Embracing Wisdom and Love in Challenging Times

Devotional

Day 1: Christ in Us is the Hope of the World

In a world filled with fear and anger, it is easy to place our hope in political figures or worldly solutions. However, as followers of Christ, our hope should be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. Christ in us is the hope of the world, and this perspective allows us to rise above the chaos and be agents of love and peace. When we focus on Christ, we can navigate through the turmoil of our times with a sense of purpose and calm, knowing that He is the ultimate solution to the world's problems.

By embodying Christ's teachings and love, we can influence those around us positively. Our actions and attitudes should reflect the hope we have in Jesus, demonstrating to others that true peace and resolution come from Him. This mindset not only transforms our personal lives but also has the potential to bring healing and unity to our communities. [01:31]

Colossians 1:27 (ESV): "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate the hope of Christ in your daily interactions this week? How can you be an agent of peace and love in your community?

Day 2: Love as the Antidote to Fear

Fear often leads to anger and violence, creating a cycle of negativity and harm. However, Jesus taught that perfect love casts out fear. As His disciples, we are called to be known by our love, not by our political stances or religious acts. Instead of engaging in arguments or trying to correct others, we should filter our actions and words through the lens of love. This approach not only diffuses tension but also opens the door for genuine connection and understanding.

When we choose love over fear, we reflect the heart of Jesus and create an environment where healing and reconciliation can occur. Love is a powerful force that can break down barriers and build bridges between people. By prioritizing love in our interactions, we can contribute to a more peaceful and compassionate world. [03:15]

1 John 4:18 (ESV): "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where fear led to a negative outcome. How could you have responded differently with love? What steps can you take to ensure love guides your actions in the future?

Day 3: The Value of Wisdom

Solomon's request for wisdom from God led to his extraordinary success and is a testament to the immense value of wisdom. According to Solomon, wisdom is more precious than silver, gold, or jewels, and it leads to a longer life, peace, and honor. Prioritizing wisdom in our decisions is crucial for a fulfilling and successful life. Wisdom helps us navigate life's challenges with discernment and grace, ensuring that our choices align with God's will.

By seeking wisdom, we can make decisions that not only benefit us but also positively impact those around us. Wisdom allows us to see beyond immediate gratification and consider the long-term consequences of our actions. It is a guiding light that helps us stay on the right path and live a life that honors God. [07:58]

Proverbs 3:13-15 (ESV): "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did wisdom (or the lack of it) play a role in the outcome? What steps can you take to seek and prioritize wisdom in your future decisions?

Day 4: Practical Steps for Wise Decisions

Solomon outlines five practical steps for making wise decisions: pray for guidance, gather all the facts, seek godly advice, calculate the cost, and take a step of faith. These steps help us align our decisions with God's will and ensure that we are not acting impulsively or out of fear. Praying for guidance allows us to seek God's wisdom and direction. Gathering all the facts ensures that we are well-informed before making a decision. Seeking godly advice provides us with insights from those who have walked the path before us.

Calculating the cost helps us understand the potential consequences of our decisions, and taking a step of faith demonstrates our trust in God's plan. By following these steps, we can make decisions that are thoughtful, informed, and aligned with God's will. [11:54]

Proverbs 16:3 (ESV): "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

Reflection: Think of a decision you are currently facing. How can you apply Solomon's five steps to ensure you make a wise and godly choice? What specific actions will you take this week to seek God's guidance and wisdom?

Day 5: Commitment to a Daily Walk with God

A daily walk with God involves committing to Christ and the church family, personal discipleship, giving of our time, talent, and treasure, and sharing Christ with others. This commitment helps us live as overcomers and ensures that we are continually growing in our faith and wisdom. By dedicating time each day to prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers, we strengthen our relationship with God and build a solid foundation for our faith.

