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Godly Wisdom |
Dear Brethren,
Do we put our trust and hope for our future in the
hands of men, or do we literally trust in God? This world would be a different place if men
and women would crave true wisdom. Have you ever noticed how Congressmen announce the
passage of a new piece of legislation that they have just hammered-out? They each step up to
the microphone and take their turn congratulating one another and praising their own intelligence
and wisdom. Time will reveal if the judiciousness of the lawmakers is wisdom or foolishness.
In most cases, we do not have to wait in order to be able to discern that they lack
Godly wisdom. "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."
(1Corinthians 3:19)
Godly Wisdom is how we put every principle, virtue, attitude and value of
Jesus Christ into every aspect of our daily lives - then we begin to
put on the wisdom of God.
One of the biggest problems in the world today is the near total lack of the use of
wisdom. Godly wisdom is direct, modest,
harmonious, moderate, compliant, willing to yield, full of
compassion, replete with good works, impartial, and sincere. "The
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated [approachable,
willing to yield and compliant], full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
(James 3:17-18)
We can differentiate between the wisdom of Congress and God’s wisdom
when the facts of their conclusions are not in accordance with God’s
Law. "This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly,
sensual, devilish." (James 3:15) Man does not naturally
possess Godly wisdom. It is a Godly commodity, a spiritual gift -
given by God.
Most unwise and foolish decisions
arise out of the fact that people are driven by competition, greed,
hatred, control, power, lust, jealousy, pride, ego, and arrogance.
Unless men are led by God's Holy Spirit, their decisions are
not motivated by the wisdom of God.
The code of hard work, sacrifice,
saving, honesty, solvency, law-abiding, altruistic respect, planning
and discipline, is fast fading from the American scene. In its
place is the increasing impulse of self-interest, privilege,
gluttony, envy, ungovernable desires, lewdness, with no appreciation
for the sanctity of life or the rights of others. "In the last
days, there shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts."
(2Peter 3:3)
Our society is moving rapidly in the direction of a Godless culture. Godly wisdom does not
exist. More and more, every segment of society has less and less to do with
Godly principles. The Godless void begins with our country's
leadership. Very soon, we will arrive at the point where a majority
of the people of our country will choose self-gratification over
principle. They will choose expediency over morality. Then they
will govern this nation with all ungodly wisdom.
And when they do, our nation will go downward into an irreversible
plunge into the deep abyss of corruption and decadence – from which
there will be no return.
How can we have Godly wisdom?
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to
all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
(James 1:5) How do we ask God for wisdom? That is the important
question. “O God, give me wisdom,” is a rather abrupt prayer.
There is more to asking for Godly wisdom than just uttering those
five words. But, that sounds easy to those who look at their
religion in a superstitious manner. Just asking, like that, is not
all there is to growing in wisdom! Wisdom is the insight and
character to apply knowledge and understanding in our lives – we are
not born with it, and it does not come naturally.
"Reverence for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
(Proverbs 9:10)
Certainly we go to God – He is the
correct source of wisdom. "Every good gift and every perfect
gift [like Godly wisdom] is from above, and comes down from
the Father... But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing
of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
(James 1:17, 6-8) This is the part that we need to understand.
We must come out of the ways of this
world's wisdom and seek the wisdom that is from above. "Who is
a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let
him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in
your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom
descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and
every evil work." (James 3:13-16) God’s wisdom
is pure and innocent; it possesses no ulterior motives.
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| Sermon: |
"Godly Wisdom"
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