This is my Bible. I am who it says I am. I can do what it says I
can do. And because of this Word I am made whole. Because of
this Word I am victorious. Because of this Word I walk in
prosperity. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
If you would, turn in your Bibles with me to the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs chapter four. Proverbs four. And after we come from
Proverbs four, I want you to turn over with me to the book of First
Kings, because the meat of the message this morning is going to
come from the book of First Kings. When you have Proverbs
chapter four, please signify by saying amen. In Proverbs chapter
four we’re going to look at one verse of Scripture. Look at verse
seven.
7. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with
all thy getting get understanding.
Let’s go to verse eight.
8. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to
honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of
glory shall she deliver to thee.
10. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of
thy life shall be many.
11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in
right paths.
12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when
thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she
is thy life.
Let us pray.
Most holy and gracious heavenly Father, You said if any man lack
wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth
not. Most holy and gracious heavenly Father, I humbly ask You
for wisdom this morning. Dear God, I ask for the wisdom to
preach and to disseminate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Your
people on today. Hide Your son behind the cross, that Your
people would see and hear You only and not me. Master, I
decrease today that You would increase. And Lord, let the words
of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy
sight, oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ Name.
And the people of God said amen. You may be seated in the
house of God. Remember I said this morning that the meat of our
message will come from the book of First Kings. Glory to God.
Because the book of Proverbs was written by what the Word of
God says was the wisest man in the earth, and his name was
Solomon.
In First Kings chapter one we find David (hallelujah), a man after
God’s own heart. He is old and well stricken in age. Glory to
God. The Bible said that he was ready to relinquish his kingdom
unto his son, Solomon. But as he was getting ready to relinquish
his kingdom unto his son, Solomon, he had another son, and his
name was Adonijah. And Adonijah (glory to God) thought that the
kingdom should have been relinquished unto him. He thought
that he should be the one to come into position.
But Bathsheeba, the mother of Solomon (glory to God), she
understood that David had already spoken the word that Solomon
would become king of the kingdom. Amen, somebody. And here
we have them in a dilemna, because the other son of another
woman is now trying to compete for the position that is not his (oh,
my God) that was supposed to be turned over to somebody else.
But when God says that something is yours, how many of you
know that it doesn’t matter what anybody else says; it doesn’t
matter what anybody else does; what God has for you is for you.
Look at your neighbor and say, “I don’t know about you, but what
God has for me is for me.”
And so here we have Solomon getting ready to come into his
kingdom. Glory to God. And now he overcomes the obstacle of
his brother. Don’t you understand that sometimes you’ve got to
overcome the obstacle of your brother and your sister? It doesn’t
mean that you’re not blood, but every now and then what you
have is what your brother and your sister desires. But they can’t
have what you’ve been anointed for.
So we find Solomon getting ready to come into this kingdom. And
we know that a king has a kingdom. In other words, he has been
appointed and anointed to rule and to reign over that kingdom.
And so here we have the prophet coming (glory to God) to
Bathsheeba to warn her about the other son trying to come into a
place that’s not rightfully his.
You see, if you try to get into a place . . . Oh, my God. This is not
even where I was supposed to go today, but God is speaking to
me. If you get into a place that’s not yours (glory to God), you’re
going to find that there’s going to be some trouble. Do you
understand what I’m saying?
And so they go to David. And David being old. And they
explained to David what’s going on. And they say to David,
“David, there is a problem. The kingdom that you had spoken of
to belong to your son, Solomon, your other (oh, my God) son,
Adonijah . . .” We’ll call him that. Is that alright? “He is trying to
obtain that position.”
And so in the midst of the other son trying to get the people to
follow him, David announces to everyone behind closed doors
that Solomon is now the king. And now when the other son is still
out trying to obtain favor with folks (oh, my God) the person that’s
supposed to be in the position is already in the position. Look at
your neighbor and say, “Sometimes you got to do things behind
closed doors.”
You see, you can’t always come public about everything. You
can’t always let everybody know what’s going on. Because how
many of you know that everybody’s not for you? But God said, “If
I be for you, who can be against you?” Be the one to look at your
past and tell about what you used to be. But I’m . . . Oh, my God.
I’m glad that I’m not what I used to be.
So he comes and he takes his position, and he’s anointed king.
