Leading The Way

Host (Male): Think back to the last time you needed a repair or to replace something on your car or maybe around the house. You didn’t have a clue how to start, so you did a quick search on YouTube or Google. Well, as helpful as the internet is, when real life happens, you need God's answers, not an AI bot guiding your life decisions. So when you need to get godly wisdom, James chapter three is a great place to start.

Welcome to Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Leading the Way is listener-supported. You can learn ways to stand alongside Dr. Youssef and take the gospel around the world. Visit ltw.org or call a ministry representative at 866-626-4356. Okay, wait first, join me in listening to Dr. Michael Youssef for a message he's called Asking for and Getting Wisdom on Leading the Way.

Dr. Michael Youssef: The pressure that we all face comes from myriads of places. Sometimes the pressure and the stress come from unrealistic expectations that we place. Sometimes the stress and the pressure just come from the fast-paced life that we seem to be living in this society, or because we over-commit ourselves.

When that happens and we get over-stressed or pressured in life, you discover one thing begins to take place, and that is the priorities in life become out of kilter. Our priorities get mixed up. And therefore, the very concept of waiting upon the Lord for wisdom from above is so alien. I know some of the young people listening to me and saying, "Yeah, what's that waiting business?" I mean, you know, that’s just an alien concept for them.

We don't wait much. We do everything fast and we do everything instantaneously. We are so afraid that we're going to miss out on something that might bring us fulfillment. And so we go after it and we go after it, and we end up not finding it. We try to seize and squeeze every moment.

One of the major reasons why people live frustrated lives is because we are chugging out ahead of God. We’re forever chugging ahead of God instead of waiting behind Him and allow Him to pull us along. In fact, that's what James is saying here in verse 13, James chapter three verse 13. Turn to it with me, please, as we continue in this series of Evidence of Faith.

He said, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that come from wisdom." Not seeking, and not waiting, and not applying God's wisdom in every situation in life. Not just daily, but in every situation in life. Living by godly wisdom, not worldly wisdom, is the seventh evidence of faith.

First of all, James tells us about the cause of stress. And he said the cause of stress is eritheia. Eritheia. That is an important word. That's why I gave you the word itself. It is a central word. It's an important word. E-R-I-T-H-E-I-A. Eritheia. Now, some of your Bibles, it says selfish ambition. But it really originally did not mean that.

It came to mean that now, but originally it was not a word that has negative connotation. It was a positive word. It meant somebody paid for hire, somebody paid for work. But then later on, as people began to see work only as what they can get out of it, not the gift to it, it became known as selfish ambition. When work becomes only what you can get out of it, not what you put into it, that's selfish ambition.

And today, selfish ambition has become the highest form of idolatry in our culture. It's what I can grab out of my job. It's what I can grab out of relationships. It's what I can grab of every opportunity. When I and what I can get becomes the center, false wisdom, worldly wisdom, wisdom that is not from God sets in.

What are the symptoms of false wisdom? Well, here they are. Verse 14, it says bitter envy, self-centered desires. Verse 16, when bitter envy and self-centered desires set in, disorder and chaos and stress and impaired judgment become the norm. Question: Why does James call this worldly wisdom satanic?

What does he call it satanic wisdom? Because Satan is the author of it. The way you know it is it focuses not only on self, but it also focuses only on this life. It has no room for eternity. It doesn't give eternity too much thought. It cares only for the here and now. It tells you that you are in control of your destiny.

It tells you that you are your own God. And because of that, lie comes out of the pit of hell. When it sets in, it cause depression. Another question: Are the believers in Jesus Christ susceptible to this worldly wisdom?

Guest (Male): Yes.

Dr. Michael Youssef: Absolutely true. I don't only fight worldly wisdom once a day, several times a day.

Guest (Female): Amen.

Dr. Michael Youssef: You and I are tempted by this satanic wisdom every single day, in business, in relationships, in everything we do.

Guest (Male): Yes.

Dr. Michael Youssef: But the only solution for that false wisdom, that satanic wisdom, that worldly wisdom is what? Godly wisdom. You replace it with godly wisdom. Let me give you an example of how satanic wisdom or worldly wisdom, when it sets in, it creates deep bitterness that only heavenly wisdom, God's wisdom, can replace when it takes place.

True story. There was a very famous British playwright by the name of Frederick Lonsdale. And one day, it was a New Year's Eve, Lonsdale was at his private club, it’s a Garrick Club in London, some of you may know what I'm talking about. And there was another fellow playwright, and his name was Sir Edward Seymour Hicks.

While they're celebrating this New Year's Eve, Hicks walked up to Lonsdale and he pointed to a man on the other side of the room where the party was taking place, a fellow member of the club. And Hicks said to Lonsdale, he said, "You know, old chap, this is a close of an old year and the beginning of a new year. Why don't you just go to this man across the room and patch up your past differences? Why don't you just go over now and wish him a happy New Year?"

