Does anyone need wisdom today? If you rearrange your life around becoming a wise person, the payoff will exceed anything you can imagine. Wisdom comes with age… We learn by doing… By trial and error… With time… But that brings no comfort for today! What if there were another way? James says when we lack wisdom we should ask the giving God. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. What matters is the attitude of the individual who wants to hear from God when they don’t know what to do, but doesn’t wants to hear from God when they do know what to do, but they don’t want to do it. We must be sure that if we need God’s wisdom in one area, we aren’t ignoring him in another.

How often do you talk to God about the big decisions swirling around in your mind? Often, we leave God to matters of the spirit. We don’t bother him with things like board meetings and midterms. But whatever arena of life we seek wisdom in, just ask him. This God gives wisdom without finding fault, pointing fingers, or saying “I told you so”.  When God gives wisdom he looks forward not backward. When God gives wisdom He doesn’t hold grudges or rub our noses in the mistakes we’ve made. That’s good news!

Seek His wisdom and listen for His voice. But remember, if you need God’s wisdom in one area, make sure you aren’t ignoring him in another.

Other texts in this message: Psalm 23:3, Romans 4:20, Proverbs 4:7, Proverbs 3:13-17, Mark 9:22,23, Deuteronomy 6:5

Carve out time and identify 2-3 areas in which you lack wisdom and ask God for it – every day this week. Get practical – what’s on your mind? What is the next big decision you need to make? Identify a couple of areas you lack wisdom and ask God for it.

Now, hearing Him..

Here are a few tools to help you hear God speak wisdom into your life – maybe even in those areas you’ve identified.

Check out a prior message “Right Paths” from the Psalm 23 series. (Psalm 23:4 from November 14 & 15, 2015)

Book recommendation: “The Power of a Whisper” by Bill Hybles

Identify an area in which you’re ignoring God and STOP IT. Just stop.

Verse for the Week: James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.