The Alternative

Dr. Tony Evans: True wisdom comes from God. False wisdom comes from hell.

Guest (Male): Dr. Tony Evans says even when it seems we have everything figured out, our conclusions are only as good as the information they're based on.

Dr. Tony Evans: So you and I are going to have to determine what is the source of our wisdom.

Guest (Male): This is the Alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. Wisdom is more than knowledge. It's understanding how to apply what you know to real-life situations.

Today Dr. Evans takes a look at how to find true wisdom and the refreshing perspective that comes along with it. Let's join him in James chapter three.

Dr. Tony Evans: James, the connoisseur of practical Christianity, tells those who are his readership: "it's time to grow up." It is time to put Christianity into practice. It is time to walk and not talk.

To do that, you have to acquire wisdom. In our passage today, chapter three, in the very few verses 13 to 18, it is chock-full of truth about the concept, the theology, the practice of wisdom.

I want to look at three things today, and I would like to submit if you grasp this sermon, your life will never be the same. That if you grasp what James has to say today, even if you have been unwise to this point, you can begin to renegotiate life, get off on the next exit, crossover the overpass, get back down on the on-ramp, and start negotiating life in the right direction. To do that takes wisdom.

First of all, let's look at the concept of wisdom. Verse 13: "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." You recall that last time we saw that there were people in this church, these churches where this letter went, who loved to talk. They had a problem of the tongue.

And they would bless the Lord on Sunday and then use profanity on Monday. James wants to know how can this be? How can the same mouth that praises God curse man who has been made in the image of God? I'm not talking about disagreeing with a bad deed. He is talking about destroying a person with your tongue.

He says that the problem, however, is bigger than your speech. The problem is that you've misconstrued wisdom because he says in verse 13, wisdom is measured by what a person does. "Let him show by his good behavior, his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." Wise deeds are really proof of a wise life, not simply well-constructed words.

And he introduces us to this concept of wise, or wisdom. Now there's so many places we could go here, but just follow me because this is foundational that we understand the concept. Proverbs is the wisdom book. It is the book that has been poignantly written most of all by Solomon to tell you what wisdom is and how wisdom works.

Look, for example, at Proverbs chapter four verse seven. How important is wisdom to be? And we'll come back to James, but Proverbs 4:7 lets us know the value that we are to give to this concept called wisdom.

"The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you. She will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a garland of grace. She will present you with a crown of beauty. Hear, my son, and accept my sayings; and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom."

Now the question is: Where do I go to get the knowledge? Because if you get wrong knowledge, you still can't be wise because then you would be applying the wrong thing. And that's why the book of Proverbs makes it clear that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Thy Word is truth. From the Word of God, you get the knowledge that will serve as the base of your practice of wisdom.

You also need with knowledge, understanding. That's why even in our verse he says, wisdom and understanding. Understanding has to do with what your perceptions are. It is able to unravel the nature of a matter. Knowledge gives you the facts. Understanding helps you to make sense of the facts.

Many of us have understanding about a lot of things who are not yet living a wise life. Wisdom only occurs when what you know that you now understand, you begin to do. You have not become a wise person, James says, until your good behavior in your deeds.

Please notice verse 15 and verse 17. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above. And then he says in verse 17, but the wisdom from above. Let's look at some contrast here. First of all, there is a contrast of source. He says that there is a wisdom from above, but there's also a wisdom from below.

Natural wisdom, verse 15, is earthly, that is worldly; natural, that is of the flesh; and demonic, straight from hell. There is a wisdom of man, a natural wisdom, a viewpoint that men have that is totally the opposite from the viewpoint of God.

It is unfortunate that right here under the sound of my voice, many of us are living under human wisdom rather than divine wisdom, and we're paying the price tag for the human viewpoint. The Bible says there is a way that seemeth right to man, but the end thereof is destruction. So you and I are going to have to determine what is the source of our wisdom.

