Increase Your Faith

Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding a member of your family. Proverbs 7:4 (NIRV-ENG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and others. To them Christ is God’s power and God’s Wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:24 (NIRV-ENG)

For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29 (NLT)

Clearly, King Solomon was speaking prophetically in today’s Wisdom verse. For the New Testament disciple, Jesus is both the Wisdom of God and eldest Son of many children of the Father.

Therefore, we are supernaturally in the same class as Wisdom. Understanding flows through our spiritual veins and is in our DNA. There is literally nothing that can gainsay or take advantage of us. We have a legal right to operate in God’s Wisdom. We are part of His family! So, let’s take the limits off of our minds; all things are possible to us.

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My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you.

He [God] stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to those who live without blame. He keeps them safe. Proverbs 2:1, 7 (NIRV-ENG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

…That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. Ecclesiastes 10:10b (NLT)

When we store up the Word of God (Wisdom) within ourselves, God releases into our lives the success He has kept in store for us since even before the foundation of the world.

Success is as natural for the disciples of Christ as swimming is for fish or flying is for birds!

Meditate in that…

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Fearing the Lord prolongs life, but the life span of the wicked will be shortened. Proverbs 10:27 (NET)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 NET)

Knowledge and Wisdom go hand-in-hand. Discovering the reverential fear of the Lord is where the unfolding of all godly knowledge begins; therefore, it is where all Wisdom begins. True reverential fear of God (Wisdom) prolongs life on the earth and eternal life in the Age to come.

On the other hand, despising Wisdom, which means holding Him in low regard, causes life to be shortened. It’s not the good who die young; it’s the foolish.

Selah!

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Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win, you need a lot of good counsel. Proverbs 24:6 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Strategic planning is the key to success in almost everything. God is the consummate strategic planner! The word “strategic” is a variation of strategy, which is the employment of a plan to achieve specific goals.

When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God employed His strategic plan for a child to be born of a virgin and to ultimately take away the sins of the world. It took about 4,000 years to put the plan in place, but He did and it succeeded. The Bible is nothing more than God’s game plan for the successful implementation of His strategy to seek and to save that which was lost in Eden.

Since we are made in the image and likeness of God, we too need to operate as strategic planners. Unlike God Who does all things according to the counsel of His own will, we need wise councilors around us at all times to succeed. The Holy Spirit is the wisest of all, but He often leads us to other human beings because He has decreed that iron sharpens iron and that “he who walks with wise men will be wise…” (Proverbs 13:20b NKJV)

If you’re struggling to achieve your goals and dreams, it may be because you don’t have the right strategy in place. Seek God’s Wisdom by praying in the Holy Spirit and confessing His Word over your life. You will eventually gain the necessary insight into the correct strategic plan for your personal goal accomplishment.

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What’s this? Fools out shopping for Wisdom! They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it! Proverbs 17:16 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

I know I’ve said this over and over again, but it’s true. It’s a thorough waste of time to try get a fool, one who despises God and His Word, to embrace Wisdom. Such people depend solely on their senses and act as mere, natural men and women, not spiritual ones.

The Bible clearly tells us that the things of God, such as Wisdom, are seen as utter foolishness to fleshly folks. The Apostle Paul said, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

Keep these words in mind as you prayerfully share God’s Wisdom with others. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to the right people at the right time. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated by the naysayers.

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Dear friend, pay close attention to this, my wisdom; listen very closely to the way I see it. Then you’ll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble. Proverbs 5:2 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

The pursuit and acquisition of Wisdom produces a taste or desire for good sense (Understanding). And operating in good sense will keep you out of self-imposed trouble. That’s why Wisdom is to be preferred over money and fame.

How many rich celebrities are you familiar with that have all the advantages in life, but are constantly in trouble with the law, the government, their employers, and their own family members? Because they lack Wisdom, they continually bask in the dull glow of foolishness and never seem to come to the Light. Sadly, many will die in their sins.

