(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

That's what we're going to look at in the book of Proverbs and as we, you know, the way it kind of works, you've got chapters 1 to 9 where it's talking about wisdom a lot and it doesn't break it down into those singular verses that you probably remember if you look through the book of Proverbs from verse 10 then you just get a lot of individual Proverbs and there's so much in there, so much, I mean, you know, it's one of those ones where a lot of those verses you can preach whole sermons from but we're going to try and go through, I'll try and go through, you know, chapter by chapter each day but we'll see how we do. How I feel led with that. The book of Proverbs was written mostly by King Solomon with some of his Proverbs added by the men of Hezekiah towards the end of the book and then there's a little bit that we see, you know, he's talking about, you know, for example, King Lemuel and stuff at the end. It's a selection of the 3,000 Proverbs that he was said to have written according to 1 Kings 4.32 which actually says, you don't have to turn there, which says that he basically wrote 3,000 Proverbs, right? And we've got a selection of those here, obviously the ones that God wanted us to have forever in the Word of God, right? The book is regularly quoted in the New Testament, by the way, not that we need proof that it's canonical as they would say, look, it's, you know, we know because it's in the preserved Word of God, right? But it says, for me, look, this is as applicable now as it was when it was written approximately 3,000 years ago. This book for me, I love this book, I've gone through this book many times, I went through a period where myself and my family used to just read a Proverb, a chapter of Proverbs at night, you know, for the day of the month and we did that for month after month after month because for me there's just so much wisdom we could get from it, it was such a good thing to go over. I'm really excited about studying it, I hope you guys are going to enjoy this too. We're going to get started with Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 1, Proverbs 1, 1 which reads, The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice and judgment and equity, to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. I'd like to pray before we get properly started. Father, thank you for the book of Proverbs, Lord, especially here and just how much wisdom we can get from this, Lord, and how much we can learn from this book. Please fill me with your spirit now, Lord, help us to all just really, really learn and grow from this series as we tackle it each Sunday evening, Lord, over the next, well, many weeks now, 31 weeks at least. And Lord, just help us all to just really pay attention to take what we really need to take, Lord, to really focus on those verses which the church really need, Lord. Those individuals in our church and help us to just, Lord, just apply it then to our lives as well. Please just fill me with your spirit, Lord, help me to preach boldly and clearly and accurately tonight. In Jesus' name, pray. Amen. Okay, so as mentioned, so barring some additions accredited to Aga and King Lemuel at the end of the book, these Proverbs are of Solomon, like it said here, although ultimately they're of God, aren't they? Okay, because men, holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Okay, what's the purpose of this book then? Well, let's have a look. It said the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice and judgment and equity, to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And straight off at the beginning of this book, being stupid, being ignorant, not having knowledge, not having wisdom is not a good thing. It's not something to be proud of. I remember growing up in this nation and many people that I was around and it rubbed off almost wanted to pretend they were more stupid than they were. Like it was somehow called to be a bit more stupid and thuggy and not really, and not have some intelligence and have some wisdom. Like you'd almost be mocked in certain circles if you actually had some knowledge about things, you had some wisdom about things. But make no mistake, it's good to have some wisdom, to have some intelligence, to have some knowledge. And here's the thing as well, it's not just in my kind of weird circles when I grew up. Also, you get this in sort of Baptist circles where it's like, you know, the classic sort of, I'm just a country preacher, I don't know anything. Well, you know, that's not a good thing. Now look, don't get me wrong, there's a lot of just vain knowledge. There's a lot of vain wisdom, there's a lot of stuff which means nothing to anyone, right? However, we want to have some wisdom in life, we want to have some knowledge, we want to have some understanding and that's what this book is for. You go, well, obviously just the word of God. Yeah, the word of God is ultimately where knowledge and wisdom comes from. However, it can then apply to other areas of life as well. Okay, there's nothing wrong with that. This book is to help us to be wise. It's to recognise when we're hearing wise words, not just the words of the Bible as well. See, the more wise you get according to the word of God, the more you can start to analyse and ultimately understand whether the wisdom, whether maybe the counsel you're getting from someone is wise or not, right? And it's not, oh, well, whether or not they're like saying thee or thou or thy and we know it's like a biblical verse. No, it's whether or not what they're giving you is wise words because we can then compare it all to the word of God, even on a split second, you know, because you're ultimately, you're in the word of God, you know what wisdom is and you can analyse what's coming to you. It's to instruct us in wisdom, though, justice, judgment. Yeah, we are told to judge, right? Yeah, we're told here that we should be reading this so we're able to judge, to be instructed in judgment. And look, you know, and I don't think any of our church need to remind you of this. It's just it's such a sort of it's what it's just this stupid sort of mantra that you hear out there in ridiculous Christianity, that you do sometimes hear people say this stuff. Well, I don't judge. I'm not here to judge. You'll hear it on the door a lot, I'm sure. Don't judge others, judge not, judge not. It's ridiculous. Everyone judges every sort of situation. When you walk out of this door, you judge the people walking past, whether or not you're about to get tripped up when you walk out. You judge the cars speeding past when you cross the road. You judge the weirdo walking towards you as to how weird they look and whether it's safe to walk near them. I mean, it's ridiculous. Yeah. But, you know, tell that to people. They still find a way, I'm sure, to argue. Well, the Bible actually tells the judge, in fact, there's a book called Judges. It's ridiculous. But we're told to judge righteous judgment, aren't we? And equity, which is the imparting of justice. So we've got the justice and then the equity is when you actually give out justice. And you go, wait a second, are we going to be in the law? There's many ways you can give out justice. You can give out justice in your home as a father or a mother, right? You know, justice in a