Wisdom your Sharp Cutting Edge!

Welcome to a new week!

Ecclesiastes 10:10
"If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success."

In our text this week, using an axe with a sharpened edge instead of a blunt one is used to illustrate what it is like to walk in wisdom. The lesson of the text is that wisdom as opposed to struggles will produce an efficient life.

Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. There are two ways you could live. You could live with your own know-how and natural wisdom, using your self-effort and strength or you could live, walking in the wisdom of God. I like to say it this way: wisdom will sharpen your cutting edge in life.

A wise person once said: "we don't have any other problems but a wisdom problem. We don't have a spiritual, money, relationship, marital or career problem, all we have is a wisdom problem." In essence he was saying exactly what the scripture says in Proverbs 4:7

"Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have,? get understanding."

Wisdom is supreme, principal, chief and foremost. For every issue you face in life, there is a key issue, a wisdom response, a way to handle it using God's know-how. Our responsibility is to seek this wisdom and learn to walk in it.

What is the wisdom of God? It is how God would act in a particular situation. It is insight into the true nature of things; the right recourse or the accurate response to a situation. It is also God's know-how.

Scriptures give us examples of how God's wisdom is manifested in various ways. Joseph displayed God's wisdom in the time of crisis in his own life and in the nation of Israel by interpreting Pharaoh's dream and proffering a solution to the economic crisis that hit the nation (Gen 41:33-39). Solomon expressed it in his leadership of Israel and his numerous creative works ( I Kings 3). Jesus encouraged you to operate in it in your relationships as you carry out your God-given mission in life (Matthew 10:16). Paul tells us that walking in it will help us seize and discern opportunities (Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5). James encourages us to ask for it in times of trials (James 1:5). Wisdom can impart technical skills of all sorts needed in your career (Exodus 30). It gives you practical skills for handling life (Proverbs 1:14), prudence in dealing with financial issues ( Proverbs 8:18, 21), creative inventions (Proverbs 8:12), academic excellence (Daniel 1:17) and accurate discernment and understanding of the situations you face, showing you what to do (I Chronicles 12:32).

Obtaining this wisdom and developing in it is the subject of LightPoints this week. Here are the steps.

1. Realize that Wisdom is personified in Jesus Christ and only by walking with him will his wisdom be imparted to you. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says: "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." He has become our wisdom from God.

2. Seek to develop an intimate walk of love and reverence for him. Wisdom is imparted by association (Proverbs 13:20) . He is the only Wise One and all wisdom is a reflection of that which he chooses to share. The first manifestation of wisdom is to begin to seek him and learn to walk in reverence of him. This is called "walking in the fear of the Lord." It is the beginning of wisdom, the key to the treasure house of the wisdom of God (Proverbs 9:10, Isaiah 33:5-6). Your goal is not wisdom but to know and walk with the Wise One, then his wisdom will rub off on you. Solomon loved the Lord and God gave him wisdom.

3. Ask him for the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:15-21). God wants you to ask him for his wisdom (James 1:5). Show him it is valuable to you, the supreme thing in your life after knowing him as a person, and that you wouldn't live without it. Seek it desperately. Thank him for its manifestation. He has promised that those who seek him will find him (Proverbs 8).

4. Seek him and His will by reading his word. The word of God is your contact with the invisible God. It is a love letter to reveal him to you. It is also his avenue for conveying his wisdom. Learn of him by studying it. It will make you wise (2 Timothy 3:14-16). Wisdom is doing what he tells you to do in his word. Mathew 7:14 says: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Blessings on your week!

Blessings this week,

Pastor Lan

 

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