james 1:5-6

Thursday March 17th-Wisdom!

5:00 PM

 



                   

Wisdom is the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.

Knowledge, is information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance.

Knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not the other way around. One can be knowledgeable without being wise.

James 3:13-18- talks about two kinds of wisdom

How can you tell between Godly wisdom and earthly wisdom?

Wisdom from above

·      Pure, peaceable, gentle reasonable

·      Full of mercy and good fruits

·      Unwavering and without hypocrisy

When God asked Solomon what he wished for he asked the Lord for wisdom in an understanding heart to discern between good and evil.  I Kings 3:5+9

Wisdom not from above

·      Earthly-earth and world

·      Natural-nature

·      Demonic-evil spirit

·      Double minded and unstable in all their ways

·      Lie against the truth

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. 1 Corinthians 3:19a

If we are not spending time in God’s Word how will we know what is His wisdom from above?  There are many who have good knowledge but do they really have the right wisdom? 

For instance many say that one has to forgive oneself to be set free from what bothers them.  But, my bible tells me that God says in 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Only God can forgive us.  We cannot forgive ourselves.  It is a matter of whether we believe that God can.

Sometimes just the like the father in Mark 9:23-24 - and Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.

Selah,

Lyn

 

 

 

2020 Women in the Word

Walking in Wisdom - Bible Study (January 6th)

4:18 PM


Hi ladies! I pray that you all had a very blessed holiday! With Christmas behind us our attention now turns to not merely a new year, but the new decade ahead! And if you’re like me, a new year means time to take stock of the past and set goals for the future. 

First on my list is to grow closer to the Lord and dive deeper into His Word. If you too share this same desire, I hope you’ll join our study through the New Testament entitled, “Walking in Wisdom”,  starting January 6. 

Each morning Monday through Friday one of our writers will post her message on the reading of the day and encourage you to share your thoughts, questions, experiences, and anything else you feel led to share. Saturday we’ll have Scripture to memorize, and Sunday a reading plan for the upcoming week will be posted. 

I love the quote, “January 1 is the first blank page in a 365 page book, so write a good one!” Here at Women in the Word, we are so excited to worship, learn, grow, laugh, and cry together as women across the world who love the Lord. So join us as we fill in the pages of our book of 2020! ❤️


Join our Bible study at:


Here is the link to the Bible study reading plan we will be following:

Acts

Choosing your battles wisely {Acts 5:17-7:60}

3:32 AM




Acts 6:2-4 English Standard Version (ESV)
 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

This Bible passage teaches us that it's not wise to be involved in everything that is going on around us. Instead, we should select our activities cautiously so we can remain calm and steady in life.
As the early church was increasing in size, so were its needs.
One of the greatest needs was to organize the food distribution to the needy. The apostles chose to focus on preaching, so they left others to run the food distribution program. Each person in a church has a vital role to play in the life of the church.
I believe those in a leadership position in church should never find themselves overwhelmed by responsibilities beyond their callings or skills, but should determine their God-given abilities and priorities and ask or assign others to help.
Another important thing to notice from this portion of Scripture is the requirements for the men who were to handle the food program: they needed to be full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom.
People who work closely with others should have these qualities. On the other hand the apostles' priorities were correct. They did not neglect the ministry of the Word because of the administrative operations.


“Choose your battles wisely. After all, life isn't measured by how many times you stood up to fight. It's not winning battles that makes you happy, but it's how many times you turned away and chose to look into a better direction. Life is too short to spend it on warring. Fight only the most, most, most important ones, let the rest go.” 
― C. JoyBell C.



Acts 6:2-4 gives us an example of wisdom. The apostles recognized their need for help in order for their priorities to keep in line and their true assignment to be fulfilled.

God provides for whatever He assigns to us. He will make sure we have all the people we need to help us, but it is not their fault if we will not rely on them. I mean, why would God ask us to do something, to only sit and watch us be frustrated and miserable because the burden is too much? God meets all of our needs including the people we need to work with.

It depends on us to be guided by His Spirit and discern the battles that belong to us and the ones we need to let go. For the sake of our calling and purpose and also for the sake of our peace.

May the Lord guide us with His wisdom in order to discern as well, may He give us the humility to reach out for help when we need to.

Have a lovely blessed weekend,

Love from Botswana

Angie

Complacency

SoulSearching Sunday~Creation

12:00 AM

Sunday, July 8, 2018



Week Twenty-seven

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Isaiah 5 - 35...

