WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
In the first chapter of the book of proverbs we have the basis for our study.

Associate the letters (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) below with the scriptures that follow.

(A) Recognizing the existence of God, who he is, and his power will cause us to fear, but not the kind of fear that causes us to run and hide. When we recognize that he created us and loves us, we will approach him with awe, reverence and respect.

(B) It then follows that we will want to know more about him and to seek him out. We will find this information in the Scriptures, otherwise known as the Word of God. The first step we must take is to accept instruction and hear the Word of God.

(C) After hearing and receiving instruction we began to to learn and collect knowledge

(D) As you learn and gain knowledge your understanding of the Scriptures, discretion in choosing, judgment of right and wrong and the interpretation of meanings will improve and increase.

(E) after putting all the above together, what you choose to do will indicate how wise you are and the wisdom you gain.

PROVERBS CHAPTER 1

1: The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2: To know ( E) wisdom and (B)instruction; to perceive the words of (D) understanding;
3: To receive the (B) instruction of (E) wisdom, justice, and (D) judgment, and equity;
4: To give subtilty to the simple, to the young manŠ knowledge and(D) discretion.
5: A(E) wise man will(B) hear, and will increase(C) learning; and a man of(D) understanding shall attain unto(E) wise counsels:
6: To(D) understand a proverb, and the(D) interpretation; the words of the (E) wise, and their dark sayings.
7: (A) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of (C) knowledge: but fools despise(E) wisdom and(B) instruction.
8: My son,(B) hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

To sum it up, it all begins with recognizing and acknowledging the nature and power of God which will cause us to have a Godly fear that will prompt us to hear and accept instruction. This process of learning and receiving knowledge will give us the characteristics,( understanding ,discretion, judgment and interpretation ) which are necessary to proceed on the path we have selected. Experience will teach us that true wisdom is not the sum total of the instruction and knowledge that we have gained, but rather, wisdom is what we do with what we have . Years ago I knew a man who did not know how to read, but he felt the call of God to preach the Word. He would select a Scripture and have his wife read it to him, sometimes more than once and then he would prepare his sermons and preach on Sunday. He has gone on to pastor several churches, and to the best of my knowledge is still preaching today. While he may have learned to read since then, I consider him to be a very wise man. On the other hand I knew man who seemed to have a photographic memory and could carry on a conversation on almost any subject selected . You could ask him to quote any Bible reference at all and he would be able to do so. The trouble was he didn’t know what to do with all of his knowledge and is continually in trouble with the law.