This is all in chapter one. And then over in chapter two (glory to
God) David is ready to die. And in chapter two he gives his son
Solomon (glory to God) a charge. It says . . . Verse one.
1. Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he
charged Solomon his son, saying,
2. I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and
show thyself a man;
How man you you know that if you’re going to come into that
place that God has ordained for your life, you’ve got to what?
Show a certain level of maturity. Because if you don’t mature
(glory to God) when you come into that position, I don’t care what
your name is; I don’t care who your father was; I don’t care how
much money you have; you’re going to mess it up.
So he gives him a charge. He tells him. He tells him to be strong.
And in verse three he says:
3. And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his
ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments . . .
He begins to tell him what he needs to do to be successful now
that he has become a king in the kingdom. And the Word of God
is here for us. Because the Bible calls us kings and priests in
Christ Jesus. And Jesus has left us instruction that we would be
able to run this Kingdom here on earth. Come on, somebody.
So he gives him a charge. And David finally dies. And Solomon
begins to reign as king.
Now we go over to chapter three. Look at verse five. Glory to
God. In chapter three it says:
5. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by
night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David
my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in
truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee;
and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast
given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7. And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king
instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not
how to go out or come in.
8. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for
multitude.
9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart . . .
In other words, he was asking God for wisdom. If you’re going to
come up in the things of God, you’ve got to not ask God for the
riches of the Kingdom. You’ve got to ask God for the wisdom to
be able to rule and to reign in the Kingdom. Come on, somebody.
In verse nine he said:
9. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able
to judge this thy so great a people?
10. And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked
this thing.
Look at verse eleven.
11. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing,
and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches
for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast
asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12. Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given
thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none
like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto
thee.
Look at verse thirteen.
13. And I have also . . .
Look at your neighbor and say, “He also.”
13. . . . given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches,
and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like
unto thee all thy days.
And God began to really deal with me, because the Bible said that
he desired to have this wisdom that he may be able to go in and
out of the people, that he may be able to judge what’s right and
judge what’s wrong. And then we find later on in the chapter
there’s a situation that arises that he needs the wisdom of God.
How many of you understand that when God places you in a
position, there’s going to be situations that are going to arise
where you’re going to have . . . Oh, my God. You’re going to
have to have the wisdom of God, not the wisdom of man, not the
wisdom of this world, but you need divine intervention sometime.
Look at your neighbor and say, “I need wisdom.”
So here we are in a place where he’s displaying his wisdom. Go
to verse sixteen. It says:
16. Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the
king, and stood before him.
17. And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell
in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
18. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered,
that this woman was delivered also . . .
In other words, they had a baby at the same time.
18. . . .and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the
house, save we two in the house.
There was nobody else around in that house.
19. And this woman's child died in the night; because she
overlaid it.
I want you to see something. Look at verse twenty.
20. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me,
while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her
dead child in my bosom.
21. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold,
it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold,
it was not my son, which I did bear.
22. And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and
the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son,
and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
Look at your neighbor and say, “It’s time for wisdom.” Look at
verse twenty-three.
23. Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth,
and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is
the dead, and my son is the living.
24. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a
sword before the king.
25. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half
to the one, and half to the other.
26. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the
king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my
lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other
said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
There are some situations that are arising in our lives today that
we have no earthly wisdom (oh, my God) to handle. But if I get
into a place of prayer, if I begin to ask God for the wisdom of God
that the Bible says is easy to be entreated for, I don’t have to
worry about a thing, because God’s going to tell me exactly what
to do and when to do it. Give God praise today.
God began to really deal with me. And I began to say to the Lord,
“It just can’t be that he wanted to go in and out of the people for
this wisdom.” You’ve got to understand that when you are a king .
. . Because you are kings out there, and I’m a king also. You are
going to have some enemies. Look at your neighbor and say,
“You’re going to have some enemies.” You see, you’re going to
need a weapon to handle your enemies.
I need you to go with me to Ecclesiastes. Glory to God. I’m going
to show you the other reason why (this morning) that the king
needed wisdom. In the book of Ecclesiastes chapter seven (glory
to God) I want you to look at verse twelve. Because I want to
preach it a little, but I want to show you things in the Word of God.
