Key verses:
Proverbs 24

We’re in Proverbs 24. If you have a Bible, let me invite you to turn there with us, Proverbs 24. Who wants to come to the ranch with us? We’ll be going home in about two weeks. Does anyone want to come? Piece of cake, piece of cake, easy drive, not a not a problem at all. We’ll be home in about two weeks, and then we’ll be home for about a week and a half, and then we go to Tucson. We’ll be in three churches in Tucson. And then we come back home for a couple of weeks. Then we’re in three churches in the Midwest, and then we’re home for the summer. And things start to get even more exciting then.

Guidance on Wisdom

Proverbs 24 is something I’ve been thinking about for the last three weeks, not just this text but just this idea, and we’ll see it in just a moment. Proverbs 24 speaks about wisdom and how to have it. Guidance, how to have it. Decisions, how to make them. What the Bible actually says about this. And so, let’s pray. We’ll look together at Proverbs 24 in just a moment.

Father, thank you for the Word of God. Thank you so much for our friends at West Park. God, I pray that what you’ve said and what we see tonight, it will take root. It will make sense. It will help us. I pray that we’d have submissive hearts, and I pray that we’d have open minds, and I pray that this will make a difference in our lives this week. I pray this, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Two weeks ago, I was in Claremont, Florida, and at 3:00 in the morning, I heard someone trying to come into our trailer, or so I thought. Now, I keep a big flashlight and a weapon on my nightstand every night. You know, pot, pan, slingshot, something, some weapon that I can use, a kitchen knife, whatever. It may be it’s not those, but something along those lines. I wasn’t awake. I wasn’t scared. I didn’t have time to be scared. I wasn’t anything. I was just awake and alert and standing between my room and the front door of my trailer with my weapon in my hand, slingshot pointed down, of course, but with my weapon in my hand. As it turned out, my son was with us that week and my dog. We have a little dog named Brumley. She wanted out at 3:00 in the morning. Here he was opening the door, and I just, wham, I was up and ready to go.

Why do I have a flashlight? Well, I found out that having a flashlight is a dad thing to do. I didn’t know this. Maybe you know this. I don’t know but having a flashlight – I bought two flashlights around Christmas time because I hate not being able to see if it’s in the middle of the night and I’m up. I want to see what’s out there. I want to know what’s ahead. I want to be able to have enough insight to make the right decisions. Does this make sense to you? No one likes to be blind. Just last week, I refilled my glasses prescription – these are my reading glasses, because I just told you, I’m tired of not being able to see. Does anyone feel that way now? Look, if that’s true about your eyes, how much more frustrating is it to not know where to go, what to do, how to decide? Well, thankfully, the Bible gives us some insight on how to have guidance. Don’t you need guidance? And the answer is yes. Proverbs 24:1 says this:

Proverbs 24:1: “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.”

Why?

Proverbs 24:2: “For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.”

In contrast:

Proverbs 24:3: “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:”

Proverbs 24:4: “And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

So, the way to build a life, and the picture here, the way to build a decent house, is by knowledge. It’s by understanding. It’s by sight. And thus, verse five:

Proverbs 24:5: “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.”

So, look. If you had two people, one is a big 275-pound brute of a man, and another is a very slight young lady, maybe 20 years old, if they’re going to be involved in mortal combat, and they have time to prepare, that includes leverage, okay? If they had time to prepare, I wouldn’t bet, but I would choose the girl every time. Why? Because if you’re strong but dumb, you’re not going to survive. Wisdom, the Bible says, is profitable to direct. In Proverbs Chapter 4, verse 19, the Bible says:

Proverbs 4:19: “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”

I don’t want to be that way. I want to have light and wisdom to direct me. I want light. I want to be able to make decisions.

Three Don’t Dos

So, what does the Bible, particularly Proverbs, what does the Bible say about this? Well, let me just quickly give you three things I think you should not do, okay? Three things we should not do. Now, please hear what I’m saying, not what I’m not saying. I’m not saying that any of these are intrinsically evil. I’m saying that you should not put your focus on these things because God has given you something far more sure, far more immediate, and you’re responsible for it.

