Dr. Stanley explains the difference between godly and human wisdom. Godly wisdom is the capacity to see things from God’s viewpoint and respond according to the principles of Scripture. Human wisdom is earthly, natural, and demonic. When it comes to making wise choices and experiencing God’s best, obeying Him is always the best way to go. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to intouch.org/tv.
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in touch the Teaching Ministry of Dr
Charles Stanley reaching the world with
the Gospel of Jesus Christ next on in
touch living wisely or foolishly
why what a city known for its red
economy over all these years you’re
bankrupt
why would they go bankrupt
unwise decisions that probably started
years before
why would a family choose to buy a home
house that they know that they cannot
afford
what they’re going to buy it anyway
unwise decision
why would a person marry just for a
sexual fulfillment
not thinking about other things
unwise decision
why would a person drink alcoholic
beverage
in front of their children
early in life
leaving them an image of their dad
sometimes being drunk
thinking nothing of the consequence very
unwise decision
when you think about the kind of your
life that you’re living would you say
that the decisions that you make in a
wise are unwise
I think about people who never consider
the will of God for their life
they make decisions based on what they
want how they feel what makes them feel
good or what other people think and
never asking what’s the will of the
father
unwise
unwise decision
and we could go through life thinking
about all the decisions that people make
for example
they Stack Up credit on their credit
cards
to the point that they know they can’t
make the payments why do they do that
unwise decisions
people make unwise decisions because
they leave out the most important thing
in their life and that is the wisdom of
almighty God
what place does God have in your
decision-making process
you’re going to live it on your own are
you going to be wise enough to seek the
wisdom of God before you make any
decision so let me put it this way right
up front
before you make a decision you should
always ask this question
is this is this the wisest thing to do
there’s always an answer is this the
wisest thing to do whether it’s marriage
or whether it’s something Financial or
health or whatever it might be is this
the wisest thing to do
that’s always the right question whether
it’s major or minor is this the wisest
thing to do somebody says well I don’t
know what wisdom is we’ll come into that
but living wisely
is the best life
wisdom is a gift from God
living unwisely
is a very expensive lifestyle to every
aspect of our life
so when we turn to this passage of
scripture in a few moments what we
really see Paul doing is speaking to the
people of his day and those Corinthians
the Greeks they thought they were the
smartest folks in the world and probably
were in many ways very wise him and the
speaking but there’s a difference
between human wisdom and godly wisdom so
I want you to turn if you will to First
Corinthians chapter 3 and I want to look
at the 19th verse beginning with that
and the number of verses I want us to
consider here but I want you to keep
asking in your thinking
decisions that that are before you today
that when you get home today or maybe
tomorrow this week at the coming week’s
decisions you have to make are they
going to be wise decisions or unwise so
listen to what he says in this third
chapter beginning in verse 19.
and notice what he says for the wisdom
of this world
is foolishness before God look at that
the wisdom of the world is foolish as
before God the way the world thinks
apart from God
for it is written he is the one who
catches the wise and the craftedness you
don’t get away with it there are
consequences and again the Lord knows
the reasoning of the wise that they’re
useless
he says it’s empty they make unwise
decisions so then let no one boast in
men for all things belong to you and so
he’s comparing Paul napolos and so he
says whether Paul or Apollo socos or the
world of life or death are things
present things to come all things belong
to you they were trying to compare the
preachers and so forth then he says and
look at this next verse
and you belong to Christ
and Christ belongs to God
when I think about single verses in the
description how powerful they are and
how full of meaning they are this Rises
to the top listen to this and you belong
the Christ
and Christ belongs to God
therefore
if we belong to Christ we belong to God
and I would ask you who do you belong to
you either belong to God through Christ
or you belong to the devil one of the
two some people say well I don’t believe
in the devil unwise believe
so with that in mind I want us to look
at this whole issue of wise and unwise
lifestyle and how people are living it
and the Scripture distinguishes it
