In this episode of the Joe Rooz Show, broadcasting live from the Asylum Studios in Eagle Pass, Texas, Joe delves into the profound teachings of the King James Bible, focusing on the theme of WISDOM.
As the evening unfolds, Joe emphasizes the importance of studying the Bible not just on Sundays but throughout the week, encouraging listeners to meditate on and apply biblical teachings to their daily lives. Joe highlights the value of continuous learning and the pursuit of wisdom, contrasting biblical wisdom with worldly wisdom.
Joe introduces a new seven-part series on the book of Proverbs, aiming to explore the depths of wisdom as presented in the scriptures. He discusses the significance of wisdom in understanding spiritual matters, the difference between worldly and heavenly wisdom, and the necessity of seeking divine guidance in all aspects of life. The episode concludes with a reminder of the importance of wisdom in navigating life's challenges and the value of spiritual growth.
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(00:02:53) Introduction and Welcome
(00:07:21) The Purpose of Proverbs
(00:16:42) Worldly vs. Godly Wisdom
(00:28:03) The Importance of Spiritual Wisdom
(00:39:38) Solomon's Request for Wisdom
(00:52:36) Wisdom in Daily Life
(01:08:03) Accessing Infinite Wisdom
(01:22:04) Concluding Thoughts on Wisdom
- Wayne Rankin
- Rosanna Rankin
- Carolina Jimenez
[00:02:20]
Unknown:
Transmitting live from the asylum studios, deep in the bowels of Southwest Texas, it's the Joe Rooz Show. The show where we talk about anything and everything, where nothing is sacred, nothing is watered down, and nothing is PC.
[00:02:51] Unknown:
Alrighty. Hey, folks. This is Joe Rooz, and it is great to be with you once again as we open up and study our precious word of God, the King James Bible. And you know, folks, as always, whenever and wherever you find yourself listening to us, it's always my prayer that you also find yourself in the grace and in the mercy of our Lord and savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the Joe Rooz Show. And as always, we are transmitting to you live once again at the asylum studios from the pimple on the backside of Texas, the beautiful city of Eagle Pass.
And, you know what folks, it is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Sunday evening here. It's hot, it's a 104 degrees at the showtime, but hey, you know what? No matter how hot it is, no matter how sweaty it is, no matter how warm it is here in the studio, it is a beautiful night to have a Bible study. Don't you think? I think so. I think it's always a beautiful night to have a Bible study. And, you know, I would love to do it more often than just on a Sunday, but I think that's perfect, I think that's good, and, you need to study your bible during the course of the week on your own.
And the stuff that I give you on Sunday, you should take with you. You should look it over, study it, think about it, meditate upon it, digest it, suck it all in, and try to apply it to your everyday life. But, that's the whole purpose of of studying your Bible. Now, folks, I hope you guys had a great week. It was a busy week. We had a we didn't we have a great show on on Friday? I thought Friday's show was fantastic. I I I really enjoyed talking to, to, Peter Ticton, and then Pete Turner afterwards, And, that was great. Had a great time, great conversation. Two really great guys.
And, really had had enjoyed that conversation. Looking forward to connecting with them once again. And, I hope we'll be able to do that very, very, very soon. So we're gonna plan that out. I know, Pete Turner and I, we're gonna get together sometime later this month, the month of September, I should say. It's not quite September yet. We got another day to go. Couple hours anyway. But we're gonna get together with, with Pete Turner again very, very soon, and, really wanna have that just that one on one conversation with, with, Peter Ticton just to kinda pick his brain. What a smart man. I don't know I don't know what you got out of that on Friday, but I thought that was absolutely amazing. Had a great experience in that. Learned a lot in that very, very short period of time. And, it's always good to learn. It's always good to, to keep your mind open to things and to study things out, because, honestly, how many of you think you're as smart as you need to be?
Really? How many of you? Do you think you could gain just a little bit more wisdom, a little bit more intelligence, a little bit more knowledge? Do you think you could always learn a little bit more? I mean, I know I could. That that goes without saying. I could. I I know I need to. I absolutely need to. But, you know, learning is a is a lifetime process, and it's a lifetime project. And, and then applying what you learned is wisdom. It's like, it's like that old axiom goes, you know, you know, with knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
Alright? You get it? So so knowledge is what you gain. Wisdom is how you apply the knowledge. Now real wisdom real wisdom in your Bible is is a set of dis is is set in distinct contrast against worldly wisdom. So understand that biblical wisdom is is completely different than worldly wisdom. Now last week you know, the last couple of weeks, we've been studying, and we finished up last week our our series on American history on the on the Christian heritage of the American, gov of the, of the American people, the American country, and, the the American Revolution.
We studied the heritage of American Christianity. And now what we're gonna do this starting tonight, moving forward for the next seven weeks. It's a seven part series that we're gonna do on the book of Proverbs, and we're gonna study wisdom. You like how I did that? Do you saw you saw how I did that? I worked all that in there. That was good. Right? Yeah. It was good. Seven part series coming up starting tonight on wisdom. Now, of course, as always, before we get started, just, have some housekeeping things to do. So head over to our website, joeroos.com. Joeroos.com.
When you get there, go over to the contact section. Open up that little web form and send us over a message. Let us know whatever's on your heart, whatever's on your mind, any questions, comments, cares, or concerns that you might have, any any, issues, any suggestions, any ideas for guests, any subjects you'd like us to talk about. We're all ears. We wanna know. We wanna hear from you. So please, so don't forget to send those over to us. Alright? Also, what you can do is, where's my little banner? It's not up there. There you go. Also, what you could do is while you're on the website, take a look at our support page. Alright. Oh, I forgot to give you the email address. Right? Yeah. So, if you don't wanna use the web form, just email us at [email protected].
That's [email protected]. Now, also, while you're on the website, look at our support page, like I was starting to say. And, remember that this is a value for value show. And all that basically means is that if you have received anything of value from what we're doing, all we're asking is that you return that value in the form of a donation. It could be your time, your talent, or your treasure, the three t's. Okay? Your time, your talent, or your treasure, it could or it could be all three of them. However it is, whatever the means that you have, that's what we're asking for in return, as long as you're receiving value from what we're doing.
Now, those donations are very important to us. They really do help us out. So so consider that as, you know, going forward. Don't sit in your hands on this one. We really do need your financial support. Now, also, I'd like to tell you a little bit about one of our sponsors, Ezra Healing. Ezra Healing is a substantial part of the new wellness paradigm currently being born in North America and around the globe. The global citizenry are no longer satisfied with the sick care version of so called health care. Band aid medicine, endlessly treating symptoms rather than root causes, needs to be abandoned as soon as possible. Patient centric care must be the priority.
We need to make this transition to the do no harm model of private care that places humanity at the forefront of real health and wellness care. In this new model, your entire lifestyle is examined and analyzed to promote and support the totality of your body's integrated systems. Ezra Healing is a solutions based health promotion and disease prevention grassroots movement that is always always evolving to best serve you and your family. So if you want more information about Ezra Healing, the website's right up there on the pay on the screen. Just head over to ezrahealing.com. That's ezrahealing.com.
It's also linked in our show notes so you could find it right there as well. Ezrahealing.com, and let them know that you heard it right here on the Joe Russo. Yeah. I direct my methylene blue earlier, so that's this is not methylene blue. This is just, sparkling water. And I just spilled it all over, and I had nothing to wipe it up with. I've done that many times, so we'll just do one of those things. How about that? Alright. That's the quick and easy way to do it. Do I have any? Yeah. I gotta start leaving some, like, paper towel or something in here because I am a slob sometimes. I can really be a slob sometimes. Alright. So, while actually, while I'm doing this, while I'm cleaning up my little mess here, why don't you go grab your Bibles and, head over to the book of Proverbs.
Alright? The book of Proverbs and, chapter one. So you do that. I'm gonna guess I'm gonna wipe this up. And look at that. Nice and clean. Nice. You know, seltzer water really does or sparkling water really does take out the little glass rings that come up on your table. You know? Alright. So Proverbs and chapter one. Now now to kick this thing off, really what I wanna do is make lesson number one is really gonna be like an introduction. So this isn't really one of those, life lessons that we're gonna look at, but, but certainly I mean, hopefully, and, and prayerfully, you'll be able to gain some things from it that, they'll serve you. They'll serve you in that particular category. Alright? But I thought, you know, this is really just a lot of material, and we we we definitely need to have an an introductory lesson before we kinda dive right on into it. Alright? So so, Proverbs in chapter one, be helpful if I got there myself. Proverbs in chapter one. So about the middle of your bible, get the Psalms, and then just flip on over to the Proverbs.
Alright? Proverbs and chapter number one, we could take the Ezra healing down. Proverbs in chapter one. Now if you wanna know a little bit about Proverbs, the history of Proverbs, the placement of it, doctor Ruckman has about as as as good of a condensed introduction to it as any of them that I've read. And and believe me, I've read a bunch of them. And so, you know, they're in his commentary bible, and so if you have that, you should read it. It's it's it's excellent. I don't have it with me here in the studio. I should have brought it in. Think of it. I could have read it to you. But it is kinda lengthy. It would take a while to get through. But, if you don't have it, get it, read it, excellent material. You'll benefit from it. It'll be a real blessing to you. Alright. Proverbs chapter one and verse one. The Proverbs of Solomon. Where are we?
Here we go. The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. Well, right off the bat, that should really, put to rest any doubts about who wrote this book. Alright? Solomon wrote this book. You hear a lot about, so many different authors, you know, you know, a lot of Bible scholars, you know, like to cast doubt on the authorship of books in the bible. But, there are a couple of other possible authors that contributed minor phrases in the book that we'll see later on. But, but what but what's the purpose of the book? Alright? Now verses two, three, and four are gonna list nine things that Solomon is proposing that we gain information and wisdom about.
Alright? So number one, let's put that back up. So number one, in verse two, to know wisdom and instruction. Alright. So I want you to notice that wisdom and instruction are grouped together. Alright? So that's one. To perceive the words of understanding, that's two. To receive the instruction of wisdom, that's three. Justice is four, and judgment, that's five. Inequity, six, to give subtlety to the simple, that's seven, and to the young man knowledge and discretion, that's eight. A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.
Alright? Those are the goals that the Holy Spirit has set forward for us in the book of Proverbs. Alright? Now now notice that this whole thing kicks off with to know wisdom. Okay? To know wisdom. To become acquainted with wisdom. To be familiar with wisdom. To be on a firsthand basis with wisdom. Now to know wisdom indicates, to obtain the ability to draw judgment and moral and, and spiritual matters and to to discern spiritual matters. Alright? Now, you know, God doesn't care I mean, like, God doesn't care a wit about worldly wisdom.
He really doesn't. Alright? And we're gonna see that, that that, that they're held that that worldly wisdom is held in in both biblical wisdom and worldly wisdom are held in direct contrast. Worldly wisdom verse heavenly wisdom. Real wisdom in the Bible is set in a distinct contrast against worldly wisdom. Just like diamonds are set against the garbage can. Alright? Now take your Bibles and we're gonna run out this wisdom thing for a little bit because the theme above all of the themes in the book of Proverbs and in the book of Ecclesiastes is wisdom. Alright? God wants his people to have, possess, utilize, and exercise wisdom.
Wisdom. Alright? Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, use that particular word more than all the other books combined in your bible. And that's because they're the books of wisdom. Alright? God wants you to be wise. I mean, do you really think God wants any of his people to go around being dumb? To be stupid? Just think about that. Do you think that's really what God wants? You think you think God wants any of his people to be dumb? Now let me ask you this. How many of you think that you're as smart as you need to be? Alright. We asked you that at the very beginning. How many of you think you're as smart as you need to be? Do you think you could be a little smarter? Do you think you can learn a little bit more?
And like I said, I know that I could. I know I could. I should. I need to. You know, learning is really a lifetime project, and applying the learning is wisdom. That's the application. Alright? But let's go over to James in chapter three. James in your New Testament. James chapter three. James chapter three, right after the book of Hebrews is the book of James, and right before the book of first Peter. So sandwiched in between Hebrews and first Peter is this wonderful book of James. James has been called the, the the the Proverbs of the New Testament. Alright? James chapter three.
And, and we're gonna see that, that that this that this theme of wisdom is a cross section all across the Bible. Alright? God wants his people to be wise. Alright? Now James chapter three, and, and and before we get to the definition of wisdom, you know, there's some other things that we need to look at too. Alright. First of all, as as I've already said, and allow me to kinda go back over this for a second, is worldly wisdom. And there is such a thing as worldly wisdom. Alright? There are a lot of people out there in the world that are intellectually smart. You know? They got a they got a lot of stuff going for them. They got a lot going for them, but but it reminds me of those of those guys back in the Old Testament from the tribe of Issachar. Do you remember those? We talked about them briefly. If you if if it I think it's in first Chronicles, if I'm not mistaken. It's first Chronicles chapter 12 or so. You could check me on that.
