God's Gift Of Wisdom Part 2
Download MP3Welcome to a place of peace, hope, and divine encouragement. This is Joy In Every Step with your host, beloved preacher, retired teacher, and faithful servant of the Lord, Elder Sarita Bernadette. Long before podcasting existed, a promise was spoken. That one day, Sarita's voice would bring comfort, clarity, and understanding through the word of God. Years later, when God opened the door, Sarita took the next step in faith.
Introduction:What began as a leap of faith has become a weekly invitation to walk more closely with God, discover the joy found in his word, and receive fresh revelation for every step of the journey. Whether you're walking through the valleys or standing on the mountaintops, Sarita's heartfelt messages will guide you back to God's promises with wisdom, warmth, and the gentle reminder that he cares deeply for you. So open your heart, settle your spirit, and take the next step in faith with Joy In Every Step.
Sarita Bernadette:Hi. I'm Sarita Bernadette, and welcome back to Joy In Every Step. I'm glad you're here. Biblical wisdom is the practical ability to apply God's truth to everyday life resulting in righteous, moral and relational living. Unlike mere intellectual knowledge, which is just gathering the facts, biblical wisdom is knowing how to live according to God's design.
Sarita Bernadette:Knowledge is having the information. You have the information. You have the facts. But wisdom is using that information, using those facts correctly to make good choices, wise choices. Let's revisit Proverbs eight.
Sarita Bernadette:It provides us with some insight into the value of godly wisdom. There are 36 beautifully written verses there. I love it. King Solomon instructs through the voice of lady wisdom. Lady Wisdom as she's called.
Sarita Bernadette:You'll remember from the last episode that she teaches that wisdom is not only a gift, but also an acquired skill. We shared the first 11 verses in that previous episode. And if you haven't listened to it, please go back and listen. Proverbs eight verses 12 through 21. I, wisdom, live with prudence, and I attain knowledge and discretion.
Sarita Bernadette:The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech, I hate. I have good advice and sound wisdom. I have insight, I have strength. By me, kings reign and rulers decree what is just.
Sarita Bernadette:By me, rulers rule and nobles, all who govern rightly. I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness along the paths of justice, endowing with wealth those who love me and filling their treasuries.
Sarita Bernadette:Wisdom is personified as an honorable woman who offers moral clarity, practical guidance, and true life enriching rewards to those who seek her. She empowers one to exercise good judgment. She truly respects the Lord and takes a stand against corruption. This scripture tells us wisdom causes kings, rulers, and judges to govern fairly and justly. Wisdom bestows abundance, respect, and lasting wealth, which is more precious than silver or gold.
Sarita Bernadette:James one and five from The Voice. If you don't have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it, and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. Beloved, again, wisdom is a godly attribute given to believers who seek it, who ask for it. Proverbs one and seven, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
Sarita Bernadette:Fools despise wisdom and instruction. We can see the essence of those verses from Proverbs eight as well as James one and five and Proverbs one and seven when we look at the life of Joseph, son of Jacob. Hunker down for this summary because Joseph's story is lengthy. It takes place over the span of several decades and 14 chapters of the Bible, specifically Genesis chapters 37 through 50. Joseph's story began in Genesis 37 when he was 17 years old.
Sarita Bernadette:He was his father's favorite child, and his brothers were jealous of him. So Joseph had a couple of dreams where his brothers and his family bowed down to him. He shared the dreams with everyone, and his brothers became furious. So they got together and sold Joseph into slavery. He landed in the house of Potiphar, who was the captain of the pharaoh's guard.
Sarita Bernadette:Joseph served faithfully in the house of this important officer, and as he served, he grew closer to God. According to Genesis 39 verses three and four, Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. As a result, the Lord blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake.
Sarita Bernadette:Things were going well until Potiphar's wife became attracted to Joseph and attempted to seduce him several times. Joseph refused her advances, so she became angry and accused him of sexual assault. As a result, Joseph was thrown in jail. But he didn't get bitter. He continued to serve with integrity.
Sarita Bernadette:Genesis 39 verses 21 through 23. But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything.
Sarita Bernadette:The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. Now a cup bearer and a baker who worked for the pharaoh were also in prison at the same time. They had some disturbing dreams, and Joseph interpreted them. The cup bearer promised to help Joseph get out of prison when he was released. However, when he was released, he forgot about Joseph.
Sarita Bernadette:And so Joseph waited in the prison until the pharaoh himself had a couple of disturbing dreams that no one could interpret. Then the cup bearer finally remembered Joseph, and he called for him. Pharaoh told Joseph that he'd heard about his ability to interpret dreams. In Genesis 41 verse 16, Joseph answered Pharaoh, it is not I. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.
Sarita Bernadette:Joseph gave the credit entirely to God rather than claiming his own understanding. Joseph told Pharaoh that the interpretation did not come from his own power, but from the Lord. Then Joseph continually tapped into the wisdom of God as he interpreted the dreams and explained their meaning. He told Pharaoh that his two dreams meant Egypt would have seven years of great food and wealth, followed by seven years of severe famine. In Genesis forty one and thirty two, Joseph says, as for having two similar dreams, it means that these events have been decreed by God, and he will soon make them happen.
Sarita Bernadette:He acknowledged the fact that it was God speaking through him. Joseph then gave Pharaoh advice as to how to respond to what he'd heard. Tapping into God's gift of wisdom, he gave Pharaoh a strategic plan with five core parts. Genesis forty one thirty three through 36. Therefore, Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt.
Sarita Bernadette:Then pharaohs should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to the pharaoh's storehouses. Store it away and guard it so that there will be food in the cities. That way, there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise, this famine will destroy the land.
Sarita Bernadette:In response, Pharaoh rewarded Joseph by making him his right hand man. Listen, Genesis 41 verses 37 through 40. Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. So Pharaoh asked his officials, can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly, no one else is as intelligent or as wise as you are.
Sarita Bernadette:You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours. After spending thirteen years in prison, Joseph was finally freed at the age of 30 and put in charge as preparation was made for the seven years of famine. Because of God's wisdom, they were ready when famine finally hit Egypt. As a matter of fact, Egypt had surplus, and they were able to help people from all over.
Sarita Bernadette:Re enter Joseph's brothers. They were on the verge of starvation, and their father Jacob sent them to Egypt to buy food. Joseph recognized them, but they didn't recognize him. Joseph was 40 years old by that time and it had been twenty three years since they sold him into slavery. Instead of using his power to get back at his brothers, Joseph chose to extend mercy and grace.
Sarita Bernadette:He forgave them, embraced them, and fed them. He moved his entire family closer to him and was finally reunited with his father, Jacob. Acts seven ten declares God gave Joseph unusual wisdom. Another translation says, God was with him and enabled him to win favor and show wisdom while enslaved, imprisoned, and as Pharaoh's next in command. Beloved, God's wisdom is available today to give us supernatural insight and practical strategies that we can apply to our everyday lives.
Sarita Bernadette:Just ask and listen. Ask for wisdom about everything. There is nothing off limits or too complex for our Creator. Romans sixteen twenty seven To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.
Sarita Bernadette:This is Joy In Every Step. I'm Sarita Bernadette, and I'm grateful you chose to spend some time here with me. Feel free to share this episode with someone you know would appreciate it. You can find Joy In Every Step wherever you listen to your podcasts and give us a follow there. Do check out the website at joyineverystep.org.
Sarita Bernadette:See you next time.
Creators and Guests
