Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, the one Bible verse that most directly addresses the question is James 1:5, which states, "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."

God's pleasure at human requests for wisdom is recorded in other Scripture passages, as well. I particularly recall 1 Kings 3:5-14, in which Solomon asked God for wisdom so that he could rule well. God told Solomon that, because he had asked for wisdom (rather than for long life for himself, or for God to take the lives of his enemies), God would give him not only the wisdom for which he had asked, but riches and honor, as well (even though he had not asked for them).

The central theme to all such passages, however, is that the receipt of wisdom from God is integrally connected with seeking Him, since He is the ultimate source of true wisdom (as opposed to worldly wisdom or knowledge, which 1 Corinthians 3:19 refers to as foolishness in God's sight). As Proverbs 9:10 puts it, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

March 26 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

James Kraft Supporter 74 year old retired pipeline worker

Probably the greatest wisdom book in the Bible is the book of Job. 

When we ask God for wisdom He gives the wisdom we seek. He gives us understanding to discern scripture that we have trouble understanding. 

We can understand the simplicity of the gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4. And Romans 6:23 That the GIFT of God is eternal life. 

But we need wisdom to understand much of Gods word. It is only The Holy Spirit that lives in the believer that can give us the wisdom we seek. 

Ephesians 1:13-14. Is our guarantee of eternal life, but our rewards in heaven are based on what we do after we have received the free GIFT. First Corinthians 3:11-21.

We have to ask for wisdom to understand in the trials of life which we all share in.

September 10 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

God has genuine wisdom/insight and it must be given by only Him. It can't be gotten by the individuals who put trust in common shrewdness which depends on human keenness and knowledge (as Tim said) without God's disclosure and which will come to nothing. 

It is important for us to pray for it because "using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed" (Ecclesiastes 10:10, NLT). I sure know the difference between a sharp ax and a dull ax because I was a lumberjack for months in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Once I pinched my chain saw blade in a tree trunk, that is, I got it stuck, so I tried to get it unstuck with my sharp ax. Then I hit myself in the knee with the ax, cutting the skin open! That caused me to quit for the day, to say the least. But I rescued my chain saw which would have been stolen probably if I just left it stuck in that tree trunk.

Christians are to live, in full cognizance of the character of the God they serve. In this way, it is because God gives "liberally without discovering flaw" that Christians ought not to stop for a second to approach Him for wisdom (James 1:5). 

James considers confidence/faith to be a firm, unfaltering devotion to God and Christ (James 2:1) that is tried and refined in trials (James 1:2, 4) and which gets a handle on the endowments of God in supplication (James 1:5-8; 5:14-18). 

Wisdom and knowledge are given as a result of petition: 

James 1:5 See additionally 1 Kings 3:9 (see Tim above) pp 2 Chronicles 1:10; Proverbs 2:3-6; Daniel 10:12; Colossians 1:9

If you pray for wisdom,
It will come to you,
While the Spirit whispers,
What would Jesus do?

June 19 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report