church, you know, justice in the workplace. Okay, the imparting of justice. So that's what equity means. So verse 4 says, to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And although subtlety can mean cunning and slyness, here it's refinement. So it's to improve the simple, to refine them. Okay, to make them less simple, basically, right? Okay, and look, many people are going to be a bit simple. But you know what, something you'll learn and something you'll see in churches like us, you know, we're not interested in what your, you know, what your academic background is. Have you noticed, you know, most of you probably, maybe some people in this church may watch your liner in the future, might be like, you know, brother Ian's never asked me about, you know, what my academia is like, because I don't care. Because it makes no difference to me as opposed to the wisdom which comes from the word of God ultimately, right? And look, we can be wise in other areas, like I said, but when you, you know, people you just watch and grow, there are people that just, that maybe have no academic background in those sort of, in what we're being impressed by, that just have such wisdom in life, such knowledge, and from the word of God, they can just apply it to their lives, they can assess, they can analyse, they have spiritual discernment that other people don't. Because that's what's really important, isn't it? It's the wisdom that comes from God and then, of course, we can then apply that to other areas of life. And yeah, nothing wrong with having some academic intelligence. There's nothing wrong with that at all. But ultimately, what's the important thing is the wisdom from the word of God, right? So, he's talking about giving subtlety to the simple and then, and he then says to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And discretion here, it's not about, okay, making sure that young man doesn't say anything. It's prudence, it's discernment with caution, right? Okay, so being wise about the things you say, about discerning situations, et cetera. And before we continue, look, if you're a youngster here, you know, you're making your own decisions, you're away from your parents. Look, this book of the Bible is crucial, isn't it? Okay, this is absolutely crucial. Look, all books of the Bible are crucial. But this, look, especially here, he's saying it's to the young man, knowledge and discretion, right? Look, young people need knowledge and discretion and they're not always under their parents. And sometimes they might be under their parents and their parents, sadly, don't have knowledge and discretion. They don't have these things and they're not wise and they need this book more than ever, right? It's crucial before you make so many mistakes that can ruin your life, mistakes that you can't really take back. Many of us here, we came to faith later in life and you look back and think, man, if only I could have got saved, not just saved earlier, but started living for God earlier, right? If only I could have learned so much of this earlier. And it will affect us in many ways as the years go by as well. And look, if you're young here, you need to take note, this series is for you as much as anyone else, right? He said, a wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel. Now, did he say a wise child shall hear? Is that what he said? No, a wise man, because look, I don't care whether you're 80 years old or whether you're 20 years old. Look, all of us or every single person here can learn, can increase learning, can increase knowledge in various areas, but you've got to be ready and prepared too here, don't you? And so many don't. You know, it's amazing how many people you come across that just never want to hear advice. They get people to even ask you, they claim to ask for advice, but really they just want you to affirm what they've already decided. They really want you to tell them what they want to hear and if you don't, they don't want to hear it. You know, and there are people that just can't, and then there are people that can't even hear advice at all. They will never ask you for anything. People that you could just see how messed up an area of their life is. And there are people, whether it's yourself, other people in the church or in whatever circles it is, that clearly have got that area of their life right and have success in it and they refuse to go to them. And that's pride, isn't it? But a wise man will hear, a wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel. And wise counsel isn't just from the Word of God, okay? Verse 2 said to know wisdom and instruction to perceive the words of understanding. So for me, when you're tuned into the Word, you recognize when the counsel is wise or not, like I alluded to earlier. When you're tuned into the Word of God, you get an idea whether when the counsel that you're receiving is actually wise or not, right? You know, verse 2 says, to know wisdom and understanding, to perceive the words of understanding. A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel. So if you have understanding, then you will attain or reach for wise counsel. And again, it's never ceased to amaze me as well how many people will just get counsel from people who clearly are not wise, you know, at all. In any area, pretty much. And you like to get these people, ask the advice. I mean, I've seen it around the church, previously, before, people going up to people who are just like, it's like, why are you even asking for advice of these people? What's wrong with you? You know, but the wiser you get, the more you should start to attain unto wise counsel. You should start to recognize when the counsel you're getting is wise. You'll start to recognize signs that who's giving you the counsel is giving you the right counsel or not, whether they're someone you should even be going to for counsel. But ultimate wisdom comes from the Word of God. And in particular, these proverbs of wisdom. OK, that's ultimate wisdom. But like I said before, there are other areas and there's ways it can be applied by someone who's wise to your life. He said in verse 5, a wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels to understand the proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. So that's the ultimate wisdom, isn't it? To understand those proverbs, the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. Dark being sort of cryptic, hard to understand. And just to make it clear quickly, without salvation, without the indwelling Holy Spirit, you can't understand. OK, you ain't going to understand. Now, let's have a quick look at verse 7 because that makes it clear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. And for me, there are a couple of layers to this verse. OK, so without the fear of the Lord, there is no salvation, is there? OK, just to make that clear. And you've got to remember that when you're preaching the gospel. OK, you have to believe in hell. They have to believe that they are headed for hell. Otherwise, there is no saviour. They're not really putting the faith of the saviour if they don't really believe in hell. And you'd be amazed how many people just nod and agree and everything else. And then if you really ask them and ask them clearly at the end, they'd be like, yeah, I don't really believe in hell. But you could have maybe