Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-08
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grant the request. This Is the way the
soul must always so to God II it would
obtain from Him. James emphasizes
this very point In the verses following
our text He likens the man who
doubts to q wave of the sea driven hith-
er and thither by the wind, and solemn
ly declares: Let not that man think
that he shall receive anything from the
Lord" Read carefully the verses which
follow the request which Solomon
makes OF the Lord. No immediate ev-
idence that Solomon has been clothed
with the mantle OF wisdom. In fact,
Scripture declares that Solomon awoke
and found II was q dream. This does
not mean there was vague Intangible
ness to 1t all such rs Is ordinarily at
tached to dreams. but emphasizes the
fact that there was not any immediate or
miraculous change In Solomon. There
was only the inward consciousness that
he had talked with God and that wisdom
when needed was to be his portion from
the God Of all wisdom. In faith he went
down to Jerusalem. and waited and then
followed the evidences that the wisdom
for which he had asked had been be-
slowed. God does not give the soul the
conscious possession of His treasures
that they may be boarded and gloated
over. and unwisely used. but He gives
when the need for use arises. and faith
keeps the soul confident that In the time
OF need God will not fail. The request
for wisdom must be made with that
faith which assures the soul and makes
1t patient to wait for it's bcstowmept in
the hour of need.
r lift OF Wisdom.-As we have al
~ ready intimated. this gift OF Wis
dom to Solomon was not miraculous.
God did not send 1t down upon him
lii Sreat chunks so that he could gather
1t up and ship it back to Jerusalem,
there to be used when he wished to
make display of Il, or when circum-
stances required. Ii came in the most
natural way. and while Solomon wa3
using every energy and faculty OF his
being. God supplemented lis natural
abilities. He did not supplant them.
While the gift was natural and timed
TO the need. the evidences of that wis
dom We're striking and weil-nigh mirac-
nized that the Wisdom of God was in
him 20 do Judgment" And that is the
way the wisdom which you are told
TO ask of God will be received. When the
difficult problem arises, when confused
In the presence of perpleXing circum-
stances. then look for the gift of wis
dom. and move straight on. knowing
that each step will be guided by the un-
erring Judgment of God. Wisdom from
God is not something you can have a
large reserve stock OF ca hand. as you
would grain supply or a banl; account.
but Is always in the possession of God
but the prayer OF faith Will always be
able to Rove God and obtain from Him
Just what is ir+ eded for the present re-
quiremep.
EVIDENCE Of Wisdom. Did Il ever
L. occur to YOU that ii was singular that
God selected the incident He did TO
prove the wisdom Of His servant Sol
onion? Surely out OF the many hard
tests to which the Queen Of Sheba put
him upon her visit. there rlust have
been some one which could have been
selected which would have so clearly
proved the possession of the gift. Sure
~ there must ba been other and pleas
antor circumst: ices when he could
have displayed his God-given wisdom.
But instead. he is found sitting on his
throne and adjudicatinG a disgusting
Justice-court case; case in which the
complainants had no standing and the
object Of their dispute being the fruit OF
their sin and a witness against them.
Instead OF hearing their case he might
havo ordered their stoning without the
city according TO the solemn judgment
Of the Jewish law. Why was it? We
may not be able to suggest the correct
answer. but may 1t not have been 10
mphasize the fact that the highest wis
dom of Cod reaches 30 the lowest HUI
man need. Does IL not emphasize the
practical utility of God given wisdom?
Even the meanest and most despised
Of all of His subjects was to feel and
know that tho wisdom of God was
guiding him. The evidence Of Solo
mons great wisdom was unexpectedly
found in q matter which most vitaIly
concerned the everyday lie of two
outcast women. What Lesson this
ought to teach you and ne! Where are
we looking for evidences of WELDON
from God? In some great thing? You
will DO disappointed. But realize that
he git will be bestowed for the mean
st end m 5t humble affairs Of life, that
1T will be given that you may bless and
help some Cespisod, outcast soul, and
then there will be such a common
sense, yet excited, wei. WITH cod as
will demonstrate to all about that the
wisdom Of God" is in you.
INFLUENCE OF Wisdom AND this
last brings us to our closing thought:
The influence of wisdom. II we we're