God-given vs. Earthly wisdom

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God because He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46v1). His eyes are upon the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry (Psalm 34v15).

Primary Text

“For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men?” 1 Corinthians 3v3 (AMP)

Paul here continues his letter to the church in Corinth and he highlights some characteristics (envying, jealousy, wrangling and factions) that they were exhibiting that made him say, you are unspiritual and of the flesh. Romans 8v25-26 (AMP) says “If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.” As believers, let us allow the Holy Spirit to control our conduct, let us yield to His leading and directions. Let us walk in godly wisdom and not be moving in the wisdom from below, James 3v13-18 telling us the difference between the two.

Supplementary Text

“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” James 3v14-18 (NLT)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word and Your Spirit. We pray that You will fill us afresh with Your Spirit and let there be growing evidence of His presence in us in Jesus name, amen. We pray as well that You will purge us from every sensual, earthly and devilish wisdom and fill us with the wisdom from above in Jesus name we pray, amen.