But I I think that's right. And and listen, this is just a sidebar. We're we're gonna get to James here in in about a minute. But, in in first Chronicles chapter 12, all the various tribes of Israel are listed, and they're listed numerically according to the contribution that they were making, to the army in Israel at the time. And and and some have some of the numbers are really large. I mean, the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin, they're contributing thousands and thousands of men to this this, militia army. And then you get to the tribe of Issachar, and, it says, they contributed 200 men.
And you're thinking to yourself, like, what's going on there? Like, what's the matter with these guys? Just 200? But then the net but then as the narrative continues, it tells us that that they were very wise. But as we begin to examine it, they were wise in the wisdom of the world. And the reason we know that is is that the very next chapter, in chapter 13, the boys in the band kinda get together and and and do you remember what they said? Well, they said, well, we need to get the ark back. We need to bring the ark back. We need to move the ark. And so what they did was they built a cart, and they put the ark on top of the cart that was drawn by oxen.
Well, that was not designated to move that way. That wasn't the way the ark was supposed to be moved. Now if you go back to to Exodus if you go back to Exodus, there were four rings on the corners of the ark. Alright? So each corner had a ring on it, and there were staves that went through the rings. So so there actually be eight sets. So it would be eight rings. Right? One, two no. Four. I'm I'm right. I was right. One, two, three, four. Right? So, so, there were four rings on the corners of the arks, and the staves that went through the rings, were held by the priests. And the then the priests were supposed to carry the ark on their shoulders. You see? And and God was very very specific about that. He was very specific about how it was supposed to be moved. But you see what happened was they had this meeting, and all the heavyweights, including the 200 men of Issachar, you know, these 200 guys that was supposed to be the, you know, the sharpest tacks in the box, you know, the brightest light bulbs in the pack.
That's what they were supposed to be. And not one of them raised an objection to the movement of the ark in that particular way. Not one of them. Not one of them said, hey. Wait a second. Yeah. I remember from Sunday school, you know, that's no. They they all said, hey. That's a great idea. That's a great idea. Well, do you remember what happened? Do you do you remember what happened? One guy one guy got nailed. One guy. And he got killed as a result of that old effort. You see, because God was frowning prodigiously upon that. He said, no. No. No. No. No.
You do it the way I told you to do it. Alright? So there's a worldly wisdom. These 200 guys of Visicar, you know, they were all up to speed on the stock market. They knew all about the ups and downs of the wall of of Wall Street. They they knew about all about the equities. They knew all about funds and and and all that stuff. You see? But when it came down to spiritual things, they were dumber than a post. Alright? So God says there's spiritual wisdom, and God says there's worldly wisdom. But spiritual wisdom is what we're all in desperate need of.
Because spiritual wisdom flops over into every aspect of our lives, even the carnal parts of our lives. Like, you know, buying groceries and automobiles and and and paying your bills and and all the rest of it. You see you follow me? Alright. So we're in James. Right? James chapter three. And let's took it let's take a look at James chapter three, and, we'll start in verse 13. Who was a wise man? Who was a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation by his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descended not from above, but as earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion in every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in in peace of them that make peace. Right? So so clearly and this is you know, would withstand a great deal of examination, but but but the point of it is that I think we can extract from this text very clearly is there's worldly wisdom and there's godly wisdom.
God's not interested in us gaining worldly wisdom. He's interested in us gaining spiritual, heavenly, godly wisdom. Alright? Now take your Bible and go with me to first Corinthians. Right? So just go back to your left. Go back to your left. You're gonna have, Ephesians. You're gonna have second Corinthians, and then first Corinthians. Not to be outdone by James, Paul weighs in on this. He has to chime in a little bit on this. And, you know, just a passing thought that I had as I was studying this material. Well, I I thought I thought, you know, well, there you go. You know? James sets forth a very, James sets forth that that contrast very clearly. Now James, doctrinally doctrinally, James, is is is is a primary application to tribulation Jews. Alright? After all, who's James written to?
Alright? James one one says what? To the 12 tribes that are scattered abroad. So if if any people are gonna need wisdom, if any people that walk this planet after the rapture are gonna need to have spiritual understanding and discernment of the scriptures, it's it's gonna be that bunch right there, the 12 tribes. Boy, they're gonna they're gonna need it. They are gonna need it, man. They're gonna need it. I mean, number one, they're gonna have to separate church age doctrine from tribulation doctrine. And we're gonna get into more of this stuff as we go into other studies, and we'll explain a lot of the differences of these things.
But, they're gonna have they're gonna have to separate church age doctrine from tribulation doctrine. Because, you know, church age doctrine is not the same thing as tribulation doctrine. It is not the same thing. In the church age, you're saved by grace through faith and nothing else. You're saved by putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in the shed blood of the lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. But you see in Revelation chapter four when the church is taken out. Right? We read Revelation chapter four and we see something coming out, that's the church being raptured out. Well, a whole new a whole new thing called the dispensation starts.
Alright? And that's gonna be tribulation doctrine. And in the tribulation, it's a whole different ballgame, folks. It's a whole different ballgame. So if you're gonna get saved, if you if you wanna get to heaven, you gotta do it now. You gotta prepare for it now. And the way you do that is by putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus Christ because that's all it takes. Has nothing to do with your good works. It has nothing to do with how many times you you kneel and stand up. Doesn't how many times you count your beads. Does has nothing to do with that stuff. It doesn't matter how many times you take the cookie. It doesn't doesn't none of that matters. None of that matters.
The only thing that matters is putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, believing believing the gospel message that he was born, died, buried, raised again the third day. That's the simple gospel message, the death, burial, and resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ. So not only are they gonna have to be able to separate church age doctrine from the trib from tribulation doctrine, they're gonna have to also have a grasp of Hebrews and James and Revelation and and first and second Peter and and Jude, and, and that, you know, probably we really don't have to.
I mean, it's good if you do. I mean, boy, it's gonna be necessary. It's gonna be necessary because it's gonna fall on those poor folks right there. And so Paul says or, rather James says, don't, don't seek after worldly wisdom, but go after spiritual wisdom. Alright. Now in first Corinthians chapter one, and, let's look in verse 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Verse 20. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is it where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God.
Alright. Now did you get that? Did you get that? Did you follow the world by wisdom knew not God. Alright. That's worldly wisdom. That's worldly wisdom. The world seeks God via the vehicle of worldly wisdom. They don't get it. They don't get it. They'll they'll they'll never arrive at the destination as long as they're utilizing worldly wisdom to seek God. They can't get it. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. You know, I really can't tell you the comfort that it is to that that it is to a preacher's heart. I I really can't tell you because sometimes, you know, you you you know, you you're preaching, and you're explaining things over and over and over again that just seems so simple, particularly when you're trying to convey the message of the gospel to lost people.
And, and and and and sometimes you you just think, man. Now I almost feel stupid. I almost feel foolish explaining something that is just so simple, But it's not simple to the unsaved mind. You see? It's cloudy, and, it it and it's foggy. And so God says that he's pleased by the foolishness of preaching. Alright? Look down in verse, 27. But god hath chosen the foolish things of this war of the world to confound the wise, and god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Alright? Now the the the very idea that God continues to confuse the wisdom of the world, of this world, and boy, they are confused.
They really are and and to know that, all you need to do is watch congress in operation. That's all you need to do. Are they confused? Are they confused? They're just I mean, they are absolutely upside down, sideways, backwards. They're just about as confused as you can get. And God says the reason he prescribes the confusion to the wisdom of the world is so that no flesh could glory in his presence. If they can figure out if they if they could examine and analyze and evaluate God in the light of worldly wisdom, then they could glory in his presence.
But they can't do that. You see? And so that so that no flesh should glory in his presence. Alright? Let's go to one more. Go to Ecclesiastes and, chapter one. Ecclesiastes chapter one. So go back to your Old Testament. So go back to your left. Go back to the book of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes in chapter number one. Now do we need wisdom? Do we need wisdom? Well, the seven lessons all require an adaptation and an application of wisdom. That's what they require. Alright? And so, before we launch into any of those, I I guess, you know, we better learn a little bit more about wisdom itself. That's why we're doing this tonight. Alright? Now Ecclesiastes chapter one, and let's go over to verse number 17.
Ecclesiastes chapter one verse 17. Solomon says here, and I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceive that this is also that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increases knowledge increases increaseth sorrow. Well, that doesn't sound right. That sounds kinda contradictory, doesn't it? Solomon says Solomon says, I sought wisdom. I desired wisdom. I wanted wisdom. You see? And all I got out of it was folly, vexation of spirit. So in other words, he's saying he didn't profit anything from it. It didn't profit him.
You know what he's talking about here? He's not talking about heavenly wisdom. He's talking about worldly wisdom. He sought all the wisdom of the great philosophers. He sought the wisdom of the world. He sought the wisdom of the intellectual giants. And and you know what that produced for him? A big old goose egg. Big old goose egg. You got nothing out of it. Nothing out of it. Well, there you go. You can seek the wisdom of the world or get the wisdom of God. Now just observe what worldly wisdom produced. Alright? Just stop and think about it. All you have to do is just be a cursory student of history to know that this worldly wisdom has produced pride, wrath, envy, confusion, jealousy, wars, rumors of wars, bad science.
Now, look, god's not opposed to science. You've heard me say that before many times. God's not opposed to science. God's a scientist. He's opposed to what he calls science falsely so called, you see, and bad philosophy. That's what the world or that's what's that's what worldly wisdom's produced. Heavenly wisdom, on the other hand, produces something entirely different. Go with me to Galatians chapter five. Go back to your, New Testament. Past it. So, Galatians is right before Ephesians and right after second Corinthians. Galatians what did I say? Galatians chapter five.
And, we're gonna go to verse let's see. Did I write it down? Yes. I did. Okay. Galatians chapter five verse 22. Alright? Let's see what heavenly wisdom can produce. Galatians chapter five and verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such, there is no law. Well, that sounds like a bunch of good things, doesn't it? Those are good things. You know, if everybody was was exhibiting the fruit of the spirit, there wouldn't be a single problem, would there? There wouldn't be.
If everyone had the fruit of the spirit, we could all just get along. But how are we gonna get along with Saudi Arabia? How are we doing getting along with North Korea? How are we doing getting along with the European Union and China? Now that's all international stuff. I I know, but, you know, we're gonna see in a little while that godly wisdom even greases the skin for good politics. Imagine that. Imagine that. Alright. So here we are. Now the fruit of the spirit as opposed to back over in verse 19. Let's look at verse 19, Galatians five nineteen. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these?
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Well, that's a fine list. Right? That's a fine list right there. You know what Paul just listed? He listed all of the results of worldly wisdom. There they are. Right there. There they are. Right there. So they're held in in in stark contrast over and over and over again by word and deed and example throughout your Bible. Okay? Well, where do I have to go to get wisdom?
Good question. Where do you go? Is there a wisdom pool somewhere or or or wisdom mine or or or a bank someplace that I can withdraw from? I mean, wouldn't it be nice if you could just go to the Bank of Wisdom and draw a check and say, man, okay. This will get me through the week. I mean, that would be awesome. It doesn't work that way, though. It doesn't work that way. I'm sorry it doesn't. I wish it did, but it doesn't. So where do I have to go to get wisdom? First Kings chapter three. So you're gonna go back to your, Old Testament toward the very front of your Bible.
You're gonna find first Samuel, second Samuel, and then you're gonna have first Kings. First Samuel, second Samuel, first Kings, and, chapter number three. Now, honestly, I realized that a lot of this stuff is pretty, you know, academic already, you know, but, or at least so far. But, you know, we gotta cover the basics. You gotta cover the basics before you get anything beyond that. And it really and it honestly, it doesn't it never really hurts to remind ourselves of some of these truths either. You know, I think it's important for us to remind ourselves of the things, you know. You know, the the old stories in the Bible never really grow old to a believer. Because every single time you go to these you you go to these old stories, every time you go through it, you you you pick up something that you didn't quite see before.
You say, well, look look at that. How come I've seen that before? You know how many times that happens to me? You know, the the more I read and study my Bible, the more I realize I don't know. Seriously, the the more I read and study my Bible, the more I realize how much of my Bible I don't know. Alright. Now first Kings chapter three and verse five. I know it's hard for, you know, for someone who's preaching and teaching the Bible to admit, but it's the truth. First Kings chapter three verse five. First Kings chapter three verse five. In Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ask what I shall give thee. Well, I've never had a dream like that. I'm still waiting.
I'm not expecting it, to be honest with you. You know? But if I had a dream like that, you know, that god showed up and said, hey. What do you want? I'd like to think I'd have enough wisdom to ask for the right thing and not the wrong thing. You know? Now I I wonder how many believers would say, god, help me win the lottery. You know? I but I but I but I hope that I that I'd have enough wisdom to ask for the right things. You know? Well, so the lord here, you know, he shows up, and he says, hey, Solomon. What do you want? Alright? Verse six.
Verse six. And Solomon said, thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept him and kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. And now, oh lord my god, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a a little child. I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted from multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding, an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.
