A Father’s Wise Advice

Listening to a good father

Proverbs 3:5-17

Don’t blow your own horn. If you really excel others will see it and say it for you.

What wise advice has your father ever given you?

Interact.

Unfortunately our fathers are limited in giving us advice. What if you had the wisest Father in the world? What advice would he give you?

Let’s listen in on Solomon’s advice to his son.

15 times in first seven chapters of Proverbs “my son”

I.       Listen to the wise father

A.     Heed instruction

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.

1.      To Naïve

2.      Careless / simple / influencable / not yet set in character

3.      Character is formed when one acts on his beliefs

4.      Allow teachings to form your life

B.     Be shaped from within

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,

1.      Integrity

2.      Live on from internal principles

C.     Live honored by God and men

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

II.    God-focused living

A.     A trusting dependence

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  And lean not on your own understanding;

1.      ‘Trust’

a)      Rely on, have confidence in, depend upon

b)      Putting your heart in the hands of  / unreserved trust in someone

2.      ‘LORD’ Yahweh

a)      Personal God

b)      Eternal God

c)      Covenant God

3.      ‘lean’ as on a staff for support

a)      Entire being – mind / will

b)      A response to God

4.       ‘understanding’ comprehension, understanding, or intelligence

a)      Own insight not enough

b)      Not what you want

c)      Not what you figure out

B.     A trust impacting all of life

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

1.      ‘ all your ways’

a)      Every part of your life

b)      Everything you do

2.      ‘acknowledge’

a)      Be intimately aware of Him

b)      Desire to make Him known in everything you do

c)      Yieldedness

3.      ‘direct’

a)      Make paths straight/smooth

b)      Show direction

c)      Make it easy to follow

C.     Living from the right center

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

1.      “do not be wise”

a)      Don’t be proud and self sufficient

2.      ‘Fear the Lord’

a)      God is not be trifled with – He is an active God

3.      ‘depart from evil’

a)      Turn away from it     /      Turn your back on bad behavior

4.      “it will be health’

a)      Healing to your navel drink to your bones

b)      Physical / emotional impact

c)      Deep refreshment to you

III. Tangible responses

A.     With Our things

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 9 Honor the Lord with your possessions,

B.     With Our finances

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 9 … And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

1.      Show the high esteem you place on Him

2.      Recognize one’s greatness and worth (in a tangible way)

3.      Show how much you think of the Lord by giving

4.      Tangible by faith – first fruits (not wait till the end)

5.      God will honor it

C.     With Our response to correction

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

1.      Not a perfectly smooth life

2.      Grow and mature

3.      Instruction and correction

4.      Don’t reject of refuse what the Lord is trying to do in your life

5.      Don’t resent it when God corrects you for wrong doing

6.      Sign of love – cares enough to shape (wood carved into statue)

a)      Hold in your heart and mind

7.      Sign of special relationship

a)      Favorite son

IV. Abundant Rewards

A.     God’s Blessing

Proverbs 3 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;

1.      ‘happy’ blessed by God

2.      ‘finds’ seeks out and discovers

B.     Fulfilled desires

Proverbs 3 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

1.      The real thing you want is found in Him

2.      Better than anything you think you desire

C.     An Honored life

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.

D.    Peace

(NKJV) Proverbs 3 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

1.      Will lead down paths graciously

2.      Pleasant / agreeable /

3.      Secure / safe paths

V.    A choice

(NKJV) Proverbs 1 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.