The Bible Is Not Magic

So, number one: Don’t just play pick a card, any card with the Bible. The Bible is not magic. The Bible is supernatural. So, here you are. You’re trying to make a decision. You think, “What does God want me to do?” And you just thumb through the Bible and then, at random, put your finger down. And the Bible says something like, “Judas went out and hanged himself.” Then, you flip through the Bible again and put your finger down. The Bible says, “Go and do that likewise.” Now, it should be abundantly obvious. That is no way to have guidance for your life.

The Bible does give guidance. We’re going to talk about that in a moment because the Bible does, but that is not what the Bible’s talking about. When the Bible speaks of the Word of God being a light to our path and a lamp to our feet, you know, to give us guidance. So, don’t just play pick a card, any card with the Bible. The Bible’s not magic. The Bible is supernatural. It’s given to give guidance for us but not in a haphazard way like that.

Don’t Ask for a Sign

Number two: I would say don’t ask for a sign. Now, I’m not saying it’s evil to ask for a sign. Has God ever granted a sign to people asking for things in the Bible? Yes, I just read about one two weeks ago. There was a king named Hezekiah, and God, through a prophet, said you’re going to die and not live. In case you’re wondering what it means to die, it means you’re going to die, and you’re not going to live. God was very explicit. God was very specific about this. And the Bible says that Hezekiah prayed. And this is amazing, God responded. God said turn back. Go tell Hezekiah I’ve heard his prayer. I’ve seen his tears. I’m going to answer prayers and add years to his life. Then Hezekiah says, “What is the sign that I shall know this?” And God gave Hezekiah a sign that was miraculous.

In other words, in the Bible, when a sign is given, usually it is at least as miraculous as the prayer request, if not more so. The question is not can God perform miracles? Of course, He can. The question is if it’s right and fair and reasonable for you to be asking for miraculous signs when God has already given you something else.

Suppose there are two deacons. One deacon thinks the carpet in the church should be red, and the other deacon thinks the carpet in the church should be blue. The first deacon says, “Lord, if you want a red carpet, let it be sunshiny on Sunday. The other deacon says, “Lord, if you want blue carpet, please let the sun shine on Sunday, so it will be a sign from Heaven that you want blue carpet.”

The sun shines. What do we have? We have confusion. If you read Matthew chapter two, about the wise men finding Jesus, the Bible talks about what? That they followed. You remember, in Matthew chapter two, the Bible talks about an angel. The Bible talks about a miraculous star. The Bible talks about dreams. So, those things are possible, aren’t they? They’re possible, yeah, of course. The question is, how do you know about the dream and the angel and the star? You read it in the Bible.

In the same chapter, numerous times, like four or five times, in two chapters, the Bible speaks of the birth of Christ “as it is written,” as it was spoken by the prophet. In other words, everything you know about the supernatural signs is because of what God has given us in this Bible. Don’t be asking for a sign if you’re ignoring the sign you already have.

In fact, the Pharisees were looking for some sign and yet they rejected Jesus Christ. They had literally every sign in the book. But they missed Jesus in plain view because they rejected God’s Word and, therefore, rejected God’s Son. So, don’t ask for a sign. Now look, could God give a sign? Yes. Am I saying you’re a sinner if you ask for a sign? No, I’m just saying that is not the way. Generally, you ought to get guidance for your life.

Don’t Major on Feelings

Number three: Don’t major on feelings. “Well, I just have a peace in my heart that I should do thus and so.” Well, I’m all for peace but peace is the caboose, it’s not the engine. Haven’t you ever given the Gospel to someone who rejects the Lord Jesus, and then says, “But I’ve got peace.” I don’t care what you have. You don’t have Jesus, and you don’t have life. So, feelings are fickle. Feelings are not authoritative. They might be a wonderful caboose, but they’re not the engine. In Proverbs 28:26, the Bible says:

Proverbs 28:26: “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”

So, you know, sometimes we say, “Well, God is leading me to do this.” And so, well, God should lead you. And can God use impressions? Perhaps. Can God use feelings? I’m sure He can. But when someone says, “God is leading me.” Sometimes, I fear that that’s like a Baptist version of just follow your heart. Well, following your heart is not wise. It’s the antithesis, it’s the opposite, of following the wisdom that God has given us.

