Decisions: I Will Seek Wisdom

I will seek wisdom

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

Decision #1 — “I will take responsibility.”

• If we can’t take responsibility for where we’ve been, how will we ever take responsibility for where we are going?

1 Kings 3:16-28 (NLT) Some time later two prostitutes came to the king to have an argument settled. 17 “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house.  I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. 18 Three days later this woman also had a baby.  We were alone; there were only two of us in the house. 19 But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it. 20 Then she got up in the night and took my son from beside me while I was asleep.  She laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. 21 And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead!  But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.” 22 Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.”  “No,” the first woman said, “the living child is mine, and the dead one is yours.”  And so they argued back and forth before the king. 23 Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight.  Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. 24 All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the king. 25 Then he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!” 26 Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!”  But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!” 27 Then the king said, “Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!” 28 When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice.

Proverbs 28:26 (NKJV) He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered. 

• It’s the wisdom of God that gives us the extraordinary ability to live life in a special way.

1 Kings 3:5-15 (NLT) That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want?  Ask, and I will give it to you!” 6 Solomon replied, “You showed great and faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you.  And you have continued to show this great and faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.  For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies — 12 I will give you what you asked for!  I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame!  No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. 

How do we receive wisdom from God? 

James 1:5 (NLT) If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you.

“Seek Wisdom.  Wisdom waits to be gathered.  She is a gift for the diligent.  And only the diligent will find her.  The lazy man — the stupid man — never even looks.  Though wisdom is available to many, she is found by few.  Seek wisdom.  Find her, and you will find success and contentment.”   —Andy Andrews

Proverbs 4:7 (ESV) The beginning of wisdom is this:  Get wisdom… 

Proverbs 3:13-18 (NLT) Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. 14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 17 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 18 Wisdom is the tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.

Decision #2 — “I will seek wisdom.”

1.  We need to be humble

1 Kings 3:7-9 (NLT) “Now, O Lord my God…I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.  For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

• Humility causes us to ask God for wisdom, whereas; arrogance deceives us into believing we have the ability to do it ourselves.

Proverbs 11:2 (NLT) Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 

2.  We need to live a pure life

Proverbs 2:6-7 (NASB) For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright [righteous]…

3.  We need to feast on wisdom

Have we been feeding our soul with foolishness or wisdom?

Proverbs 3:13 (NKJV) Happy [blessed] is the man who finds wisdom.

Proverbs 19:8 (NKJV) He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will prosper.

Proverbs 24:14 (NLT) Wisdom is sweet to your soul.  If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short. 

4.  We need to choose our companions wisely 

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV) Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 11:14 (AMP) Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], but in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.