Eccles. 9:14-15 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siegeworks against it. 15Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.

Proverbs 24:3-6 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. 5A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; 6for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.

There is nothing in this world too difficult for God. There is no crisis that man cannot overcome by means of the supernatural wisdom of God. Therefore it is critical that we understand that in re claiming America's families, we must go to God for help. The Psalmist said, Psalm 121:1 "I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? [2] My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

I shared recently the story in a Geographic magazine about the strange antics of a Primitive tribe in India's Satpura plateau region. They follow a curious custom after an earthquake. The men of the village go around driving nails into the ground to make it firm again. It reminded me of the time our family went to Corpus Cristi for a week end camping trip. We decided that it would be fun to pitch our tent on the beach. We stretched those tent ropes and hammered those pegs into the sand. Well, the tent stayed up. For a while. In fact for about 30 minutes. The first little breeze that came up, down went the tent. We eventually ended up on the parking lot with the tent poles tied to the bumper of our van on the one end, with our car tire settled firmly on the rope at the other end.

In order for the family in America to be re claimed, we will have to sink our tent pegs into firmer ground than the sinking sands of secular wisdom and human reason that is so prevalent in these days. Our present administration claims that they are for family values. The problem arises in how family values is defined. If family values means that little sue can have two mommies in the same house, I think we have a problem. If family values means using our education system to brainwash our children into believing it is OK for Adam and Steve to be married and bring children up believing that homosexual marriage is an appropriate and acceptable alternative, then I think we have a problem. If family values means that we should encourage our children to experiment with there sexuality from the earliest possible age, through group masturbation and experimentation, then we have a serious problem.

I believe we have come to the place where we must realize that if the family is going to succeed in the world today, then we must redefine family values as established thousands of years ago by the greatest, purest and wisest Father of all, God Himself. And He did not leave us ignorant. That is the part that blows my mind. We have all these groups trying to determine what family values really means, when all they needed to do was consult the experts handbook. Society says, "But things have changed. The way we used to do things does not work any more. Everything is so different." That may be true. Society may have changed dramatically. The information explosion has exposed our young ones to things that we would never have dreamed of exposing them to 10 years ago. But as much as we believe that things have changed, they are in many ways still the same.

The wise man Solomon wrote that there is nothing new under the sun. I think what he meant to say was that there is nothing in the world that God did not already know about from the beginning, and provide a way for us to hold to the unchanging truth in spite of the changes that are going on around us. What we must do is use our God given common sense, call out to Him when we are in a quandary, and learn to do what is right.

In order for America's Families to come back to the place of strength which we have enjoyed in years past, is first and foremost recognize that:

I. Godly Wisdom is Paramount.

Vs. 3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;

You see we cannot depend on human wisdom. Human wisdom has too many flaws. We have too many filters that have been established by bad experiences, and false information. We have to go to a greater source of wisdom. We have to go to the only source of pure wisdom, and that is God given. In all of this we must presuppose that God does exist and that He has a perfect plan for His creation. Once we can accept that, we can also have the confidence that there is nothing in this world that is too difficult for Him, or beyond His reach.

Jeremiah 32:17 "Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

As I was preparing this series, I was searching the Scriptures for God's written word on the issue of seeking His mind, I came across a very interesting instruction to His people at about the time they were to begin their new community in the promised land. Deut. 17:8-13 If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge--whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults--take them to the place the Lord your God will choose. 9Go to the priests, who are Levites, and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. 10You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they direct you to do. 11Act according to the law they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. 12The man who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the Lord your God must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. 13All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.

In the beginning it was understood that the final word on wisdom was to come from God's servants. When all other wisdom had failed and all other methods of judging right from wrong seemed inadequate, God provided a last resort for the people. That is the nature of God. He expects us to live our lives using God given common sense. Making decisions, determining directions, judging options and so on. But He also warns that there comes a time when it is obvious that our judgment is tarnished. That our moral compass is out of whack. That things are not getting any better in spite of us, and it is then that we must be smart enough to quit trying on our own and go to a higher source of wisdom, meaning Himself.

