"A Father's Advice"
Date: 21 June, 2015
Text: Proverbs 1
Title: A Father's Advice
Introduction:
ill. When I went to University, I didn't know what God wanted me to do. (Asking my dad's advice after my Freshman year.)
I'm thankful that God has given me a godly dad to whom I can go for advice. Praise God, all of us can go to our heavenly Father for His advice.
Proverbs is a book that is written by a father to give advice to his sons.
1 ¶ The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
4: 1 ¶ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
exp. One of the great helps to parenting is that we have been there before. All fathers were sons at one time or another. Solomon was David's son. As such, he had a great example of fatherhood.
ill. On Thursday night we looked at Eli as an example of a passive parent. He was not involved in the life of his children. He didn't care about his children. God said, "For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." I Sam. 3:13
exp. In Proverbs this morning, we have advice from a wise (though not perfect) father.
SO ON THIS FATHER'S DAY, WHAT FATHERLY ADVICE WOULD GOD GIVE TO US AS HIS CHILDREN. (Which advice should also be given by wise earthly fathers.)
I. Flee evil companions.
A. They will encouarge you to sin with them.
10 ¶ My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us,
exp. Peer pressure is a very powerful thing.
ill. Try getting on a lift which is full of people and stand facing in a direction opposite of everyone else. (Your body will want to turn to go without the crowd.)
app. Young people and old, if we want to follow Jesus, we have to go against peer pressure.
B. They will seek to benefit by hurting others.
let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
exp. Wickedness takes advantage and exploits weakness.
ill. Man who shot people in a church in Charleston. That man was not bold, he was a coward. He turned a gun on innocent people.
ill. Armed man who stole 200,000 pounds of watches. Coward, taking advantage of weakness.
app. Young people, you ought to stand up for those who are vulnerable. A bully is just like these wicked men - they prey on weakness or innocence.
C. They will encourage you with promises of satisfaction.
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
exp. They make it sound so good. We are going to be rich. We are going to put all of our wealth together. Our homes will be overflowing with riches.
ill. Pastor's son who got mixed up in the robbery of a petrol station. The cops had been notified and were waiting for them. He got prison time - not riches.
app. Don't be deceived by promises of satisfaction. Satan dresses up things to look good, but when you bite it is to your destruction - not your benefit.
Dad's advice -
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
ill. Mom's advice as I went to college - "chose good friends."
Pr 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
app. What are your friends like? You can tell your future by the friends you keep. (FLEE EVIL COMPANIONS.)
II. Seek God.
(DAD'S ADVICE)
A. Work hard at knowing God.
2: 1 ¶ My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
exp. Knowledge doesn't come easy. Some have you have probably noticed that school is difficult. It is hard to listen and hard to stay focused.
question: Who is more likely to graduate from UNI, someone who never studies and parties, or someone who keeps up with all homework and studies for tests?
app. Young people, you need to open God's Word on your own. You need to listen when your parents read the Bible, when your SS teacher teaches, or the message is preached in church.
B. Cry out for knowledge of God.
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
exp. We are spoiled in our day with an overabunance of information. We have "google." In the past, books were prized possessions. And time to study them was even more valuable. Some children would weep for the opportunity to pursue higher learning.
app. When is the last time you cried out to God for Him to help you to know Him better.
C. Invest everything for knowledge of God.
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
ill. Going agate hunting - we barely stop to eat. If we are finding a lot of nice stones, we just carry on.
app. I'm convicted about my Bible study. I need to invest more time and energy into finding the jewels of God's Word. Can you say that you are digging in God's Word as diligently as a man seeking real treasure?
D. The result is worth the work, crying, and investment.
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
note: Men don't find God by passivity, they find Him by activity.
app. Friend, why haven't you yet found Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Why don't you fear God and know God? You will not find Him if you do not seek Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
III. Remember God's law.
(Dad's Advice)
A. Remember God's law.
3:1 ¶ My son, forget not my law;
exp. A son would grow up and get off into life away from home. But, this godly dad wanted him to remember the law of God by which he lived.
ill. How many son's having left home, cast off the law of their fathers to their destruction. (IF ONLY THEY HAD HAD FOLLOWED THE COUNCIL OF THEIR GODLY DAD.)
