1 00:00:02,630 --> 00:00:07,170 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey there, Heather Creekmore here. Thanks for listening 2 00:00:07,190 --> 00:00:09,810 Speaker 1: to the Compared To Podcast today. Have you ever thought 3 00:00:09,910 --> 00:00:14,420 Speaker 1: about how crazy it is that we have so much 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: knowledge now? I mean, think about how even 30 years ago, 5 00:00:19,890 --> 00:00:23,810 Speaker 1: people walked around without knowing in real time what their 6 00:00:24,430 --> 00:00:28,260 Speaker 1: hurt rate was, what their blood sugar was, what the 7 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:33,980 Speaker 1: exact location of their entire family was. If they had 8 00:00:34,020 --> 00:00:37,710 Speaker 1: a strange rash, they may have asked a family member 9 00:00:37,850 --> 00:00:41,810 Speaker 1: who had to glean from any experience they had with 10 00:00:41,870 --> 00:00:45,230 Speaker 1: strange rashes as they gave their assessment. But they had 11 00:00:45,250 --> 00:00:48,170 Speaker 1: to do that while they waited for a doctor's appointment 12 00:00:48,409 --> 00:00:51,580 Speaker 1: to get that rash diagnosed. There was no Googling. There 13 00:00:51,590 --> 00:00:53,660 Speaker 1: was no taking a picture of it and putting it 14 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,300 Speaker 1: into Gemini and having AI diagnose you. You did not 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,450 Speaker 1: have access to that kind of knowledge. We're in a 16 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,750 Speaker 1: series called Over the Influence, and today we're going to 17 00:01:03,790 --> 00:01:06,250 Speaker 1: talk about what I believe is one of the most 18 00:01:06,430 --> 00:01:10,930 Speaker 1: dangerous aspects of how we're influenced. That is, we have 19 00:01:11,410 --> 00:01:18,450 Speaker 1: so much knowledge, so much access to know just about anything. 20 00:01:18,910 --> 00:01:21,490 Speaker 1: But is that good for us? I mean, we can't 21 00:01:21,530 --> 00:01:24,330 Speaker 1: change it. We don't really want to change it. The 22 00:01:24,370 --> 00:01:31,430 Speaker 1: challenge is this information does influence us. And honestly, AI 23 00:01:31,450 --> 00:01:36,830 Speaker 1: and Google aren't always right. They may make some good points, 24 00:01:37,670 --> 00:01:41,729 Speaker 1: but just because AI or Google says it, perhaps we 25 00:01:41,770 --> 00:01:45,190 Speaker 1: shouldn't always believe it. But today I want to explore 26 00:01:45,730 --> 00:01:49,790 Speaker 1: what all of this knowledge may be doing to us 27 00:01:49,870 --> 00:01:53,190 Speaker 1: in terms of how we're influenced and how it may 28 00:01:53,490 --> 00:01:57,850 Speaker 1: also be affecting our faith. So today we're breaking down 29 00:01:57,930 --> 00:02:03,490 Speaker 1: what is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? And what 30 00:02:03,510 --> 00:02:06,590 Speaker 1: are we doing with all this knowledge in the realm 31 00:02:06,650 --> 00:02:09,570 Speaker 1: of being influenced? How is this really affecting us? Hey, 32 00:02:09,590 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you're here. Thank you so much for 33 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,780 Speaker 1: listening to this show. If you've not left a review yet, man, 34 00:02:15,860 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: that's the nicest thing you could do. If this show 35 00:02:17,460 --> 00:02:20,299 Speaker 1: has blessed you, leave us a review wherever you listen 36 00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:23,579 Speaker 1: to your podcast. That will help other people find the 37 00:02:23,620 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: show and know which episodes are best to listen to. Also, 38 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,279 Speaker 1: let me encourage you to go check out improvebodyimage.com. That's 39 00:02:30,300 --> 00:02:31,980 Speaker 1: where you can find out how to work with me 40 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: in coaching. You can find free plans on YouVersion, the 41 00:02:36,380 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: Bible app. You can find out about all of my 42 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,590 Speaker 1: books and so much more. Go to improvebodyimage.com and you'll 43 00:02:43,660 --> 00:02:46,790 Speaker 1: find all the things compared to you on that site. 44 00:02:55,780 --> 00:03:00,220 Speaker 1: So today we're looking at knowledge versus wisdom. I think 45 00:03:01,020 --> 00:03:05,860 Speaker 1: these two concepts get really confused because we live in 46 00:03:05,900 --> 00:03:08,900 Speaker 1: an information age where, like I said in the intro, 47 00:03:08,940 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: we