between here so let’s look at was living
for a moment
and the first thing we want to do is
Define what do we mean by true genuine
wisdom
Godly wisdom that’s real wisdom Godly
wisdom is doing things from God’s
Viewpoint how does he see them
and then responding to those things on
the basis of what the word of God
teaches
so if I look at things from God’s
Viewpoint where am I going to find that
I’m going to find it in the word of God
and so a person who says I don’t have
time for that bible stuff what you’re
saying is I choose to live a very
foolish life
I will make foolish decisions in life I
will suffer consequences I would never
have dreamed of if you’re so smart
that you think you can live your life
and live it happily or peacefully or
successfully or any other way apart from
the teachings of the word of God you are
playing the fool
it is foolish you cannot and the Bible
teaches it all the way through the
scripture by illustration where we can
never forget it so think about that it’s
the capacity to do things from God’s
Viewpoint and then on the basis of that
respond to them accordingly so you’re
facing a decision what’s the question
the question is this what is the wise
thing to do if I’m going to find that
out I need to turn to the source of all
wisdom that’s almighty God
to leave God out of your life is foolish
devastating and only a fool who hears
the word of God turns away
shuts their mind out says I don’t want
any of that because you’re not thinking
wisely you’re thinking foolishly
so when we look at this passage of
scripture and with that in mind think
about this God is omniscient
he knows everything
he knows about yesterday he knows about
the day he knows about tomorrow he knows
what happened yesterday perfectly you
and I don’t we only know what humans can
know God has absolute total complete
infinite knowledge about every single
thing
he’s never behind because he knows the
past present future
nothing ever startles him or surprises
him he knows perfectly before during and
afterwards
so it is only wise to consult one who
knows everything and who has never said
oh I forgot
oh I never thought about that he said
well what about so and so they went
through this problem this heartache this
burden this tragedy
not without God knowing it
not without God’s plan
and what he allows oftentimes is beyond
my comprehension
but that’s knowledge it’s not beyond the
wisdom and the knowledge and the awesome
plan of God
it’s the the world’s foolishness is just
that it’s foolish they think they know
when only God knows that’s why Believers
are set apart we are a part of the body
of Christ
we are set apart by God through his son
Jesus Christ to do what to allow him to
live his life in and through us we are
listen we are the walking children of
the Living God whose names are in the
Lamb’s Book of Life who are eternally
secure in him and who have him as our
God for every single day we can come to
him and ask him about any decision that
needs to be made and he is willing to
give us Direction
but if you don’t know him if you think
you see watch this and I say this not to
be smarter like how about it not to be
critical but to tell the truth that’s
the only thing I’m up here for to tell
the truth that if you live in
Disobedience to God what you’re saying
is I don’t need omniscience I don’t need
omnipotence I don’t I don’t need
omnipresence I can handle it in this
mixed up crazy Central Wicked vile world
that is a foolish conclusion
now through this conclusion we all need
almighty God all of us need him every
day and so when I look at these passages
and see what Paul said
in this particular passage he says the
wisdom of the world’s foolishness knows
of God
because you see if you took a grain of
sand
and put it over here and all the beaches
of the world
that little grain of sand
in all the beaches of the world may be
equal to our knowledge and understanding
and wisdom apart from God we don’t have
it
we don’t have it if you don’t believe
look at the society in which we live
well look at what’s happening with to us
every single day you wake up one morning
and you hear this wake up the next
morning you hear that let me ask you
something when’s the last time you
looked at the television or read the
newspaper or heard anything about what’s
going on you just said finally a great
day has arrived no
it’s not true
so what do Christians do are we supposed
to be worried and frustrated and anxious
and fearful and going to bed I don’t
know what’s going to happen no we know
what’s going to happen listen we’re
sleeping in the presence of almighty God
who never sleeps who has all power all
knowledge of every single thing listen
we are his children
how foolish
to live apart from a holy God who has
made it possible to have everything we
need in Christ Jesus that’s wise for us
to have
so
human reason is deficient it takes Godly
wisdom to live the kind of life that I
know every single person really wants
deep down inside
