The Preeminent Role of Establishing Priorities
Proverbs 8:1-17
Does Susan Pevensie make it to heaven? *Chronicles of Narnia* fans are left hanging as Susan isn’t in Narnia as The Last Battle comes to a close. C.S. Lewis intentionally left the question open, possibly intending for Susan to represent the good seed that is choked out by thorns in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13). It is vital for every believer to keep their spiritual priorities in focus so that our walk with the Lord doesn’t fade in importance.
Three Priorities for Believers to Invest In:
Wisdom
“Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand.”Proverbs 8:1-2
Wisdom isn’t based on intellect but on heeding God’s truth.
“My mouth speaks what is true.” Proverbs 8:7.
Postmodernism, seeing truth as a social construct, has prevailed in American culture since the 1990s. Before that was modernism, which sees truth as absolute and attainable. Both philosophies fall short as ultimate truth can only be found in Jesus who said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6
Jesus is wisdom personified. Proverbs 8 foreshadows this truth.
“Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 8:35
Sadly, many who were taught about Jesus have walked away from him. In *The Deconstruction of Christianity*, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett find a common denominator among those who’ve fallen away – they have substituted their own truth for the Truth. Don’t be like Demas (II Timothy 4:10), but like the woman in Proverbs 31 who pursued true wisdom!
Goodness
“All of the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.” Proverbs 8:8-9
In our humanity, we can never attain righteousness (Romans 3:10-12), but God assigns His righteousness to us by placing our faith in Christ (Romans 3:21, II Corinthians 5:21).
Our goodness comes from God. Like Adam & Eve (Genesis 3:1-6), we can rebel and believe the lie that this will lead to freedom. But true freedom only comes from the Lord (II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1; Acts 13;39; Psalm 119:45), and not ourselves (Proverbs 14:12). Invest in your goodness by trusting in His goodness!
Greatness
“By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” <cite>---Proverbs 8:15-17</cite>
This foreshadows the greatness of Jesus who said,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.” Matthew 28:18
Bring your doubts to God as Jinger Duggar Vuolo testifies in Becoming Free Indeed: *My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear*. When Jinger’s childhood hero Bill Gothard fell into sexual sin, she was devastated, but chose to share her doubts with her Christian friends who pointed her back to the Lord.
Humility is essential for achieving true greatness in God’s eyes (Matthew 18:4; 19:30; 23:11). When you experience hardships and trials, cling to the Lord and surrender anew by affirming that He is wise, good, and great, and you are not. You are totally dependent on him!
Some will choose to walk away from Jesus.
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6
Pastor Dave Gass, who memorized 18 books of the Bible and read thru the Bible 24 times announced in 2019 that he had left the faith. Is there hope for Dave? Maybe, but he is walking on dangerous ground. Franklin Graham and others have walked away from their Christian faith and later returned.
“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them.” Jude 22-23
Three Priorities for Believers to Invest In:
Wisdom
“Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand.”Proverbs 8:1-2
Wisdom isn’t based on intellect but on heeding God’s truth.
“My mouth speaks what is true.” Proverbs 8:7.
Postmodernism, seeing truth as a social construct, has prevailed in American culture since the 1990s. Before that was modernism, which sees truth as absolute and attainable. Both philosophies fall short as ultimate truth can only be found in Jesus who said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6
Jesus is wisdom personified. Proverbs 8 foreshadows this truth.
“Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 8:35
Sadly, many who were taught about Jesus have walked away from him. In *The Deconstruction of Christianity*, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett find a common denominator among those who’ve fallen away – they have substituted their own truth for the Truth. Don’t be like Demas (II Timothy 4:10), but like the woman in Proverbs 31 who pursued true wisdom!
Goodness
“All of the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.” Proverbs 8:8-9
In our humanity, we can never attain righteousness (Romans 3:10-12), but God assigns His righteousness to us by placing our faith in Christ (Romans 3:21, II Corinthians 5:21).
Our goodness comes from God. Like Adam & Eve (Genesis 3:1-6), we can rebel and believe the lie that this will lead to freedom. But true freedom only comes from the Lord (II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1; Acts 13;39; Psalm 119:45), and not ourselves (Proverbs 14:12). Invest in your goodness by trusting in His goodness!
Greatness
“By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” <cite>---Proverbs 8:15-17</cite>
This foreshadows the greatness of Jesus who said,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.” Matthew 28:18
Bring your doubts to God as Jinger Duggar Vuolo testifies in Becoming Free Indeed: *My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear*. When Jinger’s childhood hero Bill Gothard fell into sexual sin, she was devastated, but chose to share her doubts with her Christian friends who pointed her back to the Lord.
Humility is essential for achieving true greatness in God’s eyes (Matthew 18:4; 19:30; 23:11). When you experience hardships and trials, cling to the Lord and surrender anew by affirming that He is wise, good, and great, and you are not. You are totally dependent on him!
Some will choose to walk away from Jesus.
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6
Pastor Dave Gass, who memorized 18 books of the Bible and read thru the Bible 24 times announced in 2019 that he had left the faith. Is there hope for Dave? Maybe, but he is walking on dangerous ground. Franklin Graham and others have walked away from their Christian faith and later returned.
“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them.” Jude 22-23