 1. Reflect on each of the names of Jesus listed here. When have you encountered Him in each of these ways? What other adjectives describe your relationship with the LORD?

 For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. And the government will rest on His shoulders. These will be His royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

 2. Consider God’s creation. What is most amazing to you about what He has made? In view of God’s supreme purposes in designing the universe and our lives, what can you do to honor His handiwork?

 Should the thing that was created say to the One who made it, “He didn’t make us”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? (Isaiah 29:16)

 3. When has security or a steady routine made you complacent? What was your wake-up call? How can you shake your complacency and move toward complete trust in God and His faithfulness today by doing something totally different?

 Listen, you women who lie around in lazy ease…In a short time - in just a little more than a year - you careless ones will suddenly begin to care. (Isaiah 32:9,10)

Ecclesiastes

SoulSearching Sunday~Power of Love

12:00 AM

Sunday, July 1, 2018


Week Twenty-six

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Ecclesiastes 1 - Isaiah 4...

 1. What does it mean to have “eternity planted in the human heart”? When do you sense that truth in yourself? Beauty? Pain? Longing? As you worship, enjoy the eternal meaning, significance, and joy that comes from God alone.

 God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

 2. When has anger caused you to act foolishly? In what areas, situations, or even times of day do you tend to have a short fuse? How can you remind yourself to see God in a way that honors Him when you face these situations?

 Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)

 3. Remember a time when you felt the power of love. Human love can be strong, but the love of a heavenly Father is stronger still. How do you feel when you ponder the nail prints in Jesus’ hand and feet? Worship God as you contemplate His amazing love for you.

 Place me like a seal over your heart, or like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, and its jealousy is as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it. (Song of Songs 8:6,7) 

 Happy 4th of July everyone! Enjoy!

iWorship Bible

SoulSearching Sunday~Prioritize

12:00 AM

Sunday, June 24, 2018


Week Twenty-five

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Proverbs 21 - 31...

 1. What are your priorities? How could you change your daily activities to align them with God’s priorities of godliness and love? Ask God to help you put first things first. Meditate on His promise that “life, godliness, and honor” will follow.

 Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

 2. List things that you don’t understand about God. For which questions would you be able to find answers? Which questions require submission and trust? Humbly praise God for His unsearchable greatness and His mysterious and wonderful ways.

 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in His fists? Who wraps up the oceans in His cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is His name-and His Son’s name? Tell me if you know! Every Word of God proves true. He defends all who come to Him for protection. (Proverb 30:4-5)

 3. What people do you regularly encounter who could be described as poor and helpless? In what ways could you speak up for them? How do you feel when you consider the fact that service to others is service to God Himself?

 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. (Proverbs 31:8,9)


building up

By Wisdom a Home is Built {Proverbs 24}

8:00 PM



One of the most beautiful pictures God ever designed has been His plan for the family, for here we have the picture of the trinity on display. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit- the three are One. On earth we have husband, wife and child(ren)- the three are one family. Can you see why God’s enemy is so set on destroying the family?

If he can destroy the family, he robs God of His glory, but here at the beginning of Proverbs 24 Solomon gives three beautiful ways to help us, not only exist, or live, but to flourish in our marriages and families:

By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.


God’s plan for marriage is simple: wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. I know some of you may be thinking it can’t possibly be that easy, but let’s do a bit of investigative work and you just may come around! I like how Chuck Swindoll defined these for us:


“By wisdom a house is built....”

First, let’s lay the foundation. The word built comes from the Hebrew word that means “to restore.” It’s the same word God uses when He took the rib from Adam’s chest and rebuilt it into a woman. God says it takes wisdom to build this kind of house. Wisdom essentially means “seeing with discernment.” It’s the idea of seeing the broad picture of something. When you choose to look at the broad picture rather than the petty details, you build a strong foundation.

“By understanding a house is established....”

Established in Hebrew means to set in order something that is cluttered or to stand upright something that has fallen. If wisdom is seeing with discernment, then this second piece is responding to what you see with insight. How can you do that? With understanding.

In other words, an irritation I would normally take personally, I don’t take personally any longer. A conflict that cuts into my plan will not irritate me if I have wisdom and understanding. I will see it as God sees it, as good or necessary for me at this time.

