy and he said that he started just a few months ago and he started off with that whole series we did on the Gospels. Oh cool, and he's. Almost all the way through. He listens to it like a few a day, and he said, Man, I just feel like I'm growing on my faith. So it's really amazing to me that people listen every day. It's humbling. I agree, it's extraordinary humbling. Well, hey, we have an amazing segment today, normally on Friday. Yeah, our favorite segment is what made Chris mad this week normally normally, but maybe our second most famous, my most famous, my second most favorite, yes segment is Who's most Likely? I agree with that. I this might be my second most favorite one. Yes, So this is a Who's most likely segment? Yeah, and Chris. The idea is you and I are supposed to instinctively and quickly, just so quickly, they quickly vote it is me or you. Yes, it's either you or me. It's me or you or you or me, okay, ready, who's most likely to get kicked out of a public place for laughing too loudly? That both of us? Yeah, I would say it's probably you. Yeah, I laughed pretty loud, Like do you ever hear me in messages like when I'm when I'm listening to like a sermon or something, somebody tells a joke and I'm in the audience. Yes, I really laughed, like, so I will tell you. So my my daughter's boyfriend had never been to a Broadway show. Huh. So we were driving, I was driving down the road. It was a Saturday, it was early in the morning, so I had an early morning Saturday meeting. And then like the family was just getting out of bed, and I heard on the radio that there was a revival of the Broadway show Oklahoma, which Oklahoma is that was a major change in Broadway shows up to that point, right, And so it's an incredibly important show. It's not my favorite Broadway show, but it's an incredibly important show. So I thought, oh, if that's what's in town today, And they said there's still tickets available, some of them as cheap as ten dollars, and I went a ten dollars thing to a matinee for the thing, and it was at Fox Theater, which is beautiful downtown Detroit. So I go online and I bought I can't remember, like six tickets or something, and I couldn't believe it. I'm going through one hundred and eighty dollars, one hundred and eighty dollars, one hundred and eighty dollars, and then I found a whole row five dollars apiece, so I bought them. It costs us more to park than it did to go to the show. Well, we got there. What I didn't realize was it was a modern version of Oklahoma that was absolutely horrific on every level, to the point that multiple times new scene would change and the set people would come running out with their staff shirts on and their headsets on, putting on stage because they forgot when the lights went out right. Uh, it was horrible. And then hyper woke, which was that was funny. Yeah, So it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. Well, there's a moment in that show it's an intermission, and then you come out of the intermission and the very next thing, there's like this dream sequence where the heroine in the story is having a dream about and it's kind of a waltz dance kind of a thing. Yep, she's having a dream about the good guy versus the bad guy. So this woman comes out doing like a modern dance and next thing, you know, you know how like not to be too gross, you know how, like dogs sometimes they'll drop it will drag their rearand across the carpet. So this is what she's doing. She's scooting across the floor. And I started laughing so hard, so I couldn't stop. This whole thing. The whole show's a train wreck. They never closed the curtains during intermission. They were out with vacuums, vacuuming the thing, right, it was the whole thing. It was so funny, and Fox Theater was packed, and I start laughing, and now I can't stop laughing. Then my his boyfriend starts laughing. Everybody and the people all around us start getting madder and more and more angry. I nearly got kicked out of Fox Theater that day, so legit for me. But that's the only time I think I've ever gotten almost kicked out. It was a train wreck of a show. Wow, Yeah, that was a heck of a tangent. So it's a good one. Who's most likely to spend all their money on useless gadget they saw on an infomercial? You me by far? Yes, I'm a gadget guy. Yeah. I would definitely say you. Who's most likely to end up on a reality TV show? You? Yes? And which one would it be? Reality? Not survivor? No, not survivor. I'm not the outdoors. Oh gosh, I don't know either. I don't really know, you know, what it would be. I think it would be something like some sort of like a life game show contest, like like, what's the race around the world? What is that amazing race? Amazing race? And he got you and I should do amazing race. That'd be fun. I think it'd be fun. Yeah, to fifty three year old guys blow out your knee on for a show, right, Okay? Who's most likely get stuck in a revolving door for way longer than it's socially acceptable. That's rough. I don't think that's any of us, to be honest. I'm always very conscientious of that because I usually stick my foot in the thing and stop the person in front of me. Oh really, Oh yeah, I do it to my daughter all the time. Well, i'll tell you what. I am famous for slipping in with somebody at the last second and then and then and then just making them uncomfortable. So I do that all the time. So I would definitely. Say, Okay, who's most likely to make a dramatic exit from an event only to return ten minutes later because they forgot their phone? Oh? No, yeah she is. If we have to pick one. Well, I think you're more dramatic than me. Do you think or do you think it's me? I'm gonna go with me. I'm gonna go with me too, Me too, yep. Yeah. Because here's the thing I would if