Discernment
Proverbs 2:1-8 " Discernment"
Have we ever wondered what is the right course of action in our lives? Certainly this week in the news we have been faced with the news of police officers who have to make immediate decisions and one is now charged with manslaughter because of what the video is showing. None of us want to be faced with that kind of life and death decision, but every day we make decisions, and exercise our understanding of situations that ask us to have discernment.
The Benefits of Wisdom-Proverbs 2
1My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding;… NASB
What does the word discernment mean? It means understanding.
"True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best." Sinclair Ferguson In Christ Alone
Psalm 119:125 says it this way, " I am thy servant; give me understanding ( discernment).."
What does the wisdom we see in this section of Scripture teach us about understanding and direction in our lives?
1. " My son , if thou wilt receive my words..." Wisdom and understanding of how we should act as well as prosper in our lives comes with this step of receiving God's Words into our lives. The word receive means to take.
A lot of people hear but do not receive. Hearing is not receiving. If we are presented with something we are doing that is wrong as we compare our actions to what the Scripture is telling us, we would be encouraged to take a look at what God is saying.
Receive and take the Word into our understanding so that we may live better lives before God. This should be our goal. Unfortunately we often hear but do not receive the Word that can bring about change that can be helpful to our living.
2. " Cry out for discernment( understanding"- What are some facets of that?
Search for her as hidden treasure and silver we are told by vs 4 of Proverbs 2.
The first choice is not always the best. " Follow your heart but take your brain with you."
" If you are brave enough to say good bye, life will reward you with a new hello" Coehlo
" The quieter you become the more you can hear"
I used to teach ethics in my last few years in the army as most of you know. It was always interesting to bring up scenarios that Soldiers may encounter that would ask them to make good or moral choices. Often the choice was not always so easy.
In fact one of our most fun times was to ask the class to look at different situations and come up with what they would do. We would often find that it was not so clear. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for discernment is precise. We want to see clearly before we take action. Sometimes that is not always possible so we must resort to trusting in God even we the way is not clear.
Cry out for discernment and understanding. This assumes we need assistance from God in making the hard choices in our lives.
3. The promise in Proverbs 2 is if we receive His Words and cry out for understanding that despite what choices we make ," He preserveth the way of His saints" vs. 8
I Samuel 2:9 says, " He will keep the feets of His saints"
Only the Christian has this promise. We remember the beautiful words of Psalm 23, " He leadeth me beside the still waters."
Conclusion- I do wonder as I know you do about our decisions . I usually take a very long time and even then I wonder if I make the right one, but at some point we must trust that God will lead us despite our failures, shortcomings and frailities.
As we make our lives to conform to Christ and ask for His Spirit we ask for direction . He will lead and He will guide. We trust that our days are numbered and we are in His hands.
Have we ever wondered what is the right course of action in our lives? Certainly this week in the news we have been faced with the news of police officers who have to make immediate decisions and one is now charged with manslaughter because of what the video is showing. None of us want to be faced with that kind of life and death decision, but every day we make decisions, and exercise our understanding of situations that ask us to have discernment.
The Benefits of Wisdom-Proverbs 2
1My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding;… NASB
What does the word discernment mean? It means understanding.
"True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best." Sinclair Ferguson In Christ Alone
Psalm 119:125 says it this way, " I am thy servant; give me understanding ( discernment).."
What does the wisdom we see in this section of Scripture teach us about understanding and direction in our lives?
1. " My son , if thou wilt receive my words..." Wisdom and understanding of how we should act as well as prosper in our lives comes with this step of receiving God's Words into our lives. The word receive means to take.
A lot of people hear but do not receive. Hearing is not receiving. If we are presented with something we are doing that is wrong as we compare our actions to what the Scripture is telling us, we would be encouraged to take a look at what God is saying.
Receive and take the Word into our understanding so that we may live better lives before God. This should be our goal. Unfortunately we often hear but do not receive the Word that can bring about change that can be helpful to our living.
2. " Cry out for discernment( understanding"- What are some facets of that?
Search for her as hidden treasure and silver we are told by vs 4 of Proverbs 2.
The first choice is not always the best. " Follow your heart but take your brain with you."
" If you are brave enough to say good bye, life will reward you with a new hello" Coehlo
" The quieter you become the more you can hear"
I used to teach ethics in my last few years in the army as most of you know. It was always interesting to bring up scenarios that Soldiers may encounter that would ask them to make good or moral choices. Often the choice was not always so easy.
In fact one of our most fun times was to ask the class to look at different situations and come up with what they would do. We would often find that it was not so clear. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for discernment is precise. We want to see clearly before we take action. Sometimes that is not always possible so we must resort to trusting in God even we the way is not clear.
Cry out for discernment and understanding. This assumes we need assistance from God in making the hard choices in our lives.
3. The promise in Proverbs 2 is if we receive His Words and cry out for understanding that despite what choices we make ," He preserveth the way of His saints" vs. 8
I Samuel 2:9 says, " He will keep the feets of His saints"
Only the Christian has this promise. We remember the beautiful words of Psalm 23, " He leadeth me beside the still waters."
Conclusion- I do wonder as I know you do about our decisions . I usually take a very long time and even then I wonder if I make the right one, but at some point we must trust that God will lead us despite our failures, shortcomings and frailities.
As we make our lives to conform to Christ and ask for His Spirit we ask for direction . He will lead and He will guide. We trust that our days are numbered and we are in His hands.
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