Where Wisdom Begins

Speaker 0:02

Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives. They prepare before it begins. Welcome to the men's morning devotional. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

Chris Muina 0:26

Hey, and welcome back to the men's morning devotional. I'm Chris Muina. Over the last couple of weeks, we've talked about manning up in different areas of our life, in our marriage, our fears, our relationships, our purpose, and more. Starting today, we're beginning a new series through the book of Proverbs. Proverbs was written to help us grow in wisdom, to make godly decisions, and to become the men God has called us to be. One chapter at a time, we'll discover practical truths that challenge us to live with purpose and lead with integrity. So let's jump in and get started. Before I get started into Proverbs chapter 1, I want to give some just some context into the scripture. I always like to do that, especially when starting a new book of the Bible. So the author is Solomon. He is King David's son. He actually started his reign at the age of around 20 years old, and he reigned over Israel for about 40 years. And he led Israel into what is known as the Golden Age. It's the most prosperous and the most expansive reign in Israel's history. It was a time of peace and of great wealth for Israel. And it all started in 1 Kings chapter 3 when God made an offer to Solomon. So God appears to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon and says, Tell Solomon, ask for whatever you want me to give you. Right there off the bat, what's the first thing that comes into your mind if God were to ask you that? I'm sure it's not the answer that Solomon gave. Solomon asked God, he said, And now, O Lord, my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father. Although I am but a child, I do not know how to go out or to come in. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may dis discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? So he's basically asking God for understanding on how to rule his people. And God responded like this He said, It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this, and God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right. Behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before, and none like you shall arise after. So Solomon therefore gained wisdom, a supernatural wisdom given by God. Now knowing that, I'm going to jump into Proverbs chapter one. And the verse we're going to highlight is one verse seven. It says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Every man is being shaped by something. Some men are shaped by culture, others by success, failure, social media, or the opinions of people around them. But Solomon tells us that true wisdom starts somewhere else. It starts with the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord isn't about being afraid of God, it's about honoring Him, respecting Him, and recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. One of the biggest obstacles to wisdom is pride. Pride says, I've got this. Wisdom says, Lord, teach me. A foolish man rejects correction because he thinks he already knows enough. A wise man stays teachable, he listens, he learns, he seeks God direction. If you want to lead your family well, make wise decisions, grow spiritually, with a humble heart before God. As we dive into Proverbs, I always like to get some context. So there you go. Solomon started at the age of twenty, and his first order of business was to ask God for wisdom. And he is the wisest man to ever live before and even after. So ask yourself, where has pride kept me from learning? Take maybe five minutes today to ask God for wisdom in one specific area of your life. I'm going to close this in prayer, and then I encourage you to just spend some time with the Lord. Father, give me a humble heart. Teach me to seek your wisdom above my own understanding. Help me to remain teachable and willing to follow your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Speaker 4:49

All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stay strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother, and we'll see you tomorrow morning. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.