Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: God desires that you, His children, would walk in wisdom. That I would walk in wisdom. Psalm 51:6 says, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me, God, to know Your wisdom." How we need the wisdom of God.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. Today's lesson continues our spiritual wisdom series, and we're glad to have you along. Urging you to continually seek God's perspective in your decision-making, Raul will underscore the difference between head knowledge and a heavenly mindset. Keep listening to see that when you view the world through the lens of the Bible, you'll grow in discernment and gain a new set of values. Here's Raul Ries with today's teaching.

Raul Ries: Beginning with Chapter 1 of Proverbs 1 through 7, he says, "The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young men knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will attain to wise counsel; to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

There are many people that have knowledge but do not have wisdom. This is important. God will give you counsel on what to do; God will give you wisdom on how to do it. God will give you understanding why you do it, and God will give you strength, the ability to do it. Now, even though people may have an education and you may have a couple of degrees, and you may even go to the university many, many years, you can possess a lot of knowledge, head knowledge.

But what the Bible is talking about is the knowledge and the wisdom that God will give to us for this life. When Solomon was young and his father David had become king, and Solomon was actually now coming in the prime of his youth and David was phasing out and actually Solomon was actually being faded in, the Lord came to Solomon as he was appointed to be king of Israel. And that's found in the first chapter of First Kings Chapter 3.

He says that the Lord came to Solomon by night, and He asked him a very important question. He said, "Solomon, if I was to give you anything your heart desires, what would you ask me for?" And of course, many of us would already have a little list on what we would ask of God to give to us. But when Solomon saw the kingdom and he saw the men that he had to rule over and the problems and the situations that he would be facing in the kingdom of David, he turned to God and he said, "God, give me Your wisdom." That's all he asked for.

How to go in and how to come out and how to rule over these people, for these people are a mighty people. And when the Lord heard the request of Solomon, God said, "Because you only have asked me for true wisdom, I also will give you riches, and I'll give you knowledge, and I'll give you everything that your heart desires." I believe that when we pray and we ask God for things, God first of all checks our motive. Why are we asking? What's the benefit that God is going to receive by you receiving the thing that you're asking of God?

I think we have to be very careful in our petitions to God because if we were to really pray to God and ask Him for some things, I think that we need to ask Him for wisdom. We really need it, especially in the days that we are living in. When he uses that word there in verse two, he uses that word "wisdom," it's the word literally in Hebrew "chokmah," skillfulness, the ability to use the knowledge given to you. That is, in the Old Testament, that wisdom was given to the priest and to those that were building the tabernacle.

The ability to build the Ark of the Covenant, the building of the tabernacle, the plates and cups and all of the things that had to be built by the wisdom that God gave to these men that He actually gave supernaturally through the Holy Spirit. There are many people that have knowledge but do not have the wisdom of God. Mothers and fathers, you have a great responsibility to teach your children wisdom, so they can become wise and pay attention to the things of God.

Young people, as you're growing up and you're going to be married one day, same thing, you need to learn about the wisdom of God so that you can teach your children the wisdom of God, so you don't make the same mistakes. Wisdom was a very important part or commodity in the ancient Near East. And the reason is because every ruler had his counsel of wise men, and he counted on it. He consulted in making every important decision in his life. Remember the Jews in Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar was consulting the wise men of Babylon? They were astrologers, they were into the stargazers.

But God desires that as people of God, we would get our counsel from the Word of God, through reading and praying to God, asking Him to give us the wisdom and the knowledge that we need as we seek He first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Remember that when Joseph was actually sent to Egypt by his brothers, he was sold. Just a young man, 17 years of age, but yet how tremendous the wisdom of God was in his life, especially when this woman came into his life and every day pursued after him and said, "Joseph, come and lie with me," Potiphar's wife, constantly hassling him sexually, harassing him.

And again, Joseph was so smart that I mean there was no one in the room where he could have actually laid with her, but because of his upbringing in the Word of God, as Jacob had not only taught him the Word of God. And so one day as Potiphar was gone out of town and Potiphar's wife had set it all up, she came into the bedroom and set up all of the perfumes and set herself up in the bed and as Joseph came into the room, she couldn't help herself but she aggressively jumped up and actually grabbed a hold of Joseph and said, "Joseph, you don't want to, but I want to. Come lie with me now."