have access to so much information that sometimes we 48 00:03:15,810 --> 00:03:20,190 Speaker 1: can feel like we are being wise because we're operating 49 00:03:20,810 --> 00:03:24,620 Speaker 1: according to something we know and But maybe we know 50 00:03:24,740 --> 00:03:27,910 Speaker 1: it because we just happen to watch 100 videos on it. 51 00:03:28,380 --> 00:03:30,380 Speaker 1: You know, the funniest thing happened to me the other day. 52 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: I was talking to a friend and we were trying 53 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,060 Speaker 1: to figure out, we're going to work out together and 54 00:03:34,090 --> 00:03:36,910 Speaker 1: we were trying to figure out like what we should do. 55 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:41,190 Speaker 1: And it was so, so much just a wake up 56 00:03:41,250 --> 00:03:47,350 Speaker 1: call that my Instagram, Facebook, like Reels feed is not 57 00:03:47,410 --> 00:03:51,220 Speaker 1: the same as everyone else's. And so in my feed, 58 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,340 Speaker 1: I see information over and over and over again about 59 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,500 Speaker 1: how I should be lifting weights, lifting weights, lifting weights. 60 00:03:57,540 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: And it was so funny because she was saying, well, 61 00:04:01,820 --> 00:04:04,530 Speaker 1: what I'm seeing is that we really shouldn't be lifting 62 00:04:04,590 --> 00:04:07,690 Speaker 1: as many weights. We really should be doing like Pilates 63 00:04:07,770 --> 00:04:10,570 Speaker 1: and stretching and things like that. And it just was 64 00:04:10,930 --> 00:04:15,610 Speaker 1: so contrary to the quote unquote knowledge that I have 65 00:04:15,730 --> 00:04:18,870 Speaker 1: gleaned that I had to kind of stop for a 66 00:04:18,930 --> 00:04:21,470 Speaker 1: second and think, well, how do I know what I know? 67 00:04:21,490 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: I would say, I know what I know. And I 68 00:04:24,779 --> 00:04:27,540 Speaker 1: would almost say, I know what I know is true. 69 00:04:28,740 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: But then I stopped and I was like, oh, wait, 70 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: I just know that from watching videos on the internet, right? 71 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,610 Speaker 1: Or from reading articles on the internet that are curated 72 00:04:37,730 --> 00:04:40,870 Speaker 1: for me, probably because I hovered over those articles. And 73 00:04:40,890 --> 00:04:43,490 Speaker 1: so they just send me more and more articles and 74 00:04:43,510 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: videos on the same topic, right? I'm being influenced. I'm 75 00:04:46,940 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: being pushed into knowing a lot about one area from 76 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: a specific subset of people talking about it from the 77 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,630 Speaker 1: perspective I'm looking for. And that's completely different than what 78 00:05:00,790 --> 00:05:03,790 Speaker 1: even my friends who live less than a mile away 79 00:05:03,930 --> 00:05:09,050 Speaker 1: are seeing. So it's really important that we understand there's 80 00:05:09,089 --> 00:05:13,030 Speaker 1: a difference between knowledge and wisdom. And not all knowledge 81 00:05:13,050 --> 00:05:19,550 Speaker 1: is created equally. But knowledge isn't bad, right? Scripture talks 82 00:05:19,589 --> 00:05:23,250 Speaker 1: a lot about knowledge. It's fine to have knowledge. But 83 00:05:23,370 --> 00:05:26,250 Speaker 1: let's just be clear about the difference between knowledge and wisdom. 84 00:05:26,270 --> 00:05:29,529 Speaker 1: Maybe you've heard the old saying, right? Knowledge is knowing 85 00:05:29,570 --> 00:05:32,570 Speaker 1: that tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to 86 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:35,109 Speaker 1: put it in your fruit salad, right? It's sort of 87 00:05:35,190 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: the same. So knowledge, just technically, definition here, Knowledge is information, facts, 88 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: and understanding. It's the accumulation of truth. Facts, instruction, awareness. 