Obtain favor from God

If I drank coffee now, I'd be up until 3 a.m. But let's make sure everybody's online down here. Here we go. All right, well we are at Proverbs chapter 18 verses 15 through 24. Proverbs 18 verses 15 through 24. Why don't we go ahead and pray and we'll get into God's Word. Lord, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your Word. We thank you that you are the God of all wisdom and that the fear of you is the beginning of wisdom. So Father, we pray that as we hear your word now, we pray that we would listen to it with faith, and that you would teach us and lead us. In Jesus' name, Amen. All right, Proverbs 18, verses 15 through 24. Here we go.
The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. People who know the most know how little they know. The people who are the most knowledgeable and wise in this world are the people who know their limitations and are always curious about things and want more knowledge. The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. If you want to be wise, don't ever become complacent in wanting to learn about the things of God and the beauties of this creation that he's made.
Verse 16. man's gifts makes room for him and brings him to great men." This isn't talking about a bribe here, but what this is talking about is the reality of being generous with others and kind of what this is talking about is similar to what Jesse did when he sent David to go bring King Saul some some of the fruits of the land, and they care for his brothers or his sons. It's similar to what Jacob did when he sent the brothers to go and to seek favor from Pharaoh. At that point, Pharaoh's servant, Joseph, he didn't know it was his son, Joseph, but he sent him a gift that they might gain entrance into this great man's presence. The first one to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him. This is a huge one. This is an absolute huge one.
Listen to both sides of the story before you cast judgment on something. Whenever you hear some gossip or a story from someone, hold off on judgment. The Lord is saying here, you're going to hear You're gonna hear and whoever you hear first is going to seem right until the next person comes and gives you more context or colors the story. Wait until you have both sides. Don't, this is why in God's word, you are not allowed to cast judgment based on the testimony of just one witness. But you always had to have the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Casting lots, or sorry, no, verse 17. No, sorry, verse 18. Casting lots causes contentions to cease and keeps the mighty apart. The lots were like casting dice and essentially letting God in his sovereign provident hand choose a thing. This can be used good and bad. I think that people can use laws unwisely, and it can actually cause contentions. But the point here is that God doesn't play with chance. Albert Einstein is famous for saying that God doesn't play with chance, but God determines a lot. He is sovereign. He determines each thing.
And so if you ever want to research a little bit of time, go see what happened when John Wesley decided to cast lots and if that actually stopped contention with his contemporary George Whitefield at the time. I'll leave that for you to research on online sometime. Verse 19, a brother offended is harder to win than a strong city. And contentions are like bars of a castle. I wrote here in my margin.
There are strong and high walls that can be built when we estrange people. When we make people our enemies, it is really hard to gain them back. This is why God tells us, live in peace with all men so long as it depends upon you. It is really hard to regain someone who you have broken their trust or whom you have hurt.
Verse 20. A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruits of his mouth, from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. You reap what you sow. You reap what you sow when you speak. So make sure you're speaking wisdom. Make sure you're imparting grace to the hearer. Make sure you're only saying those things which will build others up that you might show the love of Christ. Verse 21. death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." Again, in my margin, when I was thinking about this, I said, words kill. Words can also give life. They're either poison or fruit. You choose. It's kind of paraphrasing from the message here, but you're going to reap what you sow with your words, and so you're able to impart life or you're able to be a snare for others. How will you use your tongue? How will you speak to others around you?
Verse 22, he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Oh, I love this verse. Oh, the Lord has shown me such favor in giving me such an amazing, loving, supporting wife in Olivia. And so he who finds a wife finds a good thing. After salvation, after wisdom, the best thing the Lord could give a man to not be alone is a good wife. Men, if you are married, Love your wife. She is a blessing from God. Care for her. Cherish her. Build her up. Pray for her. Bless her. And praise her to others. She is a good gift from the Lord. Verse 23.
A poor man uses entreaties, but the rich answers roughly. A poor person can't afford to be brash. Can't afford to, you know, just answer roughly. But a rich person can because they can get away with it. Sadly, people don't always listen to this. Actually, some of the poorest people I know who should have been the most meek ended up, as they were especially speaking to people in authority, like cops and judges, ended up getting themselves in trouble because they have nothing but pride and attitude. And they probably should have answered more humbly because authority came down hard on them. But the rich person is able to speak more brashly, and they're typically able to bribe their way out. It was just sinful and wrong, but it's the reality of life.
Verse 24, a man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. That brother is Jesus Christ. There's a friend who sticks more closely than a brother, the one who sticks with us through thick and thin, who if you are in him, if you believe in him, will abide in you and will cause you to bear much good fruit as Jesus. As you're in the darkest hours of your life and the most need that you could ever find yourself, when everyone else has deserted you, your Redeemer lives.
He's always beside you, always making intercession for you, and always loving you. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for the wisdom that you have given us. Lord, we pray that you would let us walk in your ways. Love you. Lord, we pray that we would impart grace with our lips and cling to the grace of Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen. May the Lord bless you tonight. May you have a great night's sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.