In Search of Wisdom

Dr. Charles Stanley: God has given the gift of wisdom to those who willing to seek it and to understand that he's the ultimate expression of all that we could possibly become because he said he predestined us to become fashioned like his Son Jesus. So, if we're to live our lives out according to his plan, we will live wisely. If we live unwisely, we will live it out in waste, sin, and all the things that make up a life without God.
Dr. Charles Stanley: How can you consistently make wise decisions? It takes more than just good sense. All true wisdom begins with God and only those who have been adopted into his family through faith in Christ can be made truly wise. Today on In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, we'll learn how believers can seek and apply godly wisdom.
Dr. Charles Stanley: So we're going to start with Proverbs chapter two, beginning in verse one. Listen to this. He says, My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom. Incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding, if you seek her, what is that? Wisdom. If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasure, then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Look at this. He stores up wisdom, sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity. God has the best possible plan for every single one of his children. And of course, that plan starts with trusting Christ as personal Savior. And so when we look at these verses, we ask the question, all right, if wisdom is doing things from God's perspective and responding to them on the basis of the truth of the word of God. How do I find wisdom? Where do I go? How do I seek wisdom? So, let's talk about we acquire wisdom by simply by seeking it. And the first passage I want us to look at it's in this second chapter here. He says, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding. That is, if I want to know what God is saying, I've got to listen to him. You say, well, how do I listen to him? You have a spirit within you as a child of God, that enables you to hear the mind and the voice of God and to understand what he has in store for you. So he says, because this is true, it's not automatic. A child doesn't grow up being wise. Now, there are some that are a lot smarter than others, but wisdom doesn't come automatically. It comes from God, and part of that is a gift from God. Then look at the eighth chapter and the 17th verse.
Dr. Charles Stanley: I love those who love me, he says, and those who diligently seek me will find me. Somebody says, I want to be wise. God said, you want to be wise, you seek me, he says, you will find me. You'll discover what wisdom is all about. Then, of course, we acquire wisdom by meditating on God's word. This is God's guide book, and look at this verse if you will. In chapter four, verse 10 and 11, hear my son and accept my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. Now, what is he saying? Is he promising a very, very long life to every single person? No. But notice what he says, accept my sayings, and the years of your life will be many, because if you're living in obedience to God and in wisdom, you're going to have less what? Less worry, less stress, and we can just go right down to the things that kill people. And so wisdom is a very vital part of that. Then look at this. He says, I've directed you in the way of wisdom. I've led you in upright paths. That is, God has given us the pathway. When he gave us his word, remember this. Somebody says, well, that Bible was written years and years and years ago. Listen carefully, here's the key. The scripture was written for people many years ago, but at the same time it was written for them, it was also written for us, who would be following after them. God knew that you and I were coming, and he knew that you and I would need to know the same God they knew. We would need to know how to walk in the paths of righteousness, just like he was speaking to them about it. And so, this is God's word, in other words, this is God's guide book. If you lay the word of God aside, you will not live a life of wisdom. First of all, you will know what it is. You won't know how to identify it. Look at the world around you. They're living a very unwise life, wasting their life, wasting their resources, and sinning against God, rebelling against God outrightly with all kinds of shame and disobedience. Find out how many of those people read the word of God, meditate upon the word of God every day. No. They've already dispensed with the God book. Listen. The God who gave us life. That same God is the God who gave us this word to teach us how to live and how to gain wisdom and to how we can walk wisely. He says, my son, give attention to my wisdom, and incline your ear to my understanding. In other words, not just read through it. This is why I say, for example, meditating upon the word of God. Not just reading through it, he says, give attention to my wisdom, and incline your ear to understanding, which means he is willing to show us in every aspect of our life how to walk wisely. How to make wise decisions, how to make wise choices. And he says, he's willing to do it if I'm willing to incline my ear to understanding. If I'm willing to listen to him carefully, to what he may be saying, and in whatever way he may be saying it, then he says, here's what I'm willing to do. Notice this verse. He says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That means wisdom, watch this, wisdom begins in your life and mind when we begin to reverence God for who he is. He's the sovereign of the universe. He's omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. He's all loving. He's our judge. He is our guide. He's the one who loves us unconditionally. And so, if I'm going to have wisdom, he said, look, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. If I want to know the best plan there is for my life and your life, then what do we do? We go to the one who gives us wisdom and understanding, having created you. He knows all of your abilities, all of your talents, all of your skills. He knows exactly what he had in mind when he created you. And he says, this is what I'm willing to do. I'm willing to help you. I'm willing to enable you to live out your life and not waste it. I don't believe God has days in your life and my life to be wasted. They're to be filled with whatever brings him glory and honor. Sometimes that's rest, but it's the will of God. Sometimes it's extreme labor, and for some, that's the will of God at that point in their life. God has the best for us. And when I looked to see what he says, it's very evident. Look at this next phrase here. We acquire wisdom by praying for it. Now, this is in James. The rest of them are in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs. Listen to what he says in this passage. Now, we know it's his will for us to be wise, to walk wisely. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. It's just that simple. That's not all of it, but it's part of it. Who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. That is, it's God's purpose and plan that you and I would be wise and know what wisdom is. I can tell you, before I get out of the bed every morning, and I'd say every morning, I don't miss any time, I ask God to give me wisdom for the day. Now, I may have the plan and I may have the calendar all out, but I know that luck can change instantly. God, give me wisdom for this day. Let me be sensitive to the people I talk to. Let me hear what they say, what they don't say. Make me sensitive to people's hurts and what they really want to say but don't know how to say it. Make me wise when it comes to my time. Not to waste any, but not to rush through life. Very important, as we think in terms of wisdom, the consequences of not being wise. So, the next thing I want us to notice is this. We acquire wisdom by observing how God works in the world. And I think about in this verse, listen to this. Go to the ants, you lazy person, he says. Observe her ways and be wise. Now, think about this. Of all the things God had said, what is the tiniest little thing that you know that just bugs you when your kitchen gets full of them? Ants. And you've noticed, ants don't just wander around. They have a sense of direction. He says they have no captain, no guide, no compass, nothing. They have a sense of direction. They know where they're going. And if you have ever seen one, you put a magnifying glass on one, it's amazing what a little ant can pick up with a mouth that you can't even see. They're not just floating around, they're going somewhere. So what is he saying? He says, go to the ant, oh slugger, observe her ways and be wise. So, what are the ways of an ant? Organized, energetic, have goals. In fact, when you look at an ant, all of us could take some lessons. And you can just mess up what they're doing. Next thing you know, they're right back at it again. They don't give up. And imagine how large you look to an ant. They're not intimidated. You know why? God created them in this awesome fashion. And I think one of the things that's helped me understand a little bit of God's awesome power and beauty and creativity is photographing animals and so forth. Just give you an example. My friends and I were photographing eagles up in Alaska, and the way we would do that is our boat yard, he would get a bunch of fish and he'd fill them full of air. And so they would float, and then he would throw one out in the water, and the eagles would be sitting around on the tree top somewhere. As soon as that eagle saw that fish, it's amazing what I had. He just lifted those wings and he just trailed off and he'd circled around about three or four times, and then when he was ready to pick it up, he'd drop down to about four feet over the water. And you it's it's is the truth, it sounds like this. And he's got that fish and gone in a split second. You can't wait around. He's got it and gone. Now, I thought that was exciting. One day, because we've done this a number of years, we did the same thing this eagle, threw it out there. This eagle came down, circled around, didn't pick it up. He circled around about three times and didn't pick it up. Next thing I noticed, it's another eagle's there, must have been the baby eagle. And what does he do? He comes down, circles around, don't pick it up. Circles around, don't pick it up, circles around, don't pick it up. You know what mama was doing? She was teaching her young one how to fish. And so, then we threw one out, and uh, mama Eagle comes down, I guess it's a mother. Comes down, reaches those talons down, picks it up and never stops, never slows down, takes it and goes. Next thing you know, throws one out, baby eagle, comes down, sweeps down, reaches down, catches that fish, takes off. And I thought, how smart. How smart. Now this is a bird. And he learned fast how to feed himself. You say, where's God? That's just awesome God. When I think about, when I think about how awesome God is, it just it excites me and thrills me and I think, Father, if you put that much sense on the eagle, what what what how smart we are to be. I'll give you another example. This little bird nest outside the window, and a beautiful little nest, and there were three little babies that we've been watching them, the eggs when they opened up and the babies were in there. And so mama's coming to feed them back and forth. One day it just poured down rain after about the third day. Poured down rain and I thought, oh, they're going to get soaked and wet. Looked out there, mother bird, as a cardinal, spread her wings out over those little birds. Not a drop of water was touching them. Now, who taught her that? We acquire wisdom by observing how God works in the world. And then, of course, we become wise by hating godly counsel. But I want you to notice this passage of scripture here. In 12:15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel. We don't have all the answers, but God has. And sometimes God may send somebody into your life to give you a bit of wisdom that's very important for God's plan for your life. Don't judge people by their education or this, that and the other and so forth. You can't judge them by that. God uses all kinds of people to speak to us. If you're a listener, God will give you discernment of what is right and what is wrong. What is false and what is true, because that's the work of the Holy Spirit. The gift of discernment. If we're going to be wise, we must have him. If we're going to be wise, we must be willing to listen. And people who are listening to God, following his instruction, are people who are the happiest, have the most peace, the most joy in their life. Why? Because they're walking the pathway of wisdom, which is what God wants us all to do. Now, look at this. We acquire wisdom by associating with the wise. So, who are your friends? Are they people that contribute to your godliness? Are they people who contribute to your obedience? Are they people who love you because of your godly influence in their life? Are