God Promises… Wisdom
James 1:5
Introduction-
Last week we started a series called God’s Promises.
We looked at God’s faithfulness and then our faithfulness back to Him.
God promises to be faithful, you can take that to the bank.
He promises that you can trust Him to do the things that He said He would do.
His Word is the Word of truth. He will protect it and you can be assured that He will preserve it to be our guide for our lives now and for eternity.
Joshua 1:8
“Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
We learned that some of God’s promises are complete now, some futuristic, and some are conditional.
He has done some things that you cannot change.
There are things like His second coming that will happen one day in the future but we are promised that it will happen.
There are some that are conditional, He did it, we have to respond to Him.
This morning as we pick up another promise, I believe it is conditional.
Today we look at God’s promise of wisdom.
God promises us wisdom, but we will have to respond by seeking out His wisdom.
It is available, but we must ask for it and apply it to our lives.
James 1:5 Text
“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.”
Wisdom is defined by who is asking.
Example:
Today I find people debating things that I have settled a long time ago. I see people looking up to people who I have little respect for because of what they stand for.
Talk to someone else and they would have their own values which will define what truth they will receive.
You have to be able to discern truth and be willing to accept the truth after knowing that you have received the truth.
John Wesley who played a big part in the beliefs of the Nazarenes had what was called the Wesleyan quadrilateral. It was 4 elements that make up a person’s faith and beliefs. It was reason, experience, Tradition and Scriptures. These four elements can also be used to gain us biblical wisdom.
Thoughts of mans truths and then God’s truths
#1-Knowledge gained by living life. (Mans wisdom)
There are some things you learn from being street smart.
You learn lessons by what life has brought your way.
Some lessons are learned because of the mean actions of others. You recognize (learned response) because you have seen it before or have gone through it.
God’s wisdom
God Word tells us that life is not fair.
You do not have to check the scales and believe that everyone is nice and all nice things return nice.
We know Christ suffered and Christ tells us that we will suffer for our faith, for doing the right things, for being honest.
This is not the end of life. There is more and this life is just the beginning.
That would be the experience side of the 4 elements
#2-Knowing how to apply wisdom to our lives (mans)
Some people do not learn from their mistakes, and worse, they repeat them often and wonder why nothing different is happening in their life. (The second mouse usually gets the cheese)
You have to develop a willingness to take action and apply wisdom to your life either by learning from your mistakes or by someone else’s.
Someone else’s is always better, always less painful.
God’s wisdom
You not only own a Bible, but your reading your bible daily. Applying God’s words, applying God’s principals, applying lessons you learned and helping others so that maybe they would not have to learn them the hard way. That would be the Scripture side of the 4 elements.
#3- Understand that wisdom is more than what you see or feel
There are and will be times you have to move forward because it is the right thing to do, conscience has moved you, human compassion has drawn you.
God’s wisdom
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
As a believer, our faith does not rest on what we see or don’t see, it does not rest on what we feel or don’t feel.
We do not live our lives on feelings or by sight, we go and live our lives by faith.
Faith in Christ. That would be the reasoning side of the 4 elements.
#4- Wisdom is being able to anticipate or avoid possible consequences.
Believe it or not, so many people don’t think before they do something, I know it is not you but others that would say if I had it to do over again, I would not have done it, I just was not thinking.
It is more than just being sorry that you got caught.
God’s wisdom
God’s Word tells us that there is blessings for obedience and punishment for disobedience.
He tells us clearly that we will account for our actions.
God gives us wisdom in God’s Word, Preachers and teachers, Mentors who have gotten along side of you to help you journey, and by prayer.
These would be also the four elements of faith and wisdom building going on in your life.
What are you going to do with the information I just gave you?
Are you going to chalk it up as information heard or information received and applied? There is a big difference!
The wisdom of this world is useful.
I believe that we should learn as much as possible.
I also know that the wisdom to survive in this world will come from God almighty.
World wisdom is useful, God wisdom is essential for eternity.
Godly wisdom is what we need to fulfill the purpose that God has for our lives.
Godly wisdom creates wise living! Repeat!
Wisdom is the God-given ability to perceive the true nature of a matter and to implement the will of God in that matter- Dr. Larry Lea
Wisdom is what is true and right combines with good judgment- Bill Hybels
Wisdom is taking what you know and lining it up with God’s Word.
If it does not match up, as a believer you have to change it.
All right, quickly, we know that we need God’s wisdom but how do we get God’s wisdom? Our text this morning:
We have to ask God and be seeking His wisdom. Amen. If we would do that, we would have less problems.
Our lives would not be so complicated because we create complicated and messy lives when do not obey God and do things our way.
Here we go!
I. We have to choose God’s wisdom over worldly wisdom if they conflict with God’s ways.
“If you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Choose God ways over mans ways and ask Him for His wisdom.
We can do by having an active relationship with Him and being in prayer and communication with Him.
Most people do not think of prayer as providing wisdom in a circumstance. Why?
Because we have used prayer as a way to vent to God our displeasures about something that is going on in our life.
Prayer is the key to our relationship with God and our avenue to receive from God the things we are needing and looking for.
You are talking to him about hurts, concerns, challenges, opportunities, and you are asking him for His guidance. He is the key for the direction of your life.
“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17
God never sleeps. He answers prayers everyday.
He may answer yes, no, and wait.
We do not like the wait answer because there is no time period on it.
God gives direction for our lives in the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs are short, memorable sayings who’s meaning are relevant to many different situations.
Finish this Proverb
Proverbs 1:7-
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Let’s try some worldly ones and see if we do better.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Easy come, easy go.
Don’t cry over spilled milk.
We have to choose God’s Word over the world when they conflict, which means we have to be asking God, communicating with God, and seeking out His answers for things in our life.
II. Beginning of wisdom is the fearing of the Lord
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and understanding of God.
The word fear is reverence.
You have to put God where He belongs in your life. Top priority.
People today treat God like an afterthought.
Treat Him like we have an option of wither we will serve and obey His commandments.
We act like we disobey and still expect God to do what we would like him to do and get mad and disrespect him because he has not done what we feel He should do.
I think Abraham Lincoln sums it up best when he said “I have been driven many times to my knees by an over-whelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”
