American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 94
ARC Prayer Meeting:
Last Sunday at ARC, we ministered on the overview of the book of Proverbs, the book of God’s wisdom. We learned it is a part of the Bible known as the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, which includes Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Song of Songs. Most were composed by King Solomon, known as the wisest man who ever lived.
The source from which the book of Proverbs flows is the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). Every warning of vice, every encouragement towards virtue, every truth, principle, maxim, dark saying, riddle, and revelation flows from that blessed fount.
We learned many are fat in this generation with information but are starved for wisdom. Wisdom is not intellectual brilliance but the art of living well according to God’s design and will in the earth. We also learned that our Lord Jesus is the embodiment of wisdom. He is the personification of wisdom and in Him are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge found.
We discovered wisdom is not just found in what is written in Holy writ, but also by what can be requested in prayer. We covered two major Scriptures that associate wisdom with prayer. The first prayer that was responsible for so much wisdom downloaded in the Bible began with Solomon requesting it.
The Lord came to him in a dream with this incredible offer, “Ask! What shall I give you” (1 Kings 3:5b)? Solomon’s thoughtful response, “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours” (1 Kings 3:9)? Interestingly, this request dealt with a magistrate seeking wisdom to understand and discern justice. God, how we need magistrates like that today.
From the encounter with God and that prayer from Solomon came the floodgates of wisdom made available to us today. The Apostle James, whose epistle drew heavily from the book of Proverbs, also made the connection between wisdom and prayer, He stated, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
This prayer is directly connected to the trials of life we all endure. When life hits hard and we do not know what to do, this is the setting to ask God for wisdom. Notice first that God is available to hear this prayer. James doesn’t say to the believer “figure it out on your own, you need to try harder, or wait until you’re worthy.” He assumes God is approachable during our trials. The prayer James is recommending is not a last resort but the first move of faith. This prayer for wisdom also reveals God’s generous spirit. The Greek word here, haplōs, carries the idea of single‑minded generosity, sincerity, and open‑handed giving. In other words, God is not stingy with wisdom. He doesn’t ration it. His giving is abundant, overflowing, and rooted in His character.
One of the most comforting parts of the verse is God will grant wisdom without reproach. This means He will not shame you for asking. He will not bring up your past failures and say should already know this by now. No, His posture is welcoming, patient, and kind. He delights in being asked.
Lastly, He gives it to all who ask. This tells us this wisdom that comes from above is not reserved for the spiritual elite, the educated, or those who think they are morally superior. Anyone who asks in faith can receive. Even a person some would consider having low IQ can receive wisdom from God. It is there for the asking. The only requirement is that it is asked in faith.
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