89 00:05:47,220 --> 00:05:51,620 Speaker 1: And scripture does value knowledge, but it treats knowledge as 90 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,550 Speaker 1: incomplete on its own. And I think that's important. So 91 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,150 Speaker 1: let's just like check out a couple of verses here. 92 00:05:57,210 --> 00:06:00,909 Speaker 1: Proverbs 1, 7. The fear of the Lord is the 93 00:06:00,970 --> 00:06:05,030 Speaker 1: beginning of knowledge. So knowledge has a starting point. And 94 00:06:05,070 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: the starting point is what you believe about God. Friend, 95 00:06:09,420 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: that is so important, right? Because if knowledge has a 96 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,130 Speaker 1: starting point of what this guy on the internet said, 97 00:06:16,589 --> 00:06:20,370 Speaker 1: that's not grounded in absolute truth. That's not grounded in 98 00:06:20,750 --> 00:06:24,630 Speaker 1: God's truth. That could very well be grounded in the 99 00:06:24,710 --> 00:06:28,550 Speaker 1: world's truth. So we have to be careful when assessing 100 00:06:28,630 --> 00:06:32,950 Speaker 1: that sort of knowledge because it doesn't have the right foundation. 101 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:38,390 Speaker 1: Proverbs 18, 15, an intelligent heart acquires knowledge. And the 102 00:06:38,450 --> 00:06:42,370 Speaker 1: ear of the wise seeks knowledge, right? So there's nothing 103 00:06:42,550 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: wrong with trying to seek and gather knowledge. Hosea 4.6 104 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, right? 105 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,339 Speaker 1: Like ignorance has consequences. We don't want to be like 106 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: just the ignorance is bliss, like put your hands, the 107 00:06:57,820 --> 00:07:02,620 Speaker 1: monkey hiding his ears and eyes, like I know nothing, right? 108 00:07:02,660 --> 00:07:06,780 Speaker 1: That's not what scripture endorses. Instead, it's that we have 109 00:07:06,820 --> 00:07:09,700 Speaker 1: to be careful about how we seek knowledge and then 110 00:07:09,740 --> 00:07:12,690 Speaker 1: what we do with it. Think about 1 Corinthians 8.1. 111 00:07:12,690 --> 00:07:18,610 Speaker 1: It talks about how knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 112 00:07:19,330 --> 00:07:24,230 Speaker 1: Knowledge on its own can produce love. pride. Oh, friend, 113 00:07:24,250 --> 00:07:27,210 Speaker 1: I have seen this. I have lived this. It's embarrassing 114 00:07:27,250 --> 00:07:30,010 Speaker 1: to say, but I mean, I was an early adopter 115 00:07:30,050 --> 00:07:34,030 Speaker 1: for gluten free. And I remember thinking that gluten free 116 00:07:34,070 --> 00:07:36,710 Speaker 1: and really even dairy free, like those were the superior 117 00:07:36,750 --> 00:07:41,309 Speaker 1: ways to eat. And because I knew so much because 118 00:07:41,370 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: I had read and watched so many videos, I knew 119 00:07:45,060 --> 00:07:48,620 Speaker 1: so much. I had so much knowledge around gluten and 120 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: dairy and what it did to your body that, oh, friend, 121 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,390 Speaker 1: it produced in me. So then I would go and 122 00:07:56,430 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: watch people eat pizza and be like, oh, they must 123 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: not know. Not that I said anything. I just angrily 124 00:08:05,020 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: ate my salad alone thinking, oh, it's a shame. They're 125 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: so ignorant of what those foods are doing to their body. 126 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,340 Speaker 1: And now I think all of that is poppycock because 127 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,820 Speaker 1: even like what was knowledge around some of that then 128 00:08:18,980 --> 00:08:23,570 Speaker 1: has changed, right? Knowledge is constantly changing. We always know more. 129 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,820 Speaker 1: But what that knowledge produced in me was not anything 130 00:08:27,860 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: that looked like fruit of the spirit. It was pride. 