Seek Godly Wisdom

What is wisdom? Definition:

1. the quality of having experience [Karen has been with the company 20 years, she has a great deal of wisdom regarding actuary statistics]
2. soundness of actions or decisions - sometimes this is a natural ability but most often it is gained through experience and applying that experience or knowledge [Karen's decision to use the new actuary tables in the Wilson case was a wise decision]
3. a body of knowledge written/oral that develops within a community - the advice of those who had wisdom codified for the benefit of others [Karen has written an orientation handbook for newly hired actuaries, its a great way to pass along the wisdom she has gained and help newbies avoid common mistakes]

We are going to discuss all three senses of wisdom, but we are not going to talk about actuary statistics:

1. The body of knowledge is the holy scriptures "able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus"
2. Soundness of action and decision is godly living through obedience, good works, and following the lead of  the Holy spirit
3. Experience is your perseverance and endurance unto the end

Wisdom in the Bible

Deuteronomy 4:5-7 God’s word as a body of knowledge codified for your benefit so you can avoid common mistakes. The Hebrew word is khokmaw

This khokmaw is the same word used for the wisdom of Solomon. When Solomon was made king. One night as he was praying:

God said to Solomon, "ask Me for what I should give you".

Solomon said, "I lack experience, please give me an understanding heart [mind] so I can better govern as king and make sound judgments that rightly discerns between good and evil"

God said, "Good request, better that wanting riches or long life! I am going to give you a wise and discerning mind like none before you and none who will follow".

Did you know you can make the same request of God? Did you know that He says if you ask for it I will certainly grant your request?

James 1:5 many of us have probably gotten on our knees to pray and asked for this very thing! We usually ask when we are faced with a tough decision, a course of action we are unsure of, we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place… then we cry out for wisdom.

What should I say or do... tell me please... give me wisdom

Who is telling me the truth... give me wisdom to discern

Should I demand my rights... or should I let it go and forgive?

[Jean-Luc Picard example]

We all want wisdom and guidance when we are in a tough spot, but we also need wisdom and guidance to answer life's bigger questions.

1. to understand and discern what is important in life
2. to rearrange or balance our priorities with eternal goals in mind

Getting this right is the substance of making right choices and character... Godly character... and the only thing that matters in the end is the character you build.

God wants you to become wise

Scripture tells us that if we ask for something according to God's will we can have every confidence we will receive it. It is within God's will that you have wisdom.

Godly wisdom has benefits for eternity... and it has benefits for TODAY.

Proverbs 3:1-4

These words are spoken from the viewpoint of a father to his child. Notice that the foundation or base on which wisdom is built are the Father's commands. There are benefits for your physical life... longevity and peace.

The word translated peace is shalom. Its a little word with a lot of meaning packed in to it. The general sense of the word is completeness, wholeness, sound in body, prosperous, quietness and tranquility, contentment, fellowship. Well being that is physical, financial, and social.

Godly wisdom is meant to bring you all these various blessings. Note: some people don't want these, preferring excitement, intrigue, or domination over others.

Godly wisdom is inner integrity, converting who you are from the inside, so Godly perspectives and attitudes be written on the tablets of your heart [which sounds like what's meant to happen within the new covenant].  To change the way you think about life rather than merely changing your external appearance or behavior [compare to other wisdom traditions].

Proverbs 3:5-12 Steps to gaining Godly wisdom

1. Intellectual humility before YHWH - God asks you to do stuff that is counter intuitive. But He has a reason and a purpose behind what He requires. He wants you to live the good life... but first He has to re-define for you what the good life really is.

Your hormones, self preservation instinct, and ego are telling you one thing. Listening to and believing what God your Father tells you is the beginning of wisdom.

1. Submission of material wealth before YHWH - we show our honor toward God with our tithes, beyond what we practice generosity toward others using the blessings God gives us. Godly wisdom understands our material wealth will only be ours for a short time. We can use it in a way that builds in us the mind of God... which is generous, compassionate and wants to build others up.

We may think that being wise with our money means being a shrewd investor but Godly wisdom understands that building everlasting character is truly being wise with our money. God's purpose in blessing us is not so we can enjoy being rich, but that we might grow in Godly wisdom. Honor God with your possessions.

1. Patient acceptance of discipline from YHWH - discipline is different from punishment. The sense here is of training. We tend to think of unpleasant events as punishment... why is this happening to me?... what have I done to deserve this? Godly wisdom helps us see the same events in a different light... as training from a Father who loves us so that we can become something truly wonderful and everlasting.