Look, here’s a pastor, and this is not bad, okay, but here’s a pastor, and he says, “You know, I feel like God is leading me somewhere else.” Is that possible? Of course. Might God use an impression to impress him with it? Sure, but if a pastor says, “I feel like God is leading me on.” What is the first question in everyone’s mind? What’s the first question? Why? Why is God leading him, and how does he know God is leading him?

Now, look, could God impress a preacher or anyone else for that? Of course. I’m not saying He can’t, but what I’m saying is, usually, there’s a reason for that. Maybe a pastor says, “I’ve taken this church as far as I can,” which is not necessarily an inferiority of ability. It might just be that these gifts are better used in another place, and that’s perfectly fine.

I’m not saying that anyone owes me an explanation for what they’re doing at all. What I’m saying is, if there are actual issues in play, those ought to be addressed, if not by other people, by the person themselves. I’m just saying that when it comes to knowing what God would have us do, don’t just treat the Bible like it’s some magic charm. Don’t major on some sign. Don’t major on feelings.

Last week, I was driving home for a little homework week, and I passed a sign that had a picture of the Virgin Mary with a crown on. I think it was called Our Shrine of Peace, Hope, and Miracles. Now, whatever else it was, if I had stopped at that exit at the Shrine of Peace, Hope, and Miracles, do you think I would just, you know, automatically, magically, have peace because I stopped? Not necessarily. Do you think I’d automatically have hope because I stopped? Not necessarily. Do you think I would automatically have a miracle happen because I’d stopped at that exit? Not necessarily. Now, God provides peace, God gives hope, and God can do miracles. I think He still does.

My point is that people who sound spiritual but are foolish still do foolish things. If a guy says, “You know, I really feel God is leading me to leave my wife.” I’m sorry, you’ve got God’s wisdom, but you’re ignoring it. So, it doesn’t matter how you feel about that. What you’re doing is contrary to God’s moral will and the wisdom that God provides.

So, you know, I’ve just noticed, and I’m not trying to be unkind. I know a number of people who are very pious, very sure that the Lord’s leading me here. I have peace about that, but they still do foolish things. Why? Is it that foolish, pious people still do foolish things? I don’t know their hearts, but I wonder sometimes if it’s because they don’t have God’s wisdom.

God, Give Me Wisdom

So, how should you gain guidance, God’s wisdom, for your life? Well, here’s what I want to tell you. God’s wisdom is God’s will. If you want to know what is God’s will, what God wants, God has given that in His wisdom. God’s wisdom is God’s will, and God’s will is for you to have God’s wisdom.

James 1:15: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

“If any of you lack wisdom,” well, that’s me, “let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,” generously, “and upbraideth not,” He will not scold you,” and it shall be given him.”

So, God wants you to have wisdom. It is God’s priority.

Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

In other words, it is not God’s will for you to be in the dark. It is not God’s will for you to be clueless. It is not God’s will. It is God’s will for you to have His wisdom to know what is right and wrong, and to know what is good and bad, and to know what is better and best, and to make wise decisions. So, the question remains: how do you do that? “God, give me wisdom.” That’s a wonderful prayer, God will answer that prayer. How will He do that? Will He just zap you with wisdom? Now, can God do that? Of course, God can do anything He wants to do. He’s God, I’m not.

Seek Wise Counsel

But God clearly revealed to us in His Word modes of gaining wisdom for the decisions we make. Let me give you a couple that are given in the Proverbs. Number one: How do you gain God’s wisdom? Well, first of all, it’s an attitude; it’s a prayer. But having said that, number one, I would say seek wise counsel. Now, why do I say that? Because the Bible says that. Look at verse six:

Proverbs 24:6: “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

I read the same thing this morning when I read Proverbs 11. Proverbs 11:14 says essentially the same thing. So, we talk about seeking wise counsel. We’re talking about the opposite of the first two verses of this proverb. The Bible says don’t envy evil men. Don’t desire to be with them. Their heart seeks destruction. So, don’t seek wisdom from them. Gain the wisdom that God gives. In other words, seek wise counsel. You know your wisdom will be no better than its source.

