Telling the Truth

Guest (Male): We're so glad you've joined with us today on Telling the Truth as Stuart Briscoe helps you see the difference between earthly and spiritual wisdom so you can prioritize your pursuit of knowledge. That message is coming right up.

But first, God wants to use every season in your life to strengthen your faith. Discover how to make the most of the life lessons God is teaching you with Stuart and Jill's three-message series, A Lifetime of Wisdom. It's our thanks for your financial support to keep this broadcast going strong.

As an additional token of appreciation, we'll send you a beautiful framable art piece featuring Hebrews 10:23 that will help you remember God's faithfulness. So call today to request yours, 1-800-889-5388. That's 1-800-889-5388, or you can give online at tellingthetruth.org. Now, here's Stuart with today's message, Finding Spiritual Wisdom.

Stuart Briscoe: People say you can't really know anything, so you shouldn't be dogmatic about anything. Well, that raised a problem for me because I had got certain things factored into my life now that I was certain of. Now I wasn't certain of anything. I hope you've thought this through because this is the world we live in.

Fortunately, I'd had enough teaching, I'd had enough growing, I'd had enough learning to know that God's word is worth reading. So I turned to it. And this is a passage I want to read to you now very briefly. Proverbs chapter 1. Now remember, I've learned how to learn. I've been learning all kinds of different ways, but now what I've learned is being shaken by new philosophies, new ways that people are thinking. So now I'm reading Proverbs with these two things in mind.

Chapter 1: "The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young, let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance," etcetera, etcetera.

Now notice the keywords here. Verse 2: wisdom, discipline, understanding, insight. Verse 3: prudence, right, just, fair. Verse 4: knowledge, discretion. Verse 5: guidance. Do you see these words? Strong words. And I suddenly realize now there's a huge conflict. What I have been learning has been characterized as wisdom and discipline and understanding and insight that lead me into what is right and just and fair. But the postmodernists are telling me, "No, no. This is just your truth." And I had a decision to make. Which way was I going to go?

Which way was I going to go? And how could I explain the difference? This is how I learned to explain the difference. In the reading in Colossians chapter 1 that we had right at the beginning, do you remember what his prayer was? Asking God to fill them with knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

I realized the flaw in postmodern thinking. They certainly had some points absolutely right, but they had their conclusions wrong. I'll tell you why. Because they were not factoring in a fundamental thing called spiritual wisdom and understanding. I studied the scriptures. I studied in the epistle of James. I studied in 1 Corinthians. And this is what I discovered.

I discovered that there is a very sharp contrast between earthly wisdom and spiritual wisdom. Earthly wisdom doesn't know diddly about spiritual wisdom. Paul put it this way—he wasn't talking about postmodernism, obviously; he was talking about all the Greek philosophies of his day—but he says by human wisdom, nobody knows God.

That takes spiritual wisdom. That takes spiritual wisdom. So whilst I'm grateful for a lot of postmodern thinking that takes away inappropriate confidence at times, I certainly don't prescribe to their philosophy. For I believe there is such a thing in the limitations of human knowledge. There is such a thing as the impartation of spiritual wisdom.

Spiritual wisdom by definition is the wisdom that comes through the activity of the Holy Spirit. And so I began to progress a little further. I've learned how to learn. Now I was learning the difference between earthly wisdom and spiritual wisdom. Spiritual wisdom was going to be imparted to me by the Holy Spirit as I opened up my life to what he would reveal to me of God.

And how would he do it? Well, I learned something else. I learned that the Holy Spirit has inspired the Word of God. Therefore I was to become somebody who is going to build his life on spiritual wisdom, was going to take all that earthly wisdom could offer that would not contradict spiritual wisdom, but was going to find spiritual wisdom in God's word and was going to anticipate the spirit of the living God leading me into a knowledge of the truth. And this is how I learned my life lessons.

Alright, now go back to Colossians chapter 1. He prays, asking God to fill them with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. So now it wasn't just a matter of learning how to learn, and it wasn't just a matter of learning how to discover spiritual wisdom. Now it was going to be a matter of learning what?

It was a matter of learning the knowledge of his will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In other words, if I learn how to learn, if I recognize the reality of spiritual wisdom, if I open myself up and study spiritual wisdom, that is going to lead me into the knowledge of his will.

