The quest for security springs from a craving in every human heart. Insurance, Security Services, Social Security, even military security – none of them individually or even all of them collectively can provide total security.
In spite of man’s efforts and expenditures, there are many ways in which he is ultimately powerless to achieve real security.
It would be foolish to build our lives on something that does not provide that which is necessary. To look for total and permanent security merely by human effort and achievement is to build a house on the sand – it’s a house that will one day be swept away by calamity.
Though man by his own efforts cannot achieve total and permanent security there is another source of security that does, though it is different in both nature and what it offers. That source is God Himself, His word and His wisdom.
Matt 7: 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Prov 1: 20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. 32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; 33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Verse 33 – total security – the offer of God’s wisdom. The passage shows that although wisdom makes the offer, there are not many who take it up.
Are you prepared to listen – to heed the voice of wisdom? The key to security is listening to the right voice.
THREE MAJOR KEYS FOR OBTAINING GOD’S WISDOM
(1) Focus on the eternal rather than the temporary:
2 Cor 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
How can we look at that which is unseen? (A Paradox) – The only way is through faith
Isa 40:6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
To achieve true security we have to see the limits of any other kind of security. No security provided by man is either total or permanent – like grass, it withers, fades or passes away, but God, through His word, provides total and eternal security.
(2) Guard the treasure of your heart
Prov 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Plant your treasure in eternal soil – Matt 6: 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Wisdom Key – Heart follows treasure. Put your treasure in a motor home and your heart will be on the road. Put it in the kingdom of God and your heart will stay there.
1 Tim 6:6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Money is not evil. The love of money is. Put money under the bed for 10 years – it does nothing – either good or evil. It has no power or morality in itself.
There’s no such thing as drug money – gambling money – prostitution money – its just money. A drug dealer can drop $100 on the sidewalk – it blows into your yard – you pick it up – its not drug money – its YOUR money, It will not drag you to the drug alley or make you become a drug dealer. Money can’t make you go bad but it can bring to the surface what is already in your heart.
Money is your life – you earn a wage not for your good looks (normally) – and it is given for the expenditure of your life – whether 40 hours or 1,000 hours. It’s the nearest thing to human sacrifice we can get. Time/energy (mental and physical) – away from your family – it’s a huge thing! That is why God speaks so often about regulating it correctly.
We human beings are not omnipresent like God is – we can only be one place at a time. BUT by the use of money we can turn our lights on in our house and the Church house, get the Bible printed in China, support a missionary in Asia, and on and on…
(3) Plan for the Eternal with your time, talent and treasure.
“Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts” (Proverbs 24:3-4)
What will you do to heed the voice of wisdom today?