Portion For Reading 2 Chr 1-3Msg 2 Chr 1:7-13
That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon answered God, "You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."
Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel.
And because Solomon didn’t ask for riches or power, God gave him the wisdom he asked for and the riches and power. So, the wisdom, which was supposed to have marked Solomon’s reign as king of Israel, was seen as a direct gift from God.
Pray For Wisdom
Jam 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
Jam 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
Proverbs 2
* My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
*turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
* and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
* and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
*then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
* For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
* He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
*for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
* Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
*For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
* Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
*Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
* who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
* who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
* whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
*turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
* and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
* and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
*then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
* For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
* He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
*for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
* Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
*For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
* Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
*Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
* who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
* who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
* whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
* Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.
* For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
* but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
* For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
* but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.