“By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

Knowledge implies “perception” here. It carries with it a sympathy that comes with learning. As I grow in knowledge of my spouse/children, I increase in my perception of him/her. I say with my actions: I am listening. I am learning. I am open. Knowledge, when it’s combined with wisdom and understanding, Proverbs says, fills your home with precious and pleasant riches. What does that mean? It means your relationship will be filled with the things that won’t burn up if a fire strikes.


As you read over this did you begin to see how crafty our enemy is? He’s convinced so many families today that all they need are more “things”- more activities, more money, a better job, home, surroundings. Families are busy, busy, busy filling their lives with good things! After all we all want well rounded children, but have we forfeited the very best for our families for “good things”?


  • If so, by wisdom it can begin to be restored.
  • By understanding it can be righted.
  • By knowledge the home can be filled with precious and lasting qualities.


We simply need to begin by asking the Lord to build within each of us a heart of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. May He begin in us, and then may it spread like fire through the rest of the family, neighborhood, community and beyond!

Blessings!

sue

Daily Seeking God

SoulSearching Sunday~Seek and Patience

12:00 AM

Sunday, June 17, 2018


Week Twenty-four

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Proverbs 10 - 20...

 1. When did you reap the benefits of discipline or correction? How could self-discipline improve your worship habits? What steps can you take to be more disciplined in your relationship with God?

 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. (Proverbs 12:1)

 2. What goals and dreams are you currently pursuing? How do they fit in with what you understand of God’s purposes for your life? Ask God to help you worship through a life of plans committed to Him.

 Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

 3. When, recently, did you act without taking enough time to think and to seek God? What happened? What would you have done differently if you had waited on the LORD? Ask God to show you how to offer Him your gifts, time, and energy as a sacrifice of praise.

 Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way. (Proverbs 19:2)



iWorship Bible

SoulSearching Sunday~Wisdom

12:00 AM

Sunday, June 10, 2018


Week Twenty-three

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Psalm 141 - Proverbs 9... 

 1. What tends to weigh you down and trip you up? When, specifically, did you sense God helping you up or lifting your load? What burden can you put into the LORD’s hands today, trusting Him or the outcome? 

 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads. (Psalm 145:14)

 2.  Think of a sunrise you watched. Compare the way God’s light dispels the darkness of sin with the way the sun illumines the earth.  Write a prayer of illumination, mentioning specific areas in your life where you need God’s light to shine.

 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. (Proverbs 4:18)

 3. How is the fear of God different from the strong negative emotion associated with other fears? In what ways does your knowledge of God affect your fears? Today, claim freedom from your own personal fears as you worship the Holy One.

 Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)


Angie Benjamin

Wisdom and Understanding {Psalms 4:1-5:23}

11:00 PM





Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.- Proverbs 4:5


What have you done, or will you do, today, to get wisdom and understanding? 
Solomon exhorted his son not to only get wisdom, but to remember it and follow it at all times.

What a beautiful privilege we have that The great God has offered wisdom and understanding to  us, simple men. Have you taken advantage of the gracious privilege? If so, you are indeed blessed.


If you want to achieve success before God and men, you must get wisdom and understanding; you must not forget wisdom once you learn it; and you must not backslide away from obeying it. These duties would make Solomon’s son a great king, but they can also make you successful in your different roles in life.

The first instruction is to get wisdom and understanding.

So what is wisdom and what's understanding?

Wisdom is the most important matter in life.  

It is the power of right judgment. It is the ability to choose the correct solution in any situation. It is knowing how to think, how to speak, and how to act to please both God and people throughout life.

Wisdom is the basis for victorious living. Without wisdom, we make choices that bring pain, poverty, trouble, and even death. With it, we are able to make choices that bring health, peace, prosperity, success, and life. Our future depends on our degree of wisdom.

Understanding is connected to wisdom, and it is also an important goal. Understanding is the power of discernment – to see past what meets the eye and recognise the actual "pros  or cons" of a thing. It is the ability to grasp a matter or situation and assess it correctly.

Without understanding, we can easily be deceived and led astray. Without understanding,  we can easily be confused and perplexed. On the contrary, with it we can be able to see what others miss, and we can be able avoid the snares and traps of folly and enticing sins. With understanding, life’s difficulties become quite simple.


The only source document for wisdom on earth is the Bible, for any other source document is darkness:

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.- Isaiah 8:20

 The inspired Scriptures are perfect for teaching wisdom (II Tim 3:14-17). They are source of light (II Pet 1:19-21). It should be your daily delight (Job 23:12; Ps 19:10).

