Success Quotes: From the Source of All Wisdom and Understanding: Part 2

OK, here we go with Part 2 of this short series on what the Source has to say about wisdom and understanding. The Source of all Truth, Wisdom, and Understanding, God’s Word. Last time, we looked at the Old Testament. As with Part 1, let’s begin with a quote from Richard.Vincent. Rose.:
“I always thought it was no coincidence that Psalms follows Job. It also can’t be another coincidence that when a Godly man goes through trials like Job … it turns into Psalms … which then turn into Proverbs … words of wisdom to help others …”

Allow me to just repeat a thought I had from part 1, which shows how important Godly wisdom and understanding is in our daily, practical lives. When the LORD is with someone, people around that person know it. We see this all through Scripture. Same with this wisdom and understanding. And, it seems they know where this wisdom and understanding comes from. The Source. They may not have it … but they recognize it.

Now, we look at the New Testament, and we really begin with the Source, Jesus. Remember when Isaiah prophesied that when the Messiah would come, “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding …” (11:6). In one of the first descriptions of Jesus, we see that after the “child grew, He was “filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). Yet again, here, in the example of Jesus, we see that when you have God’s favor, the world can see it: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

Jesus, as the source of all wisdom, stated, as He was speaking of persecution which would come before the end times, said, “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist” (Luke 21:15). Yet again, here is another example that with wisdom from God, also comes the boldness to speak the truth. And, we see again, that when someone has the Spirit of God leading them, those around them, the world-even if they are enemies of the Truth-will know it.

Later, at the church’s beginning, when the 12 Disciples were looking for church leaders, they chose “seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:3). When you are full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, it will show.

One of these chosen men, Stephen, who was “full of faith and power” (Acts 6:8), would prove this combination would be impossible not to notice-or resist:“And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:10). Remember what Jesus said about “all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist”?

What did Paul say about the combination of wisdom and knowledge? “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33).

Indeed, “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit”
(1 Corinthians 12:8).

Paul would speak often of the difference between worldly wisdom and understanding, and Godly wisdom:
“For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent … hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:19-20)?

Our prayer for you would be “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). And, that you would boldly “speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Corinthians 2:13)

Two Things: Know Jesus, for He is “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God … Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom …” (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30).
How much wisdom has God given us? “Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence”
(Ephesians 1:8).

Make no mistake where all this wisdom and knowledge comes from: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17).

Has anyone noticed how, here as the New Testament, and in particular, the New Testament church progresses, that knowledge has “crept into” the conversation?

Why? Know Jesus. Make Him known. Hey … the first word in “knowledge” is “know.”
You want Godly wisdom? You want Godly understanding?
Know Jesus.

Wisdom and knowledge: It always begins with knowing Him: “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). This tells me that, being hid, these treasures are there, all the time, just waiting for you to take the effort-and it is effort-to search for them, and dig them out. In order for His Word, his wisdom, to dwell in you, first you must know Him: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).

For those of you that say, “Yeah, but how do we get such wisdom?”
Perhaps this is the most amazing aspect of attaining wisdom of all: Just ask:
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

We must be so careful not to let our pride override our humility, once we have gained this wisdom and understanding. Pride in what we know has caused so many to fail. Funny how we forget, when we receive something, that we “received it,” meaning we got it from someone else. We must never, ever, forget Who the Source is.

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13). In other words, “If you got it, don’t flaunt it.”
Let us ever be mindful of Jesus’ example, that the One who had the most wisdom of all, was the most humble, the meekest of all.

It can’t be just a coincidence that what was said of Moses, the greatest forerunner of Jesus, was “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).  

In closing, we echo Paul’s earnest prayer for you, that first, it is the knowledge of His will for you that you’ll need first: “For this cause we also … do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9).

Blessings,
Ted