Pastor's Corner: Wisdom — just who really needs it?

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Have you ever had a time in your life when you needed answers for a problem or situation you were facing? You tried to find the answer or the solution but were unable to. Frustration, disappoint, pain and anxiety set in.

When you have tried it all, you still are unsure of what to do and where to turn. Where do I go from here? When you need gas, you go uptown. When you need food, you may go to Dave’s or some other store. When you need healing in your body, you seek out a doctor. When your car or truck need a tune up, you go to a dealership or see a mechanic. When you need money, you go to work or the bank and make a withdrawal from your savings.

When you need spiritual food, you go find your Bible and go to church on Sunday. We all need directions in life and guidance in our daily decision making.

When I was a young man, we would go on vacation every year and my father did almost all the driving, but dad was not good at getting directions when he was lost. He chose to try and find his destination himself instead of stopping and asking for help and finding where he needed to get us back on the right road so we could make it to our destination.

When we need solutions and guidance — Let’s go to God!

Here is a promise from God. In James 1:5 it says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let “him ask” of God, that giveth to all liberally, without reproach, and it shall be given to him.”

Let’s look at the definition of wisdom. “The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment, the quality of being wise.” If anyone “lacks” wisdom (Greek word for lack: “leipo,”) that means, “a deficit of some kind, a shortfall, shortage, a scarcity or a deficiency.”

A lack of wisdom is the most devastating kind of deficit a person or a nation can face! Wisdom has the answers, the solutions and the principles that are needed to reverse the situation and turn it around the better.

The book of Proverbs is packed full to the brim and overflowing with wisdom for us today. We can all be challenged to read a chapter every day and let the Holy Spirit minister to us as we read the words of wisdom. We all are at a great disadvantage when we are void of wisdom.

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves.

How do we reverse a decline in our business without wisdom? How do we resolve challenges with your children, spouse, boss or co-workers without wisdom? How do we make key decisions that will affect our future and those we love without wisdom? When a person lacks this kind of wisdom, it nearly paralyzes us because we don’t know what to do.

When the book of James says, “If anyone lacks wisdom,” the word wisdom in the Greek is “sophias,” which means enlightenment and insight. We need to continually ask and be enlightened by the Word of God. “To ask” means in the Greek to be adamant in requesting and demanding assistance to meet tangible needs. Ask is expecting to receive what has been firmly requested!

We all need some “light bulb moments. A college degree isn’t synonymous with wisdom. Education is very important, don’t misunderstanding in this, but it's not the same as having wisdom. For example, do you know of anyone who has lots of degrees/certification but no common sense?

Wisdom gives you principles that will lead you out of that baffling situation and into a place where things begin to work again and give you peace. Wisdom guides you to what is right. Man has education, God has wisdom!

Remember what James chapter 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all liberally, and without reproach, and it shall be given to them.”

Here are 3 things on how God gives wisdom to us. First, He gives it continually, over and over again. Ask God who gives and in the Greek this is a continuous tense. It is like water from a faucet, He keeps giving. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t run out of energy, God never wears out and needs a nap.

Secondly, God gives generously. God’s resources are unlimited. He has more than enough resources for everyone. He has plenty of wisdom to go around. God's shelves are never empty.

Thirdly, God gives cheerfully. James says God gives “without finding fault.” God loves to give, it’s in His nature to give! Jesus is that great example of a loving Heavenly Father who gave this precious gift for those who would receive Him. God has an abundant supply. If we need forgiveness of sins, He has given us redemption. If we need peace, He gives is the peace that passeth all understanding. If we need strength, we can with His help do all things in Jesus who strengthens us. If we need comfort, He give us the Holy Spirit to comfort us. If we need wisdom, Jesus is our supply, but we must ask.

The Bible says that “blessed is the one who finds wisdom” and what better place to find wisdom than the Word of God. Need wisdom today? Ask God in faith because we know that without faith it is impossible to please Him. God want us to come to Him for wisdom first instead of trying to figure things out on our own accord. Ask Him firmly for wisdom and He will give it to you. Approach our loving Heavenly Father with respect and the honor He deserves and watch as He gives to you the wisdom from Heaven.

Remember that Jesus is Lord over all things and He wants to give to you the wisdom that holds the answer to your daily life.

Rev. Brian King pastors at First Baptist Church of Fairbury

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Pastor's Corner: Wisdom — just who really needs it?