Comfort and prosperity?
Persecution and trials?
Growth in wisdom and understanding? Satisfaction with what we already know?
God’s will?
Proverbs 4:7 NKJV
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
So if wisdom is the principal thing, how do we get it? Don’t we get it by seeking it?
Jam 1:5 (NIV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Yes, we seek wisdom through our prayer and time in the Word of God.
But many will say, “but that sounds like a lot of work.” And not to cast stones, but the foolish words of men betray the true desires of their hearts. How can we say that we believe, that we value God’s presence and guidance in our lives if we aren’t demonstrating that we value His guidance by seeking Him daily?
Yes, our actions betray who we truly are on the inside. They betray who we truly value and worship is ourselves, not God. We have set ourselves upon a throne of our own worship, treating God like a servant that we call upon to fetch us something that we need when we can’t do it for ourselves.
Oh, we are a faithless and lawless generation, friends!
I cannot fathom how deep the mercy and grace of God is, so that He might tolerate such an evil and wicked and rebellious life as mine has been.
So are we seeking wisdom? Do we really want what Good has to offer – a redeemed life of repentance and righteousness?
Or are we lukewarm, wanting to claim salvation in order to avoid punishment and receive rewards – but are really unwilling to see any change in our hearts and lives?
We gain wisdom by seeking wisdom. It sounds simple, but it is deep. Because understanding is found in knowing that the well of wisdom is so deep that we never “arrive” when it comes to wisdom.
The more wisdom that I gain, the more I am humbled by both how unwise I have been in my life and actions and by how much more there is to learn.
Gaining worldly knowledge makes us puffed up, because knowledge can be obtained and held in our hands. Once we learn a mathematical formula, it is our knowledge and we can master it and use it in our lives. And those with much knowledge may look down on those who do not have knowledge because they feel like they possess more than another.
But wisdom is different from knowledge. Wisdom teaches us about ourselves. Wisdom humbles us, because we are not masters of the subject matter – in fact, as we reach forth to grasp it and hold it and master a point of wisdom, we find that it has moved just a bit further past our fingertips.
Wisdom is never ending, wisdom is not something possessed, but is something that we choose to seek. And this continual seeking, being humbled by the never ending quest, but faithfully trusting and following – this is understanding.
Knowledge is profitable in controlling and managing this physical world around us.
However, worldly knowledge without wisdom produces pride.
Godly wisdom produces humility.
Discernment is grasping the difference in the two.
Understanding is the ongoing application of this Truth.
What we do with this understanding tells us the desires of our heart.
So what are we seeking today, friends?
Something that we can claim? Something that we can grasp and own?
Or something that will humble us, grow us, and push us to keep on seeking God’s will and purpose for our lives?
Hopefully we aren’t complacent, lukewarm, and stationary in our life – if we are, we better check our pulse, we might be dead – there might not be any blood flowing through the veins of this dead corpse of a body.
Arise.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I call you to arise from your grave.
Stand up, walk, live in Christ today, friend.
WE are not meant for death.
Know wisdom, know Faith, know His Love and Mercy.
Show His Love and Mercy.
Be the Christ in YOU today.
LIVE!
ADDITIONAL READING
http://www.acts17-11.com/know.html
Harold J. Ballinger 