You know, a lot of people think this world is just spinning hopelessly out of control. Other people think that this world just came into being somehow or other without any design, without any sense of direction, without any sense of purpose. And they inhabit this thing that came into being without design or direction or purpose, which means that they are living on it without any sense of design or direction or purpose. And then they wonder why they don't feel fulfilled. Well, it's hard to feel fulfilled if you know at heart you're a fulfilled accident.

It's therefore very, very encouraging to hear something very simple: that this world is not spinning hopelessly out of control, that in actual fact, God who created it is holding it in the hollow of his hand and working out his grand cosmic eternal purposes for the world that he has created.

To begin to get that fundamental lesson deeply rooted in your thinking—this is a purposeful world. I am a personal integral part of this world. God put me here in his world for a purpose, and he will show me what it is, and he will strengthen me to do it, and I will have a sense of divine calling, and I'll have a sense of eternal significance, and I'll have a sense of something to offer this crazy world. What a lesson to learn.

Guest (Male): Spiritual wisdom is vastly different from earthly wisdom. And today, Stuart shows you how to distinguish earthly wisdom from the wisdom the Holy Spirit gives you. He'll tell you more about that in just a moment.

Life is full of ups and downs, trials and successes. And in all these seasons, it's important to slow down and consider how each of them strengthens your faith. We want to help you make the most of your experiences by sending you Stuart and Jill's three-message series, A Lifetime of Wisdom.

Filled with colorful stories and personal insight from Stuart and Jill, this series will help you learn through your circumstances. A Lifetime of Wisdom is our thanks for your gift today to help more people experience life in Christ through Telling the Truth.

As an additional token of our appreciation, we'll also send you a beautiful 8x10 framable art piece featuring Hebrews 10:23 to help you continually remember God's faithfulness in every season of life. So call today to request your copy of the series and the framable artwork when you give to help more people experience life. 1-800-889-5388. That's 1-800-889-5388, or you can give online at tellingthetruth.org.

For many, our smartphones have become our social connection, but we want to help you make a spiritual connection with the Telling the Truth mobile app. You can listen to daily programs, engage in Bible reading plans, journal, and share your thoughts and prayers on the community wall. Get the Telling the Truth app through your app store or log on to tellingthetruth.org/mobile-app. Okay, now let's get back to Stuart with more of today's message from the series, A Lifetime of Wisdom.

Stuart Briscoe: So I learned how to learn, then I learned how to learn spiritual wisdom, then I learned how to learn God's will. And that led to something else. Look, if you will, back in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 6. Paul is talking about the gospel. This is what he says: "All over the world this gospel is producing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth."

Ah, understanding grace in all its truth. That's what happens when you begin to learn spiritual wisdom and you begin to learn the knowledge of his will. One of the first things you discover is the grace of God. And it becomes fundamental in your life. The grace of God.

"For by grace are you saved through faith" is a fundamental statement of the Christian gospel. "By grace are you saved through faith." Grace is God's part; man's part is faith. Grace and faith lead to salvation. But more than that, scripture says this: "God is able to make all grace abound toward you so that you always, having all sufficiency in all things, might abound unto every good work."

I'll give you that again. 2 Corinthians 9:8: "God is able to make all grace abound toward you so that you always, having all sufficiency in all things, might abound unto every good work." And that's not all. "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus, who though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9. Easy, isn't it? 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 9:8. Memorize them both.

It's all about grace. But what is it? He says they came to an understanding of grace in all its truth. Alright, time for another story. Some of you heard this story before, but it's the best one I've got to illustrate this. I like the story anyway. In fact, nobody else tells it, so if I want to hear it, I've got to tell it.

I come home from a trip. My wife gives me a report on the children. One of the children who shall be nameless until I forget and name him—well, I've narrowed it down already—he has misbehaved himself. He has been taught that all actions have consequences, etcetera, etcetera. Sometimes he is very reluctant to learn that some of his actions have consequences, so we have to be a little more forceful in reinforcing that lesson.

So I now speak to my son and I explain to him that what he's done wrong has consequences. And the consequences of his wrongdoing are very, very simple. I am going to apply this board of education to the seat of his learning. Bend over.

Alright, this is what he deserves. He is going to get five whacks of the board of education on the seat of his learning. And he needs to understand he is getting what he deserves, and the word for that is justice. Justice gives us what we deserve. Are you ready? Yes. By the way, this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you. Okay. One whack. Two whack. Three whack.