and when we’re living wisely we’re going
to seek his guidance about all these
things
and if you’ll think about this a person
who is spiritually wise that is a person
who is spiritually wise they’re going to
be able to see things with their eyes
others do not see
they going to be able to hear things for
their ears others don’t hear this is why
somebody can say something to you very
persuasively or very arrogantly and
you’re a child of God walking in his
spirit and you know what they say they
send two messages here’s what you heard
them say here’s what they said
and there’s a lot of difference children
of God who are walking wisely are what
listen we have the wisdom of God
because that’s his desire and will for
our lives and the problem is if we
ignore that then we get in trouble we
think oh God where were you and God is
saying I’ve been here all along you
weren’t listening you listen to other
people you decided what you wanted not
what I wanted because I know what’s best
for you so when we’re living wisely we
will live a certain way and what is it
in essence to make it simple when we’re
living wisely we’re going to be able to
walk to the deepest darkest valleys of
life
we’re going to walk through paths that
we think there’d be no way to walk
we’re going to be able to walk through
situations and circumstances and
heartaches that we would never think we
could ever endure but when you walk in
wisely here’s what happens God says this
is the next step
and this is the next step and this is
the next step and this is the next step
you know why he doesn’t tell us a whole
story he knows we can’t you can’t even
fathom it sometimes you couldn’t stand
to know where God may lead you so what
does he do step by step and so we ask
him for Lord what shall I do in this
decision this is the step what shall I
do in this and you see if we just
decided we’re going to do it ourselves
we just go plowing through the
difficulty and the hardship and the pain
we find ourselves making mistakes
God remember he loves us enough to keep
us on the path
he loves us enough to keep her eyes on
things that are real and true and
genuine
but then there’s the other life
that there’s the people who live
foolishly so I want you to turn if you
will to uh let’s turn to James over to
James and um
I want you to look at this passage and
um in this third chapter and verse 13 he
asked this question and similar to what
Paul asked who among you is wise and
understanding
let him show by his good behavior
his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom
but if you have bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition in your heart do
not be arrogant and so lie against the
truth this wisdom is not that which
comes down from above but is Earthly
natural and demonic now I want you to
think about this for a moment
there are two different kinds of wisdom
that’s the wisdom of God and there’s the
wisdom that comes through man’s thinking
and I want you to notice how he
describes this he says this wisdom is
described in the following fashion
it is earthy natural and demonic now
what does he mean by that here means by
earthy that it’s limited to what man can
do it’s limited to man’s reasoning and
his thinking and his attempts and his
his accomplishments in life that that’s
that’s how limited that is well how
listen how smart is man today we might
be able to invent things and go to the
moon and this that another but can’t get
along with each other
and so we can think about all the things
that man’s Wisdom and his knowledge and
understanding without God can create
can’t do anything without God
it’s earthy
so that’s one part of the wisdom and
then secondly he says it is uh natural
that is we all have a naturalness in
this that is that part of us that that
part of us that does not want to obey
God that part of us that is subject to
Temptation that part of us that desires
our will in our way you may not yield to
it but all of us have that naturalness
in US
some people call it a Synergy color what
you want to but all of us have it
and so he says those who are walking
unwisely
their wisdom is earthy doesn’t get
anywhere
and secondly its natural sensual it
relates to the Fallen nature and um if
you recall in First Corinthians chapter
2 verse 14 he says but a natural man
doesn’t accept the things of the spirit
of God they’re foolishness to him and he
cannot understand them because they’re
spiritually praised so you’re getting a
discussion with somebody who doesn’t
believe what you believe about the Lord
Jesus Christ the god of holy things and
you know what we say well why can’t you
believe that and that you know why they
can’t because God said they couldn’t
apart from the spirit of God they will
not be able to understand the things of
God man’s knowledge it’s earthy it’s
very limited secondly it’s natural and
that is it’s corrupt
but then he says for example listen it’s
demonic
it’s rude is found in Satan himself
so go back to Genesis chapter 3.