previously, you might have prayed to that person, right? Or maybe it's like, yeah, well, yeah, but I don't think I would have gone there. Well, you ain't getting saved. If you don't believe that you're headed for hell, that hell is a real place. And it's not just, look, hell isn't separation from God, OK? Hell is eternal suffering, eternal burning in fire forever. If you don't believe in the real, literal hell, how are you putting your faith in the saviour which saves you from hell? People have to understand that. And I know it's awkward, is it? It's difficult when we preach the gospel sometimes because it's an awkward conversation, right? You're going to hell. You hear me? You're going to hell. But they have to accept that. And you can do it in delicate ways, in more polite ways. And ultimately, look, just quickly, you don't need to tell them that if they don't hear the gospel. They don't want to hear the gospel, so they don't want to hear the gospel. Now, depending, I might, I hope I feel like I'm being led sometimes at people, I might maybe just quickly quote in Romans 6.23 if they're happy to hear a verse, you know? And maybe some people do need to be saved with fear, don't they? And maybe you think they might go away and think about that. But ultimately, it's when people are happy to hear the gospel. Well, right, you're ready to hear the word of God. The word of God says you are headed for hell because you're a sinner. And people have to accept that, don't they? The fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge in terms of you go even before salvation and go, you have to fear the Lord to even get saved. Turn to 1 Corinthians 2. Now, the thing is that without salvation, there's no real knowledge, okay? Now, there are unbelievers with great knowledge about all sorts, don't get me wrong. Okay, there are unbelievers that could tell me stuff about all sorts of obscure and maybe not obscure, all sorts of interesting facts and helpful facts and useful things that I ain't got a clue about, yeah? That they've got knowledge that you and I don't have any knowledge of, but the important knowledge. Ultimately, real knowledge, the knowledge of eternal things. Knowledge of things which really matter when you look at eternity. Because all of that stuff is all just really nothing, isn't it? And look, sometimes it's nice to have some knowledge of some things. I'm sure all of you guys and maybe the areas that you work in, you have some great knowledge in those things, and that can be useful. That means, yeah, I can earn a living. And ultimately, why? You can earn a living to hopefully be able to provide for yourself, provide for a family, if needed, to be able to serve God, right? Because that's really what it's about. So it's not, oh, I'm so puffed up, I've got all this knowledge in this area, but I don't actually go to church and do anything. Who cares? What a waste of your time. It all comes back to this, but look, there are some great areas of knowledge, but the important knowledge. Knowledge of the Lord and his ways requires salvation in the first place, doesn't it? You ain't going to get that. Now, when I say that, okay, there are frauds, because you might be like, yeah, but I've been around some pretty good frauds. Look, church infiltrates, for example, because many of us will think about that, because it's been a bit of a harsh three years, when you just had to kind of accept this more and more, right? And sometimes you'll be like, but they seem to know about this. Look, they could parrot stuff. Look, if I listen to enough Islamic preaching, I'm sure I could parrot a lot of stuff about Islam. I could parrot all sorts about infidels and all that sort of stuff, yeah. Okay, but it doesn't mean that I really know that stuff. I'm parroting it, but I don't have a deep understanding, a deep knowledge. I'm just parroting what I've heard. And look, church infiltrators are some of the highest level reprobates, really, aren't they? Okay, they're not the ones that at that point, at least in their lives, are self-destructing in the sodomite bar with the rest of the complete freaks, yeah? These are the most got-together ones. You can get to look like Christians, appear like Christians, come in and look the part, and you're like, but how do they understand, but they don't really understand it. If you notice, the guys with the most knowledge out of all those guys, should I tell you what they all have in common? They've all listened to thousands of hours of preaching, but most of them have read Little Bible. They just listen and listen and listen and listen and repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat, and they sound clever, they sound knowledgeable, but they could never get it for themselves. They'll never get that stuff for themselves. They'll just repeat and repeat and repeat. True wisdom requires the Holy Spirit. And true wisdom to not just repeat and repeat and sound good and sound good and sound good, but to be able to then be able to apply it to your lives requires the Holy Spirit, requires the indwelling Holy Spirit to be able to really understand the Word of God, right? 1 Corinthians 2.14. In fact, not 2.14, let's look from verse 11. 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 11 says, Did I tell you to turn to 1 Corinthians 2? For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. So the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the things of God. Anyone here, can you remember if anyone ever had it? Anyone try to read the Bible unsaved? Yeah, I remember trying to read the Bible unsaved. How much of it did you understand? Man, it's like another language, wasn't it? I remember trying to read, I remember, you know, I won't go into the story, but I just remember I had this whole Bible, I was like, I need to try and understand this. I was just like, what on earth, you know? I was like, has this been written in a different language? I'm trying to understand, I don't even know what to make of it. You've just got no idea, have you? No idea at all. Then compare that to when you're saved. Now, I'm not saying it's not like that, is it? But as you're saved, you start reading the Bible and reading the Bible, and you start to get it, don't you? And you start to get more and more. And every time you're reading it through, you're just getting more, you're understanding more, you're learning more. And the difference is salvation in the Holy Spirit. Because as you know, many of you have probably come across those people like, I've read the Bible, this guy is like, I've read the Bible more times than you. And I was like, wow, he's like, I've read the Bible 17 times. And I was like, wow, okay, what do you got to do to go to heaven? Follow the Ten Commandments. Oh, so you miss the book of John. You miss pretty much most of the Bible, buddy, yeah? But that's what people, look, at the end of the day, you can read it however many times you like, but without the Spirit of God, you're not really going to understand it, are you? He said, which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. And that's what you've got to do. When you study the Bible, don't get lured into the easy answer, which is like, let's see what someone else said about that. It's like, oh, don't know about this verse, look for the sermon library. Don't know about this verse, let's look for the commentator. It's like, don't know about this verse, let's compare it with a similar verse to the Bible. Nowadays, look, it's much easier than days of old. In days of old, man, you needed to have your Bible marked up good, didn't you? And you needed to maybe make some glossaries and all sorts of things, whatever you can. But nowadays, you can put a word search in on the computer, can't you, for you're like, right, let's see if I can find this term. I've heard a similar phrase. Let's try and put in some key words and see if I... And it's like, well, actually, when you compare this with that, now I understand this. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. Verse 14 says, but the natural man, this is the unsaved person, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. They cannot, they cannot read the Bible and understand those deep things. They can't understand those spiritual things because it requires the Holy Spirit. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. How do we have the mind of Christ? Through the Holy Spirit and God's word. So you have the mind of Christ, not just because you're saved rather than the mind of Christ. No, you have the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance all things that he has heard. That's the word of God. You need to read the word of God to then be able to have that mind of Christ. But you can only have that mind of Christ if you then have the Holy Spirit with that. But it's not, like I said, it's not automatic, okay? It requires reading, study, it requires as well, not just reading and study, but being a doer and not just a hearer. That's why these scholars out there are like studying and studying and studying. It's like do something with it, right? Like first things first, go out and do some soul winning, be in church and all that stuff. There are people that are study, study, study, study, but they don't really get it. They don't really get that spiritual, they don't get those spiritual things, they don't get that spiritual battle because they're sitting at home watching preachers on YouTube. Now yeah, they might be reading, they might be studying and everything else, but they're not applying it. And where do we apply it? Ultimately from the house of God. And that's why when those of you that have been involved in this church life and the battles and all that stuff that's been going on now over the last nearly three years, how much have you grown, right? How much have you started to learn and understand and just see the Bible? We were talking about it earlier, just the Bible just playing out. Just like stories, events, things, Psalms just playing out in your lives and you're like this is something else, right? And there's a growth that comes that you'll never get just sitting at home just reading and reading and reading. Yeah, read the Bible. You need to be in church, don't you, right? Go back to Proverbs and Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 7 says, The fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. So if you are saved, so look, you've got that fear of the Lord to get saved, right? You're saved and you have that fear of the Lord in your life and the chastisement. You're like, I need to live for God. I need to do these things. I've started that learning, that journey of knowledge. And by the way, one of the fears of the Lord would be to be in church, right, obviously, because it's a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God, isn't it, right? When he's clearly said, be in church, right? However, aside from that, don't be a fool then and despise the wisdom instruction that comes from God's Word. Because you can do all that stuff. You can get saved, you can be reading the Word, you can be in church and everything else. And in your hearing preaching, you're hearing things which apply to you. Maybe in your Bible, really, you're reading things that apply to you, but you despise it. You despise the instruction. You despise the wisdom. And people will find their excuse. Be like, well, God doesn't expect me to be like this. Well, that's just that sort of preacher. Whatever they want to call you. Come out with some word, some name, something else. And ultimately, really, they're despising the wisdom that comes from God's Word and they're despising the instruction. And what's the reason ultimately most of the time it's pride? Which is wicked, really. Because when it's coming straight from the Word of God, it's coming from the Word of God. But look, kids, the same thing goes when it comes to the instruction of your parents as well. So it's not just for those sitting in church. Look, there are instructions we get in life from those authorities in our life. Verse 8 says, My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother, for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Now, okay, aside from the fact that for me that's Solomon speaking to his son, and you know, you'd assume these are safe parents here, right? Although some of Solomon's wives are a bit suspect, however many hundred of them, but okay. However, kids here and kids maybe watching and kids maybe whoever might watch this in the future, however bright you might be, because there are some bright kids out there, right? Intelligent kids, kids who are like, you know, maybe as they get into their teens they're doing work that you can't even remember doing at school, right? And you're like, wow, you know, they're really clever, right? However bright you might be, your parents know more than you in all sorts of areas of life. They've got experience, and experience is hard to compare to, isn't it? Like I said, just experience of living the Bible, of doing those things that God, of applying it to your life, trumps thousands of hours of reading and study. But in the same way, just life experience itself. No, parents have that. And turn to Ephesians chapter 6, you better follow the rules, right? You better follow the rules, because the rules are there for a reason, because they have experience because they know you, and they know what sort of rules they need to put in place for you, and how it's going to work in their household. And following those instructions, those rules will decorate you. He said there should be an ornament of grace into their head, and chains about their neck. I don't think he's talking about chains as a burden. I think he's talking about decoration. Look, it's a great look, for starters. So, you know, when you watch... I don't know, you guys, this is what I get. When you see a child in subjection, I'm not talking about really young kids, but when you see a kid as they're getting older, just in subjection to their parents, whether it's like, you know, sort of coming up to teens and teens and onwards, it's a good look. You get respect for those kids, don't you? It's not like you're just like, what an amazing parent. You get respect for that kid as well. When I see a kid who's just like, they do as their parent says, they just do as they're told, you just go, you don't go, oh, look, they're just getting told. You just see them, you just think, yeah, good kid. And you respect them and you think, yeah, that kid's got things right. They're going to be a successful kid in life. I'm not talking about money, just successfully in many areas. Because they're just respect, you can just see they've