Years ago, I used to have a roommate and I would sometimes ask him, “Hey, does this match? Does this look like it goes together?” And he would say yes, no, maybe so. I found out at the end of that semester that the guy was color-blind. He couldn’t tell the difference between black and blue. So, all semester long, I’ve been trying to get some sort of wisdom from a guy who was color-blind. You cannot get good advice on matching from a guy that’s color-blind.

You cannot get good wisdom for life from someone who does not have it. You know a lot of times, what we do is confirmation bias. In other words, we know what we want. We feel like we should ask for advice, so we ask someone who we know will agree with us. Well, ignorance is a form of arrogance. Think about the word “ignorance.” Where does the word “ignorance” come from? What’s the word inside the word “ignorance”? Ignore, ignorance, in other words, we’re not talking about just being dumb, we’re talking about not knowing something you could know but you don’t know, because you have what? You’ve ignored it. Oftentimes, ignorance is just a form of arrogance. I don’t dare ask.

I got to tell you something. The first time I was here, I was 21. I was dumb. I had no experience, and I knew it. Now, I’m 52 and look at me now, woo woo. Okay, well, I gotta tell you something. It was easier for me to ask for advice when I was 21 than it is now. I’ve got a grandkid now. Can you believe that pastor? That’s crazy. I’ve got a grandson.

I’m responsible for Bill Rice Ranch. I’m a preacher. I’m a man. I’m a husband. In other words, most of the time, in most contexts, I’m influential in calling the shots on what’s going on, not always, but a lot of times. So, it’s a lot harder for me to have the humility to ask for advice, ask for counsel, ask for input, now than it was when I was 21. I’m looking at people that are much wiser than I am. And I’ll just tell you something: that’s a trap.

How many people do you know within arm’s length or within a phone call who you can ask for good, godly counsel right now? I’m not saying they have a direct line to Heaven, but they can give you good, godly bible-based counsel. How many people do you know like that right now? Now look, if you can’t name anybody, then I would just suggest tonight asking God to help you. Think through the people you know and start thinking about whom you can consult for godly counsel. Look without being silly. I don’t think it is silly you’re in a church. There’s a reason. There are a number of reasons God has commanded and provided the local church. One of which is a pastor. Does a pastor know everything? No, but a pastor’s been gifted by God and positioned by God to be a source of guidance and counsel for people like us. So, seek wise counsel. We could say more about that, but I’ll just skip to the chase.

Learn from Experience

Number two: Learn from experience. Are you doing that? Look down at verse 30 in Proverbs 24. The Bible says:

Proverbs 24:30: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;”

Here’s a man that’s got a field. He’s got a farm. But he’s not very smart. No, he might be smart, he’s not very wise. He’s empty of understanding. Listen:

Proverbs 24:31: “And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.”

It does not take long to know when the farmers are where? When no one occupies the house. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Notice what the next verse says this is very important:

Proverbs 24:32: “Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.”

And here’s the takeaway:

Proverbs 24:33: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:”

Proverbs 24:34: “So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.”

So, here’s someone who looked at life, paid attention, and learned from it. My grandfather, who started Bill Rice Ranch years ago, used to see kids who would come to camp who were just on a self-destructive path of rebellion or whatever. And he would say about them, “You know, I can write his story.” Was he a fortune teller? Could he actually look under a crystal ball and know exactly what was going to happen? No, he didn’t need to because he had observed life long enough to know the inevitable consequences of some actions.

Now look, learning from experience needs to be informed by what God has given as His moral will. So, for instance, in Proverbs 88:18, the Bible says, in Proverbs, that God’s will is more to do the right thing. In James, the Bible talks about the wisdom that comes from above as opposed to the wisdom that comes from this Earth, and God’s wisdom is pure and peaceable and right. So, if we learn from experience, it needs to be experience that is informed by what we know to be morally right in the Word of God. In other words, it is never right. As the evangelist Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “It’s never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do what is right.”

Last week, again, I was going back to Tennessee, and I saw a billboard. It was a Budweiser advertisement, and the sign said, “Enjoy responsibly.” In other words, enjoy Budweiser beer responsibly. Drink wiser. So, it was an attempt to play on words, Budweiser, drink wiser. Now, look, I’m not trying to be unkind. You don’t drink wiser. It’s impossible to do that wisely. It’s not a wise thing.