For who was able to judge this, thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the lord that Solomon had asked this thing. Alright. Now Solomon said, you know what I need? You know what I need? I need help. I need a lot of help. And God said unto him, in verse 11, because thou has asked this thing and not asked for thyself long life, neither asked neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor has asked the life of thine enemies, but has asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to thy words. Low, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any shall any arise like unto thee. Now now this this, this this wise understanding heart is is later translated as as we're gonna see and condensed into one word.
Wisdom. Wisdom. Solomon said, you know, what I, you know, what I really need here is wisdom. I need wisdom. Alright. Very good. Go to chapter four. First Kings chapter four and verse 29. And God gave Solomon wisdom. Alright? Here it is now. And understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East Country and all the wisdom of Egypt. So he is wiser than anyone. Wiser than anyone. Then in, let me see. Verse, 31 says he was he was wiser than all the well known philosophers and and educators. Alright? So, so verse 32, and he spake 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five.
And he spake of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spake also of beasts and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. So in other words, Solomon had wisdom beyond just a direct spiritual application. He knew about nature. He knew about biology. He knew about, you you know, all kinds of things that that he saw and observed out there in the world. He was a great observer. A great observer. And all the people and there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Wouldn't it be great to be to be that smart? Wouldn't it wouldn't it be? Do you ever feel stupid? Do you ever feel like, you know, you know, I wish I was a little bit smarter in that area or this area or something else? You know? I yeah. Well, if you don't, you know, God help you. But, you know, now now not only in ruling Israel, but but this this bled over into, as I I mentioned a little while ago, international politics. Look over in, chapter five. Chapter five and verse 12. And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they too made a league together. Now now Hiram, who's Hiram?
Hiram was king over what you and I would call today Lebanon. Alright? In that in that region, that part of the world. And so you know what they came to? If you read the narrative down on through, you you you you know what they arrived at? They arrived at at a a a, a workable, equitable, trade agreement. That's basically what it was. Wisdom. Wisdom. Now, you know, America, as as as president Trump has pointed out and, many, many times has been taken advantage of for decades and decades and decades. You know? And and when, when president Trump stands up and he says, you know, I'm not gonna put up with it anymore.
That's it. We're not doing this anymore, man. And, of course, the liberals howl and scream. You know what their problem is? Worldly wisdom, not spiritual wisdom. Now I'm not necessarily suggesting that president Trump is operating under the umbrella of a of spiritual wisdom, but, you know, perhaps to some degree, he is. By virtue of the fact that there are thousands of believers in this country that pray for him. You know, folks never discount the the power of prayer. So so, you know, he stands up and he says, I'm not gonna put up with this anymore. Hey, Mexico. Guess what?
Hey, China. Guess what? Hey, European Union. Guess what? We're not gonna be your patsies anymore. We're gonna have an equitable trade agreement. That's the whole tariff situation that, of course, the liberal courts are trying to strike down even as we speak right now. They said, a, federal a federal judge ruled that, the tariffs are unconstitutional again. I mean, I don't know when they're gonna learn. Now this is gonna go to the Supreme Court, and they're gonna have to go through this all this all this mess all over again. Alright?
Folks, we need wisdom. We need wisdom. Wisdom will be noticed. Now if you're wise and when I say wise, I I, you know, I I I I kinda integrated the word smart, But when when we think of smart, we think of, you know, intellectual prowess. Don't we? You know, there are a lot of people that that that probably wouldn't do particularly well on an IQ test, but are wise. But are wise. Wise in heavenly things. You know, they may not know a lot of things that appear on an SAT exam, but that doesn't mean for a moment that they may not be wise. Wisdom is noticed.
You know, just think back in your life. Think back over your life. You know, your family, your associates, your friends, you know, sphere of influence as you were growing up and and and coming on up through. And was there anyone? You know, maybe it was an uncle. Maybe it was a teacher, your mother, your father. Is there anyone in your life that stood out in your mind's eyes as being just particularly wise. You know, if there was one person that you that you could think of that, you know, if you needed really sound advice, it would probably be that person that you would go to? Well, probably a lot of you could say, yeah. Yeah. I can identify someone like that. You know, there is someone I could think of someone that way.
Now you see, if if it's if it's it's just, you know, for different people, it's different individuals. But be that as it may, wisdom will be noticed. Alright? Go to chapter 10. First Kings and chapter 10. Couple pages to your right. First Kings and chapter 10. Alright. Now what we have here, in this particular situation is the queen of Sheba. Alright? And we you know, I'm sure you've heard of the Queen of Sheba. Chapter 10, and let's see. Start in, verse two. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train with camels that bear spices and very much gold and precious stones. Alright? That's verse two. And when she was come unto Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And he answered all her questions in verse three, and that kinda blew her away. Alright? And then in in the verse four and then in verse four, and when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house that he had built and the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants and the attendants of his ministers and their apparel and his cupbearers and his descent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. So, basically, all the wind had left her sails. So she had come to Jerusalem evidently probably on on on on the camel of pride as it were, you know, herself thinking, you know, well, you know, after all, I am the queen. I am a queen, and, I'm a big shot.
You know? I've got my own bragging rights. But you see, after she saw Solomon in his element, boy, and then she just knocked the breath right out of her. She was totally out of wind. Totally out of wind. Verse six, and she said to the king, it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. How be it I believed not the words until I came and mine eyes had seen it, and behold, the half was not told me. Thy wisdom and prosperity exceeded the fame which I heard. You know, wisdom generates prosperity. It generates prosperity.
Now, you know, we we all know that spiritual prosperity is a whole lot different or or actually I should say I shouldn't even say different. Spiritual prosperity is a whole lot more important than physical prosperity. You know, you don't need to be rich in the things of the world. You need to be rich in the things of the of the Lord. Alright? However, verse eight verse eight. Happy are thy men. Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom. So wisdom creates an atmosphere of happiness. It just does.
If there's wisdom in your house, it'll be a happy house. It'll be a contented house. It'll be a house that people enjoy being in. It'll be a house that people can't wait to get there. You know? It's it's that kind of house if wisdom abides there. I mean, just look at the text. Look at verse nine. Blessed be the lord thy god, which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the lord loved Israel forever. Therefore, he made the king to do judgment and justice. Now that's critical right there. That's critical. Judgment judgment and justice.
You know what that requires? That requires discernment of what is right and what is wrong. Judgment and justice. Now by all theory, a judge is supposed to be dispensing just that, judgment and justice. You don't see a lot of that with the left, with liberal judges. Case in point, just look at the rulings that these these district judges these injunctions that these district judges throw out willy nilly. But that's in the story. But a judge is supposed to be dispensing judgment and justice. Now if he's a wise judge, he'll have to be discriminating and understanding the difference between right and wrong.
Alright? And this requires that which is absolutely necessary absolutely necessary in dealing with apparent differences or things that are not equal. Alright? Now now now now listen to me. The world the world in all of its nondiscrimination policies and look, every time you flip on the news, you got a new one. Right? You can't discriminate against this. You can't discriminate against that Or or this, you know, or or the the this this next other thing, you know. There's all these different things. Right? Well, you know what they're trying to do?
They're trying to rob you of wisdom, because wisdom discriminates. Wisdom says that's wrong. Wisdom says that's right. Wisdom doesn't make things gray. Wisdom makes things very black and very white. That's wisdom. So you think about all this nondiscriminatory stuff that we have floating out floating out around there today, you know, you gotta be really careful about that. Gotta be really care. Now, you know, we all understand that the Lord warned us. You know, judge not lest you be judged. Right? We all we're all familiar with that passage of scripture, but, and and we get it. You know? We do. We get it. But but, you know, that verse has been quoted and quoted and quoted and overworked to the max by all kinds of liberal nuts, but I bet you there isn't one of them.
You know, the next time someone says that to you, well, you know The Bible said, judge not lest you be judged. Ask them what the balance to that is. Ask them what the balance to that is. Because if the Bible is a balanced book I mean, does your Bible say a false balance is an abomination to the Lord and a just weight is his delight? The Bible is a balanced book. Okay? On one side, judge not that you've been not judged. We get that. We understand that. But he gives further revelation when Paul said in in, first Corinthians two verse 15. He says, he that is spiritual judgeth all things.
That's the balance. That's what makes the thing equitable. And then Paul even went a step further in, in Romans chapter 14 verse 13 when he tells us to judge doubtful practices. You know, that there's certain lifestyles, doubtful practices that you're supposed to judge. Now I don't know about you, but I I grew up in a in a home where where where they judged my friends. My parents judged. I don't want you hanging around with that kid. You get it? I don't want you around that kid. Alright? Well, there was some wisdom being exercised predicated upon discriminating and making a judgment.
Now testing and temptations often come to try your faith. Go to James. Let's go back to James. Told you where it was before. Shouldn't have to do it again. But nestled in between Hebrews and first Peter is your book of James. James chapter one. Alright. James chapter one and verse three. You know what? Let's start in verse one. Why not? Start verse one. James chapter one. Here we go. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Well, why should I?
Why should I? I don't want to. Why in the world would I why in the world should I count it joy when I fall into a whole rat's nest of temptations? Why should I say, oh, man. I'm just a happy camper. You know? I'm just surrounded by temptations. Now keep in mind, of course, you know, as we allow the Bible to interpret itself, a temptation is often defined as a trial. Because over in Genesis 22, we read that God tempted Abraham in the event of him taking up Isaac and sacrificing him. But then when we get over to Hebrews in chapter 13, the temptation is defined as a trial.
It's a trial. You see? So why should I just be jumping up and down and shouting hallelujah and have a baptistal fit when I'm surrounded by trials? Well well, here we go. Here we go. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. So sorry. One one. There we go. My brethren, count it all joy when we when you fall into diverse temptations. I mean, that's not like somebody jumping off a cliff into a pool of water now. You know? That's not what it is. Alright? Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. So do you know what a trial is?
You know what a trial is? It's to increase your faith. It's to increase your faith faith. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh worketh patience. But let patience have our perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Now what's that now what's the remedy? What's the remedy? What what have you gotta do here? Well well, they they can only be overcome All these various trials and tribulations can only over be overcome by what? 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.
So approach number one when facing trials is to ask God for wisdom. You need wisdom. You've gotta have it, folks. You need it desperately. Alright? Now and there's something else you need to be. Let's look at verse eight. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. So be singularly minded in the things of the Lord. Be singularly minded. Alright? Now, as I start to wrap this thing up here, let's see. Let me see. Two, what do we got? Alright. So I lost my, place in my outline here. Oh, yeah. To prove I don't know. I'm thinking about actually print not printing, but, making my outlines available to show you so you could see where I am in the notes because sometimes I write some some really weird notes to myself, and they're they're kinda funny sometimes.
But, on this particular point, I wrote, you know, to prevent stupidity, and it's just because I couldn't think of a better word, so that's what I wrote down. To prevent stupidity, we have to tap into an infinite source of wisdom. Have you ever thought about the word infinite? I mean, eternity is infinite, isn't it? I mean, from our perspective anyway, the universe is infinite. It just goes on and on and on and on and on. Alright? Now the Bible indicates that there is an infinite source of wisdom. An infinite source of wisdom. Alright. Now all worldly wisdom has a beginning and it has an end.
It travels within the confines of a circle. Alright? But heavenly wisdom heavenly wisdom has no end, and it has no beginning. It just goes on and on and on and on and on. It's infinite. It's infinite. Oh, man. That's the kind of infinite that's the kind of wisdom we need to tap into. We need to get plugged into that. You know? More and more of these truck stops and and so on are coming up these little plug in stations now for the electric cards and and stuff, the Teslas and all that mess. And I noticed that the last time I drove up to New York to to see my sister, you know, you you wheel in there, you plug in, and I I mean I mean, it looks simple enough, but, you know, I don't I don't know how to really know how they work. But you see but you see but they're plugging into a source of energy.
Right? And they're receiving energy in their batteries. Well, but it only takes them so far, then they gotta go to another place and plug in again. And and and, of course, you know, I realize the same thing is true with gas, with with, traditional fuel, you know, diesel, gas, whatever it is, you know, you just gotta keep getting more and more and more and more. You you gotta keep going back to the station. And wouldn't it be great if you could just get all plugged in and never have to get plugged in again? You know? Just keep going and keep going and keep going.
So God has made that available to us, an infinite source of wisdom. Alright? Go to Psalm one forty seven. Psalm one forty seven. Wisdom. Man, we need wisdom. I need wisdom. Isaiah, gonna go back going back to your left, Psalm 147. I'll never forget. I had just started, serving as a as an associate pastor in in my church up in New York there. And, we were in the, in the pastor's office, the senior pastor's office before the start of the service, and it was a normal thing for us. You know, we would sit there. It was it would be it usually be myself, senior pastor, deacon, and, one of the other men in the church. And we would sit there, and we would, we would just kinda kinda go over the server, the order of service, talk about prayer requests, and then, you know, scripture reading and so on and so forth.
And I remember seeing your pastor said to me one day, he goes, brother Joe, would you do me a favor today for the scripture reading for the service? Could you read Psalm one fifty one? And I was like, Psalm one fifty one. It's only a 150 Psalms. He goes, alright. I just testing it. I just wanted to see what you say. So yeah. And and I don't know. Every time I come to the book of Psalms, especially toward the end of the book of Psalms, I I I think about that. I miss that man. I really do. You know, he's with the Lord now, and, the the the elder I wax, if I wanna get poetical, you know, the elder I wax, the more I think about all these little nuggets that he would kinda throw my way that I didn't really latch onto at that particular time.