The wisdom of God can take a poor man, a poor woman, a poor mother, a poor father, and train them in the ways of the Lord and equip them with a strategy to deliver today's families from the grip of hopelessness that appears to be confronting us. You see, the chaos in our families is no greater than the chaos which covered the deep, formless primeval void at the beginning of time, yet God's wisdom brought creation to order. The wisdom of God can bring the family back to order as well. What we need is God's wisdom. When we speak of His wisdom we are not necessarily speaking of mystical, spiritual insight that has no practical merit. It is critical for us to understand that God's wisdom enables us for the everyday issues in our lives. So we see that God's wisdom, as it is paramount, is also practical.

II. Godly Wisdom is Practical.
"through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

Sometimes people use the expression, "So and so is so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly use." That is a shame, because the more heavenly minded one becomes, the more practical our Christianity should be worked out in our lives. When we speak about godly wisdom we are not speaking in terms of a mystical, other worldly system that defies all human reason. We are speaking about a wisdom which when we seek after it, will be manifest in our lives in very practical ways.

Wisdom - in the Hebrew mindset it was not speculative or philosophical, but practical, pragmatic and empirical. It was something which, if one had, one would be able to succeed in practical every day matters. The Old testament word hochma is used repeatedly for the practical nature of life, ants, conies, locusts, lizards. None of these have any super intelligence, but they have amazing practical tendencies. The Hebrews recognized that as practical as this all was, it was none the less a gift from God. In fact, there is much practical wisdom which is claimed by the world which rightly belongs to God. Those who use it, just don't know it. So, the wisdom that we use in developing godly families is practical wisdom that is given to us through supernatural means.
The clearest list of this practical insight is found in James 3:13,17-19 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

This wisdom begins with purity. Pure hearts. Pure motives. Honest actions. Psalm 24:4 ask who may dwell in the presence of Father and the answer is, "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false." And that is exactly what it means. Let's not try and spiritualize that verse. It means what it says. Clean hands. We want our families to enjoy God's blessings, we must keep our hands clean. Clean feet. Clean mouth. Clean eyes. Clean ears. Clean heart.

"Father, I give my hands to you, so that they may be raised to you in worship and be given to you in service.
I give my feet to you so that they may walk in holiness before you and carry the love of your Son wherever they may journey.
I give my mouth to you that it may sing love songs to you and that it may speak words of encouragement and strength to the fearful and weak.
I give my heart to you so that it my be filled with love for you and that it might break for the lost and sorrowful.
I give my eyes to you so that they may see your good works and the path you have laid for me.
I give my ears to you that they may turn from profanity, hear your voice, and respond to the cry of the hopeless and helpless.
I give all to you that I may be a trophy of your grace, raised to new life for your glory."

The other ways that this "practical " wisdom of God is worked out in our lives is that it is peace loving, considerate, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere(which means "without hypocrisy). Wow! And what is the fruit of all of this? Vs 18 says that those who operate in this dimension will raise a harvest of righteousness. Think about that for a moment in the task of building families. What is the better option, parents? Simply raising kids, following the worlds wisdom, or raising a harvest of righteousness in our kids?

I know that all of this will take a major attitude adjustment for most of us. After all, why would any parent want to be considerate of their children. Are they not meant to be seen and not heard? Is it not true that theirs is not to reason why, theirs is but to do or die? Are they not supposed to hop when mom and dad speak, regardless? There are many so called "parenting skills" that are so contrary to the way Jesus showed us. It is no wonder that we are raising a harvest of hooligans in stead.

