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SERVICE VIDEO (LINK)TEXT: Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 19:7-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25\n\n\n\nDo you want to be wise? I do! How do you get wisdom? How do you become wise?\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s what we are going to look at this morning. Of all the weeks trying to answer \u201cWhat is God like?\u201d this is the one most focused on us reflecting the character of God. Most weeks we have focused on God (holy, just, merciful, loving, faith), ending with the call to be godly in our own thinking and behavior. But this week it is presumed that God is wise and most of the scripture I found has to do with how we can be or become wise with godly wisdom.\n\n\n\nSo that\u2019s where we\u2019ll focus. And I\u2019ll give you the whole of it up front: we grow in godly wisdom through knowing and worshiping God, through learning and obeying scripture, and through trusting and following Jesus Christ. So let\u2019s dive in!\n\n\n\nFear of the Lord (Proverbs)\n\n\n\nLook at our call to worship this morning from three different chapters of Proverbs. Really the whole book of Proverbs is about wisdom: what is wise, how to be wise, and how to not be foolish. These three different verses say that wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord.\n\n\n\n17 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;Fools despise wisdom and instruction.\n\n\n\n910 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.\n\n\n\n1533 The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom,And before honor comes humility.\n\n\n\nWhat is the fear of the Lord? It\u2019s not being scared, which is probably our first thought when we hear \u2018fear.\u2019 Rather the sense of \u201cfear of the Lord\u201d is one of awe and reverence and respect. In one sense it\u2019s the kind of posture we might have toward a thunderstorm. It\u2019s not out to get us, but one should not take it casually or flippantly. This might even be why some ancient culture made gods out of forces of nature like thunderstorms. \u201cFear of the Lord\u201d is a posture of worship, one that recognizes God for Who He is and has the proper respect and reverence for God.\n\n\n\nThis is one reason we are having this series. Hopefully it is broadening our understanding of Who God is. Think about what we have looked at so far. God is holy, just, merciful, loving, and faithful. Today we are talking about God as wise, and next week as good. The Proverb tells us that we are wise to worship, to reverence, to respect this God; and in doing so, we begin to learn wisdom.\n\n\n\nLearning and Obeying the Written Word in Scripture (Psalm 19)\n\n\n\nThe last part of our call to worship came from Psalm 19:7-8. These two verses lift up the many blessings and benefits of God\u2019s Word. One of those many blessings is \u201cmaking wise the simple.\u201d\n\n\n\n197 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.\n\n\n\nConsider all four blessings listed in these two short verses. The first part of each line is just a different way to talk about God\u2019s Word: the law, God\u2019s testimony, the precepts (teachings), the commandment(s). This is Hebrew poetry, which I\u2019ve noted delights in repetition!\n\n\n\nHow does God\u2019s Word bless us?\n\n\n\nIt RESTORES THE SOUL, that deepest part of what makes you you and makes me me. It heals and restores and makes complete what is missing. The mathematician Pascal talked about void in our hearts that only God could fill\u2026 God\u2019s Word leads us to God, filling that God-shaped hole with the knowledge and love of the Lord.\n\n\n\nGod\u2019s Word MAKES WISE THE SIMPLE, which is what led me to these verses since or topic today is wisdom. God\u2019s Word teaches us and even shapes us with godly wisdom so that we become more wise, more knowledgeable of God and the things of God.\n\n\n\nGod\u2019s Word REJOICES THE HEART. It is not a buzz-kill or a downer, but brings JOY into our lives. Have you had that experience of Scripture? If not, I wonder how you read it and what you read? Have you dug i