Worldly wisdom is real and it is dangerous.  No one wants to think so, but everyone is vulnerable to it.  Why are so many people absolutely positive of the path they are following when there are so many different paths to choose from?  How can so many people be wrong?  How can we be sure that we are right?  God has preserved His word, the Bible, for the entire world to see.  But to those He is calling, He has opened the pages of His word to our understanding.  He is guiding us by His Spirit when we follow His lead.  We are advised to come out of the ways of this world that lead only to anguish, hurt, pain and death.  One of the biggest problems in the world today is the near total lack of wisdom, except for worldly wisdom.  The wisdom of this age and culture is alluring to most – even those in God’s Church.

“Worldly wisdom is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness.”  (1Corinthians 3:19)

Most foolish decisions arise out of the fact that people are driven by lust, jealousy, pride, competition, greed, ego, hatred, control and power, but very few are motivated by the wisdom of God.  Corporate America will choose "the bottom line," i.e., profit and money every time over moral and ethical principles, or their civic responsibility to society.  That is wrong.  God through Solomon gave us this right instruction: 

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."  (Proverbs 4:7)

Only Godly wisdom has true lasting value.  Wisdom is the path less taken in this evil world.  When it comes to decision time, we should always ask ourselves, "What is the smart thing to do?"  Not, what is smart in this world's eyes, but what is the wise choice in God's eyes.  In our spiritual lives, we should not be hampered by indecision.  Why?  Because, in most every situation, God gives us the wise answer, if we are willing to look and listen for it.  God says, "Choose life," "Keep the commandments," etc., in effect, making our good decisions for us.  For Christians who are being led by God’s Holy Spirit, when we have to make an important decision, we pray, meditate, fast, measure the options as touching the word of God, count the cost, etc., and then we choose wisely and go forward.  We put our full effort into making it work.  It is not wise to second guess ourselves after having sought Godly wisdom in making the best decision possible.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers 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."  (James 1:5-7)

If we waver, we will not give our maximum effort.  When we render the best choice that we are able to make with the information available at the time, we ask God to bless our decision, and we go with it.  It is like our Christian calling by God (John 6:44,65) - we do not look back.  In faith we move forward.  We do not wonder what would have happened if we had not chosen to follow God's way—we know the answer to that.  When faced by a man who was second-guessing his calling,

"Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."  (Luke 9:62)

Turning our backs on this world and its worldly wisdom and following Godly wisdom in our lives brings us true worth and spiritual substance and real happiness, because it develops God’s righteous character in us.

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Sermon:

"Worldly Wisdom"