HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 354
page A352
Wisdom continued
But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds
a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it
will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Wisdom inspires confidence and prepares you for the most difficult times. Foolishness is a
great risk and leaves you vulnerable to catastrophe.
How do I obtain wisdom?
• J O B 2 8 :1 2 -1 3 , 2 1 | “But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find
understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living. . . .
It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity.”
Wisdom is elusive unless you actively pursue it.
• J A ME S 1 :5 | If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
You receive wisdom when you seek its source: God.
• PSA L M 1 1 9 :9 8 | Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my
constant guide. (See note on page 544.)
God’s Word, the Bible, is an unending source of wisdom for those who apply themselves
to study it.
• C O L O S S I A NS 3 :1 6 | Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach
and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.
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• DE U T E R O NO MY 4 :5 -6 | “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the
Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them. . . . Obey them completely, and
you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they
hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this
great nation!’ ”
• PR O V E R B S 1 :5 -6 | Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those
with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and
parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.
• PSA L M 1 9 :7 | The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of
the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Obedience to God’s Word—his commands, laws, and teachings—will make you wise. It
is the most reliable source of wisdom and insight because it is the very counsel of God
himself and therefore speaks to all situations.
• J A ME S 1 :5 | If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will
not rebuke you for asking.
• PSA L M 8 6 :1 1 | Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.
• PSA L M 5 :8 | Lead me in the right path, O Lord. . . . Make your way plain for me to follow.
God promises to give wisdom to anyone who asks. You need not be embarrassed to ask
God for the wisdom and direction you need.
• J O B 2 8 :2 8 | “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.”
• PR O V E R B S 9 :1 0 | Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy
One results in good judgment.
Giving God first place in your life is a prerequisite for God’s guidance. Asking God for wisdom is a hollow request if you are not willing to let God rule in your heart. Wisdom comes
from honoring God.
• 1 J O H N 2 :2 7 | But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t
need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to
know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in
fellowship with Christ.
• J O H N 1 4 :2 6 | “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the
Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”