Tag: Wisdom

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Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

William Thompson

A person needs wisdom because wisdom is the difference between simply living life and living life well.

If knowledge is information, wisdom is interpretation, discernment, and direction — the ability to know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it in a way that honors God and protects your future.

Wisdom tells me that what once worked does work in these times.

Wisdom tells me to look for new and better ways to accomplish the task at hand.

Owl holding a glowing lantern perched on an open book in a vintage library
An owl holds a glowing lantern while perched on stacked books in an old library.

1. Wisdom Protects Your Life

Wisdom keeps you from:

  1. Wrong relationships
  2. Costly decisions
  3. Emotional reactions
  4. Repeating cycles
  5. Falling into traps you didn’t see coming

Wisdom keeps you from destroying what God is trying to build in us.

A weathered jester crown with red and yellow paint, rusty bells, placed on cobblestone pavement
An old, chipped jester crown lies on a cobblestone ground near a stone building.

2. Wisdom Helps You Interpret What You See

Two people can face the same situation:

  • One panics
  • Another sees purpose
  • One sees a problem
  • One another sees possibilities

Wisdom gives you eyes to see beneath the surface — motives, timing, consequences, and opportunities.

3. Wisdom Makes You Stable

Life hits everyone. But wisdom:

  • Anchors your excitement
  • Strengthens your decisions
  • Keeps you from being tossed by every feeling or opinion

A wise person doesn’t move because they’re pressured — they move because they see the road ahead clearly.

4. Wisdom Helps You Discern People

Not everyone who smiles is safe.
Not everyone who talks is trustworthy.
Not everyone who offers advice is wise.

Wisdom helps you:

  • Recognize character
  • Identify intentions
  • Choose the right voices
  • Avoid the wrong ones

Proverbs 13:20 (KJV)
20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

5. Wisdom Aligns You With God’s Will

You can’t fulfill God’s purpose with:

  • Emotion alone
  • Talent alone
  • Passion alone

You need wisdom to:

  • Know God’s timing
  • Hear God’s voice
  • Recognize God’s direction
  • Avoid detours

Wisdom is the bridge between calling and completion.

6. Wisdom Builds Your Future

Every major part of life requires wisdom:

  • Your Relationships
  • Your Finances
  • Your Ministry
  • Your Leadership
  • Your Family
  • Your Decisions
  • Your Opportunities

Without wisdom, you can have blessings you’re not prepared to manage.

7. Wisdom Is the Key to Transformation

You can’t change your life until you change your mind.

And you can’t change your mind without wisdom.

Wisdom:

  • Reframes how you think
  • Breaks old patterns
  • Opens new possibilities
  • Helps you grow into who God designed you to be

1 Kings 3:5-9

In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

1 Kings 3:10-12

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Solomon asked for wisdom above everything else because he understood one truth that many never grasp:

If you have wisdom, everything else flows from it — leadership, justice, prosperity, peace, and the ability to please God.

1. Solomon Knew He Was Inexperienced and Needed God

When God appeared to him in 1 Kings 3, Solomon was young — likely in his early 20s.

He admitted:

“I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.”

This wasn’t insecurity. It was humility.

Solomon recognized:

  • The throne was bigger than him
  • The people were too many for him
  • The assignment required more than natural intelligence

Humility opened the door for divine wisdom.

2. Solomon Wanted to Lead God’s People Well

He didn’t ask for wisdom to be impressive.
He asked for wisdom to be effective.

He prayed:

“Give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people.”

Solomon understood:

  • Stewardship
  • God’s people require God’s wisdom
  • A king without wisdom becomes a danger to the nation

He wanted to lead righteously, not just successfully.

3. Solomon Understood That Wisdom Produces Everything Else

God told him:

Because you asked for wisdom and not riches, long life, or victory…
I will give you all these things as well.

Solomon understood a kingdom principle:

Wisdom is the master key.

With wisdom, you gain:

  1. Wealth
  2. Influence
  3. Honor
  4. Peace
  5. Longevity
  6. Good judgment
  7. Strong relationships
  8. Divine favor

Wisdom is the root; everything else is the fruit.

4. Solomon Valued What God Values

God delights in giving wisdom (James 1:5).
Solomon asked for the very thing that aligns with God’s heart.

He didn’t ask for:

  • Power
  • Revenge
  • Fame
  • Comfort

He asked for something that would:

  • Honor God
  • Bless people
  • Strengthen the kingdom
  • Advance righteousness

He asked for what mattered most to God.

5. Solomon Wanted Discernment, Not Just Knowledge

Wisdom is not information — it is divine insight.

