What is the Wisdom of God?
Listen to the sermon:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Eph 1:3-10
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eph 3:10-11
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces or the basic principles; of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. Col 2:2-10
The Wisdom of God
The Hebrew word for "proverb," mashal, has two meanings. The first is "parable, byword, metaphor, a pithy saying that expresses wisdom."
But the second meaning is overlooked by many. The homonym mashal can also mean "to rule, to take dominion" or "to reign with power."
Proverbs 1
1. Here are kingdom revelations, words to live by, and words of wisdom given to empower you to reign in life, written as proverbs by Israel’s King Solomon, David’s son.
2. Within these sayings will be found the revelation of wisdom and the impartation of spiritual understanding. Use them as keys to unlock the treasures of true knowledge.
3. Those who cling to these words will receive discipline to demonstrate wisdom in every relationship and to choose what is right and just and fair.
4. These proverbs will give you great skill to teach the immature and make them wise, to give youth the understanding of their design and destiny.
5. For the wise, these proverbs will make you even wiser, and for those with discernment, you will be able to acquire brilliant strategies for leadership.
Wisdom is a gift from a generous God, and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you. For the Lord has a hidden storehouse of wisdom made accessible to his godly lovers. Prov 2:6-7
1. My child, will you treasure my wisdom? Then, and only then, will you acquire it. And only if you accept my advice and hide it within will you succeed.
2. So train your heart to listen when I speak and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment— then pass it on to your sons and daughters.
3. Yes, cry out for comprehension and intercede for insight. Prov 2:1-3 &6
4. Wisdom is a gift from a generous God, and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you.
There is no transformation outside of a renewed mind. Enjoy the journey into thinking differently and being with God in a fresh way.
When God presents you with truth, He is inviting you to upgrade your relationship with Him.
Here are some great questions to ask:
- "What are the key truths here?"
- "What aspects of God’s nature are being revealed to me?"
- "Who does He want to be for me in this situation?"
- "What are the key breakthroughs in these truths?"
- "What obstacle can I overcome with these truths?"
- "What new part of my identity am I discovering in this dialogue?"
- "What am I discovering that I would like to explore further?"
- "What interaction with the Lord is available that I may not have considered before or am now considering in a fresh way?"
- "If I lived in this upgrade, what would change for me?"
By Graham Cooke in his book - The NEWNESS ADVANTAGE
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™