04 Wise Up Wisdom in Action

River Church Sermons

Wise Up! #4

Part 4: Wisdom in Action

by Louie Marsh, 11-9-2025

Intro. Continuing our series on Wisdom. Need for wisdom shown this week by couple who were drinking and driving with some dynamite in car. Thought it would be funny to light it and throw it, drank more - if became funnier. Finally they lit and threw it - just one problem - they had forgotten to roll down the car window! They are expected to recover.

1) Get the FACTS

"14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."" (1 Samuel 25:14–17, ESV)

"28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"…"31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace." (Luke 14:28, 31–32, ESV)

· You cannot make wise decisions without data!

· But you can't always be fact gathering!

2) Make A PLAN

"18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19And she said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal." (1 Samuel 25:18–19, ESV)

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Prov.16:3)

· Godly wisdom isn't without thought or plans - God wants us to plan!

· Time spent in creating a good plan is rarely wasted - tho like fact gathering you can't do this forever either!

3) Take RESPONSIBILITY

"24She fell at his feet and said, "On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant." (1 Samuel 25:24, ESV)

The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. (Ezekiel 18:20)

· The Bible teaches that YOU are responsible for YOU!

· Don't play the victim game - take responsibility!

4) Be Painfully HONEST

May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name--his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. (1 Sam. 25:25)

"15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ," (Ephesians 4:15, ESV)

· It's not always easy to tell the truth - but it's the wise thing to do.

· This must have been painful for Abigail - but God blessed her for it

5) Ask For FORGIVENESS

"28Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live." (1 Samuel 25:28, ESV)

· Don't be afraid to admit when you are wrong and ask for forgiveness

· This is the KEY to finding your way to God and receiving His blessings in your life!

6) Solve the PROBLEM

"33Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!" (1 Samuel 25:33, ESV)

"6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you." (Proverbs 4:6, ESV)

· Remember - Godly wisdom is practical - it is seen in good results!

· You must have the faith to act - "But what if I'm wrong?" What if you ARE?

· Go back to #1 - and work your way through this wisdom loop

7) Be REWARDED

"39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head." Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife." (1 Samuel 25:39, ESV)

"14Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off." (Proverbs 24:14, ESV)

· Living by God's wisdom brings God's blessings into your life.

· Ultimate blessing - salvation!