But as I've gotten older, like I said, I you know, just those little things that he would say have been sticking with me more, have been coming back into my memory more. And, man, he was a wise man. He was a wise man. You know why he was a wise man too? Because his nose was always in the book. Always. Never saw him read anything else, and and I'm sure he did. I'm sure he read commentaries and and and other materials like that, but never but always in the Bible, always had the book open. And that was his first source and his first direction anytime you went to him with anything. It was always, what was the Bible say?
Have you read this in your Bible yet? Have you have you sought the word of God yet? And that's it. That was his that was his approach to, to counseling and and every everything was the first course of action here is your Bible. Go to your Bible. Man, I miss him. He's a he was a good man. He was a good man. I'm looking forward to seeing him in heaven one day. Anyway, wisdom is the is the ability to take god given principles, god given truths, and apply them in such a way that they make them that they work for us. Okay? That's wisdom. That's wisdom. Psalm one forty seven and verse number five.
Great is our lord and of great power. His understanding is infinite. So in other words, there is no end to it. You will never run out of god's understanding. You've gotta get plugged into it. Get plugged into it. Go to Romans chapter 11, if you would. Romans, your New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then the glorious book of Romans. Romans chapter 11. Gonna be there really quick. Romans chapter 11, and, let's look at verse number 13. Romans chapter 11 and verse, 13. Oh, I'm sorry. Verse 33. Verse 33. I know it didn't sound right. Romans chapter 11 verse 33. Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. They are absolutely unsearchable.
You'll never be able to come to the end of them or come to the conclusion of them. Now what would this kind of wisdom do? Well, it helps us in the understanding of the smallest, most minute matters. You know, sometimes we think, well, you know, we need we need wisdom in the big issues of life. You know, you're gonna go car shopping. You know, God help you. God help you, man. I hate car shopping. You know, you you you need wisdom. Right? You need wisdom. You gotta buy some real estate. You need some wisdom. You're raising children. Boy, do you need wisdom.
I mean, there are multitudes of issues that, you know, it's it's it's very clear that we need wisdom. But then there's the little things in life. You know, just the little mundane, routine, daily deals that we have to come across every day. We might not even think too much about them one way or the other, but do we need wisdom? You know, I'm not a wise grocery shopper. I'm not. I'm I'm I'm terrible. I go in a store. There's what I want. I get it. You know? I think, you know, I I I think, you know, I I I need that. I need this. You know? I need that. I need this, and I just throw it in the basket, and then let's go. You know? I don't shop.
You know the deal. Right? You know you know what I'm saying? You know, I'm I'm just not you know, I I I just you know, I don't know. I I, you know, that looks good. Let me get it. You know? And let's go. I'm not a wise shopper. I'm not a good shopper. Went shopping the other day and, the other day. Yes. Well, I I put a curbside order in yesterday at our at our local HEB down here, and, spent, like, a $150. I'm like, on what? What did I get? I I I got, like, four bags and, you know, because I won't shop. I just I want this, I want that, I get this, I get that, and boom. You know, I walk out. I I put the order in, you know, pull the trigger on that thing. I mean, that's just the way I am. But if you're interested in saving money, I guess a little wisdom helps. Right?
And they're, you know, now now and now it's, you know, it's it's just a mundane routine life thing, isn't it? I know. But but you know what? Look at me over Matthew. Let's let's try to make a point here. Matthew. Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10. First book in your New Testament. The fortieth book of your Bible. Matthew chapter 10. Oops. There we go. Let's see if God is interested in these small, little, mundane, everyday kind of life stuff. Matthew chapter 10. Wisdom will help you understand the minutest matters of life. Matthew chapter 10 and verse number 25 29.
Matthew chapter 10 verse number 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father? But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, you are more value than many sparrows. I mean, really I mean, who cares how many hairs are on your head? You know, it's really not an important issue, is it? It's it's really not. I mean, who cares? Alright. Now some of us have more than others. Some of them by choice. Some of them not. But does it really matter? Alright. Now the Lord you know, and that's an analogy that the Lord utilized simply to demonstrate to us that, you know, if God cares about sparrows and God cares about the numbers of hairs in your head, God cares about the minute details of your life.
You know, we think, you know, well well, God's only concerned about the great big issues. You know? No. No. God's wisdom God's wisdom can be applied to any and all aspects of our lives. And the more we utilize it, we'll be like Solomon's crowd. Happy, happy, happy, happy. You know, like that old cartoon, Ren and Stimpy, you know, happy, happy, joy, joy, happy, happy, joy, joy. I mean, I wanna be happy, don't you? Don't you wanna be happy? I wanna be happy. Alright? But that's not all. Wisdom helps us understand the affliction of the saints. Go to Psalm one forty two.
Psalm one forty two. Gonna go back to your old see, this is a Bible study, folks. We go back and forth in our Bibles. Psalm one forty two. Right back there at the end of your book. Psalm one forty two. You know, sometimes the saints are afflicted in a variety of ways. And I'll tell you what, I I I've looked at at so many situations over the years. You know, families, individuals, you know, people going through stuff, man. And and sometimes I just shake my head and I say, god, I I just I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't understand it. You know, I wish they didn't have to endure this.
And, lord, help me to understand what the end game here is. Help me to get it. Help me to understand it. Well, the psalmist himself was was suggesting that very dilemma. Look at Psalm one forty two, verse one. I cried unto the Lord with my voice. With my voice unto the Lord, I did make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him. I showed before him my trouble. Now I I I've done that. I guess, you know, more than a few times in my life when I complained to God about my trouble. But I know I've I know for a fact, I've complained to God a whole lot more about other people's troubles. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me. Some people say privily, privily, privily. I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me. No man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, oh lord, and I said, thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
And the Lord says, you know, here's the end game. You know, the fat lady hasn't sung yet. It's it's not all over yet. You see? Don't forget there's still something down the trail. There's still something coming down the road. Wisdom helps us to understand a little bit more about the affliction of the saints. Alright. Look over in Exodus chapter three. Exodus chapter three. You're gonna go all the way to the front of your Bibles. You have Genesis. Go to the second book of your Bible. Genesis, Exodus, chapter three. Genesis, Exodus.
Exodus chapter three. I think it might be almost time to send this Bible out to get rebound. Genesis chapter ex Exodus chapter three, I'm sorry, verse seven. Exodus chapter three verse seven. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So so God heard their affliction. He observed it. He said, I've heard it. Verse eight, and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the land, out of that land, unto a good land, and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey, unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me, and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. So, again, god says, I observe your afflictions. I observe it. I've got something better for you. And concentrating on that, setting our affections on the things above and not the things of the earth gives me, better appreciation for understanding the afflictions of God's people. That's wisdom. Folks, that's wisdom. And then to understand our our infirmities as well as our our afflictions, look over in Psalm one zero three.
Psalm one zero three. You're gonna go back still in the Old Testament, going back to the book of Psalms. And remember, folks, it's Psalms is the book, the individual passage or chapter, we don't really call them chapters, but is Psalm, singular, one zero three. Book of Psalms, Psalm one zero three. Little pet peeve of mine. I'm sorry. Psalm one zero three. And, let's go to verse number 14. Psalm one zero three verse 14. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and place thereof shall know it no more. You know, the Lord understands your your infirmities. The Lord knows that our frame is but dust, and wisdom helps us gain a real solid appreciation of that and what God knows. Wisdom helps you to understand the prosperity of the wicked. Now I'm not gonna take you there because I wanna close, but, Psalm 73, you'll pick that up. Alright? Pretty much the whole Psalm is dedicated to that. And, you know, the Psalm says, you know, this basically basically, the Psalms, I'm gonna paraphrase it. Basically says, you know, I don't get it, God. I don't get it.
Why are all these fat cats on Wall Street, you know, billionaires? And and and and they live like the devil. They hate God. They hate his word. I'm not saying they all do. Don't don't understand, but I I think probably most of them do. He said, I don't understand this whole thing. I don't understand why the wicked prosper. And it's wisdom that helped the psalmist. It's wisdom that helped psalmist. Alright. Let let me give you one one last verse to look at. Colossians chapter three and verse 16. Colossians, let me go back to your New Testament.
I'm gonna go all the way back towards Romans, first Corinthians, second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and then Colossians. Colossians chapter three and verse 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. I wanna be rich. Right? I mean, I wanna be super rich. I wanna be mega rich, don't you? In wisdom. In wisdom. I'm not talking about American dollars. I'm not talking about cryptos either. I'm talking about wisdom. I wanna be rich. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all things, in all wisdom. Let the word of let me start again.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another. Alright? And and here's a sidebar. Here's a sidebar, that that that that Paul kinda throws in here, and and I and I find it I find it really interesting. He says, in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. So if you're rich in wisdom if you're rich in wisdom, it cannot help but show up in your music. It's a fascinating connection. It's a fascinating it'll show up in your music. Alright. Now what's our access to wisdom? How do we gain wisdom?
Let the word of Christ do you know what the word of Christ is? It's that thing right there. It's this thing right here. This is it. It's that bible. When we fail to utilize God's wisdom regularly, then we fail to be con when we fail to be confronted by God's wisdom. Think about that. When we fail to utilize God's wisdom regularly, then we fail to be confronted by God's wisdom. To be somewhere like the church house or somewhere we can learn more about God's wisdom, hear God's wisdom taught and preached. When and when we sit down in our quiet time by ourselves and read the word of God, That's ex accessing wisdom internally.
Now when we don't do that, when we fail to take advantage of all the wisdom opportunities that God gives us, you know what we're really saying? You know what we're really saying? We're saying, okay, god. I'm smart enough. I don't I don't I don't need you right now. I got it all figured out. Really? Probably not. Probably not. You know, it's it's dangerous territory to think that you got anything figured out. Dangerous territory. You've got to trust the Lord and lean not onto your own understanding. Amen? And he'll help you. He'll and give you wisdom.
You know, there there have been certain circumstances that I've had to deal with with others over the years, and, you know, I've just had to fall on my face and say, god, I I don't know how to deal with this. I need the wisdom of Solomon. And I know you're the only source for it. You're the only place I can get it. God, I I need some help here. It's been a lot of times. There's a lot of times where I'm just building a Bible study or building a sermon. I'll get through one point and I'll think, okay. Well well, where am I going with this? And the Lord says, alright. Time to take a break and beseech me for some wisdom.
And And, honestly, I can't tell you how effective that is. But it is. I mean, there's been so many multiple times where I just felt like I hit a roadblock. I called it preacher's block. You know, I'm halfway through a sermon. I don't know which direction to go. You know, I come to a fork in the road. Do I go here? Do I go there? Do I do this? Do I do that? And I say, lord, I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do. Can you give me some wisdom? You know, sometimes it comes instantaneous instantaneously, and sometimes it comes a little later, but, you know, little bulb goes on.
It's not my light bulb. I'm really not that smart. You know? I I have probably have an IQ of about 50 or so. You know? But the Lord's IQ is infinite. Lord's IQ is infinite. Right? Infinite. And, you know, I I have people that come to me, and they'll say, well, you know, I was talking to somebody about this spiritual issue and this and that, and, you know, I I really didn't know how to respond. Well, here's a thought that might, you know, draw the person you're talking to. You know, if you don't mind, maybe, we could just stop for a for a minute here. I'm not sure how to how to answer that, but let's pray and ask god for an answer.
Oh god. Now this guy wants an answer to this to this, and I'm not sure how to answer it. And but I know your book has the answer. Help us to search your book. It's just what pastor Stagner used to do. And I remember him doing it, and I used to watch people get so nervous. But, hey, man. You know, what's wrong with that? Really? What's wrong with that? You're you're simply implementing what god said. If anyone asks or or if anyone of you lack wisdom, let him ask of god. Right? That's what the book says. So what's wrong with doing it? So when we fail to do it, we're simply suggesting to an infinite almighty god that we don't need his help.
I need it. Boy, I need it. You need it. You know, we all need it. Every single one of us. Alright. So this this is this is just, an introductory lesson on wisdom because, you know, every one of the lessons that, that we're gonna go through and that we're gonna pursue, they'll be, you know and and they'll be very specific. You know, but they're all predicated on God's wisdom. Here is God's wisdom. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for how it ministers to us. God, allow us, I pray, to feed on it, to relish it, and enjoy it each and every day. God, we thank you for it. We ask your blessings upon it, and, God, we ask you to please provide us the wisdom that we need in each and every step of our lives, and we'll thank you for it. In Jesus' name, amen.
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That's podhome.fm. Alright, folks. Just wanna remind you to, head over to our website, joeroos.com. Sign up for our programming announcements email list. Soon as you get to the homepage, a little pop up's gonna show up there, and you can sign up right there on the spot. It's really easy. +1, 23. And you know what, folks? We don't keep your information. We don't sell your information. We don't, you know, we don't share it with anybody. We don't do anything with it. It just stays locally with us, and, we're only gonna send you information about upcoming shows. That's it. We're not gonna spam you. We're not gonna send you stuff you don't want, you're not interested in. It's absolutely free to sign up for it, which means it doesn't cost you anything.