I heard a story of one mom who discovered the truth of some of this when she determined that she was going to quit yelling at here young son, and that she was going to try and be more considerate. The very day after she made this promise, her boy came bursting through the door after school, threw his bag on the floor, and ran up to his room without even greeting mommy. She was about to scream up to him to "get back down and straighten up, or suffer the consequences", when she remembered her promise. Instead, she took a few deep breaths, and went up to his room. She opened the door quietly, and went to his bed where the little soul lay sobbing his heart out. "What's the matter son?" she asked, placing her arm around him. She immediately felt him relax as he threw himself into her bosom and explained that it had been the worst day in his life at school. Everything had gone wrong. O how glad mom was that she was now able to be a considerate, merciful, sincere peacemaker and plant perhaps the first seed of righteousness into that little boy's heart.

Parents, I am not saying "drop the discipline". I am not even saying "spare the rod". I am saying that the way we build families God's way is to temper our discipline with godly wisdom.
If we are going to win the battle for our families, we must recognize that Godly wisdom is paramount. Godly wisdom is Practical, and in the third place,

III. Godly Wisdom is Possible

James 1:5-8
You may say, "Yes, I know that godly wisdom is the answer, but how do I acquire that kind of wisdom? Do I have to go to Seminary? Do I have to take a special course on philosophy? How is it possible? You may feel helpless and hopeless. But there is good news. It is easier than you think. Simply ask the Father. James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

You see, it is a process. As we come to know more about the Father, He imparts more of His wisdom to us. The more we come before Him in our relationship with Him, the more we draw from Him the wisdom that we need. Even Jesus when He started out had as a man to grow in wisdom. Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Yet at the end, look what those church members in Nazareth said of Him in Mark 6:2. "When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. 'Where did this man get these things?' they asked. 'What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!" How did Jesus grow in this wisdom? In the same way that you and I are able to. He sought it from the Father. Matthew 14:23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…
Mark 6:46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

Family, we can count on God for His wisdom. He lacks nothing and He has invited us to come to Him with our questions, our doubts our anguish and our pain and ask of Him, believing that He is the way, truth and life, that He is able to do what he says and he will do it. Godly wisdom is possible here and now. We do not have to go to the other side of the universe to receive it. We do not have to go into the heavens to receive it. It is available to everyone who is prepared to come to that place of total dependence on God.

Now there are some things that we must do. We have already seen that we must ask. There are some other things that we can do in order to obtain this wisdom which is from above. Prov. 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. "There must be a return to the fear of the Lord. That means that we must come to the place that what God says is authoritative, What god promises is true. What God commands, must be obeyed. We must elevate our understanding of exactly who He is. We somehow think today, that what the Scriptures give us is nothing more than a smorgasbord of ideas. Some we can choose to follow and obey, others we can discard, as and how we see fit. Whatever is good for us. You see, that is because we have become so out of touch with the author. He is the God of this universe. He has the power in his hands to give and to take life. He sustains every ounce of life that exists today. If he removed his hand from this universe, the thing would explode. It cannot exist without Him, and nor can any system or institution survive without a commitment to follow His original design. This is what I believe it means to fear God. It means to recognize who He really is. To honor and revere and obey and love and worship Him. That, precious family, will be the beginning of wisdom.

When we have that understanding of and relationship with God, then He will impregnate us with His wisdom and His thought will become our thoughts and His ways our ways. Remember when He spoke to the Israelites at Mt Sinai, when He told them that if they would obey His commands and follow His instruction that He would become their God and they would become His people. He was speaking about a special relationship with them. He promised to make them a special treasure, A peculiar treasure, set apart for special treatment by Him. They were to become a royal priesthood, a godly nation. They would be able to draw upon all of the resources that He owned in the heavenlies. They would never be alone again.

This must be our response to God. And when it is, all of the riches of Solomon and all the wisdom of Solomon, the richest and the wisest man in the world will pale in comparison with what God will give us in the way of resources to develop good families. Paul affirms in 1 Cor. 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"--
That is the key. Strong families are developed by being good families. The good things are the godly things. This will be our victory. This is the way it will turn around.