Personal discipleship involves actively seeking to grow in our understanding of God's Word and applying it to our lives. Giving of our time, talent, and treasure allows us to serve others and contribute to the work of the church. Sharing Christ with others is a natural outflow of our love for Him and our desire to see others experience His grace and salvation. [34:04]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: How can you deepen your daily walk with God this week? What specific steps will you take to commit to personal discipleship, serving others, and sharing Christ with those around you?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we delved into the theme of wisdom, drawing from the teachings of Solomon. We began by addressing the current climate of fear and anger in our nation, emphasizing that the solution lies within us as followers of Christ. Christ in us is the hope of the world, and our faith should not be placed in political figures but in Jesus Christ alone. We explored how fear leads to anger and violence, and how love, as taught by Jesus, is the antidote to fear. Jesus said that people would know we are His disciples by our love, not by our political stances or religious acts.

We then transitioned to the wisdom of Solomon, particularly focusing on his request for wisdom from God, which led to his unparalleled success. Solomon's writings in Proverbs highlight the immense value of wisdom, describing it as more precious than silver, gold, or jewels. Wisdom leads to a longer life, peace, and honor. Solomon's advice is clear: prioritize wisdom above all else.

We discussed five practical steps to make wise decisions, as outlined by Solomon. First, pray for guidance, as trusting in our own understanding is foolish. Second, gather all the facts before making a decision. Third, seek godly advice from mentors and wise counselors. Fourth, calculate the cost of your decisions, understanding that every choice has a price. Finally, take a step of faith, trusting that God is with you.

We concluded by emphasizing the importance of a daily walk with God, committing to Christ and the church family, personal discipleship, giving of our time, talent, and treasure, and sharing Christ with others. By living this way, we become overcomers through Jesus Christ.

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Key Takeaways

1. Christ in Us is the Hope of the World: In a world filled with fear and anger, our hope should not be placed in political figures or worldly solutions. Christ in us is the hope of the world, and our faith should be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. This perspective allows us to rise above the chaos and be agents of love and peace. [01:31]
2. Love as the Antidote to Fear: Fear is the root cause of anger and violence, but perfect love casts out fear. Jesus taught that people would recognize us as His disciples by our love. Instead of engaging in arguments or trying to correct others, we should filter our actions and words through the lens of love. [03:15]
3. The Value of Wisdom: Solomon's request for wisdom led to his extraordinary success. Wisdom is described as more valuable than silver, gold, or jewels. It leads to a longer life, peace, and honor. Prioritizing wisdom in our decisions is crucial for a fulfilling and successful life. [07:58]
4. Practical Steps for Wise Decisions: Solomon outlines five steps for making wise decisions: pray for guidance, gather all the facts, seek godly advice, calculate the cost, and take a step of faith. These steps help us align our decisions with God's will and ensure that we are not acting impulsively or out of fear. [11:54]
5. Commitment to a Daily Walk with God: A daily walk with God involves committing to Christ and the church family, personal discipleship, giving of our time, talent, and treasure, and sharing Christ with others. This commitment helps us live as overcomers and ensures that we are continually growing in our faith and wisdom. [34:04]
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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:49] - Addressing the Nation's Climate
[02:08] - Fear and Its Consequences
[03:15] - Love as the Solution
[06:20] - Solomon's Request for Wisdom
[07:13] - The Value of Wisdom
[09:13] - Prioritizing Wisdom
[11:00] - Making Wise Decisions
[11:54] - Pray for Guidance
[16:30] - Gather the Facts
[19:07] - Seek Godly Advice
[24:46] - Calculate the Cost
[27:19] - Take a Step of Faith
[32:43] - Commitment to a Daily Walk with God

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Proverbs 3:13-18, what are some of the benefits of finding wisdom?
In Proverbs 4:5-9, what does Solomon emphasize about the importance of wisdom?
How does 1 John 4:18 describe the relationship between love and fear?
What did Solomon ask God for when he became king, and what was God's response? [06:20]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Solomon describe wisdom as more valuable than silver, gold, or jewels in Proverbs 3:13-18? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on prioritizing wisdom? [07:58]
How can the concept of "perfect love casting out fear" from 1 John 4:18 be applied to the current climate of fear and anger in our nation? [03:15]
What does it mean to "calculate the cost" of a decision, and why is this important according to Solomon's teachings? [24:46]
How does seeking godly advice from mentors and wise counselors help in making wise decisions? [19:07]

