The Path to Well Being
Proverbs 3:1-12
The Character of
Wisdom
Encouragement to pursue the Encouragement to pursue the Father’sFather’s teaching teaching (vv. 1-4)(vv. 1-4)
Trust in God and not your own Trust in God and not your own understanding understanding (vv. 5-6)(vv. 5-6)
Fear God and do not be wise in Fear God and do not be wise in your own eyes your own eyes (vv. 7-8)(vv. 7-8)
Honor God and do not fail to Honor God and do not fail to give to Him first give to Him first (vv. 9-10)(vv. 9-10)
Appreciate God and do not Appreciate God and do not misunderstand His discipline misunderstand His discipline (vv. 11-12).(vv. 11-12).
The Path to Well Being
Proverbs 3:1-12
The Character of
Wisdom
Loyalty Loyalty
Love and integrity Love and integrity
Faith Faith
Humility Humility
Gratitude Gratitude
Meekness Meekness
Thus, we need:
Proverbs 3:1-12
The Path to Well Being
Requirements: Implies the need for
continuance (John 14:21-24; James 1:25; Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 4:16)
All obedience MUST be from the heart (Romans 6:16-18; Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:23)
Proverbs 3:1-2
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of
Wisdom
Loyalty
“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.”
Blessings: Prolonging of life
(Proverbs 3:16; 4:10; 9:11; 10:27)
Better quality of life –happiness and enjoyment (Psalm 30:5; John 10:10)
Shalom – prosperity, health, and abundance (Romans 14:17)
Proverbs 3:1-2
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of
Wisdom
Loyalty
“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.”
Blessings: Keeping God’s
commandments provides the best quality of life here and now…
And the promise of eternal life which is to come (Romans 2:7)
Proverbs 3:1-2
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of
Wisdom
Loyalty
“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.”
Requirements: Mercy--love
(Matthew 5:45-48; Luke 6:35,36)
Truth—”a standing to one’s promises, and not falsifying just expectations, thus fidelity.” (K & D) (1 Corinthians 4:2)
Proverbs 3:3,4
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Love and Integrity
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write
them on the tablet of your heart, and so find
favor and high esteem In the sight of God and
man.”
Requirements: Mercy and integrity
should grace one’s life like a neck chain (Proverbs 3:22; 6:21)
To impress both virtues on the heart so that things we do and say come from within (Hebrews 8:10)
Proverbs 3:3,4
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Love and Integrity
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them
around your neck; write them on the tablet
of your heart, and so find favor and high
esteem In the sight of God and man.”
Blessings: Obtain grace.
Viewed favorably by God and men (Romans 14:18)
Viewed as competent and worthy of honor. A good reputation with God and men (Proverbs 22:1)
Proverbs 3:3,4
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Love and Integrity
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write
them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and
man.”
Requirements: Put all your hope and
confidence in God (Numbers 23:19)
Your own understanding will not support you (Proverbs 14:12; 28:26; Jeremiah 10:23)
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Faith
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean
not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
your paths.”
Many trust God ONLY as long as His will and instructions make sense to them (2 Kings 5:11; Mark 16:16; Acts 20:7; Colossians 3:16)
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Faith
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean
not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
your paths.”
God’s ways are far above our ways (Isaiah 55:8,9; Romans 11:33,34)
Therefore, we should always focus on God and His will in every aspect of our lives (Colossians 3:17)
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Faith
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean
not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and
He shall direct your paths.”
Too many think of GodONLY: When it is time to
assemble with the church
When we eat…
When tragedy strikes
After we get ourselves into trouble
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Faith
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean
not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and
He shall direct your paths.”
Blessings: God removes the
obstacles, making a smooth path, or way of life (Psalm 25:8)
Those who follow wisdom have easier, less troublesome lives (Proverbs 3:10, 16, 24, 25)
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Faith
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean
not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths.”
Requirements: Arrogance and ego
blind people to both faults and needs (Proverbs 14:16; 26:12)
Reverence for God leads to repentance and righteousness (Proverbs 1:7; Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Proverbs 3:7,8
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Humility
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the
LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength
to your bones.”
Blessings: Humility and
reverence are as essential to spiritual life, “and to continual growth in grace, as the umbilical cord is to life and growth in the womb.” (Adam Clarke)
Proverbs 3:7,8
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Humility
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD
and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to
your bones.”
Blessings: “And marrow to thy
bones” (ASV) As the marrow gives
support and strength to the bones, and the bones to the body, so reverent living gives support and strength to the soul.
Proverbs 3:7,8
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Humility
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD
and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to
your bones.”
Requirements: As a way to express
gratitude to God, He commanded Israel to honor Him with the first fruits of all their crops and gain (Exodus 22:29; 23:19; 34:26; Deuteronomy 18:4)
Proverbs 3:9,10
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Gratitude
“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so
your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with
new wine.”
We too must give tothe Lord: With “love, liberality,
and thankfulness” (2 Corinthians 8:2-9)
According to what we have (as we prosper) (2 Corinthians 8:12)
Whatever we can give cheerfully (2 Cor.9:7)
Proverbs 3:9,10
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Gratitude
“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so
your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with
new wine.”
Blessings: Promotes more
blessings (Acts 20:35) Promotes temporal
success, but does NOT guarantee it!
We receive more than enough spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3; 5:20)
Proverbs 3:9,10
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Gratitude
“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your
barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new
wine.”
Requirements: Do not reject or take
lightly the Lord’s discipline, nor loathe or abhor His rebuke (Job 5:17)
Through teaching, testing, commanding, God disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:5,6)
Proverbs 3:11,12
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Meekness
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest
His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a
father the son in whom he delights.”
Requirements: Too many balk at His
commands. Too many wilt under
trials. Too many surrender
to the world. Too many reject His
rebuke.
Proverbs 3:11,12
The Path to Well BeingThe Character of Wisdom
Meekness
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His
correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in
whom he delights.”
The Character of
Wisdom
Encouragement to pursue the Encouragement to pursue the
Father’sFather’s teaching teaching (vv. 1-4)(vv. 1-4)
Trust in God and not our own Trust in God and not our own understanding understanding (vv. 5-6)(vv. 5-6)
Fear God and do not be wise in Fear God and do not be wise in our own eyes our own eyes (vv. 7-8)(vv. 7-8)
Honor God and do not fail to Honor God and do not fail to give to Him first give to Him first (vv. 9-10)(vv. 9-10)
Appreciate God and do not Appreciate God and do not misunderstand His discipline misunderstand His discipline (vv. 11-12)(vv. 11-12)
The Path to Well Being
Proverbs 3:1-12
The Character of
Wisdom
Loyalty Loyalty
Love and integrity Love and integrity
Faith Faith
Humility Humility
Gratitude Gratitude
Meekness Meekness
Thus, the need for:
Proverbs 3:1-12
The Path to Well Being