Just sign up for the email list, and, it's the it's also probably the best way that we could reach you during the course of the week, considering I'm so terrible with social media posts and things like that. So, just, you know, just try it out. If you don't like it, unsubscribe. Doesn't matter. We appreciate you giving it a shot. Alright? So just, again, on our homepage of the website, little pop up is gonna come up there when you get there. Just fill it out and get yourself on the email list. Alright, folks. Now if you are in the Eagle Pass area and you're looking for a good King James Bible believing and Bible teaching church, why don't you consider paying us a visit over at First Baptist Church of Eagle Pass? We meet at 664 North Monroe. Sunday school hours starts at 10AM. Worship service is at eleven. Sunday evening services at six, and then our Wednesday night Bible study is at 7PM.
Now for more information, just head over to the church's Facebook page. Just log in to Facebook, search for First Baptist Church of Eagle Pass, and the rest is easy peasy lemon squeezy. Alright. It says First Baptist Church of Eagle Pass is the only one in Eagle Pass, so shouldn't be hard for you to find. So check them out, and, you'll find out a really a lot of really good information about the church and, fellowships and and meetings and such that are outside the regular hours of the church services. So great place to check it out is their Facebook page. Just head over to Facebook. Again, search for First Baptist Church of Eagle Pass. Alright.
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Let us know what you think. And folks, listen, let's make Texas independent again. Go podcasting, keep a steady stride, and keep talking. Good night, folks. Goodbye. See you tomorrow night.
Transmitting live from the asylum studios, deep in the bowels of Southwest Texas, it's the Joe Rooz Show. The show where we talk about anything and everything, where nothing is sacred, nothing is watered down, and nothing is PC.
[00:02:51] Unknown:
Alrighty. Hey, folks. This is Joe Rooz, and it is great to be with you once again as we open up and study our precious word of God, the King James Bible. And you know, folks, as always, whenever and wherever you find yourself listening to us, it's always my prayer that you also find yourself in the grace and in the mercy of our Lord and savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the Joe Rooz Show. And as always, we are transmitting to you live once again at the asylum studios from the pimple on the backside of Texas, the beautiful city of Eagle Pass.
And, you know what folks, it is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Sunday evening here. It's hot, it's a 104 degrees at the showtime, but hey, you know what? No matter how hot it is, no matter how sweaty it is, no matter how warm it is here in the studio, it is a beautiful night to have a Bible study. Don't you think? I think so. I think it's always a beautiful night to have a Bible study. And, you know, I would love to do it more often than just on a Sunday, but I think that's perfect, I think that's good, and, you need to study your bible during the course of the week on your own.
And the stuff that I give you on Sunday, you should take with you. You should look it over, study it, think about it, meditate upon it, digest it, suck it all in, and try to apply it to your everyday life. But, that's the whole purpose of of studying your Bible. Now, folks, I hope you guys had a great week. It was a busy week. We had a we didn't we have a great show on on Friday? I thought Friday's show was fantastic. I I I really enjoyed talking to, to, Peter Ticton, and then Pete Turner afterwards, And, that was great. Had a great time, great conversation. Two really great guys.
And, really had had enjoyed that conversation. Looking forward to connecting with them once again. And, I hope we'll be able to do that very, very, very soon. So we're gonna plan that out. I know, Pete Turner and I, we're gonna get together sometime later this month, the month of September, I should say. It's not quite September yet. We got another day to go. Couple hours anyway. But we're gonna get together with, with Pete Turner again very, very soon, and, really wanna have that just that one on one conversation with, with, Peter Ticton just to kinda pick his brain. What a smart man. I don't know I don't know what you got out of that on Friday, but I thought that was absolutely amazing. Had a great experience in that. Learned a lot in that very, very short period of time. And, it's always good to learn. It's always good to, to keep your mind open to things and to study things out, because, honestly, how many of you think you're as smart as you need to be?
Really? How many of you? Do you think you could gain just a little bit more wisdom, a little bit more intelligence, a little bit more knowledge? Do you think you could always learn a little bit more? I mean, I know I could. That that goes without saying. I could. I I know I need to. I absolutely need to. But, you know, learning is a is a lifetime process, and it's a lifetime project. And, and then applying what you learned is wisdom. It's like, it's like that old axiom goes, you know, you know, with knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
Alright? You get it? So so knowledge is what you gain. Wisdom is how you apply the knowledge. Now real wisdom real wisdom in your Bible is is a set of dis is is set in distinct contrast against worldly wisdom. So understand that biblical wisdom is is completely different than worldly wisdom. Now last week you know, the last couple of weeks, we've been studying, and we finished up last week our our series on American history on the on the Christian heritage of the American, gov of the, of the American people, the American country, and, the the American Revolution.
We studied the heritage of American Christianity. And now what we're gonna do this starting tonight, moving forward for the next seven weeks. It's a seven part series that we're gonna do on the book of Proverbs, and we're gonna study wisdom. You like how I did that? Do you saw you saw how I did that? I worked all that in there. That was good. Right? Yeah. It was good. Seven part series coming up starting tonight on wisdom. Now, of course, as always, before we get started, just, have some housekeeping things to do. So head over to our website, joeroos.com. Joeroos.com.
When you get there, go over to the contact section. Open up that little web form and send us over a message. Let us know whatever's on your heart, whatever's on your mind, any questions, comments, cares, or concerns that you might have, any any, issues, any suggestions, any ideas for guests, any subjects you'd like us to talk about. We're all ears. We wanna know. We wanna hear from you. So please, so don't forget to send those over to us. Alright? Also, what you can do is, where's my little banner? It's not up there. There you go. Also, what you could do is while you're on the website, take a look at our support page. Alright. Oh, I forgot to give you the email address. Right? Yeah. So, if you don't wanna use the web form, just email us at [email protected].
That's [email protected]. Now, also, while you're on the website, look at our support page, like I was starting to say. And, remember that this is a value for value show. And all that basically means is that if you have received anything of value from what we're doing, all we're asking is that you return that value in the form of a donation. It could be your time, your talent, or your treasure, the three t's. Okay? Your time, your talent, or your treasure, it could or it could be all three of them. However it is, whatever the means that you have, that's what we're asking for in return, as long as you're receiving value from what we're doing.
Now, those donations are very important to us. They really do help us out. So so consider that as, you know, going forward. Don't sit in your hands on this one. We really do need your financial support. Now, also, I'd like to tell you a little bit about one of our sponsors, Ezra Healing. Ezra Healing is a substantial part of the new wellness paradigm currently being born in North America and around the globe. The global citizenry are no longer satisfied with the sick care version of so called health care. Band aid medicine, endlessly treating symptoms rather than root causes, needs to be abandoned as soon as possible. Patient centric care must be the priority.
We need to make this transition to the do no harm model of private care that places humanity at the forefront of real health and wellness care. In this new model, your entire lifestyle is examined and analyzed to promote and support the totality of your body's integrated systems. Ezra Healing is a solutions based health promotion and disease prevention grassroots movement that is always always evolving to best serve you and your family. So if you want more information about Ezra Healing, the website's right up there on the pay on the screen. Just head over to ezrahealing.com. That's ezrahealing.com.
It's also linked in our show notes so you could find it right there as well. Ezrahealing.com, and let them know that you heard it right here on the Joe Russo. Yeah. I direct my methylene blue earlier, so that's this is not methylene blue. This is just, sparkling water. And I just spilled it all over, and I had nothing to wipe it up with. I've done that many times, so we'll just do one of those things. How about that? Alright. That's the quick and easy way to do it. Do I have any? Yeah. I gotta start leaving some, like, paper towel or something in here because I am a slob sometimes. I can really be a slob sometimes. Alright. So, while actually, while I'm doing this, while I'm cleaning up my little mess here, why don't you go grab your Bibles and, head over to the book of Proverbs.
Alright? The book of Proverbs and, chapter one. So you do that. I'm gonna guess I'm gonna wipe this up. And look at that. Nice and clean. Nice. You know, seltzer water really does or sparkling water really does take out the little glass rings that come up on your table. You know? Alright. So Proverbs and chapter one. Now now to kick this thing off, really what I wanna do is make lesson number one is really gonna be like an introduction. So this isn't really one of those, life lessons that we're gonna look at, but, but certainly I mean, hopefully, and, and prayerfully, you'll be able to gain some things from it that, they'll serve you. They'll serve you in that particular category. Alright? But I thought, you know, this is really just a lot of material, and we we we definitely need to have an an introductory lesson before we kinda dive right on into it. Alright? So so, Proverbs in chapter one, be helpful if I got there myself. Proverbs in chapter one. So about the middle of your bible, get the Psalms, and then just flip on over to the Proverbs.
Alright? Proverbs and chapter number one, we could take the Ezra healing down. Proverbs in chapter one. Now if you wanna know a little bit about Proverbs, the history of Proverbs, the placement of it, doctor Ruckman has about as as as good of a condensed introduction to it as any of them that I've read. And and believe me, I've read a bunch of them. And so, you know, they're in his commentary bible, and so if you have that, you should read it. It's it's it's excellent. I don't have it with me here in the studio. I should have brought it in. Think of it. I could have read it to you. But it is kinda lengthy. It would take a while to get through. But, if you don't have it, get it, read it, excellent material. You'll benefit from it. It'll be a real blessing to you. Alright. Proverbs chapter one and verse one. The Proverbs of Solomon. Where are we?
Here we go. The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. Well, right off the bat, that should really, put to rest any doubts about who wrote this book. Alright? Solomon wrote this book. You hear a lot about, so many different authors, you know, you know, a lot of Bible scholars, you know, like to cast doubt on the authorship of books in the bible. But, there are a couple of other possible authors that contributed minor phrases in the book that we'll see later on. But, but what but what's the purpose of the book? Alright? Now verses two, three, and four are gonna list nine things that Solomon is proposing that we gain information and wisdom about.
Alright? So number one, let's put that back up. So number one, in verse two, to know wisdom and instruction. Alright. So I want you to notice that wisdom and instruction are grouped together. Alright? So that's one. To perceive the words of understanding, that's two. To receive the instruction of wisdom, that's three. Justice is four, and judgment, that's five. Inequity, six, to give subtlety to the simple, that's seven, and to the young man knowledge and discretion, that's eight. A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.
Alright? Those are the goals that the Holy Spirit has set forward for us in the book of Proverbs. Alright? Now now notice that this whole thing kicks off with to know wisdom. Okay? To know wisdom. To become acquainted with wisdom. To be familiar with wisdom. To be on a firsthand basis with wisdom. Now to know wisdom indicates, to obtain the ability to draw judgment and moral and, and spiritual matters and to to discern spiritual matters. Alright? Now, you know, God doesn't care I mean, like, God doesn't care a wit about worldly wisdom.
He really doesn't. Alright? And we're gonna see that, that that, that they're held that that worldly wisdom is held in in both biblical wisdom and worldly wisdom are held in direct contrast. Worldly wisdom verse heavenly wisdom. Real wisdom in the Bible is set in a distinct contrast against worldly wisdom. Just like diamonds are set against the garbage can. Alright? Now take your Bibles and we're gonna run out this wisdom thing for a little bit because the theme above all of the themes in the book of Proverbs and in the book of Ecclesiastes is wisdom. Alright? God wants his people to have, possess, utilize, and exercise wisdom.
Wisdom. Alright? Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, use that particular word more than all the other books combined in your bible. And that's because they're the books of wisdom. Alright? God wants you to be wise. I mean, do you really think God wants any of his people to go around being dumb? To be stupid? Just think about that. Do you think that's really what God wants? You think you think God wants any of his people to be dumb? Now let me ask you this. How many of you think that you're as smart as you need to be? Alright. We asked you that at the very beginning. How many of you think you're as smart as you need to be? Do you think you could be a little smarter? Do you think you can learn a little bit more?
And like I said, I know that I could. I know I could. I should. I need to. You know, learning is really a lifetime project, and applying the learning is wisdom. That's the application. Alright? But let's go over to James in chapter three. James in your New Testament. James chapter three. James chapter three, right after the book of Hebrews is the book of James, and right before the book of first Peter. So sandwiched in between Hebrews and first Peter is this wonderful book of James. James has been called the, the the the Proverbs of the New Testament. Alright? James chapter three.
And, and we're gonna see that, that that this that this theme of wisdom is a cross section all across the Bible. Alright? God wants his people to be wise. Alright? Now James chapter three, and, and and before we get to the definition of wisdom, you know, there's some other things that we need to look at too. Alright. First of all, as as I've already said, and allow me to kinda go back over this for a second, is worldly wisdom. And there is such a thing as worldly wisdom. Alright? There are a lot of people out there in the world that are intellectually smart. You know? They got a they got a lot of stuff going for them. They got a lot going for them, but but it reminds me of those of those guys back in the Old Testament from the tribe of Issachar. Do you remember those? We talked about them briefly. If you if if it I think it's in first Chronicles, if I'm not mistaken. It's first Chronicles chapter 12 or so. You could check me on that.