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent decision you made. Did you follow Solomon’s five steps for making wise decisions (pray for guidance, gather all the facts, seek godly advice, calculate the cost, and take a step of faith)? Which step did you find most challenging? [11:54]
In what ways can you demonstrate the love of Jesus in your daily interactions, especially in situations where fear and anger are prevalent? [03:15]
Think about a time when you acted out of fear rather than love. How could you have responded differently by applying the principle that "perfect love casts out fear"? [03:15]
Identify a decision you need to make soon. How will you ensure that you gather all the necessary facts before proceeding? [16:30]
Who are the godly mentors or wise counselors in your life? How can you make a habit of seeking their advice more regularly? [19:07]
Reflect on your daily walk with God. What specific steps can you take to deepen your commitment to Christ and your church family? [34:04]
Consider a situation where you need to take a step of faith. What fears are holding you back, and how can you overcome them by trusting in God’s guidance? [27:19]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The Bible says Christ in you is the whole. The hope of the world. I don't know about you, but that excites me so greatly. When I see people do crazy things in Pennsylvania or Washington, D.C., or I see awful poverty in Africa, it excites me to know that Christ in me is the hope of that situation. Maybe I can't fix everything and I can't fix all the world's problems and I can't solve, help every person. But one of the things we like to say around Daystar is we will do for one what we wish we could do for all." [00:49] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Fear is of the devil. It's the opposite of our faith in God. And here's what you need to feel. Here's what I feel. Because of my faith in Jesus Christ, I've got a way I hope it goes in November. But let me tell you, whichever it goes down, the next day there'll be zero difference in my life. Nothing will be different. Because while one of those men is going to get my vote, neither of those men will get my hope or my faith or my confidence. That is reserved. That is reserved in Jesus Christ." [02:36] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The love of Jesus is the solution. I'm going to say this, hurt your feelings if I have to. Your political party is not the solution to this problem. The one you're voting for is not the solution to this problem. The solution to this problem is Jesus, and in particular, the love of Jesus working through you and me. I said it, and I'm not changing my mind. That's the solution." [05:24] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The beginning of wisdom is this, okay? You want to start out getting wisdom? What do you need to do? Get wisdom. The beginning of wisdom is realizing this is more important than whatever it is you're chasing after. And whatever you get, get insight. Another translation says, It says, in all of your getting, get wisdom, get knowledge. What he's saying is you're chasing a career, you're chasing a relationship, you're chasing money, you're chasing popularity and fame. In all that stuff, put it aside and know that the wisdom of God is the priority." [09:13] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If you have prayed for guidance, if you have talked to the Lord about this thing, you've gotten all the facts, you understand what you're getting into. You've talked to godly people in your life and you've calculated that the cost is right. Listen, then you just got to take a step of faith. Actually, I just, one through four was my introduction to tell you, God's calling you to do great things, to take a step of faith, to walk on water." [27:19] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Let me tell you, ignorant people are ignorant by design and by choice. Linking them to the facts is not going to fix the problem. There's 330 million people in this country. Somebody's already said the witty thing you're thinking about saying on social media. What they have not done is shown the love of Jesus. What if the next time you were in some kind of a back and forth, whether it's in person or online, you ran one more filter and you said, before I say this, whether electronically or with my mouth, say it, I want to run it through the filter of love." [04:33] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If you walk in wisdom, you'll live longer, is what he's saying. In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all of her paths are peace. Let me just ask you, how many of you would like to have more peace, more pleasantness, more riches and honor? You want to live a longer life? You wouldn't mind even more jewels? Can I get a right here? He says, wisdom, that's the path for all of that, okay?" [08:38] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "When you walk with God regularly, the peace of God will guide you in the decisions that you make. God wants to give you wisdom. He wants to help you make the right decisions, give you direction and guidance for your life. But he won't kick the door down. You've got to welcome him in to an ongoing daily relationship. With God in your life. That's the first thing you pray about." [16:30] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "All leaders are learners. And when you stop learning, you stop leading. If you've got a major decision to make, find out who do I need to talk to before I make that decision? Can I hear an amen?" [24:46] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Perfectionism produces procrastination. You won't do anything because you're waiting for it to get perfect. Perfectionism paralyzes potential. It's not ever going to be perfect. Don't, when we don't admit that it's fear-based, what we end up doing is we make excuses." [30:08] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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