And Joseph, just in a moment's time, he could have said, "You know, no one's around, might as well do it. She ain't going to tell, I'm not going to tell, and we can do it." But it says this: "How can I sin? How can I do this sin against God?" Wisdom. He recognized the consequences of reaping to your sin. How can I do this thing when God is watching me the whole time? And what was the wisdom of Joseph? He ran out as fast as he could. Even though he was accused falsely by Potiphar's wife and said that Joseph tried to rape her, and even though Joseph had to go to prison for two years, yet God was with him and God promoted him even in the prison. Why? Because if you do what's right, how can God do you any wrong?

Wisdom. I will not do this thing and sin against God. How about Daniel? Daniel was under great pressure when he came to Babylon, only 13 years old, a teenager. And the first thing the king did is when he actually brought the Jews into Babylon, he separated those Jews that were young and good-looking and they were smart, and Daniel was among them and their friends. And the king gave a decree and he said that every one of those kids was to be trained and they were to eat from the table of the king, the king's table.

But remember what Daniel said? He was only 13, 14 years old. He said this: "But Daniel purposed in his own heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." Daniel consecrated his life to God in eating and drinking in every area of his life. He says, "I don't care what happens to me, I'm not going to bow my knee to the king of Babylon."

Every portion of the king's table, first of all, was offered to the god of Babylon, Marduk, to the god of Marduk. And God knew, and Daniel knew that back in the law of God, it talked about idolatry and it talked about demons and it talked about how they were a separated people of God, the vow of a Nazarite. Not to drink wine, not to eat anything that would desecrate your life, but he consecrated himself. He purposed in his heart to consecrate himself to God. That's wisdom. And what did God do with Daniel? He used him tremendously.

God desires that you, His children, would walk in wisdom. That I would walk in wisdom. Psalm 51:6 says, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me, God, to know Your wisdom." How we need the wisdom of God in the inward parts of our lives.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for Scripture-rich resources to direct you in a God-honoring life. You can also email Raul anytime with your prayer requests and Bible questions. His direct address is pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. Now back to more of our study, "The Importance of Wisdom."

Raul Ries: Ephesians 5:15 says, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise men." Walking wisely. To the ancient Jew, wisdom was much more than just simply good advice or a successful planning. To the Jew, listen what it was. Proverbs 3:13: "Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding." Proverbs 4:7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding too." Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 16:16: "How much better to get wisdom than gold, and to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver or gold."

Think about that, the importance of having the wisdom of God in my life. Dr. Roy Zuck's definition of wisdom, listen to what he says. He says, "Wisdom means being skillful and successful in one's relationships and responsibilities, observing and following the Creator's principles of order in the moral universe through His Word of God." Through the Word of God, it's been given to us the wisdom of God. Wisdom, it is the quality of being wise, power of judging rightly and following the sound course of action based on true knowledge, experience, and understanding and good judgment.

Having good judgment in what we do and what we say. What does the Scripture say about wisdom? Well, first of all, who are the wise in this world? Well, the wise person believes first of all that there is a God. The fool said in his heart there is no God; he becomes dumb and stupid. That is, that He is the Creator and the Ruler of all things and that He has put within us His creation, a divine order that if we obey Him, He will lead us ultimately and bring success to each one of our lives by faith in Him.

Proverbs 3:19-20 says, "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; and by understanding He established the heavens; and by His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds dropped down the dew." You see, wise people also assert that there is a moral law operating in this world. That is, a principle of divine justice which makes sure that eventually the wicked are judged and the righteous are rewarded. That is what the Bible talks about, the righteous and the wicked.

Proverbs 3:1 through 4 says, "My son, don't forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they shall add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them in the table of your heart and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man." Wisdom will promote you in the sight of God and man. Wisdom will lead you and guide you.

Thirdly, biblical wisdom has little if any relation to a person's IQ. That's not even it. Has nothing to do with IQ or education. Because it's a matter of moral and spiritual understanding divinely given by God through His Word, through His Holy Spirit. Proverbs 4:5 and 9 says, "Get wisdom, get understanding. Don't forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and in all your getting, get understanding too. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor when you embrace her, and she will place on your head an ornament of grace and a crown of glory she will deliver to you."