131 00:08:30,740 --> 00:08:34,410 Speaker 1: So we have to be careful in our accumulation of 132 00:08:34,470 --> 00:08:38,890 Speaker 1: knowledge as we are influenced around knowledge, not to let 133 00:08:39,070 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: our outcome be one where I am superior to you 134 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,950 Speaker 1: because I know all the things. Sometimes I wonder if 135 00:08:46,990 --> 00:08:50,330 Speaker 1: we'd all be better off just getting off all the socials, 136 00:08:50,370 --> 00:08:54,270 Speaker 1: YouTube included, getting off the internet and no longer knowing 137 00:08:54,570 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: all the things because knowing all the things can make 138 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,939 Speaker 1: us not as loving of a person. And in fact, 139 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: Paul even recognizes this before the internet existed in 1 140 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,510 Speaker 1: Corinthians 13 too. Paul says, even with all knowledge. If 141 00:09:10,550 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: you don't have love, you'll have nothing. Okay, then let's 142 00:09:14,010 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: talk about wisdom. So wisdom, by definition, is the skillful, 143 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:24,460 Speaker 1: godly appreciation and use of knowledge. So the Hebrew word 144 00:09:24,740 --> 00:09:29,390 Speaker 1: chakma describes skill or mastery, kind of like a craftsman 145 00:09:29,490 --> 00:09:35,870 Speaker 1: who would build something masterfully. Wisdom is knowing what to do, when, 146 00:09:35,890 --> 00:09:40,069 Speaker 1: and why. and then doing it in a way that 147 00:09:40,190 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: honors God. Okay, so let's go back to scripture. Proverbs 9.10, 148 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: the fear of the Lord is also the beginning of wisdom, 149 00:09:47,420 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight, right? 150 00:09:51,940 --> 00:09:54,170 Speaker 1: So Proverbs 1.7 was the fear of the Lord is 151 00:09:54,210 --> 00:09:56,250 Speaker 1: the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 9.10, the fear of the 152 00:09:56,510 --> 00:09:58,929 Speaker 1: Lord is the beginning of wisdom, right? So you're not 153 00:09:58,950 --> 00:10:01,260 Speaker 1: going to find, I mean, there is wisdom in this world, 154 00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:03,620 Speaker 1: and we're going to talk about that in just a minute, right? 155 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: But your wisdom has to be rooted in your reverence 156 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: of God and your understanding of God's truth is the truth, 157 00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:15,310 Speaker 1: and there's no other truth other than God's truth. Proverbs 4, 7, 158 00:10:15,309 --> 00:10:18,589 Speaker 1: the beginning of wisdom is this, get wisdom and whatever 159 00:10:18,650 --> 00:10:25,459 Speaker 1: you get, get insight, right? Wisdom is where our insight begins. 160 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: You can have knowledge of a situation and not have 161 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,359 Speaker 1: wisdom and insight into the situation. James 1, 5, if 162 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who 163 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,739 Speaker 1: gives generously to all without reproach and it will be 164 00:10:40,780 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: given him. Like this is, this should be your life 165 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,700 Speaker 1: verse friend. Like we pick a lot of life verses out, 166 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,130 Speaker 1: but this one, this one speaks to me because I 167 00:10:49,190 --> 00:10:54,090 Speaker 1: think about how God was so pleased with Solomon when 168 00:10:54,630 --> 00:10:56,690 Speaker 1: God said, you can ask for anything. And he asked 169 00:10:56,910 --> 00:11:00,329 Speaker 1: for wisdom. Why is this man who ever lived right? 170 00:11:00,370 --> 00:11:02,510 Speaker 1: And James one five tells us there is one prayer 171 00:11:02,530 --> 00:11:04,630 Speaker 1: you can ask and God is going to give it 172 00:11:04,650 --> 00:11:09,020 Speaker 1: to you every time. And that's wisdom, right? If you 173 00:11:09,059 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: lack wisdom, ask God who gives generously to all without 174 00:11:11,860 --> 00:11:14,620 Speaker 1: reproach and it will be given to him. Friend, how 175 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,179 Speaker 1: often are you praying for wisdom? Like as I think 176 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: about us being influenced or overly influenced, I think about 177 00:11:22,820 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 1: my shallow quest to gain more and more and more 178 00:11:26,580 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: and more knowledge. But what would my life look like 179 00:11:29,580 --> 00:11:32,500 Speaker 1: if I spent all of that time I am using 180 00:11:32,700 --> 00:11:34,970 Speaker 1: to glean knowledge, if I spent all that time praying 181 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,930 Speaker 1: for wisdom? Wow. Wow. feels like it wouldn't be life-changing, 182 00:11:40,990 --> 00:11:46,359 Speaker 1: wouldn't it? James 3, 13, and then again, verse 17. 