02/19/2009
In a time of crisis such as this wisdom is much needed. We need wisdom to not just for enlightenment in our pathways but also so that we can be a source of counsel to others.
Now just as any truth in God’s kingdom is not instantly understood or walked in but requires a certain element of our participation of pursuit and seeking God, so is it with wisdom.
In this article we will look to glean truths from the lives and writings of two of the wisest men who ever lived and apply it to our times.
1) Wisdom is separating oneself from the ways of the world.
Unless we separate ourselves from the ways of the world, we will not understand clearly the ways of the Lord. As a matter of fact, it is wisdom to separate oneself from the world. We see this truth very clearly portrayed in many of the proverbs of Solomon. In Chapter 1 of Proverbs itself we see him admonishing us to separate ourselves from worldly ways.
Proverbs 1:10 to 15 -My sons, if sinners lure you, do not be willing. If they say, come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause… and let us have one purse. My son do not walk in the way with them! Keep back your foot from their path.
We can glean an important spiritual principle from this passage. We should not unite ourselves with people who pursue ungodly purposes even if it brings us profit. In this passage the ungodly men were thieves and robbers. They were pursuing after gain, but it was at the expense of others. Solomon’s admonition in such a situation was not to join with those men.
Developing on that further for believers we can say that if anyone is in pursuit of something that does not glorify Christ, we should have no part of it. This does not relate to individuals in workplaces but to churches or Christian business owners in the context of partnering or being unequally yoked to secular sources.
This is a very important truth for the church to stand on during these times. With the finances dwindling and the pressure to come up with the money for the needs, we can choose two different pathways. We can either compromise our convictions striking bonds with worldly sources of income that have no desire to glorify Christ or trust the Lord for provision.
If we choose the former, we might have momentary success, but it will lead to darkness entering in and will eventually fail. If we choose the latter God will be glorified through us. For those of us who have already compromised, we need to break free from those bonds if we are going to be useful for kingdom purposes this hour.
Daniel and his three friends were in a very vulnerable situation. Only sometime back they had seen the destruction of their own from possession to people. They were brought to Babylon uncertain of their future. It was in that place they had to make a choice to please God, which would mean going against the tide. It would have been so easy to compromise in that situation, but they decided to please God by not eating the king’s food nor drinking his wine.
They could have compromised easily and would have had many sympathizers if they had thrown a pity party as they had plenty of things that had gone wrong. However, they choose to please God even at the risk of costing them everything. God honored that and blessed them; not just with good health but also with wisdom and understanding.
Daniel 1:17 -As for these four boys, God gave them knowledge and skill in all writing and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Daniel and his friends exhibited wisdom when they abstained from things that would defile them spiritually. It was birthed out of the Fear of the Lord. Therefore, they were blessed with more wisdom. Wisdom begets wisdom.
Even in these times if we choose or have chosen not to defile ourselves by feeding on worldly sources or lusts that defile, God will bless us with greater insight, understanding and wisdom.
Understanding the ways of the Lord and walking in His wisdom starts with realizing that the way of this world is contrary to that of the Lord and that we need to do the necessary if we are found wanting in that regard. This is the most basic and fundamental step in Wisdom. If we haven’t taken this first step, we cannot progress forward in the pathway of Wisdom. There are a lot of people in need of counsel this hour including the government. However, have we taken that initial step in the pathway of wisdom? We cannot provide counsel from the Lord in this situation if we are not apart from the world in the first place. We cannot perceive or see clearly to help people if we are unequally yoked with the world. Let us take that first step if we have haven’t already.
2) Wisdom is trusting in the Lord and not leaning on our own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Once we have made the choice and done the necessary to abstain ourselves from the ways of the world, it is important that we put our entire trust in the Lord in the pathways that we undertake thereafter. We cannot accomplish God’s purposes nor be established in His ways if we lean on our own understanding. Wisdom is realizing our own deficiency and looking to God’s sufficiency in Christ.
Many times, due to many different reasons we lean on the arm of flesh and make decisions. If we would just look back on the pathway that those decisions have led us, it would be one of struggle with no or little Grace sustaining us. If so, we need to repent and ask God for His redemption in those ways.
When we trust God and honor Him in the way that we are taking, even if we might start wrong, He will direct us in the right pathway. This is a season of self-examination to see where our trust is in and place ourselves totally on the Lord. It is also a season of Grace and redemption for the repentant and the contrite in heart.
Daniel and His friends were faced with a challenging situation. Their lives were at stake as the king had ordered the execution of all the wise men of the land. This was because nobody could tell what the king had dreamt (Read Daniel 2). When the executioner arrived to get Daniel and his friends, Daniel answered him with counsel and insight asking him for more time. Then that same day he and his friends sought the mercies of the Lord. God answered their prayers by revealing to Daniel the dream. Daniel’s gratitude in response shows his trust in the Lord and how he acknowledged the Lord in everything.
Daniel 2:20 to 23 – Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. I thank You, and praise You, O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and have made known to me know what we asked of You. For You have now made known to us the king’s matter.
There are situations that don’t seem to demand God in the natural and there are situations that are naturally impossible to solve without God’s help and Daniel’s situation here is an example in that manner. However, whatever the situation, our decisions should always come out of a place of trust and dependence in God. If we have followed the pathway of wisdom in trusting God for the little challenges, we face then we can trust God with the big challenges and be sure to succeed.
We are in a very challenging time in our country and the world. Where is our trust? Have we followed the pathway of wisdom in trusting God? If so, we can expect God to give us counsel for this hour.