Notice what wisdom will do. The principal thing is wisdom, not education, not your IQ, but the wisdom of God. Also, it has to do with character and values. And means looking at the world through the grid of our God's truth through the Word of God, what God says. Again, in Proverbs 4:20-23, he says, "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."

Wisdom also gives order and purposes to life. It gives us discernment in making our decisions and it provides a sense of fulfillment in the life and glory to Jesus Christ, to God. Proverbs 3:5 and 6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not into your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct all your paths." I like that. Wisdom. Not trusting in yourself, but trusting in the Lord.

Also, wisdom keeps us in harmony with the purposes that the Lord God Himself has built into His world. So that we not only obey God, but every work, every work that we do is with the wisdom of God in our lives. Everything we do. Proverbs 2:6 through 9 says, "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. He guards the path of justice and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path will be understood."

Wisdom. People with wisdom have the skill to face life honestly and not to cheat, but they're very honest people and very courageous people. They manage to be successful so that God's purposes are fulfilled in their lives because they pay attention to the Word of God and to the mind of God, to the wisdom that God will give to us. Proverbs 9:9 through 12 says, "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will become wiser. You see? You get smarter. Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and your years of your life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you will bear it alone."

God desires that we would be totally wise in our decisions. When we come into the presence of God whatever we do. How do we become wise before the Lord? Well, first of all, we need to plan ahead for the future. That is, according to the will of God, we plan our future. Proverbs 10:5 says, "He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in the harvest is a son who causes shame to his parents." Laziness, not planning for the future with the wisdom of God.

Secondly, when we submit to authority because of the wisdom that is behind the authority. Proverbs 10:8 says, "The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall." How we need to be submissive to those in authority because God has set authority over this world. Thirdly, when we continue to learn. We don't think we know it all, but we have a teaching spirit, we have a teaching heart. Proverbs 10:14 says, "Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction."

And fourthly, when you are careful in what you say. Be careful that you don't open your mouth before you answer. Be careful, make sure you think before you speak. Proverbs 10:19 says, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is very wise." And then in Proverbs 11:12, it says, "He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace." And then Proverbs 17:28, "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." He's wise, he's skillful.

And then fifthly, when you are discerning, you have discernment in your life. Proverbs 10:13 says, "Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who's devoid of understanding." Proverbs 14:16, 13 says, "A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, but knowledge is easy to find who understands. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and at the end of mirth may be a grief." For God gives us that understanding. Proverbs 16:21: "The wise in heart will be called prudent, and the sweetness of the lips increase learning." How we need to be submissive this morning to the wisdom of God.

Guest (Male): If you're walking through a season of uncertainty or enduring a season of struggle, we hope today's lesson has motivated you to seek God's assurance and direction. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. If you'd like to hear today's lesson in its complete form, we'll be happy to send a copy to you for a donation of five dollars or more. Just contact us at 800-634-9165 and mention today's study, "The Importance of Wisdom."

We'd also like to tell you about Raul's four-part series simply titled "Wisdom." It's available on both CD and USB. Challenging you to spend more time seeking God in the Word and in prayer, this resource will shore up your confidence that you can fully trust the Lord with your life. You'll also learn about the rich blessings that come from following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to order Raul's four-lesson "Wisdom" series. We'll send you the CD collection for a gift of 18 dollars or the thumb drive for just 10 dollars. The number again is 800-634-9165. Or you can write to Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

Join Raul for straight talk on the Somebody Loves You worldwide YouTube channel every Tuesday at 10 a.m. West Coast time. This channel also features a wide range of biblical teachings on podcast, and you can look for podcast of all of these programs on iTunes and Spotify. Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries is fully listener-supported, and every gift enables us to keep sharing God's eternal Word. Next time on Somebody Loves You Radio, we'll return to the pages of God's Word for more encouragement and inspiration in following the Lord Jesus. Here's Raul with a closing comment.

Raul Ries: Let's begin this morning and every morning by reading the Proverbs so that God can speak to us through His wisdom. We can practice what we preach. We need to fully depend on Him and His Word so that we can make the right decisions in our own personal life so that we don't become foolish in this world. And again, in conclusion, listen. If anyone here is lacking wisdom, ask of God. He'll give you wisdom. James Chapter 1, verse 5 and 6: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to you all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." So if you need wisdom, by faith, God will give it to you because He loves you and because He wants you to be a wise parent and a wise son and a wise daughter.