I did forget my phone, I would have no problem with going back in there and getting my phone. Right right, I would leave it. I'd be like, well, I lost that phone, right, there's a honey, I gotta spend a thousand dollars to get a new phote like, because I left dramatically and I can't go back in. Hey, there is a movie scene where I'm not promoting this movie because because actually it ends with like this kid flipping his family the bird, Like it's not it's not a very great scene, right, but let me just go ahead and tell you this real quick. He's on the plane and he's ready to get off the plane because he's made this life decision that he just doesn't like his family. And so he turns right around. He goes, you know, Dad, here's what I think of you. And he's like, here's what I think. Of you, and you and you. He's going down the line and he's like, I'm getting off this plane. He goes, and you guys can go on vacation without me. And then he you know, then he does this thing. You know, he's really rude. And then and he's he starts backing up, and then the flight attendant goes, sir, we've just closed the outer doors. You're gonna have to take your seat because they're going to London. Oh no, And then he has to walk back by the way. He does this public glee in front of the entire plane, so he has to walk back and sit with his family after he makes. This big grin speech that's terrible. Then and then he had his nickname name Pirate, and and and his buddy leans over and goes, it's going to be long flight pirate, isn't it. Yep yep. So yeah, I've had some of those where, maybe in my younger days, where I said way too much and then couldn't get out of the space. Right. Yeah. Yeah, that's like you're waiting for a dramatic walk off. Yeah, it's funny. Well, speaking of dramatic walkoffs, we're gonna walk out of that segment and into this next one. Okay. What I was going to say is, speaking of dramatic walkoffs, this is the most famous proverb that talks about which path to take. Oh wow, a good one. Yeah. Yeah, this is maybe one of my favorite. You know, I've spent a lot of time in the Book of Proverbs. I love proverbs, but Proverbs three maybe one of my favorite. So he says, my child, never forget the things I've taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you'll live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you. Tie them around your neck as a reminder, Write them deep within your heart. Then you'll find favor with God and people, and you'll earn a good reputation. I love that trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Maybe my favorite two verses in the whole Bible right there. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil, and then you'll have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce, and then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be upset when he corrects you, For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father cocks a child in whom he delights. Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left, and she will guide you down delightful paths. All her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life. To those who embrace her. Happy are those who hold her tightly by wisdom. The Lord founded the earth by understanding. He created the heavens. By his knowledge. The deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky. My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They're like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. Will you can go to bed without fear. You will lie down and sleep soundly. You need to be. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked. For the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to help them. That's really important. I love that one too. If you can help your neighbor now, don't say come back tomorrow and then I'll help you. Don't plot harm against your neighbor for those who live nearby trust you. Don't pick a fight without reason when no one has done you harm. Don't envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers, but it's gracious to the humble, the wise inherent honor, but fools are put to shame. Every one of those. It's just a little phrase, little phrase, little phrase, little phrase, and everyone we go, oh, let's talk about that one. Oh, let's talk about that one. Yeah. It's an amazing thing how Proverbs is filled with little, tiny sentences, and each sentence seems like it's an entire life lesson. Yeah, it seems like somebody has lived a life of regret and they've learned this entire principle. Uh, and then they just pieced it together. And sometimes Proverbs has so many in just one chapter. Oh, yeah, it's just amazing. So yeah, so let's let's talk about your favorite verses. Well, trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will and all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Yeah, right, I think I talked about that this a little bit yesterday that people ask opinions and I'll say, well, the Bible says this, Jesus says this, right, Solomon said this, And I think that that's because this versus these verses so important to me. Yeah, right, yeah, And and the part that stands out to me on that phrase is do not depend on your own understanding. Right. So it's a it's a it's a thing that sometimes you know, for instance, by the time this podcast will air, we will have already experienced this upcoming Sunday at our church. But we're talking about, you know, this whole series that we're in. Last week we talked about worry, this is why we worry, and then this this week we're talking about this is why we don't feel content. So really this series is about worry and contentment. But it's amazing how in the Bible, how oftentimes, very clearly Jesus taught clearly about worry right after he talked about money, right, and