183 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: Wisdom shows itself in conduct. Who is wise in understanding 184 00:11:50,740 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: a menu? By his good conduct, let him show his 185 00:11:53,720 --> 00:12:00,250 Speaker 1: works in the meekness of wisdom. So heavenly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, 186 00:12:00,750 --> 00:12:05,970 Speaker 1: open to reason, full of mercy, and good fruits. So James, again, 187 00:12:06,050 --> 00:12:09,850 Speaker 1: talking about wisdom and at first he's saying, like, we 188 00:12:09,890 --> 00:12:14,870 Speaker 1: can tell who's wise by the way they conduct themselves, 189 00:12:14,990 --> 00:12:21,699 Speaker 1: by their meekness. Wisdom isn't haughty. Wisdom isn't prideful, right? 190 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,780 Speaker 1: It's doing what God has called us to do in 191 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: meekness and humility. But then in verse 17, heavenly wisdom, 192 00:12:29,940 --> 00:12:33,380 Speaker 1: we're going to talk because there's another verse later that 193 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:34,820 Speaker 1: we're going to get to where it talks about the 194 00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: difference between heavenly wisdom and earthly wisdom, right? But heavenly 195 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of 196 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,270 Speaker 1: mercy and good fruits. So you can tell whether or 197 00:12:45,330 --> 00:12:48,250 Speaker 1: not wisdom is from above, or the wisdom is from God, 198 00:12:48,850 --> 00:12:51,869 Speaker 1: or if it's the world's wisdom. And then finally, Matthew 7, 199 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:52,970 Speaker 1: 24 to 27. Here, Matthew says, the wise man hears 200 00:12:52,990 --> 00:13:01,730 Speaker 1: Jesus's words, and does them. The foolish man hears them 201 00:13:01,809 --> 00:13:06,710 Speaker 1: and doesn't do them. Both people had the same information 202 00:13:06,730 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 1: in this story, but only one had wisdom. So if 203 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,420 Speaker 1: I were to make a chart, here's what you need 204 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: to know. Knowledge is knowing what. Wisdom is knowing the 205 00:13:19,230 --> 00:13:23,570 Speaker 1: how and the why. Knowledge focuses on information and truth, 206 00:13:23,710 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: but wisdom focuses on application and discernment. Knowledge can make 207 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:37,750 Speaker 1: us prideful, puff with pride, but wisdom should result in humility. Knowledge, 208 00:13:38,450 --> 00:13:41,390 Speaker 1: you can talk about knowledge. Knowledge is kind of what 209 00:13:41,410 --> 00:13:44,989 Speaker 1: you say. I mean, that's what you do a reel on. 210 00:13:45,630 --> 00:13:49,099 Speaker 1: But wisdom is more about how you actually live. And 211 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: knowledge you can glean from learning and from studying, but 212 00:13:53,660 --> 00:13:57,660 Speaker 1: wisdom we need to glean from the Lord in prayer. 213 00:13:58,860 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: Proverbs 2, 6 says, the Lord gives wisdom. From his 214 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,220 Speaker 1: mouth come knowledge and understanding. So really, I mean, like 215 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:09,770 Speaker 1: I said, our true source of both knowledge and wisdom 216 00:14:09,890 --> 00:14:14,809 Speaker 1: should be God. But wisdom is the higher skill level. 217 00:14:15,230 --> 00:14:20,050 Speaker 1: It's using what you know well. So let's talk about 218 00:14:20,190 --> 00:14:24,670 Speaker 1: how this relates to all those reels that you're influenced by, right? 219 00:14:25,030 --> 00:14:31,110 Speaker 1: The supplement ads, right? the food and exercise experts, right? 220 00:14:31,790 --> 00:14:40,990 Speaker 1: Their knowledge may be helpful, but wisdom is discerning. Well, 221 00:14:41,250 --> 00:14:43,230 Speaker 1: first of all, discerning the truth because you guys, so 222 00:14:43,290 --> 00:14:46,330 Speaker 1: many of these ads are AI now. We don't even 223 00:14:46,370 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: know that that is a real woman telling us that 224 00:14:49,860 --> 00:14:53,740 Speaker 1: she's made that recipe or that she lost that weight. 