Discerning the Wisdom of God from the Wisdom of this World

In a tradition begun in my first Talbot class in 2008, here is my latest message for a preaching class! I hope it encourages someone! I chose the topic because it is something close to my own heart right now.
In Him,
Jennifer

Manuscript for Topical Sermon
“Godly Wisdom Vs. Worldly Wisdom: How Do We Discern?”

Introduction:
Have you ever opened up your e-mail inbox (or better yet, SPAM box!) only to find yourself assaulted by subject headings offering every kind of solution to any problem you could imagine? These e-mails promise great wisdom to help you in life’s greatest challenges. Here are a few from own e-mail of late:
Three Secrets to Snagging a Great Apartment
The Cherry Chocolate Cake that Melts Belly Fat! Try it Today!
How To Look Young At Any Age
Get Him To Chase You Instead!
We see it in our e-mail, on the internet, the television, the magazine rack and all along the freeway during our commute. This overwhelming battery of “wisdom literature” telling us how to do life can be confusing and lead us to walk in circles in our decision making if we don’t know how to navigate through it.
As believers, we are aware that God has His way for us to do things, and ultimately we want His direction for us. But in the middle of the roar of advice and information, how do we discern what is Godly Wisdom and what is worldly Wisdom?
First, we must recognize that wisdom is something worth trying to discern.
I. Wisdom is a Godly pursuit, but it requires much discernment.
We know that we are to seek to live lives as wise people, and not as fools.
But what exactly is wisdom? Wisdom is not the result of internal reflection and meditation, as some popular Eastern mystic thought would lead us to believe. According to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary, wisdom is “The ability to direct one’s mind toward a full understanding of human life and toward its moral fulfillment. Wisdom is thus a special capacity, necessary for full human living; it can be acquired through education and the application of the mind.” The main Hebrew word for wisdom is חָכְמָה. This word speaks of having skill and discernment as to what is ethical and shrewd in life. The Greek word σοφία has the same connotation, with an emphasis the fact that wisdom is not only the ability to understand things, but motivation to act on what you know.
How do we pursue wisdom? We read the Bible and see much wisdom and guidance there. But sometimes in life, things don’t seem to be solved so easily with a “chapter and verse” answer. We have big and specific questions in our search to live wise lives- Should I take this new job? Should I approach my friend about that habit that seems so sinful to me? Should I get involved romantically with this guy/girl? It is then that we see the Scripture lead us to look to counsel from others.
A. It is good to seek counsel and to be teachable.
Proverbs 11:14 says that “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
It is important for us to seek good counsel from others. Godly people can encourage, remind and instruct us in wise ways. However, B. much evil counsel exists, cloaked as good counsel.
This is where discernment comes in. Sometimes the advice that sounds so good can be exactly the wrong thing! It may be so close to the truth, and contain bits of truth, but not really be God’s wisdom.
Take, for example, the popular “wisdom” of Oprah. On her website this week, she has some good advice on how to get out of debt and to watch your weight. I think we would agree that this advice is sound and practical. However, in answering the big question on everyone’s mind, “How can I be happy?” there are things on that same website that give a “wisdom” that should not settle well with those who know the Lord. Opera gives what sounds like good ways to live a happy life- love yourself, take care of the people who are important to you, like your job and be a spiritual person. The problem is, this spirituality has nothing to do with the true God who reveals Himself in His Word. This wisdom is not based on the godly principle of having joy in knowing the Lord! It may sound good, but it is a philosophy of self-determined truth!
Bad counsel can sometimes be disguised as something good. Another challenge is that
C. Even good counselors can get it wrong sometimes!-
We remember the story of Job in this case. Job had everything going wrong in his life. His friends came to visit him. They were probably great guys in general, maybe full of wisdom for most situations. However, when they came to Job in his time of need, they got it all wrong. They assumed that Job was being punished for his sin. Meanwhile, you and I, the readers, are filled in on what’s really going on. Job is being tested in his righteousness, not punished for his sin! His buddies were way off! This shows us that even our good and godly friends can give us bad advice sometimes.
If you are looking for wisdom in a certain area of your life right now, be it work, family, ministry or relationships, you may be asking yourself right now, “If I can’t get a straight up direction from the Bible and I can’t be sure my friends and counselors will lead me in the right direction, how can I discern wisdom?”
The good news is that God shows us in His Word what Godly wisdom looks like.
II. The Bible gives clear contrasts between Godly and worldly wisdom. –
Proverbs shares distinctions between the nature of wisdom and “folly” or foolishness, which is what worldly “wisdom” really is. In Proverbs 9, we see an illustration of wisdom and folly as two different women with very different characteristics.
A. Wisdom
Verses 1-6 depict wisdom saying:
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”