and he actually said like, h He's like, hey, you can't serve two masters, you know, and he talked about it, and then he says therefore, and then he talked the whole thing about worry, and it was all connected. To the money. You're afraid of your money. You think money can provide for you, right, and so when you find out it can't. Right here, Well, okay, so then here's my point. My point is is, so then contentments, Paul talks about it, and and he talks about, you know, I've learned the secret of being content. And then what does he do? He talks about plenty and want and having the power and everything else and uh and so it's interesting how contentment. Uh, well, what what we're going to teach this Sunday is that contentment flows from gratitude and then it basically produces generosity because once we're content, we have gratitude and contentment, then we're able to give of ourselves and then it flows into the kind of being the kind of worshippers that God wants us to be. And that's that's sort of the formula. Okay, here's here's my point. My point is, do not depend on your own understanding. Sometimes it doesn't make any sense when you stand up and say you're supposed to give your stuff away. And I'm not just talking about tithing to the church. I'm talking about giving of your time and your resources and giving of your assistance to others. We are designed to be a blessing to others. We are designed to give ourselves away, and so we spend our whole life, you know, living for ourselves. It's a wasted life. But when we spend our lives giving our lives away, then then the Bible says we find life. And that may not make sense to people, and they may say, well, what do you what do you mean like I'm supposed to I'm supposed to, you know, give to God. I'm supposed to give to others. And then you're saying, by giving, I'll get well, welcome to the paradox of the scriptures, right, Welcome to the paradox of don't lean on your own understanding. But Jesus says, make yourself last, and then you'll be first. Right, if you exalt yourself, you're going to be humbled. Right in order to have you have to give. And it's just interesting how sometimes it doesn't seem like our own understanding leans toward toward God's principles. You know, don't lean on your understanding, do things God's way, and when you do, you're going to you're gonna understand, like you're gonna go down the right path, the path of righteousness, the path of fulfillment, the path of uh well. Verse seventeen says wisdom will guide you down the delightful paths. Yeah, the path all her ways are satisfying. Yes, yeah, that's great. Yeah, it's fantastic. I love this that that idea. Don't depend on your own understanding. If I'm not supposed to trust my understanding, right, then why do I spend so much time trusting other people's understanding? Because God told them not to try rust their own understanding either. Yeah. Right, So it's amazing how many people, how many young moms just get all their wisdom from all the other young moms, right, And God said told all those other young moms, don't trust your own wisdom. Right, So there is the Bible says there's safety in a multitude of counselors. Having otherwise people around you is important. But ultimately the matrix I use to filter that is I take in. It's like eating catfish. You eat the meat, spit out the bones. If you have good of it, I think you're a wise person. If if you had some good advice about, you know, making connections with people, I would consider what you have to say, and consider is that consistent with what I know Scripture says, right, And so it's don't lean only on your own understanding. He's telling you get wisdom and get understanding. Just don't lean on it exclusively. Right, Seek God's will in all you do, and he'll show you which path to take. So what you're looking for is God's wisdom. Most importantly the other wise people in you life, you have to filter what they say through what. God's wisdom says, right, right, Yeah, I was, I was, I was going to throw in a caveat, but you said so long ago now, but you so long ago? Yeah, you said it the very easily a minute ago probably too. Uh. You said you said at the beginning of that thought that you said, so many young moms that they'll get wisdom from other young moms. But yet God says not even to trust your own wisdom. I was going to throw in the caveat. What you were meaning to say was godly wisdom, right, You're meaning worldly wisdom. Don't trust worldly wisdom? Yeah yeah, yeah, And and and oftentimes people don't filter out is this worldly wisdom or Godly wisdom? Right? Because because a young mom could have wisdom she could trust if it's Godly wisdom, Yeah, that's what. But what I would say is you always pour somebody else's good idea through God's wisdom, and what comes out on the other side is is really what you're looking for? Right, And so I don't automatically trust what I get from other smart people. I filter what I get from other smart people through what I do trust, and that's God's words, right, Right, That's that's the only path to wisdom, because if he tells me not to trust my understanding, he's also telling me not to trust the understanding of somebody else who got also told don't trust their understanding. Right. It's like a visual aid of a pouring water through a filter. That's exactly right. Right. So the filter is God's wisdom and the good stuff hopefully that comes out on the other side. Okay, that's worth using. But if it doesn't match God's wisdom, then I reject the wisdom of the world and I choose to try to go God's way instead, which means I'm gonna raise my kids different, I'm going to have a different priorities in my life. How I manage my money, how I'm going to manage my relationships all those things. Typically, the world's wisdom doesn't match God's wisdom. I think I think I'm getting I think I'm getting an idea for a sermon illustration. So do you have one of those straws that you can drink out of any river? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they sell these straws for people who may find themselves, and. I use it. I use it all the time. So I don't use the straw. What I have is I have a bottle that filters and it's it's made by Grail, and I can I've drank water out of the Nile River. What it Yeah, just scoop up the thing, filter it and drink it. So the so the water that you baptize and eat the opia, you can drink that. Yeah, and it'll pour out crystal clear. Yeah. It's really a phenomenal me by Grail. It's expensive, it's like one hundred and fifty bucks. That's not for this, for this water bottle, not for life. Yeah exactly. But I'm in places all the time where I can't use the water. They can't use the water brush your teeth a lot of times. So I'll just take the water out of the sink, filter through the bottle, and then I can drink it, brush my teeth whatever. Yeah, well that means you're trusting in that technology a lot. It's pretty good, haven't I haven't got sick yet. Wow, that's amazing. And then there's me. All I all I do is I take a shower and it just leaks inside my. Mouth and I die. I get sick all the time. I get sick all the time in other countries. Can I hide a couple of other things? Reminds us? Never let loyalty and kindness leave you, right, that's a you. And I've had conversations about loyalty before. Sometimes I get hung up on that a little bit more than I need to. But tie them around your neck as a reminder and write them deep within your heart, and then you'll find favor with both God and people, and you'll earn a good reputation. So loyalty and kindness are incredibly important. And then the other one is I think it's a parallel verse, which is amazing. How Solomon often has the beginning of a proverb and the ending of a proverb often have parallel statements. Right, and then the middle kind of is usually about wisdom. So towards the end of the proverb, he says, don't withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. Right, if you can help your neighbor, now, don't say come back tomorrow and I'll help you. And you know some stories where we've had opportunities. We found out about a problem somebody was having. There was really no advantage to us. But I've used that verse multiple times to go to my board and say, I think we should give resources to this person. Right, it's a godly person, somebody who's trying to navigate through a difficult situation. We have it in our power, and the question always is from the fiscally responsible people, they go, well, if we use it, then what are we going to have? And I'm like, I think God's gonna bless us. He says, don't when it's in your power, don't hold back. Don't tell him come back tomorrow and then I'll help you. And instead, it's that loyalty and kindness thing combined with if it's within your power, go ahead and don't withhold it. Take care of them. But then you go back to the beginning, and God says, then you will find favor with both God and people. Right. So God gives you favor when you choose to do what you can do, when you can do it right, right for the people that you love and are that you're loyal to. So yeah, that's great. You know when I'd mentioned already a long time ago here now, but the but the giving, you know, the financial giving, It says, honored over with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce, and then he'll fill your barns with grain. The part that stood out to me with that was the best part of everything you produce. So you know, it's the first fruits, right, which is why we say it comes out of the top. It's the very first thing you should do. So do you get an automatic withdrawal when you give or do you actually physically do it? Now we just automaticallyatly withdraw Yeah. Because we're not wrestling with it anymore. Anybody who's still struggling with tithing, you should consciously make a choice to tithe every day, yeah, I mean every week or whenever you get paid. But if you've already settled that and it's not a battle anymore than what I don't want to do is forget because because it's not a struggle. But there's been times where I've gotten a couple months behind, and God's blessed my wife and I pretty significantly. And if I get a couple months behind in my tithe, I got to write a big check, right right, So I don't want to get behind. It's something I've already settled. God, it's yours. You get the first. But for that for me, for the first fruits, my wife and I made a based on this verse. Specifically, we tithe on our gross and not our net. So we tithe before Uncle Sam gets his right, so Uncle Sam gets it before I ever get it. But I tithe on what the whole amount before Uncle Sam takes any money out, because I want God. I want God to say, God, I'm giving you the very best of what I have. And that's a big thing. It's a personal opinion, but that's that's what we made. That a decision long time ago, based on this verse. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, So people always ask me that net or gross, right. Ye, meadow gross. It's it's it's the it's a it's among the great debates isn't it. Yeah, so, hey, there's so much more in here that I don't think we really have time to get into. But all that to say, well. This is the Book of Proverbs. It is, this is this is a great passage to read to understand how proverbs are. Do we can talk about this one all day long? This is one chapter we talk about it for a. Week, right, Yeah? I agree? All right, Well, hey that is our time though, so hopefully we will see you next time and join us on the Bible. Guys,