In Ecclesiastes chapter twelve, chapter seven, I’m sorry, and
verse twelve, it says:
12. For wisdom is . . .
What? Wisdom is a defense. Wisdom is a defense. When
something is a defense, it means it’s able to protect you and to
keep you from harm. You see, not only did he need that wisdom
(glory to God) that he may be able to discern God’s people, but he
needed the wisdom that it would be a defense against the enemy.
And that’s what God is saying to you this morning. You need
wisdom, because you are a king. You’re royalty, and your
enemies are many. If you would only ask God for wisdom . . .
Somebody praise Him in this house today.
Wisdom is a defense. In other words, I don’t need to ask God for
riches. Because when I ask God for wisdom the riches are going
to follow (my God) the wisdom that I’ve asked for.
We walk around sometimes because we have dilemmas. There
are situations (glory to God) that we don’t have a clue on what to
do. There are situations that arise that if somebody doesn’t tell
me . . . Have you ever been in a situation where you needed
somebody to tell you something? Wisdom is a defense.
Go with me to chapter nine of Ecclesiastes, because I’m going to
show you why. In Ecclesiastes chapter nine and verse eighteen it
says:
18. Wisdom is better than weapons of . . .
What?
9. . . . war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war. That’s why you’ve got to
understand that wisdom is a weapon from Almighty God. And any
weapon that God gives you is going to destroy your adversary; it’s
going to destroy your enemy. Oh, my God. Give Him praise
today.
You been asking God for a way out. Wisdom is your way. You
see, the Bible tells me in James . . . Go there with me today. In
James chapter one I want you to look at it today. I want you . . . I
can tell you what it says, but I want you to see it for yourself,
because a lot of times I get from people, “Well, I need you to
teach it to me.” I’m teaching it to you today. Glory to God. You
got a situation that you can’t handle? Then you need to ask God
for some wisdom.
In James chapter one, I’m going to start with verse one. Are we
there? It says:
1. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the
twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers
temptations;
In other words, when these trials come up against you . . . Is
there anybody in the house that’s in a trial, or you’ve been in a
trial? Oh, my God. I know I’m talking to somebody today. He
said, “Count it all joy.”
3. Knowing this . . .
In verse three
3. . . . that the trying of your faith worketh . . .
What? It worketh what? I don’t hear anybody talking to me today.
The trying of your faith worketh what?
4. But let patience have her . . .
What?
4. . . .perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing.
Here we go in verse five.
5. If any of you lack . . .
What?
5. . . . wisdom, let him ask . . .
Who? Let him ask who? Let him ask whom?
5. . . .of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.
If you ask God for it, it shall be given you. Now, we’re going to
come back there, but I want you to look at chapter three for just a
moment, of the book of James. Look at verse seventeen. It said:
17. But the wisdom that is from above is . . .
What?
17. . . . is first pure . . .
In other words, it has not been tainted by man.
17. . . . then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that
make peace.
You need to ask God for wisdom. The Bible said that it’s easy to
be entreated for. In other words, it’s easy to be asked for. You
don’t have to kick. You don’t have to scream. You don’t have to
push nobody out of the way. You can say, “Lord, I need wisdom.”
And that wisdom will be a defense against your enemy. But
you’ve got to remember that you don’t wrestle against flesh and
blood. Because some of you are taking a person that you’re
looking at in your mind and saying, “Oh, that’s . . .” No, no, no,
no, no, no. that’s not your enemy.
The Bible says that you don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this
world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. The enemy may
be using that person, but that person is not your enemy, so you
need to recognize that and bind the devil that’s using them to
come against you. That’s wisdom. That’s wisdom.
That’s why it’s so easy for us to be offended. That’s why it’s so
easy for us to be offended, because we look at flesh and blood. I
need somebody with a soft heart. Come here. Because I don’t
want nobody to punch me in the face. Speak to me. Say, “Hey.”
I’m offended, aren’t I? I’m talking about him. He’s offended. He’d
offended. But I’ve got to understand that it wasn’t flesh and blood
coming. Flesh and blood touched me, but it wasn’t flesh and
blood coming against me. There was a power behind that flesh
and blood (oh, my God) that I have the wisdom and the power
from God to bind. Glory to God.
Now, you’ve been in prayer. The Bible says, “Be not overcome
with evil, but overcome evil with” what? Okay.
Stan, why you always bumping into me? Okay. Well, you know,
don’t be bumping into me like that. What you want to do? The
Bible says a soft answer does what? That’s wisdom. That’s
wisdom.
The man in him, talking about that fleshly man, that old man,
would have probably took these and, “Pow.” But he’s not in the
old man any more. And he understands that he’s not wrestling
against flesh and blood. And he understands that this shell is not
his enemy. And so therefore, though three times I came against
him, he never tried to come back against me, because he was
walking in wisdom. He took it to a place in prayer, and he began
to pray to God and to bind his adversary. And he gave me a soft
answer, which caused me, when I was saying, “Well, what you
want to do?” and began to speak softly, I began to stumble over
my words, because he took it to prayer, and he bound the devil.
The Bible said in Proverbs four that wisdom is the principal thing.
In other words, it said it’s the number one thing. Why? Because
it said not only would it promote me . . . Didn’t it say it would
promote me? But the Bible said in Ecclesiastes that it would
defend me. The Bible also told me that wisdom was around with
God when the earth was framed.
You’ve got to understand today, child of God, that you and I
cannot just continue to hope and, you know, thing that things are
going to change. I need to ask God for some wisdom to get some
things to change in my life.
Wisdom. Thank you. We’re talking about what Solomon asked
God for. I want to give you three definitions about wisdom. The
first two definitions are secular. But we’ve got to understand that
real wisdom is the fear of God. The first definition of wisdom is
considered by many to be the art the learning how to succeed in
life. That’s where a lot of us are in the body of Christ. We’re
trying to learn how to succeed in life.
But God told Joshua in the book of Joshua to do what? Do
meditate in the Word day and night. Then you will have good
what? Good success comes from what? Meditating in the Word
of God. That’s why the Bible tells me to cast down every
imagination and very high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ. In other words, I got to control my mind, and
I can’t afford to allow my mind to control me.
He’s speaking to us today. Because our minds have been
everywhere. Our minds have been in the gutter. I’m not going to
get too many amens on that one. But He’s speaking to us that the
world says that we learn the art of being successful–that’s
wisdom. But the Bible told us to meditate in the Word of God and
then we would have good success. In other words, God is saying,
“You don’t need that wisdom to be successful, because it’s
sensual.” In other words, it’s fleshly. In other words it, most of
the time, denies Christ and comes against God. It’s that type of
wisdom that’ll take Christ out of Christmas and make it X-mas.
Come on, somebody.
So this is our first definition. Now, the second definition of wisdom
is considered to be a philosophical study of the essence of life.
And the third definition is spiritual, because life is more than just
living a set of rules, isn’t it, and just being rewarded in some kind
of physical manner? Life is more than that.
How many of you are hungry for God more than you’re hungry for
the things of this world? You need to be real and honest with
yourself. You can’t tell God that you’re more hungry for Him than
the things of the world because God don’t look at the outer
appearance. God is looking straight inside at the heart. And
therefore, honesty is the best policy. And you need to be honest
with God and say, “Lord, I really want the things of the world more
than I want you. I’m hungry more for that new car and that new
house than I’m hungry for You, God. I need You to make a
change. I need You to rearrange some things in my heart today.
Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God gave him more than
wisdom. He gave him wisdom and everything that goes along
with it. You see, a lot of times we’re afraid to ask for things like
that, because most of the time we want to ask for the finances
first. When the Lord asks us a question, He says, “What do you
want from Me?” And immediately our mind goes to money,
money, money. But Solomon understood the position that God
had place him in.
The Word says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of,” whom? And His
what? And all what? Shall be done what? Wait a minute. If I
seek the Kingdom of God first, then everything else is going to be
added to me. If I seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
. . . In other words, if I seek to be in right standing with God, then
everything else is going to be added to me.
You see, you can’t dictate the time nor the season that all these
things are going to be added to you. All you know is that you’re
seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And
God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He
should repent. Oh, my God, somebody.
If He said it, that settles it. You don’t know when, but if He said it,
it shall surely come to pass.
Don’t be afraid when God comes to you in a dream and asks you
a question, “What shall I do for you?” Don’t be afraid to ask for
wisdom, and just leave it at wisdom. Because the Bible said that
when you ask for . . . It said that this thing pleased the Lord.
When God asks me a question like that, I want my answer to
please the Lord. There has been so many times that God has
asked me, He said, “What can I do for you?” And I began to
consider and think. I said, “Lord, let me pray to You, and I’ll get
back to You, because I want Your desires to be my desires.”