got it together, they're listening to their parents, they do as they're told, they're not a problem, they're not constantly trying to argue and do things contrary and everything else, they just do as they're told. And you do, don't you? I don't know, is it just me or do you guys get respectful when you see kids like that, right? It's a nice thing to see, isn't it? And it's rarer and rarer nowadays, isn't it? You just see a kid who's like, their parent says, come here and they just come there. So they do this, they do that. They're just in subjection, they're polite, they're respectful, they do as their parents tells them to do. It's a good thing. It's a good look, kids. You look like more ones when you do it the other way. Seriously, as you get older and you're like trying to be all contrary and trying to be all rebellious, normal people just look at you and just think, what a fool. And you'll have a bad life, all that. Because if you can't respect your parents, you can't respect the authority in your life, how are you going to do the rest of your life? What sort of a wife are you going to make girls when you behave like that? You know what, you're going to be a wife that the husband's just like, what have I landed? But boys, if you can't respect your dads, what sort of a man are you going to be? Do you know what you're going to be? You're going to be a man with a lot of kids that don't respect you as well. And you're going to be a mess. But also it benefits you. Look at Ephesians chapter six and verse one says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Okay, so obviously not. If you've got some wicked parents that are telling you, right, you need to like go and shack up with your girlfriend, you need to do this or do that, whatever it is, you need to like not go to church, whatever things are outside of clear instruction in God. Obviously, you reject that, right? Okay, however, obey your parents in the Lord. Okay, in the Lord. If it's not contradicting God, the higher power, you do it, for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. So an ornament of grace for their heads are changed about their necks, right? Okay, it's not only that they're decorated and everything else, but it's going to be well with them, right? They're going to live well. They're going to live long on the earth. And that comes from obeying your parents. So look, a bit of practical advice for you kids, take that home. Go back to Proverbs chapter one, and he's continuing to talk to the young man here. He says in verse 10 of Proverbs one, my son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us, let us lay weight for blood, let us like privily for the innocent without cause. Let us swallow them up, alive as a grave and whole as those that go down into the pit. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil. Cast in thy lot amongst us, let us all have one purse. My son, walk not thou in the way, with them refrain thy foot from their path for their feet, run to evil and make haste to shed blood. Now, the obvious point here is not to join in with the wicked schemes, okay? Not to join in with the wicked as you're growing up as young men. Get yourself away from all these idiots, all these bad influence, all these little muppets everywhere that think they're cool, think they're hard, think they're tough, and you're like, oh, but it's so much cooler than the Christian life. No, they're complete losers, okay? They are pathetic. These people will ruin your life. Keep away from them. You don't want to be around them. You'll look back as you get older, like many of us do, and we look back and go, what on earth am I doing? Hang around with those people. Pure scum. Like some of the scummiest people, and they're built up as some sort of cool guy, some sort of good person. Keep away from them. Okay, that's an obvious one. Now, you might say, well, I'm not exactly going to lurk around waiting for the innocent, yeah? Maybe you look at that and you go, well, of course, yeah? I'm not going to hang around with these sorts of, this sounds like murderous scum, doesn't it? This sounds like people that are just out to get people. I'm not exactly going to knock about with them, am I? You'd be surprised. You know what? There are probably people who have come to this church and maybe continue who are saved who have some old friends and stuff who are pretty scummy people, pretty scummy people that they would still hang around with, still try, and maybe to get them saved, but really that's not really the reason, is it? It's because you don't really want to offend them because they're a bit pushy, maybe because you like their company a little bit, maybe because they're quite funny, maybe because they're a little bit carnal and it's just nice being around someone that you can be a bit more carnal around, right? People do do that. But again, you might not lurk around waiting for the innocent. But another way I was looking at this is you could think of a lot of jobs where you're enticed by the money, the pay packet to do immoral things with these sorts of sinners where they entice you through the work and they entice you through the job. How about people working in the abortion or we would call it baby murder industry? Yeah, there's a lot of people that would, okay, you've got, oh, well, yeah, but that's an abortion doctor. How about the various areas of that? What, you think there aren't Christians out there that have and will continue to do that, get involved with that sort of industry? Maybe they're like a receptionist somewhere. Maybe they're, you know, they're some sort of just help counsellor somewhere for those in those areas or whatever else it is. Maybe, look, they've taken a cleaning job in that place. Is that okay? Right, get away from those wicked people, right? They're lurking around waiting for innocent blood. How about nurses administering poisonous vaccines? Yeah? How about that? Is that okay? You know full well that what you're administering is poison. Yeah, that you're destroying children, you're destroying adults. You know, some of this stuff is absolute film. But, oh, well, it's okay because, you know, that's my job. Is that okay? Ain't okay. And you go, okay, well, I'm not a nurse. What about the layman during COVID? How about that? In COVID, they were just employing all sorts and showing them quickly how to like shove a needle in someone and then shoving them in these vaccine caps. Would that be okay as a Christian? But it's not just COVID, is it? Not all nurses have to give like inject babes and stuff, but some do do that stuff, don't they? Some are like, they have like the travel clinic where they're just sitting there, injecting with all sorts of weird stuff. Is that okay? I don't think so. Or maybe not literal murder, but what about industries that swallow people up? Like, for example, working in the gambling industry. Whether it's betting shops, whether it's casinos, whether it's any of that stuff. How about just working somewhere and flogging people scratch cards? Have you seen how much money some people, you've been behind people in the queue. They've literally just got their dole pack here and they do the whole lot on scratch cards. Would it be okay, oh yeah, well it's their choice. I'm just behind the counter. Sounds to me like you're yoked up with people that are basically spreading