Well, to Hicks's surprise, Lonsdale walks up to the guy with whom he was feuding. He tap him on the back of his shoulder and he says, "Happy New Year! But only one."

You see, bitter envy produces deadly poison of resentment as we practice satanic wisdom. Hear me right on this one. This bitter envy caused Satan to be thrown out of heaven. This satanic wisdom, this bitter envy, caused Cain to kill his brother Abel. This satanic wisdom, this bitter envy, caused Joseph's brother to sell Joseph into slavery.

This satanic wisdom, this bitter envy, caused Korah and thousands of others to rebel against Moses's leadership, and the ground opened up and swallowed them all. Bitter envy cause selfish ambition. And selfish ambition clouds your judgment. Selfish ambition says my way or the highway. Selfish ambition causes us to scheme and plot and maneuver and manipulate.

Selfish ambition wrecked homes. Selfish ambition wrecked many a church. Selfish ambition twist the very meaning of love that the scripture talks about of being selfless and self-giving and makes it to be selfish. James said this type of wisdom is earthly. Why? Because it's produced by the world's system.

This satanic wisdom is unspiritual because it does not come from the Holy Spirit. This wisdom is demonic because its author is Satan himself. And yet, the sad part is that there are ministries and there are churches that operating by worldly wisdom. Work out their plan and said, "Bless our plan, God." Never wait upon the Lord to hear and listen.

The Bible shows us the negative side of worldly wisdom. Then it comes in to tell us about godly wisdom. The godly wisdom, what it looks like. Here's verses 17 and 18. And having illustrated what worldly wisdom looked like in the life of this playwright, I want to begin by illustrating to you a real-life example of godly wisdom.

There's a couple who live in Little Rock, Arkansas, last name is Long, L-O-N-G. Mr. and Mrs. Long have both had their career spend more than 20 plus years, three or four or five years each, in the armed forces, in the United States armed forces. They served our country so faithfully. And therefore, it was not a surprise when their 20-year-old son was trying to focus on his career, he signed up and enrolled in the US Army.

And he put on the army uniform. And his first job, first task, was to be a recruiting officer. And he was assigned in the recruiting office of the US Army in Little Rock, Arkansas. One morning, he was standing outside the recruiting office wearing the US military uniform when a terrorist drove up, did not know him from Adam, but just because he's wearing the US uniform, military uniform, shot him and killed him.

Fast-forward few months later, it was on the news. I get a letter from Mrs. Long in Little Rock, Arkansas. And enclosed with the letter, a generous check for Leading the Way. Now I want to read it to you. "I am the mother of the young soldier, Private William Andrew Long, killed in Little Rock, Arkansas, in front of the recruiting station by an Islamic terrorist. I can think of no better way to honor God than to use part of the money left to us by our son to reach the unsaved Muslim people."

Now, beloved, listen to me. That is godly wisdom. That is not a natural wisdom. That is not worldly wisdom. Here they are, grieving deeply for the loss of their son. Grief-stricken, pained, and hurt. And yet, this couple who operated on godly wisdom wanted to be sure that the very people who killed her son, their son, hear the gospel message of the love of Jesus Christ.

That's why James said godly wisdom comes from above. In the Hebrew language, when they say anything comes from above, meaning come from God. Anything comes from below comes from the devil. It's just the way the Hebrew people speak. Later on, James says every good gift comes from above. Godly wisdom is the kind of wisdom that comes from the very heart of God who is all-wise.

All-wise, to make no mistakes. All-wise, that has your best interest at heart even when you can't see it. All-wise, and His perfect will operates for the good. And then James goes on to give us eight characteristics of that godly wisdom. Underline them in your Bible, verses 17 and 18. First, it is pure. Second, it is peaceable or peace-loving. Thirdly, it is gentle. Fourthly, it is open to reason. Five, it is full of mercy. Six, it has good fruit. Seven, it is impartial. And number eight, it is sincere.

Let me give you a short summary of each of these very quickly. What's pure mean? He's talking about the purity of motives because only God can judge motives. We judge action, but He's the only one who judges motives. This purity is the purity of the inner experience, not the outward expression. This purity is seen only and examined only by God Himself.

While God is concerned about action, but He's far more concerned about what's inside of us, the inside purity, because He knows that the action will follow. And I don't know about you, that gives me peace. That comforts me. It really does. Because even when people misjudge you and misjudge your motives and question your motives and they don't know and they falsely accuse you, you can look up to heaven and say, "Lord, I am so thankful that You know the purity of my motive."

It is possible to do the right thing, to say the right words. It is possible to give the right impression. It is possible to go through the right motions with impure hearts. And if the heart is impure, activities are tainted. Secondly, it's peaceable. When the heart is pure, you are at peace. You are at peace with God and you are at peace with yourself.

And actually, you're also at peace with others even if they're not at peace with you. When we deal with evil people and fallen people and sinful people and falsely accuse us, we still experience that inner peace. False peace loves to sweep sin under the carpet. False peace rationalizes sin and call it grace. That's false peace. False peace focuses on the outward display. Look at me, boys. But their lives on the inside is in turmoil. It's a strife, strife from within. And only God knows that.