He said, “I will give you the desires of your heart.” But He said
you have to commit your way unto Him, and then He shall also
bring it to pass. In other words, I have to commit my way to Him.
In other words, I have to submit myself. I have to understand that
I’m no longer my own. I’ve been bought with a price.
A lot of times we sit there and we think that we’re our own person.
You’re not your own person. If you’ve given your life over to
Christ, you believe to Christ.
You hear people say, “Well, I’m my own man.” You messing up.
I’d rather have an all-knowing God on me, that when the enemy
comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will if up a standard. I
wish I had somebody to agree with me in this house today. Oh, I
feel the Power of God.
He’s speaking to us. As I survey the congregation, there’s so
many of you that need wisdom, because there’s a situation that
has brewed up and raised up, and you don’t know what to do. But
when you ask God for wisdom, sometimes God will tell you to let
some things go. Oh. You can’t ask Him for wisdom, and then
when He tells you what wisdom is for your situation, you say, “No,
no, no, no, no, God. Give me something else.” If He said let it
go, you know in your heart.
A lot of you are looking for God to speak to you audibly. God will
speak to your spirit, and He’ll tell you exactly what to do.
Sometimes we say, “Uh, uh.” Let it go. Let it go. Let it go.
Because it’s going to hurt you in the end.
Can I be real with you today? There have been several women
that have come my way, good looking ones, some of them. See,
you’re not in the Spirit. Beauty is on the inside. See, you started
to raise up and get mad with me, but you was in the flesh. Admit
it. You was in the flesh. But they was the ones. And though I
desire to have one, I want the one that God has for me.
When I was younger, in my younger days, I looked for the model.
I looked for the outside. I looked for the one that what they called
the “show stopper.” Then I looked a little different too. But now
I’m not looking for the show stopper. I’m looking for the virtuous
woman. Oh, my God. I’m looking for the one that my children will
rise up in the morning and call her blessed. That’s wisdom.
You know why I can say something like . . . Because most of our
church, like I said before, is a bunch of single people. You better
get the wisdom of God.
Some of us would rather be along all our lives, and stay at home
crying, “Lord, I’m so lonely. I’m so lonely, God.” And then God
will send them your way. You’re like, “Shoot, I know better than
that. Lord, You’re tripping.” You can laugh. You tell the Lord
He’s tripping. “Lord, You’re tripping. Shoot. I’m married to the
Lord. I’m married to You, Lord.” And then at night when the Lord
comes in your bedroom, and His Presence is there, and you’ve
called Him your husband, you don’t even recognize your husband.
Can we be real with it today?
And I believe it was Pastor Bowders. He was talking about not
getting into anything hastily and all that kind of stuff, you know.
You know, we get into so many different things. We’re so hasty.
We go for what looks good instead of looking through it. We need
wisdom this morning. We need wisdom. Whatever situation
you’re in this morning . . . I feel the Lord’s Presence. You need
wisdom. Don’t try to make a decision on your own, because
you’re going to mess up. Don’t try to make a decision based on
your feelings and your emotions, because you’re going to mess
up.
Ask Him. Be real. And single folk, I don’t care how lonely you
get; I don’t care how your flesh burn . . . If it’s burning, you need
to fast. I know we’re on a fast, but if it ain’t doing the trick, then
you need to go a little longer. But get some wisdom.
See, and if you get caught up out there and you’re in fornication,
let me tell you what the devil will do. The devil will tell you to stay
out there; don’t come to church; the pastor going to see it. It don’t
matter if I see it; He already saw it. I mean, I might tell you about
it. No. But I’m just being real with you today. You need wisdom.
I need wisdom.
There are some things that have come up, and I prayed about,
and the Lord gave me wisdom on what to do. Because if you
don’t get wisdom, that’s when burdens and heaviness is all on
your shoulders. And we walk around, and my head is down. And
I don’t care how good the praise sounds, and how sweet the
worship is; we just can’t even move. We can’t. But He said, “Ask
Me for wisdom.” He said, “I give liberally.” When He said, “I give
liberally,” in other words He said, “I give you more than enough.”
He’s El Shaddai. He’s already the God of more than enough. He
said, “I will give you more than enough. I’ll give you more than
enough. All you have to do is ask.”