The word picture of this woman shows us what wisdom looks like.
1. Wisdom is diligent, (hard working and productive)
2. Wisdom brings insight-That’s the practical understanding we talked about
and 3. wisdom seeks the good of others- Wisdom invites others to know her and to be wise. She applies to everyone. It’s not a selfish, “well this is how I see it” kind of thing.
On the other hand, Proverbs 9:13-18 shows us a picture of what folly, worldly wisdom, looks like.
13 The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Here we see a picture of B. folly that is negative and destructive. This worldly “wisdom” is recognizable by several characteristics seen in these verses.
1. Folly is lazy (Unlike wisdom that works hard, worldly wisdom encourages us to just relax, enjoy things and not take things seriously. This is especially true in our culture with lazy thinking. The TV we watch, the ways we entertain ourselves, and even our education can be great encouragers of lazy thinking. Reasoning through things and challenging our minds is not exactly in vogue in our world today.)
2. Folly is also seductive (This means that it plays to our desires. This is the kind of wisdom that advertising uses every day. “You deserve it!” “Have it your way!” Advertising uses words like “Tantalizing, sweet and silky”, and have mastered using sexual imagery to sell things like chocolate and laundry detergent. Your desires are fully engaged, and the wisdom of this world seduces you into thinking you need and deserve all the best that money and good looks can bring you.)
Finally, 3. folly takes the easy way to pleasure. (You should have red flags when you receive advice that leads you to believe that you can have what you want, when you want it without having to work hard. Things that are worth having are usually had through hard work! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!)
Godly wisdom is contrasted well with worldly wisdom here in Proverbs 9. The capstone verse that helps in our discernment is vs. 10:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight

C. Godly wisdom will always begin with fear of the LORD.
If the wisdom we are hearing does not lead us to know Him, and if it doesn’t lead to living in fear that He is indeed our LORD, we are not hearing godly wisdom. I like to remember these principles with this little phrase. You can use it to test what kind of wisdom you are receiving:
“The wisdom of this world tickles my ears and stokes the passion of my desires.
The wisdom of God renews my mind and enflames the passion of my heart for Him.”

III. Our goal is to discern Godly wisdom and act on it.
This is God’s will for us, and thankfully, we are not alone in this!
A. God wants us to have a spirit of wisdom (This is His idea!) and that spirit will have certain characteristics. We can find these in Ephesians 1:17-23. Let’s read this together.
Τhat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

Let’s look at a few details on this spirit of wisdom from this passage.
First of all, 1. It will lead to knowledge of Him. God will use His wisdom to teach us to know Him better. That’s one of His main goals for us.
Secondly, 2. It will bring a hope founded in Him. This is an important point. True godly wisdom shouldn’t lead us to cynicism and despair. It should lead us to a greater hope in our wonderful Saviour.
Finally, 3. It will glorify the Messiah. The wisdom of God is not self-promoting. It glorifies the Lord and leads us to reflect Him better.
As we grow in the Lord, the spirit of wisdom works in our lives, and teaches us to discern the way that God wants us to do things. When we are asking if we should take a job, date a particular person or confront a brother or sister, we can rely on His Spirit to guide us through His Word. We can measure our options according to the Biblical definitions of wisdom and folly. We can check our motives and see if we are making the choice that seeks to know God and glorify Him. And…
B. When we know Godly wisdom, we must act on it.
It is not enough to intellectually assent that God has a way and a plan for us. We have to respond to it in obedience. To do this,
1. The wisdom of this world must be cast aside. We won’t be able to do things God’s way and the world’s way at the same time. How do we cast aside worldly wisdom?
-It may be a matter of changing who we get counsel from. Maybe some of our friends who aren’t walking with the Lord can remain our friends, but shouldn’t be our counselors.
For instance:
If you are the man of the house, and believe that God is leading you to wisely lead your family to a better place financially by paying off your debt and starting some savings, you may need to stop listening to your buddies at the office who insist that the happiness you seek is in the latest BMW. You know that the message of “Get your pleasure now!” is worldly wisdom and must be set aside in favor of the Godly wisdom which says, “Be diligent and put your family first!”
-We may need to make a change in what we read and watch on TV. Let me give you an example:
You may be a young lady who wants to be everything she was created to be. You see in the Word that a wise woman is prudent, kind and virtuous. You see that this is the kind that is to be praised and that any man should rejoice to have as his wife. Yet, the fashion magazines you read tell you a different story. They tell you that what matters is money and beauty, and that the way to love and happiness is to have all of the things that elevate your status in this world and make you appealing to men. You may know in your heart that these magazines are lying to you, but if you feed yourself with the wisdom of the world, it will affect how you think and live. It may be time to get rid of this stuff and fill your mind with the truth.
As we recognize and discern the godly, casting off worldly wisdom,
2. We must walk in true wisdom.
Take-Home truth: We can discern Godly wisdom from worldly wisdom and act on it, living lives as people of wisdom.
This is where we get our hands dirty, as they say. We need to have faith that God’s wisdom is the best way to live our lives, and boldly walk in it. The rewards? We know the Lord more, we give Him glory and we find hope for the future in Him.
Conclusion-
So, next time your inbox is bombarded with a long list of subject headings with all the advice imaginable under the sun, think of it as an exercise in discernment. What is the wisdom of God and what is clearly the wisdom of this world- which is merely folly? You will be pleased to find that the Lord is giving you His spirit of wisdom, training your heart to discern His ways and giving you grace to walk in them.

Somedays...

Somedays, I've found, it's just better to call it a day, go to bed, and see what the Lord brings tomorrow. Too much time invested in why I'm feeling so low can usually be remedied by a good night's sleep and my morning devos and coffee. If not, then I can see what the real problem is.

That said...calling it a day.

Inside Out

Do you ever feel like God is turning you inside out? I guess I'm referring to that heart-wrenching, hope-giving, awe-inspiring kind of growth spurt that He sometimes brings us through. That's where I believe I am today. These last few weeks have been formative to who I am as a follower of Jesus. God is opening my heart to Himself in ways that in 20 years of walking with Him, I never knew were possible. He is opening my heart to others consequently, which is amazing, as within myself, I know I have no capacity to truly love people.

Right now, the Lord is showing me just how much life is about being in Him, apart from any other identity. He is showing me more of the vastness of His love and grace, and teaching me how to appropriate that and extend it toward others. My heart is more alive than ever before. Even as I recognize deep sins and heart issues that I was not previously conscious of, I am experiencing His love and acceptance in a deeper fuller way. His Word is sweeter and my prayers are more intimate. I am releasing people-pleasing and my heart's legalism with more victory than I have ever experienced. It's incredible. And I want others to experience this too.

This post is not intended to bring any great theological insight, or expound on any particular Biblical passages. I just was compelled to share from my heart a bit of the transformation that I am seeing taking place. I trust that through this, God will use me to bear fruit, and that His work will be evident to all. I am looking forward to seeing where this personal spiritual awakening will lead, as truly my soul feels like it's being turned- inside out.

Morning Musings- Matthew 8

I was reading Matthew 8 this morning, and the last bit of it was so sad. Yeshua had just cast demons into swine healing the possessed men. The witnesses rushed home to spread the news. Then the whole town came out to see Yeshua-to beg Him to leave. How heart-breaking. Here, the people had been exposed to the amazing redemptive and healing power of the Son of God-but they were too fearful of this power to embrace the presence and work of God.
I think of C.S. Lewis' "The Silver Chair" wherein at one point, the girl Jill is terribly thirsty and seeks water from a nearby stream. She sees a great lion by the stream of water who tells her, "If you are thirsty, you may drink." The conversation goes on, and she admits that she is dying of thirst, but is absolutely terrified of the lion- the same lion that she had previously witnessed saving her friend's life. She asks the lion to promise not to do anything to her if she comes close to him to get water, but he will not promise. In fact he admits that he has "swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms.” Jill then decides that she won’t come and drink. The lion tells her she will die of thirst and that there is no other stream wherein to find water. Finally recognizing she cannot live unless she trusts the lion, she moves forward, and drinks the water. She then finds the lion to be much more than she first suspected. In fact he is Aslan, who forgives her, cares for her and uses her in his righteous cause.
I read this passage in Lewis for the first time years ago, but it has always spoken to my heart. Just as the people in Galilee in Matthew 8, and just as Jill in Narnia (in an allegorical sense), we are faced with the decision to see the power of God and run from it, or to recognize the life that is in it, and to trust, knowing that there is no predictability in following Him.
I am sometimes to afraid of what God will do in His unpredictable ways to really follow Him. I feel that way now, going forward in ministry. Sometimes, I just want out or to keep things status quo to avoid the unknown trials that He will surely take me through. Yet, I know that living any other way than according to His will is not really living at all.
Just a chapter back, in Matthew 7, Yeshua had said that the path to destruction is wide and easy, but that the road to life is narrow and difficult. He is completely honest about the difficulty of the journey, but also about the end result- LIFE.
Lord, please grant me another day’s grace to move forward with You, the One who calms seas and casts out demons. Even as I fear your greatness, let me be so secure in Your love that I cannot help but cast fear aside in pursuit of You.