Our God of WISDOM
“With him are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding”
Q1: How would you define WISDOM?
Our God is the wisest of all. From Him proceeds true wisdom. Wisdom is one of the communicable attributes of God, which means we can receive this gift as well from Him. Wisdom of God means that when God makes a decision, He already knows the end from the beginning; and paired with omniscience and His righteousness; He always knows the right way. Wisdom goes beyond knowledge and specifies that God always chooses the best goals and the best means to achieve those goals. Scripture affirms God’s wisdom in several places:
He is called “the only wise God”
“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures”
By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
By definition, WISDOM is the ability to discern what's right from what's wrong. It is a gift that gives us the capability to make the right choices or decisions. God's wisdom can make one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city (see Ecclesiastes 7:19). It also preserves the life of its possessor (see Ecclesiastes 7:12).
Wisdom is the perfection of knowledge of the righteous as a gift from God showing itself in action.
Q2: Why do we need God’s wisdom?
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
When making an important decision many people will say follow your heart but the Bible says, the heart is deceitful. Our hearts need to be led, not followed. That’s why we need God’s wisdom, and we need Godly people around us to counsel us and impart wisdom.
When the woman (Eve) saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
God is the definer of what’s right from wrong, not us.
And every time we decide what’s wrong and what’s right, we are rejecting God’s wisdom in our lives. Every decision We make will not be wise if we apply our own wisdom. God said to Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead of listening to God, they listened to satan. That’s why they got deceived.
Who’s voice are you listening to right now?
If that voice is moving you away from God; definitely, that’s satan. Because God offered His wisdom for us so we can come closer to Him. Listen to God.
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
How many times do we make a decision and at the end it leads us to trouble?
How many businesses have you joined and most of them failed?
How many loved ones have we hurt because of a wrong decision we made?
I do, and most of us are guilty of it.
Q3: Share a time when you've experienced a bad or painful consequence due to a lack of wisdom from God. What lesson/s have you learned from that?
3A’s to WISDOM
Why do we need to admit that we are doomed without God’s wisdom?
1 King 3:5-13, 28
5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number
9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern these great people of yours? 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,
12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
Q4: If asked by God for your one wish, what would you ask from GOD? Why?
For us to receive God’s wisdom, first we need to admit that we need it. Like King Solomon, after he received God’s wisdom. he eventually had success and received everything that he did not directly asked God for. Right now, God is asking you “Ask for whatever you want me to give you? What will be your answer?
How can we get wisdom?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
5 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.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Q5: How are Faith and Wisdom connected to each other?
When we ask we should not doubt.
The bible always emphasizes how important faith is.
The bible says that without faith it’s impossible to please God and everyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists. And that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
When we come to God and ask for His Wisdom, the only requirement we need is faith.
AW Tozer says:
"We shall not seek to understand in order that we may believe, but to believe in order that we may understand. Hence, we shall not seek for proof that God is wise. The unbelieving mind would not be convinced by any proof and the worshipping heart needs none."
How true that wisdom starts the moment you believe!
How do we know if God’s wisdom is in us?
We have Joy in the midst of trial
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds - James 1:2
We can Persevere under trial
...because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. - James 1:3
We grow in maturity through trial
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:4
If we have God’s wisdom we will have JOY in the midst of trial. And JOY is the secret to PERSEVERANCE. And perseverance produces MATURITY.
Q6: How are Joy, Perseverance and Maturity marks of God's Wisdom in us?
Two types of wisdom
- Heavenly wisdom
- Demonic wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
True wisdom from God is marked by HUMILITY. Q7: Reflect on this and give examples.
The Bible says humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.
To accept/receive Wisdom is to Accept/receive JESUS.
Matthew 12:42 NKJV
The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. (JESUS)
Why is Jesus greater than Solomon?
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ. 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Jesus is the mystery of God.
Jesus is the wisdom and knowledge of God.
When we have Jesus we have the wisdom of God.
Riches and prestige are not always the true definition or mark of wisdom. True wisdom from God is when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in our life.
...in whom [JESUS] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. Q8: Why are Christians mocked and laughed at in this world?
Q9: How has JESUS' incarnation and plan of redemption become the greatest display of God's Wisdom?
How true is this statement?
I don’t know about you but I'd rather become a fool in the eyes of the world but full of power and wisdom in the presence of my God.
1 Corinthians 1:24-25, 30
24 But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
GOD is calling you, will you come?
Come to JESUS the WISDOM of God. HE will give you righteousness. He will cleanse you and make you Holy just like what He has done for a person like me. And Jesus will take you with Him in the presence of God. Will you receive Him now?