You’re in Proverbs. Turn over to Proverbs 31. Let me just show you what I’m talking about. Proverbs 31:4 says:

Proverbs 31:4: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:”

Why?

Proverbs 31:5: “Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”

Proverbs 31:6: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.”

Proverb 31:7: “Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”

We think we drink because we’re celebrating. No, you don’t drink to remember. You drink to forget. How do I know that? Because that’s exactly what happens. It’s physiologically what happens. You drink and forget. Now, I’m not trying to beat you over the head. What I’m trying to say is that I only learn from experience in a way that is wise. If I learn from experience in a way that is governed by what I know to be morally right or wrong and that is found in the Word of God.

Let me give you an example. What you learn from experience depends on the thinking you bring to that experience. So, let me give you an example. Here’s a guy, and he’s a thief. He’s a burglar, and he’s burglarizing someone’s home at 11 o’clock at night down the road here on Congress somewhere, and he gets caught because, lo and behold, not only is money in the house at 11, people are in the house at 11. So, he gets caught, he gets arrested, and he gets, you know, thrown out of prison in four days. He says to himself, “You know what I’m going to learn from experience? What I’ve been doing is all wrong. I’m burglarizing someone’s house at 11 o’clock at night. That’s not right. That’s not wise. I’m going to learn from experience. The next time I rob a home, it’s going to be 11 in the morning because no one’s there then.” By the way, that is when houses get burglarized. You know this, right? Okay, I’m going to ask you a question. Has this guy learned from experience? Yes or no? No. Well, he’s learned, but has he learned wisdom from this experience? No, because he’s not paying attention to life.

Guys, friends, look what the Bible says. Somewhere, I should have written this down, but something like this: The churning of milk brings forth butter. Obviously, that’s inevitable. And the ringing of the nose brings forth blood. So, the forcing of wrath brings forth strife. In other words, there are certain things that have inevitable ends.

Look, if I came into church tonight and your nose was just pouring blood, what is my first question going to be? What happened? Now, suppose what happened is 10 minutes before you and someone, I hope this didn’t happen, you and someone else were arguing, and you started pushing each other, and you were forcing wrath, and he drops you in the nose. The only reason I’m asking what happened is because I didn’t see what happened ten minutes before. If I’d been here 10 minutes before, I’d know the inevitable result of forcing wrath. Does this make sense? In other words, there are certain things that we do that have inevitable results. Let’s say I’m five years old, and I touch a hot stove. You know, that’s not a lesson I need to learn again. I only need to learn that one time. Soft skin and hot stoves do not go together. So, I’m 52 and never touched a hot stove.

How do you know that I’ve paid attention to life? Friend, God wants to give you guidance in life, what is right, what is wrong, what is good, what is bad, what is better, what is best.

Absorb God’s Word

How should I make decisions? Well, there’s much more of course, but number one: seek wise counsel. Number two: learn from experience, and finally I would just say, generally, absorb the Proverbs. Absorb God’s Word.

Would you turn to Proverbs chapter one. I’m almost done. You’ve listened so well, thank you. In Proverbs chapter one, verse one says:

Proverbs 1:1: “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;”

Why is this written? In order:

Proverbs 1:2: “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;”

Proverbs 1:3: “To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;”

Proverbs 1:4: “To give subtilty to the simple [to the open-minded], to the young man knowledge and discretion.”

Proverbs 1:5: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”

So, absorb the Word of God generally. Since we’re in the Proverbs one, I would just say, look. If you’re not in the Word of God every single day, begin tonight and begin with the Book of Proverbs. Now, I firmly believe that every part of the Bible is profitable. The prophets, the Gospels, the Book of Acts, all of it, the Book of Obadiah are profitable, but Proverbs is ready to go. I mean, wham. It is love and life and work and marriage and young people and raising children and success and failure. It’s all there.

Sometimes, we read Proverbs that give you contrast with the words, the conjunction “but,” as in, “he that walketh with wise men shall be,” just guess. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Okay, that’s a contrast. But, if I walk with wise people, I’ll get wisdom. But if I walk with foolish people, that invites destruction.