But I I think that's right. And and listen, this is just a sidebar. We're we're gonna get to James here in in about a minute. But, in in first Chronicles chapter 12, all the various tribes of Israel are listed, and they're listed numerically according to the contribution that they were making, to the army in Israel at the time. And and and some have some of the numbers are really large. I mean, the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin, they're contributing thousands and thousands of men to this this, militia army. And then you get to the tribe of Issachar, and, it says, they contributed 200 men.
And you're thinking to yourself, like, what's going on there? Like, what's the matter with these guys? Just 200? But then the net but then as the narrative continues, it tells us that that they were very wise. But as we begin to examine it, they were wise in the wisdom of the world. And the reason we know that is is that the very next chapter, in chapter 13, the boys in the band kinda get together and and and do you remember what they said? Well, they said, well, we need to get the ark back. We need to bring the ark back. We need to move the ark. And so what they did was they built a cart, and they put the ark on top of the cart that was drawn by oxen.
Well, that was not designated to move that way. That wasn't the way the ark was supposed to be moved. Now if you go back to to Exodus if you go back to Exodus, there were four rings on the corners of the ark. Alright? So each corner had a ring on it, and there were staves that went through the rings. So so there actually be eight sets. So it would be eight rings. Right? One, two no. Four. I'm I'm right. I was right. One, two, three, four. Right? So, so, there were four rings on the corners of the arks, and the staves that went through the rings, were held by the priests. And the then the priests were supposed to carry the ark on their shoulders. You see? And and God was very very specific about that. He was very specific about how it was supposed to be moved. But you see what happened was they had this meeting, and all the heavyweights, including the 200 men of Issachar, you know, these 200 guys that was supposed to be the, you know, the sharpest tacks in the box, you know, the brightest light bulbs in the pack.
That's what they were supposed to be. And not one of them raised an objection to the movement of the ark in that particular way. Not one of them. Not one of them said, hey. Wait a second. Yeah. I remember from Sunday school, you know, that's no. They they all said, hey. That's a great idea. That's a great idea. Well, do you remember what happened? Do you do you remember what happened? One guy one guy got nailed. One guy. And he got killed as a result of that old effort. You see, because God was frowning prodigiously upon that. He said, no. No. No. No. No.
You do it the way I told you to do it. Alright? So there's a worldly wisdom. These 200 guys of Visicar, you know, they were all up to speed on the stock market. They knew all about the ups and downs of the wall of of Wall Street. They they knew about all about the equities. They knew all about funds and and and all that stuff. You see? But when it came down to spiritual things, they were dumber than a post. Alright? So God says there's spiritual wisdom, and God says there's worldly wisdom. But spiritual wisdom is what we're all in desperate need of.
Because spiritual wisdom flops over into every aspect of our lives, even the carnal parts of our lives. Like, you know, buying groceries and automobiles and and and paying your bills and and all the rest of it. You see you follow me? Alright. So we're in James. Right? James chapter three. And let's took it let's take a look at James chapter three, and, we'll start in verse 13. Who was a wise man? Who was a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation by his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descended not from above, but as earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion in every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in in peace of them that make peace. Right? So so clearly and this is you know, would withstand a great deal of examination, but but but the point of it is that I think we can extract from this text very clearly is there's worldly wisdom and there's godly wisdom.
God's not interested in us gaining worldly wisdom. He's interested in us gaining spiritual, heavenly, godly wisdom. Alright? Now take your Bible and go with me to first Corinthians. Right? So just go back to your left. Go back to your left. You're gonna have, Ephesians. You're gonna have second Corinthians, and then first Corinthians. Not to be outdone by James, Paul weighs in on this. He has to chime in a little bit on this. And, you know, just a passing thought that I had as I was studying this material. Well, I I thought I thought, you know, well, there you go. You know? James sets forth a very, James sets forth that that contrast very clearly. Now James, doctrinally doctrinally, James, is is is is a primary application to tribulation Jews. Alright? After all, who's James written to?
Alright? James one one says what? To the 12 tribes that are scattered abroad. So if if any people are gonna need wisdom, if any people that walk this planet after the rapture are gonna need to have spiritual understanding and discernment of the scriptures, it's it's gonna be that bunch right there, the 12 tribes. Boy, they're gonna they're gonna need it. They are gonna need it, man. They're gonna need it. I mean, number one, they're gonna have to separate church age doctrine from tribulation doctrine. And we're gonna get into more of this stuff as we go into other studies, and we'll explain a lot of the differences of these things.
But, they're gonna have they're gonna have to separate church age doctrine from tribulation doctrine. Because, you know, church age doctrine is not the same thing as tribulation doctrine. It is not the same thing. In the church age, you're saved by grace through faith and nothing else. You're saved by putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in the shed blood of the lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. But you see in Revelation chapter four when the church is taken out. Right? We read Revelation chapter four and we see something coming out, that's the church being raptured out. Well, a whole new a whole new thing called the dispensation starts.
Alright? And that's gonna be tribulation doctrine. And in the tribulation, it's a whole different ballgame, folks. It's a whole different ballgame. So if you're gonna get saved, if you if you wanna get to heaven, you gotta do it now. You gotta prepare for it now. And the way you do that is by putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus Christ because that's all it takes. Has nothing to do with your good works. It has nothing to do with how many times you you kneel and stand up. Doesn't how many times you count your beads. Does has nothing to do with that stuff. It doesn't matter how many times you take the cookie. It doesn't doesn't none of that matters. None of that matters.
The only thing that matters is putting your full faith, trust, and confidence in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, believing believing the gospel message that he was born, died, buried, raised again the third day. That's the simple gospel message, the death, burial, and resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ. So not only are they gonna have to be able to separate church age doctrine from the trib from tribulation doctrine, they're gonna have to also have a grasp of Hebrews and James and Revelation and and first and second Peter and and Jude, and, and that, you know, probably we really don't have to.
I mean, it's good if you do. I mean, boy, it's gonna be necessary. It's gonna be necessary because it's gonna fall on those poor folks right there. And so Paul says or, rather James says, don't, don't seek after worldly wisdom, but go after spiritual wisdom. Alright. Now in first Corinthians chapter one, and, let's look in verse 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Verse 20. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is it where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God.
Alright. Now did you get that? Did you get that? Did you follow the world by wisdom knew not God. Alright. That's worldly wisdom. That's worldly wisdom. The world seeks God via the vehicle of worldly wisdom. They don't get it. They don't get it. They'll they'll they'll never arrive at the destination as long as they're utilizing worldly wisdom to seek God. They can't get it. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. You know, I really can't tell you the comfort that it is to that that it is to a preacher's heart. I I really can't tell you because sometimes, you know, you you you know, you you're preaching, and you're explaining things over and over and over again that just seems so simple, particularly when you're trying to convey the message of the gospel to lost people.
And, and and and and sometimes you you just think, man. Now I almost feel stupid. I almost feel foolish explaining something that is just so simple, But it's not simple to the unsaved mind. You see? It's cloudy, and, it it and it's foggy. And so God says that he's pleased by the foolishness of preaching. Alright? Look down in verse, 27. But god hath chosen the foolish things of this war of the world to confound the wise, and god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Alright? Now the the the very idea that God continues to confuse the wisdom of the world, of this world, and boy, they are confused.
They really are and and to know that, all you need to do is watch congress in operation. That's all you need to do. Are they confused? Are they confused? They're just I mean, they are absolutely upside down, sideways, backwards. They're just about as confused as you can get. And God says the reason he prescribes the confusion to the wisdom of the world is so that no flesh could glory in his presence. If they can figure out if they if they could examine and analyze and evaluate God in the light of worldly wisdom, then they could glory in his presence.
But they can't do that. You see? And so that so that no flesh should glory in his presence. Alright? Let's go to one more. Go to Ecclesiastes and, chapter one. Ecclesiastes chapter one. So go back to your Old Testament. So go back to your left. Go back to the book of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes in chapter number one. Now do we need wisdom? Do we need wisdom? Well, the seven lessons all require an adaptation and an application of wisdom. That's what they require. Alright? And so, before we launch into any of those, I I guess, you know, we better learn a little bit more about wisdom itself. That's why we're doing this tonight. Alright? Now Ecclesiastes chapter one, and let's go over to verse number 17.
Ecclesiastes chapter one verse 17. Solomon says here, and I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceive that this is also that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increases knowledge increases increaseth sorrow. Well, that doesn't sound right. That sounds kinda contradictory, doesn't it? Solomon says Solomon says, I sought wisdom. I desired wisdom. I wanted wisdom. You see? And all I got out of it was folly, vexation of spirit. So in other words, he's saying he didn't profit anything from it. It didn't profit him.
You know what he's talking about here? He's not talking about heavenly wisdom. He's talking about worldly wisdom. He sought all the wisdom of the great philosophers. He sought the wisdom of the world. He sought the wisdom of the intellectual giants. And and you know what that produced for him? A big old goose egg. Big old goose egg. You got nothing out of it. Nothing out of it. Well, there you go. You can seek the wisdom of the world or get the wisdom of God. Now just observe what worldly wisdom produced. Alright? Just stop and think about it. All you have to do is just be a cursory student of history to know that this worldly wisdom has produced pride, wrath, envy, confusion, jealousy, wars, rumors of wars, bad science.
Now, look, god's not opposed to science. You've heard me say that before many times. God's not opposed to science. God's a scientist. He's opposed to what he calls science falsely so called, you see, and bad philosophy. That's what the world or that's what's that's what worldly wisdom's produced. Heavenly wisdom, on the other hand, produces something entirely different. Go with me to Galatians chapter five. Go back to your, New Testament. Past it. So, Galatians is right before Ephesians and right after second Corinthians. Galatians what did I say? Galatians chapter five.
And, we're gonna go to verse let's see. Did I write it down? Yes. I did. Okay. Galatians chapter five verse 22. Alright? Let's see what heavenly wisdom can produce. Galatians chapter five and verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such, there is no law. Well, that sounds like a bunch of good things, doesn't it? Those are good things. You know, if everybody was was exhibiting the fruit of the spirit, there wouldn't be a single problem, would there? There wouldn't be.
If everyone had the fruit of the spirit, we could all just get along. But how are we gonna get along with Saudi Arabia? How are we doing getting along with North Korea? How are we doing getting along with the European Union and China? Now that's all international stuff. I I know, but, you know, we're gonna see in a little while that godly wisdom even greases the skin for good politics. Imagine that. Imagine that. Alright. So here we are. Now the fruit of the spirit as opposed to back over in verse 19. Let's look at verse 19, Galatians five nineteen. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these?
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Well, that's a fine list. Right? That's a fine list right there. You know what Paul just listed? He listed all of the results of worldly wisdom. There they are. Right there. There they are. Right there. So they're held in in in stark contrast over and over and over again by word and deed and example throughout your Bible. Okay? Well, where do I have to go to get wisdom?
Good question. Where do you go? Is there a wisdom pool somewhere or or or wisdom mine or or or a bank someplace that I can withdraw from? I mean, wouldn't it be nice if you could just go to the Bank of Wisdom and draw a check and say, man, okay. This will get me through the week. I mean, that would be awesome. It doesn't work that way, though. It doesn't work that way. I'm sorry it doesn't. I wish it did, but it doesn't. So where do I have to go to get wisdom? First Kings chapter three. So you're gonna go back to your, Old Testament toward the very front of your Bible.
You're gonna find first Samuel, second Samuel, and then you're gonna have first Kings. First Samuel, second Samuel, first Kings, and, chapter number three. Now, honestly, I realized that a lot of this stuff is pretty, you know, academic already, you know, but, or at least so far. But, you know, we gotta cover the basics. You gotta cover the basics before you get anything beyond that. And it really and it honestly, it doesn't it never really hurts to remind ourselves of some of these truths either. You know, I think it's important for us to remind ourselves of the things, you know. You know, the the old stories in the Bible never really grow old to a believer. Because every single time you go to these you you go to these old stories, every time you go through it, you you you pick up something that you didn't quite see before.
You say, well, look look at that. How come I've seen that before? You know how many times that happens to me? You know, the the more I read and study my Bible, the more I realize I don't know. Seriously, the the more I read and study my Bible, the more I realize how much of my Bible I don't know. Alright. Now first Kings chapter three and verse five. I know it's hard for, you know, for someone who's preaching and teaching the Bible to admit, but it's the truth. First Kings chapter three verse five. First Kings chapter three verse five. In Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ask what I shall give thee. Well, I've never had a dream like that. I'm still waiting.
I'm not expecting it, to be honest with you. You know? But if I had a dream like that, you know, that god showed up and said, hey. What do you want? I'd like to think I'd have enough wisdom to ask for the right thing and not the wrong thing. You know? Now I I wonder how many believers would say, god, help me win the lottery. You know? I but I but I but I hope that I that I'd have enough wisdom to ask for the right things. You know? Well, so the lord here, you know, he shows up, and he says, hey, Solomon. What do you want? Alright? Verse six.
