The Quest for Wisdom

Norbert Bohnert—February 22, 2025

 - Video |  - PDF | Audio | [Up]

Many in past history have trodden past far-a-field in their search for seemingly elusive treasure called wisdom.

• What is wisdom?
• How is wisdom manifested?
• Is it by number of letters in the degrees that are appearing after your name?
• How does one truly obtain wisdom?

We know from the Scriptures that the fear of the God is as the beginning of wisdom. We read that in Proverbs. So today let us take a look at God's Word and see:

• just what wisdom is
• how it's obtained
• what are the benefits derived from the one who gains it

What is Wisdom?

The Old Testament word translated as wisdom is the word: 'hakam,' and has the meaning: skill, learning in life, and can refer to either secular or spiritual things.

In the New Testament, the word 'sophia' with a related root word: 'sophos,' which means the same thing: wisdom, wise, skilled, either secular or spiritual.

Of course, we are concerned mainly with the spiritual, which we know has beneficial affects, and the physical, as well.

I looked the word 'wisdom' up in the dictionary, and it was defined as:

The quality or state of being wise, knowledge of what is true and right, coupled with just judgment as to action, sagacity, discernment, or insight.

I thought that was a fairly good definition from a secular source.

But to make it spiritually sound, we need to add: according to God's Word with the help of His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us wisdom! And we can always ask the Spirit for more guidance and knowledge of God's will in order to gain more wisdom.

Let us turn over to a Scripture in James, where we get a picture of Godly wisdom vs worldly wisdom.

James 3:13: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him demonstrate his works through good conduct in the meekness of wisdom." In other words, who has spiritual wisdom?

Verse 14: "But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the Truth."

In other words, if bitter envy and self-seeking is in your heart, in your life, you lack Godly wisdom and are displaying more worldly wisdom. James is speaking to the Church!

Verse 15: "This wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, sensual and demonic; because where bitter envying and selfish ambition are, there is dissension and every evil thing" (vs 15-16).

In other words, far removed from the knowledge and wisdom that God desires for us to possess and to use.

Verse 17: "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and without hypocrisy."

We see this wisdom that we seek, firstly comes from above, from God through His Spirit, and therefore, has great purpose for us.

• it is gentle, it is without pretense or pretending
• it leads to peace and the showing of mercy

This sounds like the attributes of the Holy Spirit, does it not?  There is reason for that. God's Holy Spirit and Godly wisdom are intimately connected.

1-Corinthians 2:12: "Now, we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is of God, so that we might know the things graciously given to us by God; which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit in order to communicate spiritual things by spiritual means. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (vs 12-14).

When we are looking to ask God for wisdom, this set of Scriptures clearly shows us that the Holy Spirit teaches us wisdom! We can always ask the spirit for guidance and knowledge of God's will in order to gain more wisdom.

The Godly wisdom can only be obtained, experienced, and followed by those who have been given God's Holy Spirit.

Godly wisdom is a spiritual quality and can only be gained through a spiritual relationship with God! We only have to look at the fruit this wisdom produces to know that it is spiritual in nature. In other words:

• it is gentle
• without hypocrisy
• peaceable
• pure

These are not carnal qualities, but rather spiritual ones!

We know that Godly wisdom, the kind that we desire to possess is spiritual. How do we get wisdom? I've prepared three ways that we should follow so that Godly wisdom becomes part of each one of us! Let us call this the ABCs of getting wisdom.

A) Ask the Heavenly Father for Wisdom

This seems easy enough, but , how often do we do that?

James 1:5: "However, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to everyone freely and does not reproach the one who asks;and it shall be given to him."

1-Kings 3—there is a perfect example of this. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and it was given to him abundantly.

When we read through Proverbs, wisdom is spoken of many times. In Prov. 8 we are told that God possessed wisdom from the very beginning of all things being created. Therefore, wisdom is God's possession, and it is a gift that He can and will bestow on the one who truly desires it!

That begs a question for you and me: How do you or I show God that we truly desire it? It is not by traveling to some distant land listening to someone else, but rather by asking our Father for through heartful prayer to Him and through the resultant action:

• diligently seeking through the pages of His words seeking to know what God's mind is
• to know His wisdom for the good of others
• to produce Godly fruit

At this point, I will pose the question that I think you may have heard it before in other messages, but it is worth repeating again.

We who are parents and had a child come to us earnestly asking for something that we know they really needed to mature and grow strong, a gift that you possessed that would help them. How many of you would deny your child what they asked for? I would dare say none of you would!

How much more then would our Heavenly Father give His children what they need and desire IF we ask Him?

Matthew 7:11 "Therefore, if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

Asking for wisdom from our Father is an act of wisdom in itself and is pleasing to God. It shows our Father that we know we do not have it of ourselves, but through His Spirit we know that we need it and that He is the Source of it!

Remember, IF we ask God for what is good and needed, He will give it to us. However, he does expect that we are given to result in good and Godly action on our parts for others. This is His wisdom that we need to continually learn.

As we approach another Passover in Days of Unleavened Bread, it would be helpful for us to think about the good gifts and the wisdom that we have been given. Are we using these as Christ did to help others, to show the way to others, to sacrifice for others? As we near these days coming up—Passover in the Days of Unleavened Bread—and we do our self-examination, an examination that really should be done continuously, we need to possibly consider to include that in our prayerful circumspection!

B) Being Diligent in the Practice of Wisdom

We gain as we go forward! IFwe meditate on wisdom and its application, it will seem counterintuitive to ask for it. To receive it, and then after receiving it to never do anything practical to make it grow and produce the fruit that God desires and expects from it.

