September 16, 2023 WHO IS WISE
James 3:13-18 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambitions exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Wisdom has a way of being expressed. One can walk and live in the wisdom that is from above (from God) or he or she can walk and live in the wisdom that is not form above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. You can be sure that where there is discord, arguments, rudeness, envy, jealousy and selfish ambition, the prevailing wisdom is not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom that is earthly. We choose one or the other; and our choice is revealed in our behavior. The earthly wisdom produces no good fruit; if fact, it produces bad fruit. The obvious ills of our culture today is the result of living according to the earthly wisdom; everywhere we see the disastrous fruit of living according to the wisdom of man. The great news for us is that God makes His wisdom available to us! Those who avail themselves of the wisdom of God are those who are wise and understanding, and they are identified or recognized by their good behavior. What a blessing that we are not bound to living according to the wisdom of this world. The wisdom that comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, and without hypocrisy! We have the blessing of being ones that bring the wisdom of God to all situations we encounter; we can be those who speak for peace and offer godly advice; we can defuse potential explosive confrontations. (There may be times when the wisdom of God is rejected, but nonetheless we were able to speak the wisdom of God.) For us, we have the opportunity through our ‘good behavior’ to show the wisdom of God-not in a bragging or prideful way, but in humility with boldness. Let us root out anything in our hearts that stems from earthly wisdom. God is gracious; He has given us the opportunity to be expressions of who He is-and it is through our good behavior that we do just that. We are not saved by our behavior or our works-but be assured that we are called to be about good works, righteous works, because we are righteous in Christ.
James 1:5 “If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight than silver.”
Blessing, Buddy
James 3:13-18 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambitions exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Wisdom has a way of being expressed. One can walk and live in the wisdom that is from above (from God) or he or she can walk and live in the wisdom that is not form above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. You can be sure that where there is discord, arguments, rudeness, envy, jealousy and selfish ambition, the prevailing wisdom is not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom that is earthly. We choose one or the other; and our choice is revealed in our behavior. The earthly wisdom produces no good fruit; if fact, it produces bad fruit. The obvious ills of our culture today is the result of living according to the earthly wisdom; everywhere we see the disastrous fruit of living according to the wisdom of man. The great news for us is that God makes His wisdom available to us! Those who avail themselves of the wisdom of God are those who are wise and understanding, and they are identified or recognized by their good behavior. What a blessing that we are not bound to living according to the wisdom of this world. The wisdom that comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, and without hypocrisy! We have the blessing of being ones that bring the wisdom of God to all situations we encounter; we can be those who speak for peace and offer godly advice; we can defuse potential explosive confrontations. (There may be times when the wisdom of God is rejected, but nonetheless we were able to speak the wisdom of God.) For us, we have the opportunity through our ‘good behavior’ to show the wisdom of God-not in a bragging or prideful way, but in humility with boldness. Let us root out anything in our hearts that stems from earthly wisdom. God is gracious; He has given us the opportunity to be expressions of who He is-and it is through our good behavior that we do just that. We are not saved by our behavior or our works-but be assured that we are called to be about good works, righteous works, because we are righteous in Christ.
James 1:5 “If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight than silver.”
Blessing, Buddy
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