Thirdly, it's gentle. What does it mean? We all roll down and become doormats? Absolutely not, that's not what it means. It means that you have strength, that you do have power, but you've got them under control. That when you have it in your hand to hurt somebody, you don't do it. That's the power. You are filled with compassion, but never, never, never compromise your conviction, the truth.

Fourthly, it's open to reason. God's wisdom expresses itself this way, just listen to me. Look, I am not stubborn, but I have strong conviction. I am not unreasonable, but I have high standards. I am not argumentative, but I stand for the truth. You see, that is godly wisdom. And that's what reasonable means. Being reasonable means that I'm willing to listen. I really am. I'm willing to learn. I learn from even godless people. I learn, but never cave into the pressure to compromise.

Number five, full of mercy. The word here used actually has a double meaning: forgiving those who wronged us, but then be willing in our hearts when the time comes and they need our help, we'll give it to them. That's mercy. Mercy is contrary to human nature.

Number six, full of fruit. What does this fruit is all about? Love, peace, joy. And that cannot be manufactured. I can't say, "Well, if I do these things, I will get the fruit of the Spirit." It doesn't work that way. You cannot manufacture the fruit of the Spirit. They grow from the inside out like a plant, like a tree. A small plant grows up to be a big tree. And it's only happens to those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who are seeking His wisdom day in and day out, moment by moment.

Number seven, impartial. God shows no favoritism. And those who receive wisdom from God, who constantly seek wisdom and apply it in their lives, they too not going to show favoritism. Worldly wisdom will make a person like a chameleon. You know, he's one thing here, another thing there, and you don't know where they stand. Worldly wisdom will make a person be what he is not or what she is not. Worldly wisdom puts a mask on. Worldly wisdom want to please people so that what people think of me is the most important thing in the world. Worldly wisdom will be like the old commercial: image is everything. You know what I'm talking about? Worldly wisdom is inauthentic.

Number eight, sincerity. What does it mean? It means whole, complete, united, all one unit. And that's why the Psalmist cries out to God and He says, "Oh, Lord, unite my heart in the fear of Thee." What's that mean? Can you have a divided heart? You better believe it. We have people going in so many directions these days and they think a pill is going to help them. They cry with the Psalmist, "Unite my heart, unite my mind, unite my will, that everything in me is ready to fear You, obey You, walk by Your wisdom."

In fact, you find in the scripture that this unity, the unity of the heart and the personal unity and the unity in the family and the unity in the church, there is a unique blessing both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. But I haven't come to the most important question, that sure some of you are asking. Okay, you told us about worldly wisdom, you told us about godly wisdom. How and where can I get this godly wisdom? I'm glad you asked.

I'm going to go back to the very first message. James 1:5. James 1:5 tells us how to get this godly wisdom. In fact, you know what he says? I'll give you the bottom line, I’m going to read the verse. Bottom line is he said it's yours for the asking. Isn't it amazing that you know that you can get it for the asking, but we don't ask for it? Listen to what he said. James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives liberally or generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Would you pledge with me beginning today that you will seek that wisdom, not just once a day, but every time you confront a situation, every time, several times a day? "Give me Your wisdom, Lord. You promised in Your word that if I lack it and ask for it, You'll give it to me." And as you receive it day by day, moment by moment, you're going to wake up one day and say, "I am operating by God's wisdom."

Host (Male): Thank you for joining Dr. Michael Youssef for this episode of Leading the Way audio. Maybe today's message was really encouraging for you to learn more about what a relationship with Jesus Christ really means, so you can hear godly wisdom. Well, Leading the Way has people ready to help in that quest. Initiate a conversation with a pastor or counselor when you visit ltw.org/jesus.

The world feels more unstable with each passing day. Millions are searching for the only anchor that holds, Jesus Christ. Who will reach them? Through Leading the Way’s June Gift Challenge, you can answer the call. You can share Jesus with those lost in darkness. $1 million has already been committed. Now, it's your turn. Through Leading the Way's fiscal year-end gift challenge, your gift will have double the impact, reaching real people who desperately need gospel truth. Stand with Dr. Michael Youssef, stand and share Jesus, stand for the truth. Double your impact today and invest in someone's eternal future here at home, in the Middle East, and in remote villages. Contact Leading the Way to give a generous gift today.

If you would like to stand with Dr. Youssef and the passionate worldwide Leading the Way team, so that the lost and hurting in your own neighborhood, the lost hurting in the Middle East, the lost and hurting in remote villages worldwide can all experience the transformational power of the gospel, please prayerfully consider participating in this month's giving challenge. Your generosity is so appreciated. You can get additional details when you call us and speak with a ministry representative. We're at 866-626-4356 or ltw.org. 866-626-4356 and ltw.org. This program is furnished by Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef.