WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM.

PREACHER: DR: WILLY MUTISO

TEXT: 1 KINGS 3 : 3 – 28.

INTRODUCTION:
First look at the following sayings of the wise:
Philosopher Cicero: “The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil.”
Elbert Hubbad: “Wisdom is ‘to know when to be generous and when firm.’”
Immanuel Kant: “Science is organized knowledge, wisdom is organized life.”
Martin Fischer: “Knowledge is a process of piling up facts, wisdom lies in their simplicity.”
Norman Cousins: “Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.”
Socrates: “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.”
Nagnib Mahfouz: “You know a clever person by his answers, and a wise person by his questions.”
Sam Levenson: “It is so simple to be wise: just think of something stupid and say the opposite.”
None of the above applied for Solomon. He asked for wisdom. Why? Solomon started by devoting himself to God (1 Kings 3:3-5). Let us learn:

Wisdom is comprehension: understand past conditions (1 Kings 3:5-9).
No matter what you do, someone else is always watching.
Solomon wisely appreciated all that was handed to him.
He appreciated God’s dealing of mercy to his father David.
Solomon understood more than his brothers the position God had given to his father David.
Solomon considered himself God’s servant.
Solomon had a sense of mission in the world.
Solomon was a rational thinker, not terminal.
What is your stated mission for your life on earth?

Wisdom is conditional: make personal choices (1 Kings 3:10-15).
“If you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.”
Solomon asked God for a discerning heart (v.11).
Others who had discernment are:
Joseph (Gen. 41:33).
Eli (1 Sam. 3:8).
David (1 Sam. 16:18).
God gave Solomon more. He gave him wisdom (v.12).
God gave Solomon more: riches and honour (v.13).
God cannot pour faithfulness, willingness, and obedience into a person; all these must come from your heart.
Solomon made a personal choice to seek God.
God is not obviously there. Only those who seek find Him.

Wisdom is concrete: read present circumstances (1 Kings 3:16-28).
Wisdom that cannot be applied is nonsense!
Wisdom is a matter of making sound decisions.
The difference between a wise person and a fool is in the decisions they make.
A wise person is attentive to details, patient in learning, and slow to deliberate.
Solomon listened to both sides.
Dreams are for the night, but wisdom is for the day.

Wisdom is realistic, not idealistic. It is actions not abstract, sensible, not scholarly.
Wisdom is not learned, but lived; teachable, not talk. Wisdom is application and not academic.

CONCLUSION:
The wisest thing in life is to accept Christ for oneself. God has destroyed the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor. 1:18-19). The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and not an end in itself. Wisdom has to be continually sought and is not permanently caught. Are you saved? Wise men still seek Him.