MONDAY 14 June 2021 “Wisdom”

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Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

I wonder WHO you would say is the WISEST person you’ve ever known? Where did their wisdom come from and how did it affect their life and yours? There’s never been a time or place where wisdom was not needed, right? Today is WISDOM one of the greatest needs of the people where you live?

We’re working our way through James’ little letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the Roman Empire in the troublesome first century. They were living under tremendous pressure and significant persecution, for being followers of Jesus. As they tried to live God honoring lives in suffering, they found themselves frequently needing wisdom beyond what they had. James knew that, for he too needed much wisdom as one of the leaders of the Jesus movement in Jerusalem, facing severe persecution. James wrote this: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” (James 1:5-8)

Wisdom… we all need it everyday, don’t we? So, what is your definition of wisdom and where have you found reliable, solid, trustworthy wisdom when you needed it? If you have advised others where to find wisdom I wonder what guidance you have given them? Have you noticed the difference between ‘common sense’, ‘knowledge’ and ‘wisdom’? Would you agree ‘common sense’, as the name suggests, is something available to EVERYONE, and gained by simply watching and learning from what they see in the lives of people all around them. Are you a naturally observant, inquisitive, learning person? Have you found when a business is needing new leaders at all levels of their organization, they often first look inside, at all their current employees, and ‘common sense’ is one characteristic highly valued. Another is ‘teachability’, ‘hunger to learn and grow.’ When you look back over your life, when were you most hungry to learn and what did you do with what you learned in that season of your life?

Knowledge is information, understanding gained through education or experience or training or observation, right? Everyday, constantly, your heart and mind is being deluged with information. Developing the filters needed to protect your mind and heart from bad information, deceitful information, is vital, but also categorizing all the useful information you receive so you can use it when you need it, is so very important, isn’t it? Increasingly we need very good filters to be able to discern what is truth, or distorted truth, or manipulating lies. Sadly we are deluged daily with harmful, untrue information which can lead us to very poor choices. Do you know what “information overload” is? And what specific things are you doing to prevent ‘information overload’ or intake of wrong or destructive information? If you are a parent or grandparent, how are you teaching your descendants HOW to filter information, how to retain good information and reject bad information and wisely use information?

And then there’s wisdom! Did you know that when King Solomon inherited the throne of Israel from his father David, one of the most significant things Solomon did, very early in his kingship, was to seek an audience with GOD? 2 Chronicles 1 says “Solomon went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s Tent of Meeting was there…so Solomon inquired of God there, and offered a thousand offerings on the Altar before the Tent of Meeting. That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him ‘Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.’ Solomon answered God…’Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead this people…” Now pause right here a moment. Have you ever felt you were in something way over your head? The expectations upon you, the responsibilities entrusted to you, were simply so great you felt terribly inadequate? That’s what Solomon felt. Leading a nation is a gigantic responsibility, but leading a nation of God’s people, to be obedient to God and follow God’s purpose for them…well that’s a super human task! That’s why Solomon requested God’s wisdom. May I ask, if God were to someday give you the same offer, inviting you to ask for anything… what would you request of God?

Listen my friends, to God’s response to Solomon’s request for wisdom: “God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, nor for long life, but you have asked for wisdom to govern My people, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you such as no king before or after you will have.” (2 Chronicles 1:8-12) And my friends listen to this description in the record of Solomon’s kingship: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart…” (2 Chronicles 9:22,23)

Perhaps you know the book of Proverbs in the Bible is hundreds of wisdom statements from king Solomon. The first seven chapters all begin with the same appeal from king Solomon to his sons:

“Listen my son to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching…” (Prov. 1:7)

“My son, if you accept my words…turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding … then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom…” (Prov. 2:1-6)

“My son, do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.“ (Prov. 3:1-6)

May I ask my friends, how often do you turn to the great wisdom found in this remarkable book of Proverbs? Did you know there are 31 chapters, thus a nice fit for the calendar, reading one chapter of wisdom per day?

James wrote that we should do as Solomon did… request wisdom from God! Further, James says faith in God and trust in the wisdom God provides is essential. Doubt of God, second guessing God’s wisdom, will undermine your ability to understand, trust and apply that God given wisdom. That’s why this verse of wisdom is repeated several times in the Bible: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7) Do you have a deeply rooted respect for the Holiness, the Majesty of God and do you tremble when you see something in your life which dishonors God?

Next James says DOUBT is like a churning ocean, with waves blown here and there by the wind. Does that sound familiar? Years later, Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus that a healthy church is one where people are hungry to learn and integrate God’s truths into their lives. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” (Eph. 4:11-16)

My friends, may I ask you, how did COVID affect your spiritual appetite, your hunger to know God, to understand God’s Word, or your hunger for the Holy Spirit to apply God’s truth into your life? As nations are beginning to reopen post COVID, what role do you see the followers of Jesus have strategically filled in this global pandemic? Oh my friends, I believe God’s people, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom, are among the most valuable people in the world right now…everywhere in the world! Only God’s wisdom can lead us forward into the unknown future, which is known only to God!

Finally do you see James warned that a double minded person, a person being blown this way and that by doubt, is of little value to society, “He is unstable in all he does.” James wrote. Have you found that to be truth, especially in this last year or so? Listen to a wise word from God through Solomon’s father David: “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth. Give man an undivided heart, that I may fear Your Name! “ (Psalm 86:11) Oh my friends, this is who your family, your community, your business, your church desperately needs you to be! You become that type of person when you ‘walk closely with Jesus’ and His Holy Spirit fills your heart and mind with God’s wisdom! Here’s a song to help us consider that as you pursue God’s Wisdom. . .

Today’s Scripture is James 1:5-8.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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