nets for people. That's a wicked industry, isn't it? Should we be involved in stuff like that? And these are just ones off the top of my head. Boozing, obviously, right? But do you want to be in places serving alcohol? Working places serving alcohol around people? Selling alcohol, being around that stuff? Oh, it's all right. I just work at a nightclub. I do a separate job behind the bar. But what's that industry making all their money from? Basically, people getting drunk and ruining their lives. Poisoning themselves. You don't want to be anywhere near that. Another one that we were thinking about recently is the movie industry. Do you want to be involved in the movie industry? Anyone here? Imagine like, oh, well it's all right, I don't make the movies. Yeah, but you're involved with people. You're ultimately part of that employment team which is basically ruining lives. I mean, massively desensitising people to all sorts of wickedness. Like brainwashing people, poisoning people's minds, everything. You don't want to be anywhere near that stuff, do you? But again, we don't think about it like that often, do we? But what did he say? What did he say here? He said, he said if sinners entice, he consent now not. He said if they say come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us look privily for the innocent without cause. That's what half these industries do. Let us swallow them up alive as a grave and whole as those that go down into the pit. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our house with spoil. Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse, so we're all going to make money from it. My son walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their path, for their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood. And like I said, you could think of many things. Here's some other ones I've seen. What about various extortion jobs like debt collection, car clamping, all that sort of stuff? And again, there'll be people that, you think there aren't safe people that will get involved or be in those sorts of jobs, that ruin people's lives. Swallow up their, literally go and just remove stuff out of their homes, right? For some ridiculous extortionate debt which should never have been anywhere near that. Now, you could think of many, okay? If the job is questionable, this is my point, is it worth it? If it's questionable, if you're thinking, well, is it worth it? Is it worth being in that industry? Is it worth being involved in that? I don't think it is. I look at this, I just think, that's the sort of thing, that's a way you can apply that, can't you? He said, we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil, but none of that matters, does it? That was worth 13. Does any of that matter? Is it worth it for that? Is it worth getting rich? Oh, well, I've got to get money, though. I mean, morally, this is wrong. Morally, I'm in a bad industry, a morally wrong industry, but I'm making money. Obviously not. He said, my son, walk not thou in the way, and then refrain thy foot from their path. So swerve these people, these industries, these sorts of friends. Because here's another thing with that as well, is it just desensitizes you with time. So away from the job thing, just those sorts of people, people that are in those sorts of industries, do those sorts of jobs, you just slowly get desensitized. Look, we're easily influenced people. Much as you might think you're not, you are. Oh, no, it doesn't matter. I don't watch mainstream this and that. Yeah, but you're watching some guy in his basement who's telling you everything you believe about the world. You know, like, we are influenced. And that's why we need to be immersed in truth, don't we? We want to be influenced by the right thing and not by, basically, people in wicked industries like that hanging around the beat. You start to tolerate, you start to excuse it, you start to make it okay. Now, look, I'm not saying you have to cut off everyone in the world, but I'm saying when it's immoral stuff like that, you don't want to be spending much time with them. You don't want to try and get people saved, right? Be like yoke out, hanging around, best friends with people like that. Now, verse 17 says, Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. Now, I think that's applied to ourselves. You know, you should be able to see it and avoid it, surely. Okay, that net, that trap of that sort of stuff, it should be in your sight. So, point being, like, if you're trying to trap a bird, you're not going to spread the net while it can see you, right? The idea is it's meant to be hidden, it's meant to be subtle, it's meant to be, the net is a trap for the bird. And in the same way for us, you're seeing that net being spread, it should be in vain, shouldn't it? You should be able to see that stuff and avoid it. You should be able to see those immoral practices and avoid them because you know that it will start to affect you, right? Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird, and they lay weight for their own blood. They lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. So he's saying that ultimately they will pay for it, they will suffer it. Basically, the wicked shall not prosper. Sometimes it can be strange that, can't it? You look at them and you just think, how are they doing that? Look, ultimately there's going to be a problem. You live by the sword, you're going to perish by the sword, right? And you behave in all these immoral things. These people, they just ruin their lives, don't you? Like, for example, just one off the top of my head, the landlord of the pub, yeah? What do they end up? Nine times out of ten? An old alcoholic. Yeah, don't they? And probably die of some horrible liver disease or something else, you know? And many others. When you're doing that, when you're making your money off, basically destroying people's lives, you are going to eventually get your comeuppance for that in life, right? Verse 20 says, Wisdom crieth without. She uttereth her voice in the streets. She crieth in the chief place of concourse. In the openings of the gates in the city, she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Now, this passage, for me, from here onwards, is talking about reprobates, okay? It starts to talk about reprobates now. Turn to Romans chapter 1, but you're going to keep a finger in Romans 1, and obviously a finger here will put something in Romans 1. The wisdom that's crying or shouting is the knowledge of God. Okay, and where does ultimate wisdom come from? The Word of God. Okay, so that's what we're seeing here, is the wisdom that crieth without, which is outside, it's everywhere, right? The wisdom, the knowledge of God ultimately comes from the Word of God, but it's everywhere. And Romans 1 says, in verse 19, Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. Okay, this is talking about them. We go on to see the reprobates famous passage of scripture. