Category: True and False Wisdom

Galatians 5:22-23, 25 (NLT)
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

“Paul’s list in Galatians 5:22–23 is not a checklist for Christians but rather signs that we are truly living as children of God in Jesus Christ. We don’t ‘make’ this fruit, any more than I force my body to regrow bone through determination and grit…But does that mean we do nothing? Of course not! Just as there are certain things you can do to support the healthy growth of a plant, so too with our Christian lives and moral formation. To continue with the nature motif, we will offer some reflections using good wisdom from basic botany…Plants need plenty of sunlight, so you put them by the window. So it is with our lives: we need the word of God, beaming wisdom and goodness into our hearts and souls. The more the better…Water offers the internal refreshment to the plant, promoting growth and keeping it healthy and clean. So too we need to be cleansed in prayer through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit pricks our conscience to live in love, joy, and peace, provided we are attentive and listening…Do you stop and pray at regular periods throughout the day to ‘water’ your spirit?” (Nijay K. Gupta; Scot McKnight, Galatians The Story of God Bible Commentary)

Prayer: Father, I want to be led and guided by your Spirit more and more. More of you and less of me. Grow me Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As we worship to “Fall Like Rain” by Kari Jobe, let’s ask for a fresh filling and refreshing. (click here)

-DP

James 3:17-18 (NIV)
¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

“False wisdom is developed by this culture of competition and egotism. It may develop highly competent or successful people, but it destroys community… James says false wisdom is earthly, meaning derived by human beings (it would make sense if there was no God); it’s unspiritual, it’s not inspired by God and circumscribed by human limitations; and lastly it’s demonic, or hellish, meaning it’ll result in a world that resembles hell (it can’t produce a heavenly world)…It becomes chaotic and disordered because it’s every person for themselves.

James says true wisdom shows up as goodness in a person’s life, they contribute to a community that resembles God’s world in heaven. They live and behave in a way that resembles Jesus…True wisdom loves peace and loves making peace. God loves making things whole, bringing things to completion. Those who are wise love this as well. They love bringing people together, reconciling enemies, and setting the lonely in families (it says in Ps 68). This is the wise work of making peace. Finding broken things and making them whole, finding incomplete things and making them complete, finding wrong things and making them right. This is the work of true heavenly, Christ-like wisdom.” (Adapted from P. Jason Park’s message)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we long to see more and more of heaven on earth. May we be peacemakers who sow in peace wherever you have placed us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s consider all that God has done for us as we sing “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me” by CityAlight. (click here)

-DP

Let’s read aloud the following verses prayerfully.

Ephesians 5:15-19 (NRSVUE)
¹⁵ Be careful, then, how you live,not as unwise people but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts…

Psalm 95:1-4 (NRSVUE)
¹ O come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
² Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
³ For the LORD is a great God
and a great King above all gods.
⁴ In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.

People who are wise worship the Lord. As we gather to worship God on our campuses, at morning prayer meetings, in our missional groups and at our various ministry centers in different cities, we are developing habits that help us to walk as wise Christians in the world.

Prayer: Father, thank you that we can grow together as brothers and sisters in our churches as we worship you together. Fill us with your Spirit! May your praises be ever on our lips declaring all that you have done for us in Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to “Praise The Lord” by Phil Wickham (click here)

-DP

Ephesians 5:15-17(NRSVUE)
¹⁵ Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

“’Watch closely how you walk’ suggests a purpose and direction to life. Life is not aimless, nor is it a series of frenetic activities followed by down time. It is the steady progress toward the goal…We must watch where we are going and make steady progress along the way. Verses 15–16 suggest a diligence about life and indicate that the journey is dangerous. We should watch closely because missteps are easy and the consequences disastrous. Verse 16, with its concern for redeeming the time, reflects an urgency about life. Time is important, and it ought not be frittered away…The main concern is not on the intellect, even if an intellectual emphasis is present. It is on wise living, on an understanding of God sufficient to produce insight into life and obedience. Wisdom involves considering all information in light of one’s relation to God and acting on what one knows.” (Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians NIV Application)

Our lives are not aimless. We can take courage that our Lord Jesus is walking with us toward the goal. Let’s begin today by asking the Lord specifically how we can be faithful to live out his calling and his purpose today at home, at school and at our workplaces.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to live with intention and purpose. Even in my down time, that I will stay with you.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to “From Everlasting (Psalm 90)” by Sovereign Grace (click here).

-DP

James 3:13 (NIV)
¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

“A truly wise Christ follower will prove themselves ‘by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.’ Living the ‘good life’ today has perverted the meaning here. Today ‘the good life’ centers on pleasure and narcissistic luxury, but in James it refers to an honorable life lived for God and good works…Literally, ‘good life’ is ‘good conduct,’ meaning that the good works are not occasional acts but become a lifestyle of goodness that defines everything you do…This mandate for humility or meekness (prautēs) rarely appears in the Hellenistic world, for to the Greeks, meekness was weakness. But Jesus was the embodiment of the meek servant, saying, ‘I am gentle and humble in heart’ (Matt 11:29), and he made meekness one of the most important Christian virtues: ‘Blessed are the meek’ (Matt 5:5). Meekness is a gentle spirit that turns the saints into servants and enables them to care for others.”  (Grant Osborne, James Verse by Verse)

As followers of Christ, not only can we experience the goodness of God, we can also display God’s goodness through our good works. What a privilege that is!

Prayer: Father, help us to grow in the lifestyle of a servant, ready to do the good works that you have prepared for us for today. Help us to care for others as you do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to “More Like Jesus” by Passion (click here)

-DP