During His earthly ministry Jesus needed 'the Spirit of wisdom' when it came to making decisions and dealing with the enemy. As believers, that same Spirit lives in us. James 3:15 says ungodly wisdom has three aspects. It's: (1) Earthly, so it isn't always dependable because 'Sometimes what seems right is really a road to death.' (Proverbs 16:25 CEV) (2) Sensual, based on emotions that can lead to confusion, hurt, and jealousy. (3) Demonic; that is, selfish, lustful, and ungodly. Godly wisdom, however, '...[comes] from above is...pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and...hypocrisy.' (James 3:17 NKJV) The Bible says, '[When] you need wisdom, ask...God, and He will give it to you...' (James 1:5 NLT) And when you're praying, ask yourself these questions: (a) Are my motives pure or will I be ashamed of them later on? (b) Will my decision result in mercy and compassion or strife and stress? (c) Have I considered all the people who'll be affected by the outcome? (d) Am I willing to submit to what God wants or am I determined to plough on regardless? (e) Will the end result cause me to have a harsh attitude or will it produce an environment where love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control can grow? (Galatians 5:22-23) (f) Is it fair and impartial or does it favour a particular person or group? (g) Can I in good conscience pursue this particular course of action or does it involve some level of deceit and selfishness?

SoulFood: 3 John, Jude, John 13:31-38, Ps 118:1-9, Pr 27: 23-27