everything was absolutely perfect
and Satan convinced Eve
she believed a lie
and look at the consequences
the many people today you may be one of
them you’ve listened to the devil’s lie
you’ve listened to him say to you you
don’t need God
those church people are weak you can
handle it you’re smart enough to handle
you got position you got money you got
intellect You Got Talent you don’t you
don’t need that religious stuff at all
mark it down
that is the voice of the devil
the word of God says it is demonic
it deals with your naturalness and that
earthiness a part of you and if you
listen to Satan’s lies he’s always going
to tell you well this is the easy way
the issue is this what is the wisest
thing to do
when you your children come to you and
they ask you what shall I do about this
that and the other what do you say to
them well let me think about it or do
you say to them uh no or why not because
I said so
why don’t you say to them
I’ve been thinking about that
and my conclusion is it’s not the wisest
thing to do
one thing we need to instruct our
children is to ask that question what is
the wise thing to do not what is
everybody else doing what’s the wisest
thing to do what in other words what
does God see on the basis of his
omniscience of knowing everything
omnipotence having all power I’m the
president’s being he’s in the middle of
everything you’re dealing with the
question is what is the wisest thing to
do
what is the wisest thing to do listen
sometimes the wisest thing for you to do
nobody will agree with it
but you know what remember all their
knowledge together can’t equal the
wisdom of God
you listen you can’t ever go wrong you
cannot ever go wrong obeying God never
never
so just because you don’t understand it
doesn’t mean that it’s not right
the wisdom of God who has all wisdom
knows all things about all people and I
can understand the rest of the afternoon
telling you giving you examples that
flipped to my mind about times that I’ve
obeyed God in times I haven’t
and it’s all it all goes back to what is
the wisest thing to do
now can you tell me a better question
than that
not really
because therein is almighty God and so
what he does he shows us here in this
passage of scripture in James here’s the
difference look at this in this third
chapter he says verse 13 WHO among you
is wise and understanding let him show
by his good behavior his deeds and his
gentleness and wisdom but if you have
bitter jealousy selfish ambition in your
heart
do not be arrogant and lie against the
truth
look at this this is a group of people
who think they’re wise this wisdom is
not that which comes down from above but
it’s Earthly natural demonic
and you and I live around people and
work around them that’s true of them
they think
they have the right answer they leave
God out of it and in their arrogance
they tried to prove to you why they’re
right that they may have position and
talent and scale and intellect and find
it they may have all that does that make
them wiser than you no
they may be smart in many areas but when
you leave God out of your life you’re
not smart at all that’s just demonic and
that falls in the category of living
your life earthy natural and demonic
look at that jealousy self-ambition and
if you’ll notice uh here on them a
little bit further
he says but the wisdom that’s from above
is first listen to this pure look at
that God’s wisdom is pure that means it
is absolutely perfect
do you get that it is absolutely perfect
wisdom it’s pure
and Peaceable
his wisdom will bring you peace gentle
there’s nothing harsh about it
reasonable reasonable listen from God’s
Viewpoint full of mercy and good fruits
unwavering without hypocrisy that’s the
wisdom of God listen would you not agree
that it’s foolish to choose something
else look at that Passage
the wisdom from above that’s God’s
wisdom pure
Peaceable gentle reasonable full of
Mercy good fruits unwavering without
hypocrisy that’s kind of life I want to
live amen
now what did he say up here
jealousy selfish ambition
disorder and every evil thing
only two choices in life
you can choose to live wisely
you can choose to live unwisely and may
I say this you’ve already made that
choice
wherever you are you’re walking in the
pathway of the wise are you walking in
the pathway of the unwise change paths
if you’re walking on wisely
listen you’re not smart enough you may
think you are but you’re not
apart from almighty God through the
saving person of Jesus Christ who
forgives us of our sin cleanses of our
sin writes that name in the Lamb’s Book
of Life
has a will for us
and lives presently within us through
his holy spirit he will give us wisdom
in every single decision we make in life
there is no other way to live
you can trust him he’s not going to
change on you about anything you have
two choices live out your life wisely
living obediently before him
living in wisdom
or you can live foolishly
convince a lot of people
do a lot of things go a lot of places
have a lot of stuff
then you’re gonna die
and my friend
when the last seconds of your life come
I have a strong feeling
you’re gonna wish
you had listened
the most tragic thing you can do
is die without Christ you know why
because the consequences are eternal
may not live the best life in the world
as a Christian
not have a lot of stuff may not have any
degrees behind your name
without having a notoriety most people
never know your name’s not in the
newspaper they even know that stuff
but you live for God
you’ve walked obediently before him
you see God’s values not the same as
mans
what he thinks
is absolutely awesome it’s not what the
world thinks
so make it be mine
you can live wisely
are you going to live foolishly
you’ll be wise if you choose Christ in
his way of life
and that’s my prayer for you
father how grateful we are that you’ve
made it simple
and knowing that you loved us enough to
send Jesus to die for us and play our
sin that in full
you must have an awesome love for us
and so we want to be obedient to you
because we’re the ones who end up
profiting from that in so many ways
and I pray that every person who listens
to this message
well think
honestly
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and realize that they’ve only heard the
truth
it is upon him the man wants to die and
after this the judgment
but all sin can be forgiven
by asking and believing and trusting
we love you dear father we thank you for
the awesome gift of your grace to all of
us in Jesus name
amen
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