But when digging in the Scriptures it is important to remember that without the blessing of God’s Spirit, neither reading the Bible nor hearing preaching will work. Paul prayed for the Ephesian saints to be enlightened by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know the things of God (Eph 1:17-18; Ps 119:18). God has promised to give wisdom and His Spirit liberally to those who ask for them (James 1:5; Luke 11:13).




The second instruction given in this proverb is to remember what you learned.

Paul feared for the Corinthians, for they had forgotten his teaching about the resurrection:

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (I Cor 15:1-2). 

It is our duty to meditate upon things we are taught and not let them slip away (Pr 6:20-22; Heb.2:1-4).




The third and final instruction, and perhaps the most important is to obey in conduct.

Solomon encourages not to backslide, but to hold tight the apostolic faith without wavering and not be moved away from the true gospel and so does Paul:

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.-II Thess 2:15

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.-Heb 10:23

We are often reminded of be doers and not just hearers. To do what we hear, for hearing by itself does not please God, and hearing without doing is a sin (James 1:21-25; James 4:17; Luke 8:11-18).

Most men get distracted pursuing all kinds of other things. It is our duty and privilege to consider the wonderful opportunity of wisdom and seek it with all our might.

We pray to God to grant us the wisdom and understanding to walk in His ways! Amen

Have a lovely weekend sisters,

Love from Botswana,
Angie x

practice

What I Would Say to the Class of 2018 {Proverbs 1&2}

8:00 PM



 I’m quite certain I will never be asked to give the commencement speech to any graduating class, but if I were, I believe I would speak on the values of not only reading, but following the Book of Proverbs daily. Perhaps titling my speech, A Proverb a Day Makes a Body … well, I’ll need to work on the title later.  

Anyhoo, the Book of Proverbs, for the most part was written by King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, for his son. He states that himself at the beginning, “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel” and goes on to add that the purpose for reading should be,

 “for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.” Proverbs 1:2-6.

I was once told long ago that, “Every answer to every question one could possibly have in this life is found in The Book of Proverbs!” Imagine for a moment- every question? What would you like to know? Are there any questions pertaining to life that you’ve wondered about?

Within this book lies our guide to this life, if you’re willing to do a little digging! There are 31 chapters in this book and 31 days in some months. If you were to read one chapter a day, coinciding with the calendar, just imagine the wisdom you’d glean in just one year’s time!

I recommend  starting out with a question and then as you read along, highlight everything you find pertaining to that question. For example, an a young mother,  I was once horrible at discipline. My children were getting away with much more than they should’ve been, and the enemy had convinced me that if I began to discipline them as I should that, that’s all I’d be doing all day! BUT, when I finally got serious and started not only investigating, but also following all that Proverbs had to say, I found quite the opposite happened! A peace came over my home!! Yes, peace!  When my children realized momma meant what she said, they stopped misbehaving. We actually got to enjoy one another and our time together!

The Book of Proverbs also has a LOT to say about our words. Too many words spoken at all the wrong times was another issue I struggled with. In fact, I left my kitchen facet dripping for weeks, perhaps months, I can’t remember exactly now, until I nailed down that, “A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip on a rainy day.” (Pr. 27:15) I needed to stop nagging! I had to learn to lovingly state what I had to say once, and then turn it all over to God and remain quiet. That also brought peace in our marriage and home! But, I must also tell you, that the Holy Spirit still quite often has to remind me about that facet.

Do you see the pattern here? It’s not just the gleaning of wisdom that’s important it’s in the doing! It's not enough to simply know God’s Word, we need to apply it, for then we’ll also be sharing it with others when they see God’s message lived out through our lives.

Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, but he failed in following his own wisdom. The very next verse he wrote on Proverbs 1 was, “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.” (Pr. 1:7). If we were to read the accounts of Solomon’s life we’ll see that somewhere along the way, Solomon seems to have stopped fearing God,

“But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites - from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.” 1 Kings 11:1–8

Solomon failed in heeding his own warning in Proverbs 2:10-16, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; to deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.”

I'm thankful Solomon took the time to write this wisdom down for us, but we all need to remember that his life is a perfect testimony to the fact that it isn’t enough to gain wisdom, we must live it out, and only then we’ll be blessed and be a blessing to others as well!

discipline

Scripture Saturday~Knowledge

12:00 AM

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Welcome to Scripture Saturday!





Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

 This coming week's memory verses are Proverbs 1:7...

 Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline. (NLT)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

happiness 1 Kings 3:5

Happiness = Wisdom {1 Kings 1:1 - 4:34}

12:30 AM


Imagine if you heard God ask you, “What do you want?  Ask, and I will give it to you!” (1 Kings 3:5b).  What would you ask for? 

Image result for wisdom

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I would be writing about wisdom today.  You see, I could probably find in my journals 100’s of times that I’ve asked for wisdom and what happens when you gain wisdom?  Happiness.  Yep, you gain happiness.  Just listen to Proverbs 8:32-36.  Here wisdom is speaking and she says, “And so, my children, listen to me, for happy are all who follow my ways.  Listen to my counsel and be wise.  Don’t ignore it.”  Do yourself a favor and GET WISDOM!  Proverbs 16:16 says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, and understanding than silver!”

What do you chase after day after day?  Last week I wrote about accumulating stuff and sharing what we acquire.  But why aren’t we chasing after eternal happiness?!  We spend a lifetime chasing after happiness and if we do not have the wisdom to seek God in it, then we will find it in whatever substitutes the world has to offer.  “Terrorists may find it in shooting presidents and popes.  Executives may find it in climbing the corporate ladder.  Athletes in breaking world records.  Scholars in publishing books.  Gamblers may find it in Reno.  Musicians in selling millions in records.  The sources where people seek happiness apart from God are countless:  drink, drugs, sex, suntans, televisions, tubing, eating, talking, walking, etc., etc.  But the happiness that these things bring is not true and lasting.  It is not ultimate and eternal.  It is not the joy for which we were made.  And, therefore, it leaves us unsatisfied, frustrated, incomplete, knowing that there must be something more.  But that ultimate and eternal happiness that we crave is only found in wisdom.”  John Piper

What are the characteristics of a person who has wisdom?  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding.”  Proverbs 9:10.  It is fearing to run away from Him.  It means fearing to seek refuge and joy and hope from anywhere other than from God.  It means fearing that to stop trusting and depending on God and look to anything else to meet our needs. 

A wise person is characterized by humility.  “When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.”  Proverbs 11:2.  A proud person does not fear the Lord.  But a person who fears the Lord is humble, because she depends on God for everything.  Humility is the foundation for other aspects of godly wisdom because humility is teachable and open to change.   Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon a rock.”  Matthew 7:24.   So hearing and doing God’s Word would be a good definition of godly wisdom.  

If you are seeking happiness then God’s Word is a divine prescription for how to finally be cured of all unhappiness. 

But what happens when you are in a situation that God’s Word just does not speak directly to your dilemma?  1 Kings 3:16-28 is like a soap opera to me and makes me smile at how this all works out for Solomon.  There was no biblical command to tell Solomon what to do when these two prostitutes claim the same baby.  Wisdom must go beyond knowing and doing God’s Word.  Wisdom must include a sensitive and mature judgment of how the fear of the Lord should work itself out in all the circumstances not specifically dealt with in the Bible.  It’s like what Paul calls in Romans 12:2, a “renewing of the mind”, and in Colossians 1:9 when Paul says, “So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you.  We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.”   It’s so tough when there is no clear word from God, but when we saturate our minds and hearts with God’s Word that we gain spiritual wisdom to guide us in all situations.

How?  How do we get wisdom?

  1. Desire wisdom.  Proverbs 4:8 says, “Prize her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you for your embrace.”  Proverbs 2:4 says, “Seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure.” 
  2. Since wisdom is found in the Word of God, we must apply ourselves in study and meditation to know the Word and do it.  “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”  Psalm 19:7
  3. Pray.  Solomon asked God for wisdom (1 Kings 3:11).  James probably says it best, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.”  James 1:5.  If wisdom leads to true and lasting happiness and we are not born with it, it’s a gift from God and if we are to “get wisdom”, we must pray.
  4. Think about our death.  Psalm 90:12 says, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”   Talk about purging our priorities! 
  5. Come to Jesus!  “The queen of the south will also rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon.  And now someone greater than Solomon is here – and you refuse to listen to Him.”  Matthew 12:42.  “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.”  1 Corinthians 1:24  “In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Colossians 2:3



To know and love and follow Jesus is to own the treasure of ultimate and eternal happiness.  So listen to the command, “Get Wisdom”.