How many of you need wisdom as a defense this morning?
Because your adversary, the devil, the Bible says, walketh about
as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. I refuse to be
devoured. I don’t care how often I have to get on my face and get
on my knees because of the circumstance; I will not be devoured.
We all get down sometimes. We all get discouraged sometimes.
But I can’t afford to stay in that place. I can’t. Wisdom tells me to
come out of that place. If you need some help, and you need to
get that help, if you’re in a place where you need wisdom and you
just get here, find somebody to pray with. I ain’t talking about
somebody, you know, that just wants to know your business. I’m
talking about somebody that’s going to pray.
I remember, in closing, I went. I was getting a job at Met Life, you
know, here in Columbus. This was when I first moved back here
to Columbus, and I was still working at AT&T, but I was
interviewing, going through the interviewing process over and over
and over and over again.
And the owner of Met Life for this particular branch, he was going
through some problems. He was going through some marital
problems. And he knew that I was a preacher. And so, you
know, he didn’t understand why, you know, his wife was doing this
and doing that. You know, he was doing some stuff too, but you
know, he was just trying to blame her, you know.
So every time I came in, and we’re supposed to be talking about
Met Life and, you know, the big man was coming down to meet
me and all of this and that. You know, we’re supposed to be
talking about Met Life. But every time I get there, he’s talking
about his personal problems. So I sit there, and I listen. It got to
the point where he dyed his hair, you know, just trying to do
something to hold on to this marriage.
And finally he finally broke down with me in his office and said,
“Mr. Abernathy, I need you to pray with me.” I began to hold his
hands. And I held his hand. I said, “Father . . .” You know,
because he was Caucasian, you know, I’m thinking, you know, he
probably goes to . . . You know, he was rich. He was very
wealthy. Probably go to Saint Luke or somewhere. And so I
began to pray all proper. “Father, in the Name of Jesus,
hallelujah.” I’m, you know, being a little facetious, but you
understand where I’m coming from.
That man jerked my hands. He said, “Pray! I need you to pray!
I said, “Father, in the Name of Jesus! I thank You, God!” I began
to pray.
God is speaking to us today. He’s speaking to us. He’s speaking
to you, because you have been in a hard place, and you’re trying
to make some decisions, but you need wisdom.
When God gives you an answer, you’ve got to understand that it’s
going to affect not only you, most of the time, but the people that
are around you. And that’s a way sometimes that you can gauge
and judge whether or not God is talking to you. Because most of
the time if it’s going to hurt the people that are around you that are
with you, and they’re praying for you, then most of the time, a lot
of times, it’s not God. But then sometimes it is. Because you’ve
got to be a discerner, and you’ve got to pray.
Because just like this morning we talked about Peter when Jesus
was telling him about how he was going to go and die. And
Jesus, I mean, Peter was like, “Not so, Lord.” And Jesus rebuke
him. He said, “Get thee hence behind me, Satan. You savor the
things of men, not of God.”
You have to discern. You have to have wisdom. Wisdom is the
principal thing. Don’t leave out of this church on today with a
situation that has risen in your life, and you need wisdom, and not
asking for it.
The best place to ask God for something, I find, is right here in the
house. Because sometimes at home you can’t feel Him like you
can feel Him at church. Amen, somebody. I want to ask Him in
His Presence. I know that He hears me. But that’s why I come
up to the church during the day, because I want to pray. I want to
get before the Lord. Because I know He dwells here. I know He’s
on the inside of me, but I want to savor that I can feel every now
and then. Every now and then I need Him to touch me and let me
know that everything’s going to be alright.
Every head bowed, and every eye closed.
Father, we’ve come to You today understanding that You have
given us our rightful place in the Kingdom. And we know that
Satan has tried to steal it. But Father, we thank You that he can
have what he didn’t give. And dear Lord, I thank You on today
that You said if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who
giveth liberally and upbraideth not. Father, we ask You for
wisdom today, because it’s easy to be entreated for. Lord, there’s
so many different circumstances and situations in our lives, even
this morning, Father God, that we need wisdom in. God, we need
divine intervention. Speak to our hearts. Speak to our hearts,
that we would make the right decisions, not according to the flesh,
not according to finances, not according to people, but according
to the destiny and the plan that You have for our lives. We ask
You for this whole heartedly today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.