Proverbs 3:13-18 Wisdom is a Change of Perspective: Building What Lasts

Godly wisdom is better than money... God tells you it will give you a better payback for your investment than silver or gold. God tells you that it is more beautiful and pleasing than fine possessions like jewelry. Plus, its something you can take with you when you die.

Godly wisdom can make your life joyful and pleasant. Don’t look at God's way of life and see only the doors that are closed off to you... "don't go there", “can’t do that”... Be wise and consider all the doors that are open to you... some doors which you didn't even know were there before God brought them to your attention. Doors that lead to shalom.

Finally, Godly wisdom is like the tree of life (vs.18). Developing the mind... the perspective... the attitudes of God are pathway leading out of the curse of death... so you might eat of the tree of life.

Proverbs 3:19-20 Wisdom & Creation

God tells us that the wisdom He is offering is the wisdom upon which the world, the universe, reality, and life itself is built. Think about that...

The principles and approach to life God presents to you in His word are a revelation, a pulling back of the curtain, a glimpse of how life everlasting is actually lived. Its priorities are different, its attitudes are different, its perspective is different.

Much of what folks experience right now is built on lies.

Survival of the fittest... whoever gets the most toys wins... what the flesh desires is natural and therefore good... Each of these is carefully crafted lie or distortion. You truly are living in the Matrix!

Proverbs 3:21-26 What The Father Wants For You

Personal security and freedom from anxiety... every loving parent’s desire for their child.

God does not promise that your life will never have trials, tests, or adversity... but He does promise that He will provide you with a way out. Often times this means physical deliverance. Sometime it means setting our eyes upon the promised path of resurrection, glory, and access to that tree of everlasting life.

You might have street smarts… You might have common sense… You might have people skills... But there are times when even the best practices of all these are not enough without God's intervention and protection.

Godly wisdom is faith and confidence in His power to deliver you from death.

Proverbs 3:27-30 Godly Wisdom is Helpfulness & Goodwill

1. Godly wisdom means to do good when the opportunity presents itself
2. Godly wisdom does not hold back
3. Godly wisdom means to treat our neighbor with dignity and respect. He is protected from any harm from us because we are people of integrity and truth. We are not looking for ways to get the better of him. What a different world it would be.
4. Godly wisdom is careful with words .

Proverbs 3:31-35 Godly Wisdom is not Envious

One of the big questions of those who look to God is: Why do the wicked prosper?

Why is THAT person wealthy... why do people admire HER... aren't riches and honor the blessings God grants to the wise? What about me?

God expects and acknowledges that you are going to have envious thoughts toward people who get ahead by breaking the rules. People who are rewarded for ungodly boldness, violence, or deceit.

God let's you in on a secret. He lets you tap into His wisdom. God tells you what He really thinks about what He sees people doing to themselves and to one another:

1. He detests those who do such things: but He will talk with you and cause you to grow in wisdom
2. He curses people who walk that way: but He will bless your life with fruits of wisdom, tranquility, wholeness, security… shalom.
3. He laughs at them: but he will smile upon you
4. When you rise up in the resurrection you will inherit glory… the fullness of inheritance and son-ship in the family of God will be yours.

When they rise up in the resurrection they will be ashamed of themselves as the reality of God and His wisdom is displayed to them. When the curtain is pulled back. Some might say “ we didn’t know, God never told us, so its not our fault its His. But God says that His wisdom is available to all through the witness of creation... by observing how the world works:

Many have come to the conclusion that humility leads to more satisfying results than pride

Many have come to the conclusion that greed leads to emptiness while generosity leads to a fuller richer life. They can see this by observing the results.

Many have realized that relentlessly pursuing satisfaction of bodily desires [food, sex, drugs, alcohol] is vastly inferior to a life of self control. They see the results. But all too often such lessons are learned too late or after the damage is already done.

To whatever measure people perceive and live by these nuggets of wisdom they are blessed with good fruit. Some will have far less to be ashamed of in the resurrection than others.

The Completeness of God’s Wisdom

You however are a different case. God has called out to you as a Father. For whatever reason He has called you near and opened up the completeness of His wisdom to you. Wisdom that is the basis for life everlasting... You do not have to strain for little nuggets here and there... you do not have to learn the hard way... God your Father is offering you access to all wisdom… now.

He says to you "ask for wisdom and it will be given to you"

Seek for wisdom and you will find it.. this is God’s will for you.