Psalm one says: Happy is the man who doesn't stand with sinners and walk with the unrighteous and sit in the seat of the scoffers, but his delight is in the law of God. He does not follow the worldview of the unrighteous. First Corinthians 1:20 and 21 says that the wisdom of man is foolishness to God.

There is human viewpoint and divine viewpoint, and the two are totally distinct unless the human viewpoint is predicated on the divine viewpoint. He says it is earthly, the world's way of thinking. It is not only earthly, he says it's fleshly. A fleshly approach to life puts your feelings and lets it overrule God's revelation.

"I'd rather believe how I feel than what God says." Whenever you believe how you feel over what God says, you raise man and his emotions above God and his revelation, and that means it's human wisdom, not divine wisdom.

He calls it demonic. This is pretty deep. He calls man's wisdom not only human, he calls it hellish, demonic, from demons, from Satan himself. True wisdom comes from God. False wisdom comes from hell. Got folk looking at your hands reading lines that God put there? The Bible doesn't say anything about that. Oh yes, it does. Look at Deuteronomy 18.

Deuteronomy 18 verse 10: "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things, the Lord your God will drive them out before you."

He's going to punish the unrighteous because of it. "You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For those nations which you shall dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and diviners; and as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, and you shall listen to him."

Now what is the prophet's job? To declare the Word of God, not read tea leaves, cards, or fingerprints. He says it is the prophetic Word that you are to listen to because the wisdom that comes from above. Colossians chapter three, read it, verses 1 through 11. It says our mind is to be in heaven on things above. The wisdom that comes down. Not the wisdom of man.

First Kings 3:3 says something very interesting. You ought to turn there. But it says Solomon did right before the Lord, except. He would go up to the high places. That was where idol worship was, and give him a visit every now and then. It'd be like you being a faithful member, but just once a year you go to the palm reader, that's all.

Just once a week you look at the horoscopes, that's all. I'm a faithful member. I serve in my ministry. I'm committed. I'm involved. I give to the church. Except. I just got this one exception. That exception killed Solomon. It was that one exception because he mixed it.

He gives another contrast, the contrast of methods. He says that natural wisdom has in it bitter jealousy, verse 14. Bitter jealousy. I am upset because you have what I want. You're in a position that I want to be. That's human wisdom because divine wisdom is meek.

It's gentle. Why? Because meekness has to do with an ability to submit to God. Human wisdom says you got to get there your own way. Divine wisdom says if I submit to God, he's going to take me the way he wants me to go. I don't have to worry about it.

Because God's in control, I don't have to be jealous of you. You don't have to be jealous of me because, guess what, what's mine is mine and what's yours is yours. And with God in the picture, you can't take what's mine. I can't take what's yours. So let's everybody chill.

There's a distinction also of spirit. Selfish ambition, verse 14. But divine wisdom has a different kind of spirit in it. It's a gentle spirit. It's a peaceable spirit. There's a contrast of activities. He says that human wisdom has every evil thing that comes out of it.

Yet divine wisdom has what he calls in verse 17, good fruit. It produces helpful, positive things, whereas human wisdom produces activities that are evil and destructive and that tears down. There's a contrast of perspectives. The human wisdom is earthly. It's like everybody else thinks. It's natural.

Divine wisdom, on the other hand, is without partiality because it is peaceable. It doesn't play favorites. It's not earthly. There's a contrast in quality. One is sensual. The other one is pure, undiluted by evil. There's a contrast in purpose. One is demonic, he says. The other one is merciful and gentle. It produces growth, not destruction.

There's a contrast in results because one produces confusion, what he calls in verse 16, disorder. The other produces righteousness.

Guest (Male): Dr. Evans will have more on the difference between human wisdom and godly wisdom when he returns in a moment. First though, I want to tell you about a special resource package that can help you pursue the kind of wisdom and spiritual maturity we've been hearing about in James.