God gives gifts to His people so that they can be used to help them develop the character that makes them useful and usable. Also, so that others can be helped and uplifted.

Romans 12:10: "Be kindly affectioned toward one another in brotherly love. Let each esteem the other more highly than himself. Be not slack in business. Be fervent in spirit. Be timely in serving. Be rejoicing in hope. Be patient in tribulation. Be steadfastly continuing in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, and strive to be hospitable. Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse" (vs 10-14).

• What is the purpose of these gifts we have been given?
• What is the wisdom in these gifts?

The answer, of course, is God's love!

• to become more like our Father
• to perfect our character

through the wisdom of Godly love!

Verse 10: "Be kindly affectioned toward one another in brotherly love. Let each esteem the other more highly than himself.

Verse 6: "But each one has different gifts according to the grace that is given to us—whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the measure of faith; or service, let us tend to service; or the one who is teaching, let him tend to teaching; or the one who is encouraging, let him tend to encouragement; the one who is giving, let it be with generosity; the one who is taking the lead, let it be with diligence; the one who is showing mercy, let it be with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy, abhorring that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good" (vs 6-9).

We are to perfect our character through wisdom of Godly love! We can see that through these verses.

Verse 11: "Be not slack in business (diligence). Be fervent in spirit. Be timely in serving."

If we are honest with ourselves, we all fall prey to this from time to time. This is something that we need to recognize and overcome: diligence and using these gifts we have been given to help others, and to serve God! How pleased will He and Jesus Christ be with their Family if this occurs from us?

Of course, diligence is an all time process for us. As we consider it, we should apply it to the looking inside of ourselves; at our heart, especially as the Passover approaches.

This is important! Looking at how we are doing and diligently seeking out:

• wrong thoughts
• wrong ideas
• wrong pursuits

In Godly wisdom, destroying those things that separate us from our Father and the One Who gave His life for us.

C) Continually Changing

• wrong thinking
• wrong words
• wrong actions
• things that are attributable to the carnal mind, the old man
• things that are diametrically opposed to spiritual wisdom

What am I really saying here? If we sift this down to its very essence, we are talking about repentance!

Changing and turning away from those things, those mindsets and those deeds that are incongruous, incompatible with God's Law and His way. Correcting our paths so that they overlay and match the Father's way found in His Word.

I would like to give you a practical example of one way among many ways that might be ours that must change. For instance, have you ever heard someone say when they habitually blow up, 'blow their top' as the expression goes—very loudly and in an uncontrolled anger—they say, 'Hey, that is just the way I am and I cannot change.'

Closer to the truth is maybe they do not want to change. Do you understand that concept? that action? that thinking? is not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom of this world. In fact, this type of thinking should be frightening to each one of us, for it could be the unchanging attitude that keeps us from the Kingdom of God!

As we search our hearts before Passover, is there any attitude in us that is wrong that we are unwilling to change? That is a personal assessment that we must all make of ourselves, We must, with God's help, change the old mindset. We must change and repent of it when we see it in our lives.

God's Word from the beginning to the end is filled with His desire to have His people repent

• to change from the wrong ways
• to return to Him and His ways
• to be close to Him
• to build that close relationship with Him

That is Godly wisdom! Listen to His words:

Ezekiel 18:30: "'Thus I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one of you according to his ways,' says the Lord GOD. 'Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.'"

Our Father's desire is for his people to align themselves with what is right and justice. In other words, His ways where Godly wisdom is found, so that they can blossom into

• a more perfect man or woman
• a converted man or woman
• a person able to help and show others the right way and be an example to them

Truly Godly wisdom is found in God's way of life, because that is where Truth and ultimate salvation reside. Repentance and wisdom are bound together. God made it that way! A continual process requiring time and introspection for each one of us all the time.

As we approach another spring Holy Day season, are we gaining the wisdom to look at ourselves in every aspect, inside and out, inside our heart, mind and motivations, and outside to our personal example to and for others.

It is supremely important for us that we do this. It shows our Father that we have value, and wisdom so much so that we employ it to change in order to be like Him and Jesus Christ.

The quest for wisdom is not some adventure movie script, nor is it some unobtainable, unrealistic end of the rainbow goal. Wisdom is a gift freely given to us by our Heavenly Father!

As the Holy Days approach—and they will come swiftly—we must remember these ABCs for obtaining and using wisdom.

• Ask God for it

He will not withhold it from us, for he knows that if we desperately need it, and we do need it, but He does expect us to:

• Be Diligent in using it after we receive it from Him

It does not do us any good to be shelved to the back of our mind, hoping that it will activate at some time of great need.

No! It must be diligently practiced every day to assure positive, righteous outcomes, and wisdom absolutely requires:

• Change—which really means a continuous mindset of repentance

A spiritual wisdom-led process God has placed throughout His Word!

The man or woman who through God's Spirit gains his wisdom and follows it, gains eternal life!

Proverbs 4:7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom; and with all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote you; she shall bring you honor when you embrace her. She shall place upon your head a garland of grace; she shall bestow upon you a crown of glory.' (vs 7-9).

Let us follow this quest for wisdom through prayer and the pages of God's Word and practice it throughout all the days of our lives.

Psalm 111:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever."

Scriptural References:

• James 3:13-17
• 1-Corinthrins 2:12-14
• James 1:5
• Matthew 7:11
• Romans 12:10-14, 10, 6-9, 11
• Ezekiel 18:30
• Proverbs 4:7-9
• Psalm 111:10

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 1-Kings 3
• Proverbs 8

NB:bo/po
Transcribed: 2/26/25

Copyright 2024—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.