OUTLINE:

Faith
Faith is among the greatest “treasures” we seek. It is the very substance of our wisdom. While knowledge may be the basis, faith is the substance of wisdom; for without godly wisdom, there is no real understanding.

Gaining Wisdom
The first step in gaining wisdom is motivation. Seek diligently and you shall find. When you possess it, you are granted understanding. It is then that you are able to discern between good and evil, context changes, gradations, etc.

What good is something edible if we don’t have the stomach to digest it???

The Lord Is Patient
We use our own lenses to pressure ourselves. That is fleshly thinking. The Bible tells us to live one day at a time (Mt 6:34).

Lk 17:5
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

Pr 4:7 [Amplified Classic]
The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).

Pray For Faith
If you lack a portion of something good, then ask God for more - it’s that simple. But, remember, you must ask with proper conviction, beginning with a desire to possess that which is pleasing to God (e.g. faith - Heb 11:6).

What the Apostles Lacked
- Understanding (e.g., Mt 16:15-23; Lk 18:31-34; Ac 1:1-9)
- Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9:33-35)
- Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
- Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
- Power (e.g., Mt 17:16-17; Jn 20; Ac 1:8)

String of Pearls
If you lack understanding, you lack humility. If you lack humility, you lack faith. If you lack faith, you lack commitment. If you lack commitment, you lack power. If you lack power, you lack the ability to do anything pleasing to God.

Commitment
Satan has done a great job at destroying this concept in humanity, in general. People make vows all the time that are vapid, void of integrity. (read “Options” blog) (ref. Num 30:2; Psa 37:5; Pro 16:3; 1Ki 8:61; Jon 2:9; Ecc 5:4; Luk 9:62; Jam 5:12; Mat 5:32)

Ps 37:4-5
Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.

Pr 16:1-2 [Amplified]
The plans and reflections of the heart belong to man, but the [wise] answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions], but the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].

Pr 16:3 [Amplified]
Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Commitment
Satan has done a great job at destroying this concept in humanity, in general. People make vows all the time that are vapid, void of integrity. (read “Options” blog) (ref. Num 30:2; Psa 37:5; Pro 16:3; 1Ki 8:61; Jon 2:9; Ecc 5:4; Luk 9:62; Jam 5:12; Mat 5:32)

“make no oath at all” (Mt 5:34)
Jesus was not against all oaths, for even God makes them. In context here, He was cautioning people to not make flippant oaths, for in many cases, they were used to manipulate and deceive others (the Jews were notable for this).

Commitment
Satan has done a great job at destroying this concept in humanity, in general. People make vows all the time that are vapid, void of integrity. (read “Options” blog) (ref. Num 30:2; Psa 37:5; Pro 16:3; 1Ki 8:61; Jon 2:9; Ecc 5:4; Luk 9:62; Jam 5:12; Mat 5:32)

Commitment
True commitment puts the Lord as top priority (ala Ro 12:1 & first fruits). If you’re convinced that something is from the Lord, then commit to it wholeheartedly. If you’re not convinced of the prior, then you shouldn’t be doing whatever it is in the first place.

What the Apostles Lacked
- Understanding (e.g., Mt 16:15-23; Lk 18:31-34; Ac 1:1-9)
- Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9:33-35)
- Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
- Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
- Power (e.g., Mt 17:16-17; Jn 20; Ac 1:8)