Skip to main content

IBS 6 - James 3:13-17

James 3:13-17
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

Wisdom is such a wanted thing. People go out and study for years upon years to gain wisdom. It’s so desirable. But they never really get it. They just become knowledgable. The have earthly wisdom. There is such a want for wisdom, but it’s so hard for people of the flesh to grab a hold of it. Like the verse says, wisdom of the world is unspiritual and demonic. Has selfish ambition and envy. There is disorder and evil practice. People think that they need to cheat and lie and that’ll show that they have wisdom. If they get away with it, they think they were smart. 
I’ve always wanted wisdom. But I’ve always looked at it as not really God given. I’ve always known that, but I didn’t act upon that. I’m selfish and envious. I think so much about myself and my needs that I forget about others needs. I’m jealous and critical. I’m earthly. But I long for heavenly wisdom. 
Wisdom from heaven is peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and sincere. That wisdom is honest. People have such trouble gaining that wisdom, because being considerate, submissive, merciful, and sincere is a hard thing to want. That is not desirable. 
Solomon was a man wanting God. He glorified Him with all he did. His heart was pure. God saw his heart and asked him for anything. Solomon responded with wanting wisdom. Who would’ve thought of saying that? Before I read that, I would’ve never thought of asking for that. I want the wisdom Solomon had. Even before the wisdom, who he was was a man chasing after God. I want to always chase after God. I want to be considerate, submissive, merciful, and sincere. 
Application: Gaining wisdom is a growth process. I want wisdom. I need to grow, to be stretched. Today, I will work on gaining wisdom, and I’ll start with putting others needs before my own. Serving others better; like cleaning up after them, letting them shower first, etc. 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

IBS 11 - Luke 8:11-15

Luke 8:11-15 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are chocked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” I’ve been all of these. I’ve had times in my life where I heard, and then the devil came and took away the word from my heart. I didn’t believe and was fully living in the world. I heard the word, but it went in one ear and out the other. I didn’t ever think about ...

IBS 75 - Jeremiah 17:7

Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” I am someone who likes to do things myself. I like to trust what’s seen. I like to rely on on strength that’s visible. I have found that I normally trust in man more then I do God. But I have also found, that the more I do that, the more of a distance builds with Christ and I. The more I do that the more I realize how much man fails, how often people leave. Verse 5 of Jeremiah 17 says, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns was from the Lord.”  I say I’m a Christian. Therefore, I need to put my confidence in Him. Christian means little Christ. I’m supposed to act like Christ, and I can’t do that if I don’t have confidence in Him. If I don’t trust Him the way I should. I say I trust Him, but it’s not just head response, it’s heart response ( The Making of a Man of God). To trust in Him is a wonderful thing. Having complete conf...

BS 46 - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Everyone competing goes into strict training. They work hard, disciplining themselves, and spend most of their time practicing. They do not become lazy, they fight through the exhaustion. Yet, their end result is a prize that will not last eternally. It’s earthly and worthless in the Kingdom of God. But 1 Corinthians tells us to be like that. To work hard, being disciplined, spending all our time training. To not become lazy. For our prize wi...