Learning Prov. 1:5 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

A wise man will hear and will increase learning.  How do we learn?  We:

Learn by study – in Deut 17:19 the king learned to fear the Lord by reading the words of God.  Rom 15:4 says, “whatosever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.”  The trouble with people is that they don’t study [2 Tim 2:15].  They study other men’s works and writings about the Bible but they don’t study the words of God.

Learn by instruction – in Deut 5:1 Moses made Israel hear the statutes and judgments so that they would learn them.  We learn by counsel, teachers, parents, coaches, elders, pastors, and the Lord [Is 50:4; Dan 1:17].  If the teachers are bad the learning will be bad; if the teachers are good then the learning will be good.

Learn by experience – this is sometimes called the school of hard knocks.  In Phil 4:11 Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  Laban learned by experience that God blessed Jacob [Gen 30:27].

Learn by observation – this is learning by example.  In Deut 18:9 the Jews were not to learn the abominations of the nations in Canaan [Ps 106:35, but they did].  In Matt 11:29 Jesus said, “take my yoke upon you and learn of me.”  Paul said, in Phil 4:9, “those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do.”  This is why he that walketh with wise men shall be wise but the companion of fools shall be destroyed.  If you let you children hang around fools they become foolish.

Learn by chastisement – Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered [Heb 5:8].  The Psalmist in Ps 119:71 learned the statutes when he was afflicted.  Chastisement is a great way to learn.  If the chastisement is thorough, you will only need it once before you learn your lesson.

Conclusion: if you are intent on learning apply yourself to these things.  If you are intent on teaching others then remember that they learn by these principles of learning.  Children learn from these in reverse order.  In other words, they require chastening early in life and instruction a little later on.  They also must see consistency in your life.  In other words, if they observe in you one behavior at home and another at church, they will learn to be hypocrites.  Be consistent.