April 20, 2008 Sermon Notes

Pastor Marty Grubbs –- April 20, 2008
“The Gift of Wisdom”
Life Strategies series, part four

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is looking at life from God’s point of view.
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” –James 3:17

 

 

 

How do I get wisdom?

 

 

 

What do wise people do?

     1.  Wise people listen.

 

 

 

     2. Wise people pursue wisdom.

 

 

 

3.      Wise people seek counsel from wise people.

 

 

 

“Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.” –James 3:13-17 (The Message)

 

 

 

A morning thought...

A student once asked the president of his school if there was a course he could take that was shorter than the one prescribed. “Oh yes,” replied the president, “but it depends on what you want to be. When God wants to make an oak, He takes a hundred years, but when He wants to make a squash, it only takes six months” (Miles Stanford, Principles of Spiritual Growth).

Many Christians desire to flow in the spirit, speak their ideas, and share their knowledge, but how many spend as much time preparing for those special moments? Has speed reading really helped our society grow in spirit and in truth? The question still remains, if one hundred years on an oak tree looks so great, should it not also work for me?

The Apostle Paul said, “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Message). God’s Word, coupled with education and experience, is truly a gift from God!

—George R. Skramstad, 2008