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. And where we were in Proverbs 1 says, Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets, she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates in the cities, she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools. Hey, knowledge, basically they're without excuse. Okay, they're without excuse. Verse 23 says, Turn you at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you, wisdom being from God. This is ultimately God talking now. Okay, this is God speaking now through the prophet, through Solomon, being wisdom. They basically, look, they have the choice, okay. They could turn from unbelief and get saved, turn you at my reproof. They could choose life, but they choose death. Verse 24 says, Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. And look back at Romans 1 again, and verse 21 says, Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful, but became vain in their imagination, that their foolish heart was darkened, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever our men. And even as they did not like to attain God in their knowledge, Sorry, I've jumped forward to verse 25. This is verse 28. And even as they did not like to attain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. And he said here, back in verse 24 and 25 of Proverbs, Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. Verse 26 says, I also will laugh at your calamity. Is that God just talking about random people? Is that God talking about the saved, his children? No, it's reprobates. I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you. So this is God saying that he will laugh at their calamity. He will mock when their fear comes. That's not talking about just some unsaved person. This is talking about someone that's an enemy of God. Now still keep something in Romans 1 and turn to Psalm 139. In fact, sorry, you can leave Romans 1. But turn to Psalm 139. So this God loves everyone false doctrine out there is a load of nonsense. And I think everyone here hopefully knows that. There are those that are described as God haters, sons of Belial, I just called them reprobates, children of the devil. And the psalmist in Psalm 139 talks of these people incidentally whilst under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So all scriptures given by inspiration of God. The psalmist here is inspired by God to write these words. This isn't like when someone quotes, you see a quote of someone talking in the Bible. This is written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to us, by God basically. And he said in verse 19 of Psalm 139, He didn't say pray for them, did he? He didn't say therefore we better pray for them. He didn't say let's spend years trying to get them saved. Forget everyone else. Let's just go and try and get these wicked people saved. He didn't say that, did he? He said, Ye bloody men, Okay, that's a rhetorical question. And by the way, that should be our reaction too, shouldn't it? Okay, look, if you're a man or woman or child of God and you believe the word of God and you're trying to be more Christ-like, Christ the word of God, this is how we should respond to these types of people. You're not kinder than God. You're not more loving than God. You're the opposite. How could you love children and not hate child abusers? For example, It makes no sense. How could you love the saved, or sorry, how could you love the gospel, love the unsaved and not hate the false prophets which are damning them to hell? It makes no sense, does it? Yet there are those out there that try and pretend that they're just more loving and everything else. And there are those that just seem to constantly try and have pity and at least try and see the best of people that are just clear God haters, clear reprobates. Maybe it's like this underdog mentality. You're like, oh, the poor things, you know, they're just, you know, some, well, you know, because the world keeps telling me that they're just so persecuted, these homosexuals. They're God's enemies. They hate God. And the Psalmist here says, Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieve with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. That's a response of a godly man, woman or child. I hate them that hate thee, God. I hate them with a perfect hatred. Am I missing something here? I'm not missing something here, am I? Anyone ever been under people that, anyone heard preaching people that don't believe the reprobate doctrine when they come to, for example, the imprecatory Psalms like this? Anyone ever been around these people? And what they do is they get to bits like this and then they just like stumble and stutter and go like, I think these are people trying to stop like, I don't know, trying to stop Jesus coming or something. And they just like, or they just jump through it or they just kind of skim over that and go, some of the parts of the Bible are very hard to really get to the bottom of or something like that. It's like, no, no, no. Because they've missed the elephant in the room, which there are those that are rejected, that are given over, that are done, that hate God, that the enemies of God, that they're the children of the devil, the children of Bela, all those many terms we see in the Bible, works of iniquity, and those people we're supposed to hate. Now, what you don't want to do is just call someone that and go, I hate them without good reason. But look, when you've got good reason and you know they are, then look, you're perfectly welcome. In fact, you should be hating them because they're enemies of our Lord, of our Lord and Saviour. Or maybe you don't love your Lord and Saviour enough if you don't hate these sorts of people that hate Him. I mean, can you imagine? Can you imagine if someone just hated like, I don't know, husband's here, someone just hated your wife or wife. Someone just hated your husband. You're like, yeah, but I really love them, you know. Oh, I just want to help them. You'd be like, what on earth? I don't want anything to do with them. I clearly hate them. Yet this is God, the God of, like your Saviour, God who gave Himself for you on that cross. It's like, yeah, but they're just, you know, I don't hate anyone. You liar. You liar. No, you're just trying to be more, love. You're trying to be more holy than God. And you can't be. But God's enemies are my enemies. And by the way, there are a lot of them around, aren't there? There's a lot of them around. It's not just the sodomite, is it? You know, the church infiltrator that tries to destroy the house of God, we should hate them with perfect hatred. Okay, the people, the false prophet down at Repent of Your Sins Baptist Church, I hate him with perfect hatred. Pure scum. In fact, he's worse scum than the Catholic priest. Because he's, the Repent of Your Sins guys, pretend that God says you've got Repent of Your Sins. He's slandering God even more than a Catholic priest. He's like, I don't even care what the Bible says. What does the Pope say? What does Papa say? At least the subtle ones are the worst, right? We should hate them. Hate them with perfect hatred like the psalmist here. And that's why back in Proverbs 1, with all that to say, wisdom or ultimately God will mock them. It says in verse 26, I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. That's because they're God haters. They're the enemy. When your fear cometh, there's desolation. Your destruction cometh, there's a whirlwind. When distress and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. I hope everyone can, look, it's not as clear. Look, it's not like the New Testament, like Romans 1, but for me, this is clearly talking about rep space, right? They shall