God So Loved, In Control, Be Thou My Vision, Lead Me to the Cross, All the Glory

Is there something that you’ve done when you were younger that you now wish you did not? How can that “regret” help you wise up today?

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Solomon is known as the wisest person who has ever lived (other than Jesus); he wrote about the importance of acquiring and loving wisdom (Proverbs 4:1-7). God uses wisdom to guide and guard our lives. Biblical wisdom is the God-given, Spirit-enabled capacity to fear the Lord, see life from God’s perspective and live in humble, obedient, fruit-bearing alignment with His will. We just need to go to God when we need wisdom (James 1:5). We need wisdom to live this life filled with challenges and difficulties! But wisdom is not just knowledge of what to do but is shown in our actions.

Shows in Humble Action

As James wrote, we are to show good behavior in the gentleness (Gk prautes: often translated as meekness, humility or gentleness; signifies “power under control” describing a humble, gentle, and yielding attribute that stems from godly wisdom) of wisdom (James 3:13). Wisdom is what you do with what you know. King David and Solomon both wrote about godly wisdom, showing the connection between knowledge and action (Psalms 111:10, Proverbs 9:10).

Wisdom is humbly admitting that you don’t know everything and you need God’s help. When Solomon asked God for wisdom, the Lord was pleased with him and gave him what he asked for, and so much more. Sadly, king Solomon’s heart (who taught that we should guard our hearts) was not wholly devoted to God as his father David has been (1 Kings 11:4). This is a warning for all of us — we need God’s help to walk in His wisdom. David actually committed a “greater” sin than Solomon (murder), but he repented of it. Wisdom is shown through humility in repentance when we do sin (Psalm 51:6-7). Wisdom shows in humble action!

Shapes Christlike Character

When you look into your heart and see jealousy or selfish ambition, do not be arrogant and lie about it (James 3:14). Earthly wisdom is all about me — focus on yourself is earthly, natural and demonic. It does not consider heavenly things, it’s based on feelings and desires to replace God in our lives. This is the wisdom “from below”, and results in disorder or chaos in our world, even if we have more knowledge today than ever before (vv. 15-16). Does disorder or evil “fruits” follow your life? Or is your life characterized by God’s wisdom?

The fruit of righteousness comes from a seed — you have to plant it, and it takes time to grow (James. 3:18). When you plant actions that come from godly wisdom, that is the seed that produce righteousness. The seeds or wisdom are sown by people of peace; and the anger of man is not peace (James 1:19-20).

Strengthens Relationships

Quarrels are the opposite of strengthening relationships and comes from our selfish pleasures (James 4:1). James was writing to Christians who were supposed to be “new creation”. But it is these selfish pleasures that cause the inner war in us. This inner conflict produces the outward quarrels (James 4:2). James is also saying that if we want something, we should ask God. However, often when we pray, we are selfish and so that we don’t receive what we have asked for (James 4:3). We are God-centered in form, but self-centered in aim. To paraphrase:

• You fight because your desires rule you
• You don’t have because you refuse to depend on God
• And even when you pray, you pray to serve those same desires
• So God, in grace, withholds what would enslave you further

Out of wisdom from below, self-centered desires rule the heart, inner wars abound and outer conflicts result that fractures relationships. But God’s wisdom produces God-centered desire that reshapes the heart; peace takes root and produces a harvest of righteousness that strengthens relationships. Godly wisdom will sometimes not humanly make sense…but humbly following it reaps a reward that will only make sense in the end.  God’s wisdom enables us to see far beyond the here and now, and to live in alignment to God’s will. Wisdom is not just something God gives us; wisdom has a Name — Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30). We need a Savior to be able to   walk in God’s wisdom! Trust in Jesus today, and live out God’s wisdom given to us in Christ!

Pray that more people in our country will walk in God’s wisdom.

Set an example for them as you share Christ’s love by your actions and words.

Share the gospel consistently, so that others can experience God’s wisdom in their lives through Jesus Christ — the Wisdom of God!

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• For legislators to promote and support bills and laws aligned with God’s Word.

• Pray for persecuted Christians in Sudan and Nigeria) — many have been beheaded and murdered; earnestly seek God’s intervention to stop the bloodshed. Pray for freedom from oppression, that God’s word and His people bring them comfort and hope.

• PRAISE God that the rest of the living Israeli hostages have been restored to their families safely! Continue to pray that the last remaining dead hostage will be returned to his family for burial.

• For Israel’s war with terrorists to end according to God’s purpose and for His glory. For Jewish people worldwide who are experiencing a surge of antisemitism. May this lead them to the Messiah, Jesus as they turn to God for help and comfort.

• For nations in turmoil (e.g., Ukraine, Iran, Syria, etc.) to experience true freedom in Christ and become centers for massive spiritual revivals in their regions. Killings of thousands of civilians by Islamist regime forces in Iran and Syria to be put to an end by God’s mighty hand.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• For elders, pastors, dleaders, and families to become holy, humble, harmonious, happy, and heart-working.

• Ministries and churches expand worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.