The Way of Wisdom, Part 1

What if wisdom isn’t just about knowing more — but about knowing God, understanding His ways, and actually applying them? In this message, you’ll discover the three pillars of biblical wisdom and why humility and a healthy fear of the Lord are essential for living a life marked by peace, purpose, and clarity.

Raise A Hallelujah
Bethel Music

Resurrecting
Elevation Worship

Reign Above It All
Bethel Music

1 Kings 3:6-9
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

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Two Prerequisites for Wisdom
1. Humility
2. A healthy fear of the Lord

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Wisdom
Chokhma (pronounced ‘hakmma’) – knowledge, insight, understanding, prudence

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Wisdom
Knowing and understanding God’s way of life and actively applying it to my life.

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1 Kings 4:29-34
“God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”

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Proverbs 1:1-7
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance — for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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Proverbs 2:6-8
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

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James 3:13-17
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. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 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.

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How do we practically grow in wisdom?
1. To grow in wisdom is to grow in knowledge.
2. To grow in wisdom is to grow in understanding.
3. To grow in wisdom is to grow in our application.

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James 1:22-25
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

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