Solomon asked for:

  • The ability to discern right from wrong
  • The ability to judge fairly
  • The ability to see beneath the surface
  • The ability to understand motives, seasons, and decisions

He wanted God’s mind for his assignment.

6. Solomon Understood His Purpose

His father David had fought battles.
But Solomon’s assignment was different:

  • Build the temple
  • Establish peace
  • Strengthen the kingdom
  • Lead with justice

To fulfill that purpose, he needed wisdom, not weapons.

7. Solomon Knew That Wisdom Is the Only Thing You Can’t Fake

You can fake:

  • Strength
  • Wealth
  • Confidence
  • Popularity

But you cannot fake wisdom.

Wisdom reveals:

  • Character
  • Maturity
  • Integrity
  • God’s presence

Solomon wanted the one thing that would make him a true king.

In One Sentence

Solomon asked for wisdom above everything else because he knew that wisdom is the only gift that empowers you to handle every other gift.

Coffee with the Preacher

Wisdom – Knowledge – Understanding

William Thompson

This morning when I woke up I knew the Lord wanted me to talk about gifts.

  • Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.(KJ)
  • Romans 11:29 (GW)
    29  God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.
  • Gifts are given by God even before you were born like Jeremiah was called even before he was born.

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV)
5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

  • Calling and gifts are inside you and born with them and you need no repentance to have them or receive them because they were given since the beginning.

James 1:17 (KJV)
17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

God spoke to me to tell saints to stop asking for their gift and start accepting their gift.

It is not that we don’t know the way we are gifted we just don’t like the way we are gifted.

There are people who just don’t like the way God made them.

They are unhappy with their skin color, their race, their family, their appearance, their face or head shape. Yet God made us unto His liking.

God will not take back his gifts or withdraw his call.

He will keep his promises.

The important word is irrevocable, not irresistible.

While God will not take back what he has offered, we are certainly able to reject it.

Not only can we reject it we can bury it like the man with the one talent.

Exodus 31:2-6 (KJV)
2  See, I have called by name Bezaleelthe son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4  To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6  And I, behold, I have given with him A’ho’liab, the son of A’hisa’mach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

Too often we narrow the scope of God toward mankind.

We see God only working with people who are highly visible to others.

Yet I see God directing the lives of all who will submit to his guiding hand.

We often fail to see God working with anyone other than preachers, prophets, missionaries, teachers, priests, Levites, bishops, elders, apostles, deacons, trustees, singers, but God directs all of our lives and our accomplishments.

All that brings glory to His name has been gifted by him!!!

You can design a tee shirt with coffee time and God gave you that gift.

You can design a facebook post and God gave you that gift.

You share the message faithfully and God gave you that gift.

You can design a website and God gave you that gift.

You can give $1 to support that work and God gave you that gift of giving.

You can help your senior neighbor get grocery and God gave you the gift of help.

Just having patience is a gift from the Lord.

The two mentions in the text had Spirit-filled abilities in artistic craftsmanship.

They had the ability to work with their hands to create what was in the mind of God.

Take notice of all the abilities God gives his people.

Don’t reject your skills if they are not like Moses’ and Aaron’s

God gave them abilities but he also gave them:

  • Wisdom
  • Understanding
  • Knowledge

In order to do the work in alignment with what the will of God was.

Today we see the gifts as a way to make money and not glorify God with the gift.

Solomon had been set in place to lead Israel but he saw the glamour but he also so saw the need for God to equip him.

Although you have been placed in a position doesn’t mean you are qualified for the position.

Solomon understood his weakness as a leader in a position.

2 Chronicles 1:10 (KJV)
10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

If you are to exercise the gift or gifts God has given you then you need all three to function properly.

Wisdom – Knowledge – Understanding

I have read books on airplanes therefore I have knowledge of planes but I cannot fly one.

I have understanding that a hurt person will seek to hurt someone they love but how to fix that person I don’t have any idea.

I can have the wisdom to say the right things but the will to carry out the words I don’t know how.

Wisdom – Knowledge – Understanding all starts with the spirit of God in our lives. We need to be spirit-filled.

There are steps to accepting the gift that God has for you.

1. Pray for God’s guidance.

Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

2. Praise God for gift(s) he has given you.

3. Go to Scripture for confirmation.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

4. Use your Christ-redeemed mind to analyze the gift.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

5. Seek godly counsel about your gift.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14)

6. Analyze your motivations of how to use the gift.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

7. Accept that the gifts by knowing it was God who made you that way.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)