they, watch this, are they people whom you want your sons and daughters to be like? You see, when he says, we acquire wisdom by associating with the wise, listen, he said, he who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Now, it doesn't get any straighter than that. Look to see who your friends are. Now, let me ask you this. Would you not agree that it said something about your character? If you choose people who are living like a fool. And to some degree you're saying that's what I want to be like. You don't want to be foolish. Look at the consequences of living an ungodly life. And you can't change the scripture. What does it say? Whatever we sow, we're going to reap. Whoever I walk with continuously, I'm going to become like them. It doesn't mean that you can't have some association with lost people because you want to win people to Christ. But he says, listen, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Be wise who your friends are. Be wise who you walk with. And then I want to show you a verse in Ecclesiastes chapter eight, verse one. Look at this. I love this. Are you listening? Say, amen. I know you are, I'm just checking up on you. Look at this verse. Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. It doesn't make any difference how he may be hurting. A wise person, he says, face is going to beam. So, when you go home today, look in the mirror and see if you see sternness or a lightness, a joy, a smile. That's what God said. A man's wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam, shine forth. Something about that personality. You happy? Show it. And if you look at this last verse, and the Bible says it in several different ways. That is, we acquire wisdom as a gift from God. It's in Ecclesiastes chapter two. Look at this verse. For to a person who is good in his sight, that is, God's sight, he has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner, he's given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to the one who is good in God's sight. This to his vanity and striving after wind. He says, you know, when you and I live a life of wisdom, God will use others, for example, who are not wise. He'll take from them and give to his children. Because what does he say? We reap what we sow, and it's not for us to decide where it comes from. Now, when I look at these verses and and all the things that he says about wisdom and how God works and, I want you to go back to Ecclesiastes 10:10 for a moment. And uh, I want you to look at this, because it's a simple verse, but look what it says. If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. This is the way many people are living. They're living their lives out with a very dull axe. That's why it's so hard. That's why it's so difficult. That's why things don't work. For example, if you go to the forest with a dull axe, you'll hit the timber and what happens, it bounces off. And again, it bounces off, again, it bounces off. But when it's sharpened and honed correctly, clip right in there the first time. And there's a chip. People live their life that way. And here's what happens. Foolish living dulls the axe. Godly living, wisdom, sharpens the axe. And notice what he says. He must exert more strength, which means look, it takes more to live out a life of disobedience and rebellion against God than it does a life of wisdom. It is my prayer that you will be wise enough to know that God created you with a plan. He's there to live inside of you with the Holy Spirit and help you fulfill his plan for your life. Don't compare yourself with someone else. What's his plan and what is the pathway he wants you to walk to please and honor him?
Dr. Charles Stanley: Thanks for joining us today for In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. Walking in wisdom begins once you ask God to break sin's grip on you and receive his gift of salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. To learn more about becoming a Christian and maturing as a believer, stop by intouch.org and visit the Today on Radio link to go back over what you just heard. Head to the store page to order a copy of today's complete message, In Search of Wisdom. It's also included in our teaching set, Wisdom from Above. Again, that's intouch.org. Call or text to 1-800-IN TOUCH. You can write to us at In Touch, Post Office Box 7900, Atlanta, Georgia 30357.
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Dr. Charles Stanley: You're listening to In Touch. Things that seem good aren't always the best. With insight for believers, here's a moment with Charles Stanley. He says, listen, he says, you want God's best. You present your body a living sacrifice to Almighty God. You make a full surrender of yourself to him, and do not allow yourself to be pulled away and remodeled and shaped like the world. God's best blessings are going to come your way. God offers his best. He has prepared his best. And the truth is, I can either be satisfied with less than God has to offer, or I can ask the question, God, what will you do with me if I gave you my whole life? One thing for certain, God has prepared the very best that he in his infinite wisdom and unconditional love can possibly provide for every single one of his children. Does that mean it'll always be what I want it to be? Not necessarily. Does that mean that if we offer ourselves in full surrender to him that things will always go the way we want them to go? Absolutely not. Because sometimes what we think is the best way is not the best way at all. And sometimes when we surrender our life to the Lord Jesus Christ, sometime when we give ourselves and maybe some particular thing that he's dealing with in our life. Things don't always turn out the way we expect them to, but one thing for certain, when we are fully surrendered, they will turn out to what is for our good, our best from the wisdom, listen, and the goodness and the love of Almighty God.
Dr. Charles Stanley: When you trust God, you'll always benefit. Learn more about the Christian life at intouch.org. Did you have a new insight as you listen to this program? Tell us what you learned today. Coming up on In Touch, difficulty and hardship are unavoidable, but the Bible offers us comfort and reassurance. We'll learn how to apply wisdom in the midst of trials when we return on In Touch. The teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley. This program is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia, and remains on this station through the grace of God and your faithful prayers and gifts.