We, on the other hand, resist foolishness on every level and fully embrace God’s Wisdom. Therefore, we live within our financial means, our callings, and anointings, because conducting our lives as such is wise. As a result, we always enjoy the fruits of Wisdom: favor, long life, wealth, and riches…

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Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. Proverbs 2:2 (MSG)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2 NASB)

The Wisdom of God actually originates from another realm, another world; it is from above, not from the earth. God’s Wisdom will certainly work on earth, but the Source is God Himself. That’s why looking to any other source is frustrating and a thorough waste of time.

Although the Wisdom of God is available to all people, one can only tap into it as an act of will. God will not force His Wisdom on anyone. Scripture tells us, “…if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 NASB)

Today’s Wisdom verse says, “Tune YOUR ears…and set YOUR heart…” These are acts of will on our part. In other words, the person who desires Godly Wisdom MUST do something to receive it. We must place a demand on Him for His Wisdom to be downloaded.

This may seem like a very simple thing, and it is, but many fail to embrace this very simple principle. Therefore, they struggle in life trying to guess their way through it. Guessing is absolutely unauthorized in the Kingdom of God! Jesus said, “…you will KNOW the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32 NASB) [emphasis added].

Beloved, let’s make a quality decision to “tune our ears to the world of Wisdom and set our hearts on a life of Understanding.” It’s the only way we can live the abundant life God has in store for us.

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Proverbs 7:4-5 (ESV) Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

Pastor’s Commentary:

Did you know that Wisdom is a sanctifier? To sanctify is to make holy; or to separate from that which is defiled. That is exactly what Wisdom does in the life of the possessor.

Have you also noticed in your studies of Proverbs that Solomon places a great deal of emphasis on refraining from adultery? What is the significance of his admonitions?

Look closely at the commandment found in Proverbs 7:4. We are ordered to get as close to Wisdom and understanding (insight) as we possibly can. We’re instructed to view Wisdom as a close familial relationship. Why? To keep us from committing adultery.

It is paramount to understand that God sees close fellowship with the world as adultery, and not solely as a sexual act between unmarried partners. He calls believers with close, intimate (not necessarily sexual) relationships with unbelieving sinners adulterers. He sees those who embrace worldly standards of dress, behavior, conversation, marriage, etc. as unfaithful adulterers. Read James 4:4 in the English Standard Version of the Bible:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

He continues in verse 8:

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Keep in mind that James is addressing Christians and not the unconverted. God’s stance on holiness has never changed and will never change. He expects us to live holy lives both spiritually and physically. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV), “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” And the Apostle Peter encouraged us in 1 Peter 1:15-16 saying, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

As we close out these last and evil days, it is very important to remain unstained by, and separated from the world. Wisdom, which is the Word of God, is the primary tool for keeping us from committing spiritual adultery. Remember what Jesus prayed in John 17:17. He said, “Sanctify them (set them apart) in the truth; Your Word [Wisdom] is truth.”

Embrace God’s Wisdom and remain sanctified!

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Blessed is the one who finds Wisdom, and the one who gets understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (ESV)

Happy is the man who finds Wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (NKJV)

Pastor’s Commentary:

Proverbs 3:13 says, “Blessed, happy, and empowered to prosper is the one who finds Wisdom…” We have established that the one who finds Wisdom is the one who seeks after Him. As disciples of Christ, we are not to seek wealth, fame, honor, long life, happiness, etc. under any circumstance. We are supposed to seek Wisdom above all else. Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV) says, “Wisdom is the principal (most important or paramount) thing; therefore get Wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

When we seek and subsequently find Wisdom, we gain access to all the benefits and byproducts thereof. Only good comes with the Wisdom of God. Look at some of Wisdom’s many benefits as catalogued in Proverbs 3:14-18 (ESV):

“…for the gain from her [Wisdom] is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.”

There’s no need to pursue wealth; wealth comes with Wisdom. No need to seek long life; long life is resident within Wisdom. No need to look for happiness because it too comes with the acquisition of God’s Wisdom.

I am particularly encouraged by the portion of verse 18 that says: “Those who hold her fast are called blessed.” That’s me! We could say, “Those who hold tightly to Him are called happy!” When you seek God’s Wisdom with your whole heart, you will find Him and great will be your happiness, wealth, and life!

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