Wisdom in a disoriented World Pt.4
Speaker: Pastor CJ Cody
Scripture references: Psalm 139: 23,24,James 3:13-17, Matthew 16:23
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What was your overall response to the sermon?
2. How should you approach God’s Word in order to find wisdom? Why?
3. How do our personal biases interfere with the leading of the Holy Spirit?
4. Why does good decision making revolve around the condition of the heart?
5. How then, do we prepare our hearts formaking the right decision?
6. What does Peter’s encounter with Christ teach us about our best intentions? (See Matthew 16:23).
7. It was said that James points out two different kinds of wisdom. How does that scripture prompt, challenge or provoke you?
SERMON RECAP
Where does one go to find wisdom in a disoriented world? The Scriptures tell us that there are two kinds of wisdom, and in order to discern which kind of wisdom we’re operating under, we must first pray for receptive hearts. Psalm 139: 23, 24 tells us how; pray this prayer:
Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts, see if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
You may wonder why it is necessary to pray over our hearts in order to find wisdom…it’s because our hearts are deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9); it knows how to trick us into patterns of thinking and behaving that we easily justify. Once we sincerely and often pray this prayer, we are open and receptive to know what the will of God is. The two kinds of wisdom the Bible speaks of in James are earthly and heavenly, and they are easily distinguishable. Earthly “wisdom” is described in James 3:13-17 by the harboring of bitter envy and self-seeking in the heart; this ”wisdom” does not descend from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. We all have biases, but they’re generally covert until someone disagrees with a cherished bias we have. Then it raises its ugly head. If we don’t allow God to work in our hearts, we become susceptible to our own biases. Our personal biases are the underlying factors that often trip us up. There are 3 kinds of earthly biases of which we should be aware..
Consciousness Bias: When you see things from a superficial level, we don’t open ourselves to a deeper spiritual perspective. This is the trap Peter fell into when tried to tell Jesus he would never allow those awful things to happen to him that He predicted. Jesus rebuked him sharply by saying, “Get behind me Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. ( Matthew 16:23).
Cash Bias: Where cash and financial interests keep us from seeing or accepting the truth. We “vote” with our bank accounts as the deciding factor, not God’s Word. Whichever Party or candidate gives me the most financially, is where my vote goes. (Think student loans, tax reductions, or rebates).
Conspiracy Bias: When people feel fearful, defeated, or hopeless they start believing in false narratives that give them a sense of control. Conspiracy biases make us feel safe, justified even when the narratives are not true. (Think gun control, climate change, etc)
On the contrary, the wisdom that comes from above is first (from James 3:13-17)
Pure- uncontaminated by fear, lies, distortions
Peace-loving- not divisive
Considerate- listens, is respectful
Submissive- seeks God’s will, not our own
Full of mercy and good fruit ( of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control
James gives us a rule of play in verse 13, that those who claim to have wisdom must show it by their good conduct which shows their works are done in the meekness of wisdom.In the days preceding our national election we would do well to ask ourselves this question: Have I elevated my biases to the point that all I know is all I need to know, or am allowing the Scriptures to transform my mind by seeking God’s will and way and not my own? Humbly praying for God to search our hearts, and test our thoughts to see if there is any offensive way in us,will keep us walking in the way everlasting instead of being in the way of God’s divine will.