Verse six. And Solomon said, thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee, and thou hast kept him and kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. And now, oh lord my god, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a a little child. I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted from multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding, an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.
For who was able to judge this, thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the lord that Solomon had asked this thing. Alright. Now Solomon said, you know what I need? You know what I need? I need help. I need a lot of help. And God said unto him, in verse 11, because thou has asked this thing and not asked for thyself long life, neither asked neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor has asked the life of thine enemies, but has asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to thy words. Low, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any shall any arise like unto thee. Now now this this, this this wise understanding heart is is later translated as as we're gonna see and condensed into one word.
Wisdom. Wisdom. Solomon said, you know, what I, you know, what I really need here is wisdom. I need wisdom. Alright. Very good. Go to chapter four. First Kings chapter four and verse 29. And God gave Solomon wisdom. Alright? Here it is now. And understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East Country and all the wisdom of Egypt. So he is wiser than anyone. Wiser than anyone. Then in, let me see. Verse, 31 says he was he was wiser than all the well known philosophers and and educators. Alright? So, so verse 32, and he spake 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five.
And he spake of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spake also of beasts and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. So in other words, Solomon had wisdom beyond just a direct spiritual application. He knew about nature. He knew about biology. He knew about, you you know, all kinds of things that that he saw and observed out there in the world. He was a great observer. A great observer. And all the people and there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Wouldn't it be great to be to be that smart? Wouldn't it wouldn't it be? Do you ever feel stupid? Do you ever feel like, you know, you know, I wish I was a little bit smarter in that area or this area or something else? You know? I yeah. Well, if you don't, you know, God help you. But, you know, now now not only in ruling Israel, but but this this bled over into, as I I mentioned a little while ago, international politics. Look over in, chapter five. Chapter five and verse 12. And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he promised him, and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they too made a league together. Now now Hiram, who's Hiram?
Hiram was king over what you and I would call today Lebanon. Alright? In that in that region, that part of the world. And so you know what they came to? If you read the narrative down on through, you you you you know what they arrived at? They arrived at at a a a, a workable, equitable, trade agreement. That's basically what it was. Wisdom. Wisdom. Now, you know, America, as as as president Trump has pointed out and, many, many times has been taken advantage of for decades and decades and decades. You know? And and when, when president Trump stands up and he says, you know, I'm not gonna put up with it anymore.
That's it. We're not doing this anymore, man. And, of course, the liberals howl and scream. You know what their problem is? Worldly wisdom, not spiritual wisdom. Now I'm not necessarily suggesting that president Trump is operating under the umbrella of a of spiritual wisdom, but, you know, perhaps to some degree, he is. By virtue of the fact that there are thousands of believers in this country that pray for him. You know, folks never discount the the power of prayer. So so, you know, he stands up and he says, I'm not gonna put up with this anymore. Hey, Mexico. Guess what?
Hey, China. Guess what? Hey, European Union. Guess what? We're not gonna be your patsies anymore. We're gonna have an equitable trade agreement. That's the whole tariff situation that, of course, the liberal courts are trying to strike down even as we speak right now. They said, a, federal a federal judge ruled that, the tariffs are unconstitutional again. I mean, I don't know when they're gonna learn. Now this is gonna go to the Supreme Court, and they're gonna have to go through this all this all this mess all over again. Alright?
Folks, we need wisdom. We need wisdom. Wisdom will be noticed. Now if you're wise and when I say wise, I I, you know, I I I I kinda integrated the word smart, But when when we think of smart, we think of, you know, intellectual prowess. Don't we? You know, there are a lot of people that that that probably wouldn't do particularly well on an IQ test, but are wise. But are wise. Wise in heavenly things. You know, they may not know a lot of things that appear on an SAT exam, but that doesn't mean for a moment that they may not be wise. Wisdom is noticed.
You know, just think back in your life. Think back over your life. You know, your family, your associates, your friends, you know, sphere of influence as you were growing up and and and coming on up through. And was there anyone? You know, maybe it was an uncle. Maybe it was a teacher, your mother, your father. Is there anyone in your life that stood out in your mind's eyes as being just particularly wise. You know, if there was one person that you that you could think of that, you know, if you needed really sound advice, it would probably be that person that you would go to? Well, probably a lot of you could say, yeah. Yeah. I can identify someone like that. You know, there is someone I could think of someone that way.
Now you see, if if it's if it's it's just, you know, for different people, it's different individuals. But be that as it may, wisdom will be noticed. Alright? Go to chapter 10. First Kings and chapter 10. Couple pages to your right. First Kings and chapter 10. Alright. Now what we have here, in this particular situation is the queen of Sheba. Alright? And we you know, I'm sure you've heard of the Queen of Sheba. Chapter 10, and let's see. Start in, verse two. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train with camels that bear spices and very much gold and precious stones. Alright? That's verse two. And when she was come unto Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
And he answered all her questions in verse three, and that kinda blew her away. Alright? And then in in the verse four and then in verse four, and when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom and the house that he had built and the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants and the attendants of his ministers and their apparel and his cupbearers and his descent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. So, basically, all the wind had left her sails. So she had come to Jerusalem evidently probably on on on on the camel of pride as it were, you know, herself thinking, you know, well, you know, after all, I am the queen. I am a queen, and, I'm a big shot.
You know? I've got my own bragging rights. But you see, after she saw Solomon in his element, boy, and then she just knocked the breath right out of her. She was totally out of wind. Totally out of wind. Verse six, and she said to the king, it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. How be it I believed not the words until I came and mine eyes had seen it, and behold, the half was not told me. Thy wisdom and prosperity exceeded the fame which I heard. You know, wisdom generates prosperity. It generates prosperity.
Now, you know, we we all know that spiritual prosperity is a whole lot different or or actually I should say I shouldn't even say different. Spiritual prosperity is a whole lot more important than physical prosperity. You know, you don't need to be rich in the things of the world. You need to be rich in the things of the of the Lord. Alright? However, verse eight verse eight. Happy are thy men. Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom. So wisdom creates an atmosphere of happiness. It just does.
If there's wisdom in your house, it'll be a happy house. It'll be a contented house. It'll be a house that people enjoy being in. It'll be a house that people can't wait to get there. You know? It's it's that kind of house if wisdom abides there. I mean, just look at the text. Look at verse nine. Blessed be the lord thy god, which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel because the lord loved Israel forever. Therefore, he made the king to do judgment and justice. Now that's critical right there. That's critical. Judgment judgment and justice.
You know what that requires? That requires discernment of what is right and what is wrong. Judgment and justice. Now by all theory, a judge is supposed to be dispensing just that, judgment and justice. You don't see a lot of that with the left, with liberal judges. Case in point, just look at the rulings that these these district judges these injunctions that these district judges throw out willy nilly. But that's in the story. But a judge is supposed to be dispensing judgment and justice. Now if he's a wise judge, he'll have to be discriminating and understanding the difference between right and wrong.
Alright? And this requires that which is absolutely necessary absolutely necessary in dealing with apparent differences or things that are not equal. Alright? Now now now now listen to me. The world the world in all of its nondiscrimination policies and look, every time you flip on the news, you got a new one. Right? You can't discriminate against this. You can't discriminate against that Or or this, you know, or or the the this this next other thing, you know. There's all these different things. Right? Well, you know what they're trying to do?
They're trying to rob you of wisdom, because wisdom discriminates. Wisdom says that's wrong. Wisdom says that's right. Wisdom doesn't make things gray. Wisdom makes things very black and very white. That's wisdom. So you think about all this nondiscriminatory stuff that we have floating out floating out around there today, you know, you gotta be really careful about that. Gotta be really care. Now, you know, we all understand that the Lord warned us. You know, judge not lest you be judged. Right? We all we're all familiar with that passage of scripture, but, and and we get it. You know? We do. We get it. But but, you know, that verse has been quoted and quoted and quoted and overworked to the max by all kinds of liberal nuts, but I bet you there isn't one of them.
You know, the next time someone says that to you, well, you know The Bible said, judge not lest you be judged. Ask them what the balance to that is. Ask them what the balance to that is. Because if the Bible is a balanced book I mean, does your Bible say a false balance is an abomination to the Lord and a just weight is his delight? The Bible is a balanced book. Okay? On one side, judge not that you've been not judged. We get that. We understand that. But he gives further revelation when Paul said in in, first Corinthians two verse 15. He says, he that is spiritual judgeth all things.
That's the balance. That's what makes the thing equitable. And then Paul even went a step further in, in Romans chapter 14 verse 13 when he tells us to judge doubtful practices. You know, that there's certain lifestyles, doubtful practices that you're supposed to judge. Now I don't know about you, but I I grew up in a in a home where where where they judged my friends. My parents judged. I don't want you hanging around with that kid. You get it? I don't want you around that kid. Alright? Well, there was some wisdom being exercised predicated upon discriminating and making a judgment.
Now testing and temptations often come to try your faith. Go to James. Let's go back to James. Told you where it was before. Shouldn't have to do it again. But nestled in between Hebrews and first Peter is your book of James. James chapter one. Alright. James chapter one and verse three. You know what? Let's start in verse one. Why not? Start verse one. James chapter one. Here we go. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Well, why should I?
Why should I? I don't want to. Why in the world would I why in the world should I count it joy when I fall into a whole rat's nest of temptations? Why should I say, oh, man. I'm just a happy camper. You know? I'm just surrounded by temptations. Now keep in mind, of course, you know, as we allow the Bible to interpret itself, a temptation is often defined as a trial. Because over in Genesis 22, we read that God tempted Abraham in the event of him taking up Isaac and sacrificing him. But then when we get over to Hebrews in chapter 13, the temptation is defined as a trial.
It's a trial. You see? So why should I just be jumping up and down and shouting hallelujah and have a baptistal fit when I'm surrounded by trials? Well well, here we go. Here we go. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. So sorry. One one. There we go. My brethren, count it all joy when we when you fall into diverse temptations. I mean, that's not like somebody jumping off a cliff into a pool of water now. You know? That's not what it is. Alright? Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. So do you know what a trial is?
You know what a trial is? It's to increase your faith. It's to increase your faith faith. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh worketh patience. But let patience have our perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Now what's that now what's the remedy? What's the remedy? What what have you gotta do here? Well well, they they can only be overcome All these various trials and tribulations can only over be overcome by what? 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.
So approach number one when facing trials is to ask God for wisdom. You need wisdom. You've gotta have it, folks. You need it desperately. Alright? Now and there's something else you need to be. Let's look at verse eight. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. So be singularly minded in the things of the Lord. Be singularly minded. Alright? Now, as I start to wrap this thing up here, let's see. Let me see. Two, what do we got? Alright. So I lost my, place in my outline here. Oh, yeah. To prove I don't know. I'm thinking about actually print not printing, but, making my outlines available to show you so you could see where I am in the notes because sometimes I write some some really weird notes to myself, and they're they're kinda funny sometimes.
But, on this particular point, I wrote, you know, to prevent stupidity, and it's just because I couldn't think of a better word, so that's what I wrote down. To prevent stupidity, we have to tap into an infinite source of wisdom. Have you ever thought about the word infinite? I mean, eternity is infinite, isn't it? I mean, from our perspective anyway, the universe is infinite. It just goes on and on and on and on and on. Alright? Now the Bible indicates that there is an infinite source of wisdom. An infinite source of wisdom. Alright. Now all worldly wisdom has a beginning and it has an end.
It travels within the confines of a circle. Alright? But heavenly wisdom heavenly wisdom has no end, and it has no beginning. It just goes on and on and on and on and on. It's infinite. It's infinite. Oh, man. That's the kind of infinite that's the kind of wisdom we need to tap into. We need to get plugged into that. You know? More and more of these truck stops and and so on are coming up these little plug in stations now for the electric cards and and stuff, the Teslas and all that mess. And I noticed that the last time I drove up to New York to to see my sister, you know, you you wheel in there, you plug in, and I I mean I mean, it looks simple enough, but, you know, I don't I don't know how to really know how they work. But you see but you see but they're plugging into a source of energy.
Right? And they're receiving energy in their batteries. Well, but it only takes them so far, then they gotta go to another place and plug in again. And and and, of course, you know, I realize the same thing is true with gas, with with, traditional fuel, you know, diesel, gas, whatever it is, you know, you just gotta keep getting more and more and more and more. You you gotta keep going back to the station. And wouldn't it be great if you could just get all plugged in and never have to get plugged in again? You know? Just keep going and keep going and keep going.
So God has made that available to us, an infinite source of wisdom. Alright? Go to Psalm one forty seven. Psalm one forty seven. Wisdom. Man, we need wisdom. I need wisdom. Isaiah, gonna go back going back to your left, Psalm 147. I'll never forget. I had just started, serving as a as an associate pastor in in my church up in New York there. And, we were in the, in the pastor's office, the senior pastor's office before the start of the service, and it was a normal thing for us. You know, we would sit there. It was it would be it usually be myself, senior pastor, deacon, and, one of the other men in the church. And we would sit there, and we would, we would just kinda kinda go over the server, the order of service, talk about prayer requests, and then, you know, scripture reading and so on and so forth.