It includes all 16 full-length messages in Tony's two-volume series called James: Time to Grow Up, along with his 30-day devotional book, Trusting God in Turbulent Times. The series will help you understand what mature Christian living looks like in the real world, while the devotional provides daily scripture and encouragement for trusting God through life's turbulent seasons.

We'd like to send you this complete package as our thank-you gift when you make a contribution to support Tony's ministry. The audio collection is available on CD, USB flash drive, or instant digital download. Just visit tonyevans.org for the details and to make your donation and request.

Or call 1-800-800-3222 where a team member is ready to help get this powerful package into your hands. The number again: 1-800-800-3222. On the Unbound podcast with Dr. Tony Evans, guests speak honestly about finding hope in the hardest moments. Grief is that club that nobody wants to be a part of, but you're forced into.

Through their real-life stories, they offer perspective on healing and resilience, even when the pain doesn't quickly pass. Grief is a language. The goal of a language is not to finish. It's to become fluent. Unbound with Dr. Tony Evans. Listen now.

You can hear the Unbound podcast any time of the day or night on your favorite podcast streaming platform. Well, Dr. Evans is back now with more of today's lesson on the perspective of wisdom.

Dr. Tony Evans: When you use human wisdom, you may think you get your point across, but it's going to cost you in the long term, like a bumblebee. A bumblebee will sting you. It'll cause some pain. But it costs the bee its life. Because once that stinger is gone, part of the bee is gone.

And when you use human wisdom, you may think you got where you were trying to go, but you paid the price when you left your human wisdom stinger there. The church of Smyrna thought it was poor. God said it was rich. The church of Laodicea thought it was rich. God said it was poor. It depends on God's viewpoint. Righteous wisdom builds up; it doesn't tear down.

And so he says, what does it do? It lies, verse 14, against the truth. Let me explain that phrase. It uses the truth to satisfy one's own self-seeking, to promote one's own agenda. It subordinates the truth to what one's own goals are.

And while they may talk the truth, sound the truth, their motivation is not the truth, and therefore they lie against the truth. They say words that sound true, they give a perspective that looks true, but underneath it, they are lying against the truth.

Closing thirdly, the cultivation of wisdom. Okay, you say, okay, I want it. If wisdom is this powerful, if it's this committed, how do I get it? Three things to get wisdom. One: Fear God. Proverbs 9 verse 10, Psalms 111 verse 10 says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Romans 3:18 says the problem with mankind is that they have no fear of God. Fear God. Now what do I mean by fear God? Run around trembling? Uh-uh. Take him serious. If I would give you a nomenclature for that: simply take him seriously. Stop this nod-to-God stuff.

Stop just coming and giving this nice spiritual serendipity and start saying, "okay God, I'm going to take you. Is this what you say? This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to readjust how I do, what I do. Stop mixing man's way with your way, and I'm going to do what you say do."

Let me show you what the fear of God is. Fear of God is you're going down the highway, you come over the hill and you see a police car. Hello! Driving along. What you do? You slow down. Why? Man ain't bothered you. He's just sitting on the side of the road.

He's just sitting there. Why you slowing down now? He's over here pulling your seatbelt across you and all that kind of stuff. Why you doing that? Because located on the side of a road is an authority that gets your attention whenever you see him.

Whenever you see him, he captures you and you readjust some things when he shows up. That's the fear of the officer of the law. And many of us be speeding down the highway of life, God shows up and we don't even slow down. We speeding faster. There's no fear of God.

It means he gets your attention. To fear God means, Proverbs 8:13, to feel the way he feels about things. Secondly: Abide in God. Fear God, abide in God. Abide in what about God? One: God's Word. Proverbs 2:1-7. You must be willing to hear so that you judge things like God's Word judges them.

You abide in God's Word. You stay in God's Word. And then you abide in God's Son. Colossians 2 verse 3 says: In Christ are all the treasures of wisdom. In Christ are all the treasures of wisdom to be found.

