Sometimes, God speaks to me by showing me the same thing over and over again. Soon after I got back from Florida, I started Charles Stanley's book Walking Wisely. Abuela O let me take any books I wanted off their bookshelf after Abuelo's funeral. I secretly wanted them all. This was one of a few I took with me. Since then, I have seen the word wisdom over and over again many times. My ears were perched to listen to what He had for me.
Stanley talk about two kinds of wisdom: Godly and earthly.
Godly wisdom happens when we are walking with God. It allows us to walk with people as we build relationships. Not just mundane kind, but ones that are godly, deep, lasting, and purposeful. Godly wisdom should be applied to all decisions. Nothing is out of reach for God's knowledge. Our businesses should be founded and continued on His wisdom, along with our health, relationships, parenting, and finances.
When we walk wisely, we are aware that the Enemy is out to enslave, ensnare, and entrap. (1 Peter 5:8)
Earthly wisdom is grounded in man's fallen nature. Godly wisdom is grounded on a New Nature. One that is given at Salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
We must remember that although every person can become WISE, not everyone can become famous, have fortune, or be educated. Godly wisdom comes from God. (James 1:5) His children are freely given it in obedience. Earthly wisdom is learned.
The Bible says in Proverb 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
How do we fear Him? As followers we acknowledge that God is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and all loving. He has the authority to judge, forgive, show mercy, and grant grace in abundance. We surrender to the fact that His ways are not our own (Is 55:8).
Working out of earthly wisdom shows that we think we are wiser than God! Super foolish to conduct your life there because we could never see from His viewpoint. This is exactly where the majority lives. My friend John said this week, God can see all panels of the movie screen. Not individually, as we do. But it is all in from of Him at the same time. Paul added that to God there is no past, present, future. It just is. Luke piped in that he is already present with his dad and Jesus from that viewpoint. (As you can see, we had an incredible mission team this week for building and knowledge!)
Let me explain the two kinds of wisdom a little in depth. Do not skim over this. I see this as such a vital piece of insight God has let me in on. Do not miss out.
Earthly Wisdom:
LIMITED
Based on collective knowledge
Rational/Provable
"This is how men and women have acted, responded, lived over the years"
Uses the five senses: see, hear, taste, smell, touch
"This is what works"
Can be narrow, w biases, prejudices, and desires
Information Age (can be understood, rationalized, and proved by science)
Can be studied and found
Godly Wisdom:
UNLIMITED
God's perspective
Based on what God sees: past, now, and what is yet to come
Based on a whole of any situation- start to finish, individual
This is what God wants
Has eternal benefit
Holy Spirit gives clarity
Productive
Righteous perspective
We win EVERYTIME
Expand ability beyond known
I wasn't prepared to come to the DR, many said. I didn't know anyone and didn't have a place to live. Earthly wisdom told these people to warn me that I might be falling into a trap and be trafficked (verbatim what people said). From past experiences, things that have been studied using senses, it made no sense. I agree. But in my Godly wisdom, God said GO. My student loans would have been reimbursed due to some low income area thing FL State offered...but I had to stay working for a few months to complete the number of years. Earthly wisdom said, stay the few months and you can make the right choice to not have loans. Godly wisdom whispered, go and I will get you a supporter to pay it off. (I am loan free today! All paid off by supporters). The school I worked at offered me a principal position. Earthly wisdom told many people this was an OPEN DOOR FROM GOD. An opportunity that must be the path because it sprung up as soon as I got here. Godly wisdom from the Spirit told me to not accept that position. That I was not sent here for that but for something else yet to be revealed. In the missionary world, earthly wisdom says go home for the summer, reset, and fund-raise for a few months. Godly wisdom has told me not to do that. God will feed me as He wills with whatever comes in my account each month. (If God leads you to do that, do it. It just isn't what He leads me to right now. The point of that comment is that not all missionaries should follow some missionary fundraising book on how to support yourself. That would actually be earthly wisdom. Godly wisdom will do just fine. He knows :) Earthly wisdom tells me that I need to get out there and find a husband. Godly wisdom has told me that I do not need to date, but just wait patiently as God prepares to send him.
I challenge you this week to look and see if you are actually praying through your decisions at work and home. Are you making decisions because this is what always works? Looks right? Will gain the most money? Seems wise in most eyes? Gains the most benefit? Or, are you coming to God and asking Him to show you how to be godly in your decisions? Which actually may make NO SENSE to anyone but yourself in the moment.
God reminded me this week, we had a man approach us to help fund-raise millions of dollars to do all the safe house needs. He had already done it in Africa for other organizations. Earthly wisdom says absolutely do as he says, he is sent from God, clearly! Godly wisdom told Luke to not follow this guy and cut ties with him. God was not going to get glory that way. (I agreed, of course, as nuts as it sounded that we were cutting this money maker off-- we do not want to work out of earthly wisdom to raise funds). God has raised all of our money on the property in miraculous ways. He has gotten credit every step of the way and it never makes sense where thousands of dollars keep coming from!