And I remember seeing your pastor said to me one day, he goes, brother Joe, would you do me a favor today for the scripture reading for the service? Could you read Psalm one fifty one? And I was like, Psalm one fifty one. It's only a 150 Psalms. He goes, alright. I just testing it. I just wanted to see what you say. So yeah. And and I don't know. Every time I come to the book of Psalms, especially toward the end of the book of Psalms, I I I think about that. I miss that man. I really do. You know, he's with the Lord now, and, the the the elder I wax, if I wanna get poetical, you know, the elder I wax, the more I think about all these little nuggets that he would kinda throw my way that I didn't really latch onto at that particular time.
But as I've gotten older, like I said, I you know, just those little things that he would say have been sticking with me more, have been coming back into my memory more. And, man, he was a wise man. He was a wise man. You know why he was a wise man too? Because his nose was always in the book. Always. Never saw him read anything else, and and I'm sure he did. I'm sure he read commentaries and and and other materials like that, but never but always in the Bible, always had the book open. And that was his first source and his first direction anytime you went to him with anything. It was always, what was the Bible say?
Have you read this in your Bible yet? Have you have you sought the word of God yet? And that's it. That was his that was his approach to, to counseling and and every everything was the first course of action here is your Bible. Go to your Bible. Man, I miss him. He's a he was a good man. He was a good man. I'm looking forward to seeing him in heaven one day. Anyway, wisdom is the is the ability to take god given principles, god given truths, and apply them in such a way that they make them that they work for us. Okay? That's wisdom. That's wisdom. Psalm one forty seven and verse number five.
Great is our lord and of great power. His understanding is infinite. So in other words, there is no end to it. You will never run out of god's understanding. You've gotta get plugged into it. Get plugged into it. Go to Romans chapter 11, if you would. Romans, your New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then the glorious book of Romans. Romans chapter 11. Gonna be there really quick. Romans chapter 11, and, let's look at verse number 13. Romans chapter 11 and verse, 13. Oh, I'm sorry. Verse 33. Verse 33. I know it didn't sound right. Romans chapter 11 verse 33. Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. They are absolutely unsearchable.
You'll never be able to come to the end of them or come to the conclusion of them. Now what would this kind of wisdom do? Well, it helps us in the understanding of the smallest, most minute matters. You know, sometimes we think, well, you know, we need we need wisdom in the big issues of life. You know, you're gonna go car shopping. You know, God help you. God help you, man. I hate car shopping. You know, you you you need wisdom. Right? You need wisdom. You gotta buy some real estate. You need some wisdom. You're raising children. Boy, do you need wisdom.
I mean, there are multitudes of issues that, you know, it's it's it's very clear that we need wisdom. But then there's the little things in life. You know, just the little mundane, routine, daily deals that we have to come across every day. We might not even think too much about them one way or the other, but do we need wisdom? You know, I'm not a wise grocery shopper. I'm not. I'm I'm I'm terrible. I go in a store. There's what I want. I get it. You know? I think, you know, I I I think, you know, I I I need that. I need this. You know? I need that. I need this, and I just throw it in the basket, and then let's go. You know? I don't shop.
You know the deal. Right? You know you know what I'm saying? You know, I'm I'm just not you know, I I I just you know, I don't know. I I, you know, that looks good. Let me get it. You know? And let's go. I'm not a wise shopper. I'm not a good shopper. Went shopping the other day and, the other day. Yes. Well, I I put a curbside order in yesterday at our at our local HEB down here, and, spent, like, a $150. I'm like, on what? What did I get? I I I got, like, four bags and, you know, because I won't shop. I just I want this, I want that, I get this, I get that, and boom. You know, I walk out. I I put the order in, you know, pull the trigger on that thing. I mean, that's just the way I am. But if you're interested in saving money, I guess a little wisdom helps. Right?
And they're, you know, now now and now it's, you know, it's it's just a mundane routine life thing, isn't it? I know. But but you know what? Look at me over Matthew. Let's let's try to make a point here. Matthew. Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10. First book in your New Testament. The fortieth book of your Bible. Matthew chapter 10. Oops. There we go. Let's see if God is interested in these small, little, mundane, everyday kind of life stuff. Matthew chapter 10. Wisdom will help you understand the minutest matters of life. Matthew chapter 10 and verse number 25 29.
Matthew chapter 10 verse number 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father? But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, you are more value than many sparrows. I mean, really I mean, who cares how many hairs are on your head? You know, it's really not an important issue, is it? It's it's really not. I mean, who cares? Alright. Now some of us have more than others. Some of them by choice. Some of them not. But does it really matter? Alright. Now the Lord you know, and that's an analogy that the Lord utilized simply to demonstrate to us that, you know, if God cares about sparrows and God cares about the numbers of hairs in your head, God cares about the minute details of your life.
You know, we think, you know, well well, God's only concerned about the great big issues. You know? No. No. God's wisdom God's wisdom can be applied to any and all aspects of our lives. And the more we utilize it, we'll be like Solomon's crowd. Happy, happy, happy, happy. You know, like that old cartoon, Ren and Stimpy, you know, happy, happy, joy, joy, happy, happy, joy, joy. I mean, I wanna be happy, don't you? Don't you wanna be happy? I wanna be happy. Alright? But that's not all. Wisdom helps us understand the affliction of the saints. Go to Psalm one forty two.
Psalm one forty two. Gonna go back to your old see, this is a Bible study, folks. We go back and forth in our Bibles. Psalm one forty two. Right back there at the end of your book. Psalm one forty two. You know, sometimes the saints are afflicted in a variety of ways. And I'll tell you what, I I I've looked at at so many situations over the years. You know, families, individuals, you know, people going through stuff, man. And and sometimes I just shake my head and I say, god, I I just I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't understand it. You know, I wish they didn't have to endure this.
And, lord, help me to understand what the end game here is. Help me to get it. Help me to understand it. Well, the psalmist himself was was suggesting that very dilemma. Look at Psalm one forty two, verse one. I cried unto the Lord with my voice. With my voice unto the Lord, I did make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him. I showed before him my trouble. Now I I I've done that. I guess, you know, more than a few times in my life when I complained to God about my trouble. But I know I've I know for a fact, I've complained to God a whole lot more about other people's troubles. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me. Some people say privily, privily, privily. I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me. No man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, oh lord, and I said, thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
And the Lord says, you know, here's the end game. You know, the fat lady hasn't sung yet. It's it's not all over yet. You see? Don't forget there's still something down the trail. There's still something coming down the road. Wisdom helps us to understand a little bit more about the affliction of the saints. Alright. Look over in Exodus chapter three. Exodus chapter three. You're gonna go all the way to the front of your Bibles. You have Genesis. Go to the second book of your Bible. Genesis, Exodus, chapter three. Genesis, Exodus.
Exodus chapter three. I think it might be almost time to send this Bible out to get rebound. Genesis chapter ex Exodus chapter three, I'm sorry, verse seven. Exodus chapter three verse seven. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So so God heard their affliction. He observed it. He said, I've heard it. Verse eight, and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the land, out of that land, unto a good land, and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey, unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me, and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. So, again, god says, I observe your afflictions. I observe it. I've got something better for you. And concentrating on that, setting our affections on the things above and not the things of the earth gives me, better appreciation for understanding the afflictions of God's people. That's wisdom. Folks, that's wisdom. And then to understand our our infirmities as well as our our afflictions, look over in Psalm one zero three.
Psalm one zero three. You're gonna go back still in the Old Testament, going back to the book of Psalms. And remember, folks, it's Psalms is the book, the individual passage or chapter, we don't really call them chapters, but is Psalm, singular, one zero three. Book of Psalms, Psalm one zero three. Little pet peeve of mine. I'm sorry. Psalm one zero three. And, let's go to verse number 14. Psalm one zero three verse 14. For he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and place thereof shall know it no more. You know, the Lord understands your your infirmities. The Lord knows that our frame is but dust, and wisdom helps us gain a real solid appreciation of that and what God knows. Wisdom helps you to understand the prosperity of the wicked. Now I'm not gonna take you there because I wanna close, but, Psalm 73, you'll pick that up. Alright? Pretty much the whole Psalm is dedicated to that. And, you know, the Psalm says, you know, this basically basically, the Psalms, I'm gonna paraphrase it. Basically says, you know, I don't get it, God. I don't get it.
Why are all these fat cats on Wall Street, you know, billionaires? And and and and they live like the devil. They hate God. They hate his word. I'm not saying they all do. Don't don't understand, but I I think probably most of them do. He said, I don't understand this whole thing. I don't understand why the wicked prosper. And it's wisdom that helped the psalmist. It's wisdom that helped psalmist. Alright. Let let me give you one one last verse to look at. Colossians chapter three and verse 16. Colossians, let me go back to your New Testament.
I'm gonna go all the way back towards Romans, first Corinthians, second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and then Colossians. Colossians chapter three and verse 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. I wanna be rich. Right? I mean, I wanna be super rich. I wanna be mega rich, don't you? In wisdom. In wisdom. I'm not talking about American dollars. I'm not talking about cryptos either. I'm talking about wisdom. I wanna be rich. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all things, in all wisdom. Let the word of let me start again.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another. Alright? And and here's a sidebar. Here's a sidebar, that that that that Paul kinda throws in here, and and I and I find it I find it really interesting. He says, in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. So if you're rich in wisdom if you're rich in wisdom, it cannot help but show up in your music. It's a fascinating connection. It's a fascinating it'll show up in your music. Alright. Now what's our access to wisdom? How do we gain wisdom?
Let the word of Christ do you know what the word of Christ is? It's that thing right there. It's this thing right here. This is it. It's that bible. When we fail to utilize God's wisdom regularly, then we fail to be con when we fail to be confronted by God's wisdom. Think about that. When we fail to utilize God's wisdom regularly, then we fail to be confronted by God's wisdom. To be somewhere like the church house or somewhere we can learn more about God's wisdom, hear God's wisdom taught and preached. When and when we sit down in our quiet time by ourselves and read the word of God, That's ex accessing wisdom internally.
Now when we don't do that, when we fail to take advantage of all the wisdom opportunities that God gives us, you know what we're really saying? You know what we're really saying? We're saying, okay, god. I'm smart enough. I don't I don't I don't need you right now. I got it all figured out. Really? Probably not. Probably not. You know, it's it's dangerous territory to think that you got anything figured out. Dangerous territory. You've got to trust the Lord and lean not onto your own understanding. Amen? And he'll help you. He'll and give you wisdom.
You know, there there have been certain circumstances that I've had to deal with with others over the years, and, you know, I've just had to fall on my face and say, god, I I don't know how to deal with this. I need the wisdom of Solomon. And I know you're the only source for it. You're the only place I can get it. God, I I need some help here. It's been a lot of times. There's a lot of times where I'm just building a Bible study or building a sermon. I'll get through one point and I'll think, okay. Well well, where am I going with this? And the Lord says, alright. Time to take a break and beseech me for some wisdom.
And And, honestly, I can't tell you how effective that is. But it is. I mean, there's been so many multiple times where I just felt like I hit a roadblock. I called it preacher's block. You know, I'm halfway through a sermon. I don't know which direction to go. You know, I come to a fork in the road. Do I go here? Do I go there? Do I do this? Do I do that? And I say, lord, I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do. Can you give me some wisdom? You know, sometimes it comes instantaneous instantaneously, and sometimes it comes a little later, but, you know, little bulb goes on.
It's not my light bulb. I'm really not that smart. You know? I I have probably have an IQ of about 50 or so. You know? But the Lord's IQ is infinite. Lord's IQ is infinite. Right? Infinite. And, you know, I I have people that come to me, and they'll say, well, you know, I was talking to somebody about this spiritual issue and this and that, and, you know, I I really didn't know how to respond. Well, here's a thought that might, you know, draw the person you're talking to. You know, if you don't mind, maybe, we could just stop for a for a minute here. I'm not sure how to how to answer that, but let's pray and ask god for an answer.
Oh god. Now this guy wants an answer to this to this, and I'm not sure how to answer it. And but I know your book has the answer. Help us to search your book. It's just what pastor Stagner used to do. And I remember him doing it, and I used to watch people get so nervous. But, hey, man. You know, what's wrong with that? Really? What's wrong with that? You're you're simply implementing what god said. If anyone asks or or if anyone of you lack wisdom, let him ask of god. Right? That's what the book says. So what's wrong with doing it? So when we fail to do it, we're simply suggesting to an infinite almighty god that we don't need his help.
I need it. Boy, I need it. You need it. You know, we all need it. Every single one of us. Alright. So this this is this is just, an introductory lesson on wisdom because, you know, every one of the lessons that, that we're gonna go through and that we're gonna pursue, they'll be, you know and and they'll be very specific. You know, but they're all predicated on God's wisdom. Here is God's wisdom. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for how it ministers to us. God, allow us, I pray, to feed on it, to relish it, and enjoy it each and every day. God, we thank you for it. We ask your blessings upon it, and, God, we ask you to please provide us the wisdom that we need in each and every step of our lives, and we'll thank you for it. In Jesus' name, amen.
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