Are you okay? I'm okay. But how are you? It's hurting you more than it's hurting me. Well, that'll do. What do you mean that'll do? Well, that'll do. But you said you're going to give me five. Yeah. You gave me three. Yeah. You said five was justice. Yeah. What's three? Mercy. For justice gives you what you deserve; mercy does not give you all you deserve.

And my young son, who was a very quick learner, he said, "Hey, Dad, I like mercy better than justice." I said, "Smart people do." But some rather stupid people say to God, "Do me justice, God," and they should not say that. He will. He will.

Now go to your room, sit down, and think about this lesson that I've just taught you on justice and mercy. "Would it be alright if I stood up and thought about it?" Yes. And now later I go up and I say to him, "I'm going out for an ice cream. Would you like to come with me?" "Go and watch you eat ice cream?" "Well, no, I was planning on buying you an ice cream."

So we get in the car and we're driving to the ice cream shop. He says, "I am confused, Dad." "What's the confusion?" He said, "You said you're going to give me what I deserved: five. You gave me three. You didn't give me all I deserved. You said the first one was justice and the second one was mercy. Now you're buying me an ice cream. I don't get it. What do you call this?" And I said, "You call this grace." Grace. For justice gives you what you deserve, mercy does not give you all you deserve, grace gives you what you don't deserve. Grace.

We are utterly dependent on grace. The interesting thing about grace—lots of interesting things about grace—one of the really interesting things about grace is that the Latin word for grace is gratia. And gratia is the etymological root for a very common English word: gratitude.

Gratitude. And that's how it works. You see, when I understand grace and understand that God has showered upon me and continues to shower upon me blessing upon blessing upon blessing that I do not deserve, what wells up within me? Gratitude.

And the big question I'm asking all the time is: How can I express my gratitude? And Paul says, "Well, that's what I've been praying for you. I'm praying that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will through spiritual wisdom and understanding in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way."

Oh, I get it. I get it. So gratia produces gratitude, and spiritual wisdom, which is different from earthly wisdom, imparts to me the knowledge of grace and of his will. And out of gratitude, I say to myself, "That's what I want. That's the way I want to go. That's what I want to do. Up to now, I've just been pleasing myself; now I want to please you. The life I've lived up to now, I've called myself a follower of Jesus, but it certainly hasn't been worthy of a follower of Jesus. I want to be worthy of my calling. I want to please you and not please myself." And it changes the whole course of your life. Life lessons.

Last night, I broke a world record. I not only had five points instead of three, I got through all five. World record, it's in the Guinness Book. Today, I only got through four. I'm leaving the fifth one for you for your homework. Go away and ask yourself: Since I came into this world and only knew how to find my mother's breast, how in the world did I get where I am now? What did I learn? What have I learned? How did I learn it? Who do I learn it from? How reliable is it? How much of it is spiritual wisdom? How is spiritual wisdom producing the person that I am, and what evidence is there for it? There's your homework.

Guest (Male): You're hearing from Stuart today on Telling the Truth. He's coming right back, but first, there's a special resource you'll want to hear about. In moments of both trial and success, it's important to slow down long enough to consider how life's experiences add to your faith. And the truth is, it takes a lifetime to become steeped in wisdom and to live daily in the promises of Christ.

To encourage you in your own life of faith, we want to send you Stuart and Jill's three-message series, A Lifetime of Wisdom. We'll also send you a beautiful, framable art piece of Hebrews 10:23 as our way of saying thanks for your gift of any amount to keep Telling the Truth on the air. Request your series and artwork when you call 1-800-889-5388. That's 1-800-889-5388, or give at tellingthetruth.org. Now here's Stuart with one final thought.

Stuart Briscoe: When we stop to reflect on all we've learned over the years, it's amazing how much of it was taught by the Holy Spirit. If we're alert to him, he'll show us things we've never seen before and guide our steps every single day. Let's ask him to do just that.

Lord, thank you for your Spirit and how he imparts to us the spiritual wisdom we need. Please give us ears to hear his voice and a heart that's ready to put what we've learned into practice today. Amen.

Guest (Male): And until next time, may you experience the peace and power of knowing Christ. Telling the Truth is the Bible teaching ministry of Stuart and Jill Briscoe and is made possible by the grace of God and the generosity of our listeners. If you've been blessed by our program and want to help us reach even more people with God's word, we invite you to join us as a financial partner. Your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference in our mission of sharing the gospel. You can give online at tellingthetruth.org. Thanks for listening.