Do you want to know how to apply biblical truth in your circumstances and obtain wisdom from God? Lately, I’ve been thirsting to know and understand God’s wisdom in certain areas of my life.

I’ve searched for answers to questions like—who can know the wisdom of God for their life and how do we obtain it? 

I’m happy to say that A.W. Tozer’s book, The Wisdom of God really helped answer my questions and brought me to a place of searching scripture to fully understand what the Bible says about God’s divine wisdom.

This book is a compilation of sermons A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) preached in the early 1960’s. I’ve heard so many respected pastors and bloggers quote A.W. Tozer. Many years ago I read his book, The Pursuit of God.  His writing is emphatic and profound. It took time for his thought- provoking words to fully penetrate my mind and soul. 

That’s why I read this book slowly. I wanted to take it all in. I highlighted quotes throughout and even read some chapters twice. When I was done I did a quick overview of the entire book and jotted down notes.

I was confused after I read the first chapter of the book.  I had recently read James 1:5 that says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask of God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

“God gives generously to all” made me think that God gives wisdom to everyone. I assumed that meant any Christian or non-Christian no matter what. A.W. Tozer says that wisdom is a gift to the believer that comes from God. 

God’s wisdom flows from His heart into the heart of the man who has humbled himself before the Lord. God always insists that we turn away from evil, repent, believe in God, and trust in the Lord. That is the beginning of wisdom. 

 

When I went back to James to read the entirety of the chapter and book I discovered that I had taken the verse out of context which caused me to misinterpret its intended meaning.

James is writing to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world because of persecution. He wanted to encourage them to seek God’s wisdom so they can endure trials with joy.

Reading the verses before and after James 1:5 made the meaning clear to me—everything I was reading in Tozer’s book was confirmed through scripture.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6

In the context of James, wisdom refers to the wisdom we need to endure trials with God’s joy.  And since God is the source of all wisdom, the more we know and commit to following him in obedience, the more of God’s wisdom we will find. 

I appreciated Tozer’s direct approach as he made known his thoughts about how a Christian’s life should show evidence of repentance from sin.

Does anybody preach on overcoming anymore? Is not this a good evangelical doctrine? Or are we so afraid that we will distract from the glory of grace that we are no longer teaching people that they must overcome? We have to be overcomers and to do so there must be a fight.

Any interpretation of grace and mercy that allows sin to appear even reasonably excusable in the eyes of God is not a proper interpretation. Any doctrine, any view of sin that allows it to be excused in any way is not biblical.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the wisdom of God. Though the writing is formal, I find it challenges me to think deeply about doctrine. 

You will learn the different types of wisdom, what God’s wisdom is, how to obtain God’s wisdom, how God’s wisdom will help you and the evidence of God’s wisdom in your life. 

I can’t wait to read more of A.W. Tozer’s books!

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

This post was linked to the Quick Lit Book Reading Link-Up!