Glory be to Him!
(PS I have really been pouring myself into Wisdom studies and proverbs, join me!)
Stanley talk about two kinds of wisdom: Godly and earthly.
Godly wisdom happens when we are walking with God. It allows us to walk with people as we build relationships. Not just mundane kind, but ones that are godly, deep, lasting, and purposeful. Godly wisdom should be applied to all decisions. Nothing is out of reach for God's knowledge. Our businesses should be founded and continued on His wisdom, along with our health, relationships, parenting, and finances.
When we walk wisely, we are aware that the Enemy is out to enslave, ensnare, and entrap. (1 Peter 5:8)
Earthly wisdom is grounded in man's fallen nature. Godly wisdom is grounded on a New Nature. One that is given at Salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
We must remember that although every person can become WISE, not everyone can become famous, have fortune, or be educated. Godly wisdom comes from God. (James 1:5) His children are freely given it in obedience. Earthly wisdom is learned.
The Bible says in Proverb 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
How do we fear Him? As followers we acknowledge that God is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and all loving. He has the authority to judge, forgive, show mercy, and grant grace in abundance. We surrender to the fact that His ways are not our own (Is 55:8).
Working out of earthly wisdom shows that we think we are wiser than God! Super foolish to conduct your life there because we could never see from His viewpoint. This is exactly where the majority lives. My friend John said this week, God can see all panels of the movie screen. Not individually, as we do. But it is all in from of Him at the same time. Paul added that to God there is no past, present, future. It just is. Luke piped in that he is already present with his dad and Jesus from that viewpoint. (As you can see, we had an incredible mission team this week for building and knowledge!)
Let me explain the two kinds of wisdom a little in depth. Do not skim over this. I see this as such a vital piece of insight God has let me in on. Do not miss out.
Earthly Wisdom:
LIMITED
Based on collective knowledge
Rational/Provable
"This is how men and women have acted, responded, lived over the years"
Uses the five senses: see, hear, taste, smell, touch
"This is what works"
Can be narrow, w biases, prejudices, and desires
Information Age (can be understood, rationalized, and proved by science)
Can be studied and found
Godly Wisdom:
UNLIMITED
God's perspective
Based on what God sees: past, now, and what is yet to come
Based on a whole of any situation- start to finish, individual
This is what God wants
Has eternal benefit
Holy Spirit gives clarity
Productive
Righteous perspective
We win EVERYTIME
Expand ability beyond known
I wasn't prepared to come to the DR, many said. I didn't know anyone and didn't have a place to live. Earthly wisdom told these people to warn me that I might be falling into a trap and be trafficked (verbatim what people said). From past experiences, things that have been studied using senses, it made no sense. I agree. But in my Godly wisdom, God said GO. My student loans would have been reimbursed due to some low income area thing FL State offered...but I had to stay working for a few months to complete the number of years. Earthly wisdom said, stay the few months and you can make the right choice to not have loans. Godly wisdom whispered, go and I will get you a supporter to pay it off. (I am loan free today! All paid off by supporters). The school I worked at offered me a principal position. Earthly wisdom told many people this was an OPEN DOOR FROM GOD. An opportunity that must be the path because it sprung up as soon as I got here. Godly wisdom from the Spirit told me to not accept that position. That I was not sent here for that but for something else yet to be revealed. In the missionary world, earthly wisdom says go home for the summer, reset, and fund-raise for a few months. Godly wisdom has told me not to do that. God will feed me as He wills with whatever comes in my account each month. (If God leads you to do that, do it. It just isn't what He leads me to right now. The point of that comment is that not all missionaries should follow some missionary fundraising book on how to support yourself. That would actually be earthly wisdom. Godly wisdom will do just fine. He knows :) Earthly wisdom tells me that I need to get out there and find a husband. Godly wisdom has told me that I do not need to date, but just wait patiently as God prepares to send him.
I challenge you this week to look and see if you are actually praying through your decisions at work and home. Are you making decisions because this is what always works? Looks right? Will gain the most money? Seems wise in most eyes? Gains the most benefit? Or, are you coming to God and asking Him to show you how to be godly in your decisions? Which actually may make NO SENSE to anyone but yourself in the moment.
God reminded me this week, we had a man approach us to help fund-raise millions of dollars to do all the safe house needs. He had already done it in Africa for other organizations. Earthly wisdom says absolutely do as he says, he is sent from God, clearly! Godly wisdom told Luke to not follow this guy and cut ties with him. God was not going to get glory that way. (I agreed, of course, as nuts as it sounded that we were cutting this money maker off-- we do not want to work out of earthly wisdom to raise funds). God has raised all of our money on the property in miraculous ways. He has gotten credit every step of the way and it never makes sense where thousands of dollars keep coming from!
Glory be to Him!
(PS I have really been pouring myself into Wisdom studies and proverbs, join me!)
