Wisdom

1. Wisdom Solomon's Favorite Subject.

2. What is Wisdom? • Wisdom is knowledge. "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.” -Proverbs 8:12“For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” -Proverbs 2:6

3. What is Wisdom? • Wisdom is fear of the Lord.“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy one is understanding.” -Proverbs 9:10

4. Fear? Scared? • Reverence • Worship • Acknowledge • Respect • Humility • This kind of fear.

5. What is wisdom? • Wisdom is understanding.“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, who gains understanding.” -Proverbs 3:13

6. What is wisdom? • Wisdom is discernment.-Using common sense.-Knowing to do the right things.-Discernment in knowing when something is false.“I wisdom, dwell together with knowledge. I possess knowledge and discretion.” -Proverbs 8:12“My son, persevere sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight.” -Proverbs 3:21

7. Solomon Uses Wisdom 16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, "My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.19 "During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne.

8. Solomon Uses Wisdom 22 The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours." But the first one insisted, "No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine." And so they argued before the king.23 The king said, "This one says, 'My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.' "24 Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."26 The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"

9. Solomon Uses Wisdom 27 Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother." 28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. 1 Kings 3:16-28

10. How Solomon uses wisdom • Solomon uses knowledge.-He knows the baby belongs to one of the two women. He also knows one of the women are lying. (v.23) He is using common sense.

11. How Solomon uses wisdom • Solomon uses discernment.-Solomon discerns who the baby belongs to by offering to cut it in half. (v. 24-25)

12. How Solomon uses wisdom • Solomon uses understanding.-Solomon understands the real mother would glady give him up, rather than let him get killed. (v. 26).

13. How Solomon uses wisdom • Solomon demonstrates wisdom in making a wise ruling.-In the end, the real mother offers tells Solomon to give her baby to the other woman. (v.27,28) Then, Solomon knows who the real mother is.

14. Two Types of WisdomWorldly vs. Godly • Envy“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” -Proverbs 14:30Worldly wisdom is full of envy. Envy rots the bones. Envy means you are wise in never being content. You always want more, more, more. You may even always what something someone else has.

15. Two Types of WisdomWorldly vs. Godly • Selfish-Ambition“But if you harbor bitter, envy, and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” dose not come from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.” -James 3:14-15You can be wise in understanding what you want to do when you want to do it. You can be wise in caring about yourself, and only yourself. Also known as being selfish.

16. Eve Had Worldly Wisdom • Genesis 3:6“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”Eve knew not to eat the fruit. God had told her “you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) In knowing this, Eve still choose to eat the fruit.

17. Two Types of WisdomWorldly vs. Godly • ConsiderateGodly wisdom is considerate of others. Godly wisdom looks out for the needs of others before the needs of your self. “…but in humility, consider others better than yourself.” (Philippians 2:3a) Be wise in considering others before yourself. Think of how you can be a servant, rather than be served. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

18. Two Types of WisdomWorldly vs. Godly • Full of Good Fruit“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”-Galatians 5:22-23 Godly wisdom means loving other people, living in harmony with one another, having patience, and being kind to others. Godly wisdom means putting God’s will for your life in front of your own life.

19. Wrap-Up • What is Wisdom?-Wisdom is knowledge.-Wisdom is fear of the Lord.-Wisdom is understanding.-Wisdom is discernment.-Solomon uses wisdom in 1 Kings 3:16-28.

20. Wrap-Up • Two Types of Wisdom:-Worldly is full of:*Envy*Selfish AmbitionGodly is full of:*Good Fruit*Putting others first.*God’s will before your own.