B. Obey God's law.
but let thine heart keep my commandments:
exp. Oh, it's not enough to know the law, but it is to be followed.
ill. Try this on a policeman sometime, get pulled over going 80 mph and say when he approaches your vehicle. "Officer, I don't know why you pulled me over, I know the speed limit is 70." He's not concerned about what you know. He's concerned about what you do.
app. Knowing God's law will only benefit, those who keep it.
C. Live long and prosper.
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
ill. Scientists are seeking the answer to long life and peace and THEY AREN'T NOT FINDING THE ANSWER IN SCIENCE. Atheletes are looking for answer to long life and peace and THEY ARE NOT FINDING IT IN EXERCISE. The answer to long life and peace is in God's Word.
exp. This morning, I promise you from God's Word a long life and a life of peace. Do you want it enough to pay the price to get it? ALL IT COSTS IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
app. Young people, if your wise, you will grab ahold of this.
IV. Submit to God's chastening.
(DAD'S ADVICE)
A. Appreciate God's chastening.
3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
exp. Don't get upset at God for exercising discipline upon you.
ill. Have you ever been around someone who constantly gets into trouble. You can start to feel bad for them. But, if they do what is right, they can benefit from those who chasten them.
Ro 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
app. Some of us need more discipline than others. But, don't let the discipline make you bitter - LET IT MAKE YOU BETTER.
B. God loves you and will do the tough things for your benefit.
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
ill. Michael Jackson was vilified in the media for lifting his son up over a balcony. Why? Only a foolish unloving father puts his child in danger?
app. God isn't going to let danger into our lives. He will do what is necessary to protect us - BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR US. We need to submit to his loving discipline.
Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
V. Follow after wisdom.
(DAD'S ADVICE)
A. Wisdom is incredibly valuable.
3:21 ¶ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
exp. Keep in the way of wisdom and discernment.
ill. Mt. Everest has been much in the news lately with the earthquakes in Nepal. Many men died, but many men's lives were saved by the incredible courage and guidance of their Sherpa guides. What kind of fool in a situation like that would turn away from his guide to follow his own way off of the mountain.
app. We can't get through life on our own. We need to follow God's guide for us called "wisdom."
Jas 1:5 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.
note: Wisdom will sustain our life and guide us over sure footing.
B. It is life and grace.
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
C. It is guidance and stability.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
app. Sadly, life is getting more and more twisted. Like the earthquake on Mt. Rushmore. It was tough enough in the past, it is ten times more difficult now. Young people, the only hope you have of successfully going through life, is following after wisdom. Hear a father please, and FOLLOW WISDOM.
VI. Guard your heart.
(DAD'S ADVICE) - GUARD YOUR HEART!
4:20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
exp. Your heart is the central control for your life. If your heart is not right, your life will not be right. It controls what you love, what you do, who you serve, etc.
ill. When you fly, do you want the cockpit door to be open or locked? Are you happy to have anyone fly the plane or would you prefer that the pilot alone touches the controls?
You don't want anyone to have access to the controls but the pilot. Your thankful that the control centre is protected from invasion. Certainly you don't want wicked men in there.
app. How carefully do you guard your heart? Are you make certain that the door is locked and that only God (as pilot) can come in? Has Satan gained access.
VII. Avoid the wicked woman.
(Dad's Advice) - Watch out for wicked women.
A. Listen to me on this my son.
5:1 ¶ My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
exp. Solomon sadly failed in this regard. But, his instruction was right. He knew the deception of Satan and asked his son to pay particular attention to this warning.
ill. Kind David - who was a man after God's own heart failed in this regard. He killed Uriah after committing adultery with his wife, Bathsheba.
app. God is merciful to forgive. But, how much better for David's family if they had never gone through the bitterness of his sexual sin.
B. It seems sweet but it will end in bitterness.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
note: Don't be deceived. She is one of the greatest dangers men will face.
ill. The righteous man Job had to purpose to avoid her dangers.
Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
ill. Joseph faced her temptation.
Ge 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
app. Young men, pray now that God will protect your purity and help you to avoid this wicked woman.
Conclusion: Aren't you thankful this morning for fatherly advice whether from our Heavenly Father or a godly earthly Father.
No matter how old we are, there is great benefit on this Father's Day in this council from King Solomon.
4: 10-11 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
1) Flee evil companions.
2) Seek God.
3) Remember God's law.
4) Submit to God's chastening.
5) Follow after wisdom.
6) Guard your heart.
7) Avoid the wicked woman.
Young men and women (AND ADULTS) can benefit this morning, from this wise advice from a loving father.oHow How