call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. It's too late for them, right? And whether they're trying to call for just help in situations, look, they ain't got God. They ain't going to get any help, right? Or whether it's ultimately for salvation, you don't have to turn there. John 12, 40 says, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I shall heal them. They're done. They're done. He said in verse 29, For they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They had the choice. They had the choice. Don't ever forget that, right? These people have the choice. Now, I think sometimes another way people like to look at it is like, well, the poor, maybe it's someone who got abused when they were young, you know, it's just the way. Look, yeah, look, that ultimately means when they reject God and blame God, and that's often what happens. These people do recruit that way, but however what they're doing, what those people still choose, they still choose to reject God, to blame God for it, then ultimately with the wickedness that's happened, a lot of the times their kind of go-to perversion is going to be some sort of freakery, like what's happened to them, right? But however, they still chose to reject God. Just because that's happened doesn't mean, right, okay, that means they're going to definitely be a reprobate. They still make the choice, but a lot of people, because of that sort of thing, because of trauma, because of things like that, they then turn on God. They hate God. They blame God. They did not choose the fear of the Lord. They hated knowledge because of something that's happened, and look, that's, but another reason why, look, you know, like I've been saying many times, you've got to protect your kids, right? Because that's part of the goal. That's what they're trying to do, is get them to turn on God, right? Verse 29, sorry, verse 30 says, they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. You know, like, come across those people that just hate the reproof of the word of God saying that they're sinners. You ever get that when you preach in a gospel? You can just see the anger, the anger that you're daring to say that they're a sinner. They're hating the reproof of God's word, aren't they? They're hating that. They're hating that God's saying you need a saviour. And people, they know it's true, they just reject it, don't they? They reject it, and I don't know at what point then those people end up being rejected by God. He said they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof, therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. Now, clearly referring to the enemies of God, here he said they will reap what they sow, okay? They choose the lie, they choose to reject God, they choose the riches often of the false prophet. Verse 32 says, For the turning away of the simple shall save them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. So they turn, look, the simple, the ones that don't have that knowledge, they turn away, they don't want it. They don't want the knowledge of God, they don't want the word, they don't want God, because for whatever reasons, or for some it will be the prosperity of them, it will be the money, the cash, they don't want to acknowledge God, because they're worried that that's going to affect all their money and everything else, and people reject him, but it does destroy them. It does destroy them, doesn't it? I mean, we were looking at 1 Timothy in chapter 6, a fortnight ago, and, look, for they that will be rich fall into temptation and snare. To many foolish and hurtful, lustful, drowned men in perdition, right? Look, the love of money, it ruins people, doesn't it? And it is a trap, it's a snare, it does destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil. And here's the thing, you know, you see these pastures, you see these sorts of people, and then if you kind of compare it, and you see and you're like, he's talking about the most vile, the most wicked types of people, but you don't have to fear them, do you? If you hearken unto God, you will dwell safely and you can be quiet from fear of evil. So do Isaiah 41. When you're saved and you're following God, you're following wisdom, you have nothing to fear, aside from God. We should fear God, and you're going to hearken unto God if you fear the chastisement of God. But he said, whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Isaiah 41, 10, I love this verse, it's a verse that I memorised a long time ago, just it really stuck out to me, it's a great verse, which is fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. And look, when he's with you, when you hearken unto him, when you do as he wants you to do, when you're trying to live for him, you don't have to be dismayed, you don't have to be in fear, he will strengthen you, he will help you, he'll uphold you, and as opposed to that, and as opposed to the wicked, as opposed to the reprobates, who, they don't have that at all, do they, right? He's going to laugh at them, he's going to mock when their calamity comes. He said, in verse 33, back where you are, but whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil. And look, that's a bit of a, it's a funny chapter that, isn't it, because you kind of go from kind of the wisdom and everything else, so then just show the people that are completely devoid of that, that rejected that, and kind of the complete opposite, but there's kind of like, there's two contrasts there, really, aren't there? There's those that listen to the wisdom and the fear of the law being that beginning of knowledge and everything else, and then you've got the literal opposite, just pure wickedness. And sometimes they're not always easy to spot, sometimes they're clever, these people, but look, ultimately, if you're here, hopefully you're on the right side, yeah? You don't have to fear that stuff and you can then put your faith in the Lord and know that he'll look after you, he'll take care of you. On that, we're going to finish up in a word of prayer. Father, thank you for your word, thank you for, well, you know, just a great chapter of the Bible there with some great truths in there, Lord, when compared to other scriptures, and also, Lord, just some great reminders of where ultimate wisdom comes from and how we want to be wise, how we want to keep away from those wicked people, keep away from those wicked industries and just make sure that our priority is being right with you, and that comes from being those of us in work, in at least a moral job, a job which doesn't go against your word, go against how you want us living and behaving and everything else. Help us to get that right, help us to have our sights set on the right things, not on the riches, not on the wealth, but on pleasing you, to being pleasing to you, Lord. Help us to, you know, just, you know, have our week, live our week out now with you at the centre of it, Lord, thinking about some of the things that stuck out to us today from your word, Lord, keeping up with our Bible reading, our prayer time, help us to make it out for soul winning as well and one of the mid-week soul winning times if possible, but also to be back on Wednesday and then Sunday next week as well for, yeah, just the worship and the praise of you in your house, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray all this. Amen.