God Calls Me to Be Wise - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

Wise Up! #1

God Calls Me to Be Wise

By Louie Marsh, 10-22-2023

 

Introduction:

10 Things It Took Me 50 Years to Learn

 

10) The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them.

 9) The one thing that unites all humans beings regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that deep down inside we ALL believe we are above average drivers.

 8) There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.

 7) You will never find anybody who can give you a clear compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

 6) When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy!

 5) No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.

 4) When God decides to deliver a message to mankind He WILL NOT use as His messenger a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.

 3) There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.”

 2) If you had to identify why the human race has not achieved, and will never achieve, it’s full potential, that word would be – “meetings!”

 1) Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night!

 

So what is Biblical wisdom - it’s not what you might think!

 

1) Biblical wisdom is PRACTICAL.

         

“¹⁹Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. ²⁰Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, ²¹for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Proverbs 23:19–21, ESV)

 

The word translated “Skill” of hakam.

 

The essential idea of hakam represents a manner of thinking and attitude concerning life's experiences; including matters of general interest and basic morality. The wisdom of the OT however, is quite distinct from other ancient world views...Reflected in OT wisdom is the teaching of a personal God who is holy and just and who expects those who know him to exhibit his character in the many practical affairs of life.... The emphasis of OT wisdom was that the human will, in the realm of practical matters, was to subject to divine causes. Therefore, Hebrew wisdom was not theoretical and speculative. It was practical, based on revealed principles of right and wrong to lived out in daily life.

 

“⁵Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. ⁶For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him.” (Ecclesiastes 8:5–6, ESV)

 

·       It’s not THEORETICAL

 

“¹⁰If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.” (Ecclesiastes 10:10, ESV)

 

In the NT the Greek for Wisdom is Sophia.  Sophia originally indicated unusual ability and knowledge in the practical sphere...but later concentrated on theoretical knowledge.

 

This is where we get our idea of wisdom as something beyond us from - climbing a mountain and finding a wizened old man sitting cross legged in a cave. You stumble to him and ask him what is the meaning of life. He replies, “Life means 3 things. 1, The world is real. 2, The world is unreal. 3, Therefore it is both yet it is neither.”

 

Impractical worldly wisdom shown in Solipsism - the belief nothing exists - proven wrong by the practical point that I’m here because you are talking to me!

 

2) Wisdom is DOING Not Knowing.

         

“⁵See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” (Deuteronomy 4:5–6, ESV)

 

There’s a great need for wisdom in the world. Story of guy who decided to make some extra money by robbing a store, picked the pizza place he worked at, needed to hide face so he used his motorcycle helmet. Was picked up in a few minutes by cops - because his name was written on the front of his helmet!!

 

“⁴³Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm 107:43, ESV)

 

·       But learning is NECESSARY & life long.

 

“⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8, ESV)

 

·       Wisdom focuses on the will not the INTELLECT.

 

“¹⁷Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, ¹⁸for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.” (Proverbs 22:17–18, ESV)

 

“²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:22–23, ESV)

 

“The ethical dynamic of Greek philosophy lay in the intellect...Knowledge was virtue”

 

But the Bible says - what you know doesn’t matter if you aren’t allowing it to impact your life.

 

Two extremes to avoid:

 

1, The Usual Evangelical One - thinking spiritual maturity and wisdom equals how much you know about God and the Bible.

 

    A, Wrong - there are many knowledgeable yet carnal Christians!!

 

2, The Usual Fundamentalist One - thinking that knowledge isn’t important and developing an anti-intellectual attitude.

 

The Truth: The intellect is good - you must know to obey!! But knowledge without obedience is worthless - and foolish!

 

3) Wisdom Comes from God

 

“¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (Psalm 111:10, ESV)

 

This is the theme of the entire Bible - and sets it apart from all other lit. of it’s time - Wisdom comes from God - and is a moral not simply intellectual character.

 

“⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, ESV)

 

“Wisdom is accordingly connected with the fear of Yahweh...Here also is developed the distinctive aspect of the understanding of wisdom in Israel: wisdom is rooted in adherence to God...'This idea is among the most characteristic of Israelite religion. Non-Israelite wisdom is unaware of this kind of almost programmatic rooting of wisdom in the fear of God.' (Gerhard von Rad)”

 

“¹The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1, ESV)

 

That’s why Ps. 14:1 is true - you can be the smartest most knowledgeable person in the world - but if you don’t believe in God you are foolish in the Biblical sense of the world.

 

          Prove It -  Defund the Police

 

4) Wisdom is Christ

 

“²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24, ESV)

 

1 Cor. 1:24 - For the Christian who is searching for Wisdom - you need look no further than Christ. What He said, how he lived, what he did - these are wisdom incarnate!!

 

5) God is SEEKING to give me wisdom.

 

“²⁰Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; ²¹at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:” (Proverbs 1:20–21, ESV)

 

“¹Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? ²On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; ³beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: ⁴“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.” (Proverbs 8:1–4, ESV)

 

“¹Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. ²She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. ³She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town,” (Proverbs 9:1–3, ESV)

 

Unlike what most people think - wisdom isn’t all that hard to find.

 

God wants you to be wise - and will do all He can to help you be that way!

 

 

 

 

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