Sometimes, there’s a matter of comparison. Comparison is frequent in the Bible, as in “Wisdom is better than rubies” or “Wisdom’s fruit is better than gold.” So, you have a contrast, you have comparison, you have the inevitable, you know the ringing of the nose brings forth blood, the forcing of strife brings forth trouble, calamity.

God-Given Guidance

Here’s what I’m trying to say tonight. Look, we all have decisions to make. We all want God’s guidance. Here’s what I would say: God’s Word is God’s wisdom, and God’s wisdom shows you God’s will. Now, I’m all for feelings, I’m all for all that, but a place to begin, a place that is objective and not based on your experience and not based on your perceptions, a source that is objective and authoritative, is God’s Word.

Three things I would say. Number one: Have a time where you take in God’s Word every day. And let me just suggest to look at and read Proverbs 11 today. Do you know why? I read Proverbs 11 this morning because it is February 11. Tomorrow is February 12th. I’ll read Proverbs 12. Valentine’s Day, I will read Proverbs 14. There’s one for each day of the month. And if you’re in February, even more than one a day for the month. Now, look, by the third time you get through Proverbs 11 in three months, you’re going to start being familiar with it. You’re going to start understanding more than you will the first time.

You’re going to start having the tools to make wise decisions that are literally God-given, God-given guidance. Have a time, have a plan. Now, I think you can do anything you want, but I would say start small and be utterly consistent, maybe begin in the Proverbs. And then, finally, I would just say, keep it simple because this one simple discipline will have compounding returns and will grow to make a huge difference in your life.

Look, in December, I bought two huge flashlights. Last week, I picked up a new prescription for my glasses. Why? Because I want to see what is ahead. I want to take the right steps. And that’s the same reason, friend, that all of us should be seeking wise counsel. We should be paying attention to life, and we should be absorbing the Word of God. Are you doing that in your life? If you’re not, why don’t you start tonight and ask God to help you?

Take the First Step

Would you just bow with me, please, for prayer? In just a moment, the pastor will come and conclude the service any way he feels led by the Lord. No one’s looking. Pastor may care to join me, but no one else is looking. Can I just imply this with a couple of questions tonight? I wonder if there’s anyone here, and you just say, “Wil, I need God’s wisdom, and tonight I’ve been challenged about seeking counsel, learning from experience, and taking heed to what the Word of God says. And if God will help me, I’d like to start this tonight. I’d like to start seeking the wisdom that’s available from God and these sources. And if God will help me, I’m going to start this tonight.” There’s no one looking, heads are bowed, eyes are closed. No, I’m not here to embarrass you.

But with no one looking, I wonder if there’s anyone, you just say, “You know what, I need to start one of these things and by God’s grace I’m going to start tonight. That’s my decision where I sit.” Would you just lift up your hand wherever you are? “That’s my decision tonight.” God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful, fantastic. God bless you.

Second question: I did not preach on this tonight, but I wonder if there’s anyone here tonight, and you just say, “Wil, I don’t even know that my sins are forgiven and that I’m on my way to Heaven.” The Bible says that. The Bible makes us wise unto salvation. You’re not saved because you’re smart or because you’re rich, or because you’re virtuous. You’re saved because you’re wise enough to know that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again. Friend, God will save anyone who will respond to His Truth with wisdom.

I wonder if there’s anyone here tonight, and you just say, “Wil, I’ve never trusted the Lord Jesus to save me, but I’d like to. I’m not saved. I’ve never trusted Christ, but I need to.” Pray for me. Is there anyone like that tonight? “I don’t know that I’ve never trusted the Lord Jesus to save me, but I’m concerned about it. Pray for me.” Is anyone like that tonight? Alright then, let me just pray, and as I pray, if you’re making a decision tonight, you pray and ask God to help you and know that He will. Then pastor will conclude as he feels God would have him do that tonight.

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Father, I do thank you for the fact that you guide us, and yes, that you have given us your Holy Spirit. And that your Holy Spirit uses your Word. He brings to our memory what we’ve learned from your Word. So, I pray that we’d seek counsel, we’d pay attention to life, and more than anything, we would heed your word in the decisions we make. Help us to do that, and may the feelings we have, the impressions we have, be governed by these things that you have given us already. I pray this, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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