Wisdom First

Small excerpt from last Sunday's message series: Vital Signs: Wisdom

James 3:13-18 & 1 Kings 3:3-15

2 Types of Wisdom & It's Characteristics
a) Earthly: envy, selfish ambition, boast, unspiritual, of the devil, disorder, confusion, evil practice
b) Heavenly: pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial, and sincere

*Ambition: its good to have it so we can move ahead and accomplish different things with our life here.  However, if we cross the line, we hurt people along the way and our intentions are skewed and it does not bring glory to God.  This is where meekness and ambition need to work together.  I'm very ambitious especially when it comes to ministry and local church.  My heart is for the local church because I believe that is God's home and channel thru which He reaches and transforms the hopeless, hurting, and lost.  I want to see individuals growing in Christ and the church growing to impact the community and the world!

We connect it to the wisest person in history: King Solomon.  He had a dream where God spoke to him and presented him with a "blank check" in 1 Kings 3:5 ... "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."  WOW!  If God gave us that opportunity, what would we do with it?  Solomon responds in the form of a prayer in verses 6-9.  Solomon was REFLECTIVE (grateful for history), RELEVANT (know the situation), REAL (who we are), & then made REQUEST (for wisdom & discerning heart)!

Solomon asked for wisdom and it was given to him.  Immediately he was tested as you read from verses 16 on.  Be careful what you ask for, because He will answer and you could be tested right away.  But you notice in verse 13 that God gave Solomon more than he asked for.  We usually fill the "blank check" with the "riches and honor" request and then squander it because we didn't have the wisdom how to use those "blessings". 

The challenge to us is this: Fill in that blank check ... the "money box" with wisdom instead of our "wish list" of material or physical blessings.  If we ask for wisdom first, He will give us everything else we need to fulfill our calling, responsibility, and mandate on this earth for His glory.  He knows how He wants to use you for His purpose and He'll give you the tools to accomplish that.  Just ASK FOR WISDOM FIRST!

Enjoy The Ride,

Cecil