And to abide in God's Word and to abide in God's Son. Not just read the Bible, but come to know the Christ of the Bible. Is to get where the secrets are and where you'll hear him talk to your heart, bring ideas to your head, bring circumstances that re-route you in life because he will open up his secret treasury to you and let you in on his wisdom.

And finally, watch it now. You fear God, you abide in God, and then you turn to James 1:5: Ask God. "But if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men generously." Folks, give me your undivided attention right now. This is one of the greatest promises in the Bible.

"Who gives to everybody, no discrimination, generously." He gives you more than what you ask for. "And without reproach." He won't put you down when you come because you should have come a year earlier. He won't say, "how come it took you so long to get here?"

He won't say, "well you've already made a mess, I'm not going to give you anything now." He will give it to you without uttering a word, and it will be given to him. "But let him ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."

You say, "I'm going through a rough time." Guess what? Trials ought to increase your prayer life. Proverbs 3:5 and 6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.

If you ask God right now in the middle of the mess you're in, and you're going to fear him, abide in him, then you turn around and ask him, according to Colossians one, the prayer of wisdom will be a transforming prayer in your life and God will grant it without reproach.

God will grant it joyfully, gladly. God will give you more of it than you ask him for. If you say, "Lord, I need wisdom in this situation I'm in at work. Lord, I need wisdom in the situation I'm in at home. Lord, I need more money, but I'd rather have wisdom than more money because if you show me how to use the money then when I get more money I'm going to use it right, and I won't have to keep coming for these wisdom requests on the same request every year because I will have applied wisdom in my life."

Lord, I need wisdom in that area. And I want to ask you because I've asked my financial counselor, I've asked my pastor, I've asked my parents, I've asked my boss, I've asked everybody and I'm in a worse mess now than before I asked anybody. So let me discard them for a moment and let me ask you.

Ask God, he says, for wisdom, and then he says, but ask in faith. That is, treat him like he's God. He's not some man who's going to give you an idea. Treat him like he's God. Ask him and then let him answer. Stop saying, "well I knew you weren't going to say it anyway. I knew you weren't going to give it to me anyway." Ask me believing that I'm going to respond.

Guest (Male): Dr. Tony Evans with an important invitation for all of us. And he'll return with a final illustration to wrap up this lesson in just a moment. First though, if you'd like to continue learning from the book of James, be sure to ask about Tony's complete two-volume series called James: Time to Grow Up.

All 16 full-length messages are included, giving you the opportunity to hear the complete lesson and revisit the biblical principles we've been exploring together. And as I mentioned earlier, in thanks for your contribution in support of the Alternative, we'll send you the complete audio collection along with an added bonus: Tony's 30-day devotional book, Trusting God in Turbulent Times.

Together, these resources can help you develop the wisdom, perspective, and faith to navigate whatever comes your way. So visit tonyevans.org to get the details and make your request, or call our resource center at 1-800-800-3222 any time of the day or night. That's tonyevans.org or by phone at 1-800-800-3222.

How can we expect to have an intimate relationship with God when we're carrying on an affair with the world? Tomorrow, Dr. Evans talks about that dilemma and what we need to do about it. Right now though, he's back with this final thought for today.

Dr. Tony Evans: I've had my share of flights in my life. And I just buy a ticket and get on the plane. But for me to go from A to B, a lot of things have to happen. Somebody's got to build a plane. Somebody's got to wire the plane. There's got to be a pilot trained to fly the plane.

There's got to be a control tower to guide the plane. There's got to be lights at night to bring the plane in. I don't care about any of that. All I want to know is I'm going to get from point A to point B safely. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to be wise.

But you do have to be in touch with a reputable airline. God has got all the details stitched out. If you come to the airport, he'll take you to point A to point B. He so constructed the plane to fly.

But if your life is going to take flight, if your life is going to take off, you've got to come to God because he's taking off only from his airport. And if you do, he will take you to where he wants you to be.