225 00:14:54,850 --> 00:14:58,350 Speaker 1: It's kind of crazy. It's hard to discern what is 226 00:14:58,490 --> 00:15:05,260 Speaker 1: true online now. But more so, wisdom is saying, hey, 227 00:15:05,940 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: that influencer may have said something that could help me. 228 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,700 Speaker 1: Or they may not have. Or what I just heard 229 00:15:14,740 --> 00:15:19,130 Speaker 1: there might cause me to obsess. Or what I just 230 00:15:19,170 --> 00:15:22,270 Speaker 1: heard there might not be true for me at all, 231 00:15:22,430 --> 00:15:26,490 Speaker 1: even though it was true for them. Or what they 232 00:15:26,590 --> 00:15:32,790 Speaker 1: just like showed me, hmm, that could have worked for them, 233 00:15:33,590 --> 00:15:36,970 Speaker 1: but maybe that would actually be harmful for me and 234 00:15:37,010 --> 00:15:40,410 Speaker 1: my body. And friend, like that's a challenge. You can 235 00:15:40,750 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: glean more knowledge, more knowledge, more knowledge. But unless you 236 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: have God's wisdom to filter all this knowledge, it's crazy making, 237 00:15:51,060 --> 00:15:54,830 Speaker 1: isn't it? We can't possibly apply all the tips and 238 00:15:54,870 --> 00:15:57,230 Speaker 1: tricks we're getting. We could make thousands of them a day. 239 00:15:57,310 --> 00:15:59,550 Speaker 1: If you really stopped and counted, that would probably be 240 00:15:59,570 --> 00:16:02,860 Speaker 1: at a pretty accurate number. The other aspect to wisdom 241 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: is discernment. So you can have lots and lots of knowledge, 242 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: but wisdom is what allows us to have discernment, to 243 00:16:12,420 --> 00:16:16,010 Speaker 1: know whether or not these things, these facts that are 244 00:16:16,030 --> 00:16:23,330 Speaker 1: being presented to us, are actually helpful or false, not helpful, 245 00:16:23,370 --> 00:16:26,790 Speaker 1: or maybe just not helpful to us. When Solomon asked 246 00:16:27,110 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: for wisdom, part of his request, 1 Kings 3, 9, 247 00:16:31,510 --> 00:16:37,890 Speaker 1: was that he could discern between good and evil. Philippians 1, 248 00:16:37,890 --> 00:16:41,620 Speaker 1: 9 and 10 shows that Paul prays that love would 249 00:16:41,660 --> 00:16:46,410 Speaker 1: abound with knowledge and all discernment. so that you can 250 00:16:46,490 --> 00:16:52,750 Speaker 1: approve what is excellent. Knowledge gives the content, but discernment 251 00:16:52,890 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: and wisdom shows us how to apply what we know. 252 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: Knowledge without wisdom, without discernment just leaves us carried along 253 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,630 Speaker 1: by the tide, right? Like this is how we become 254 00:17:06,710 --> 00:17:09,350 Speaker 1: overly influenced. That's why we were avoiding fat in the 255 00:17:09,690 --> 00:17:13,990 Speaker 1: 1980s and then eating fat bombs in 2010. Knowledge changes. 256 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:15,780 Speaker 1: Eggs are good. Eggs are bad. Eggs are good again. 257 00:17:16,660 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: If you're like me, you did hours of cardio in 258 00:17:18,820 --> 00:17:21,340 Speaker 1: the 90s because that's how you got fit and healthy 259 00:17:21,740 --> 00:17:23,780 Speaker 1: and you avoided weights if you're a woman. And now 260 00:17:23,820 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: you're supposed to avoid cardio. I mean, knowledge is always changing. Remember, 261 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: doctors used to think using leeches on patients was good 262 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:36,850 Speaker 1: medical treatment. I feel like enough said there. And the 263 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,010 Speaker 1: danger is, like Ephesians 4 describes, that we will be 264 00:17:40,090 --> 00:17:43,590 Speaker 1: tossed and fro, the verse 414, so that we may 265 00:17:43,670 --> 00:17:47,909 Speaker 1: no longer be children. Do children have good discernment? No. 266 00:17:48,290 --> 00:17:51,230 Speaker 1: That's why we have to grow up. That's what I 267 00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:54,390 Speaker 1: talk to my clients about all the time. We have 268 00:17:54,430 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: to grow up. And I say it so lovingly, but 269 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,020 Speaker 1: spiritual maturity is really at the root of most of 270 00:18:01,060 --> 00:18:04,100 Speaker 1: these issues that we struggle with, be it body image, 271 00:18:04,170 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: be it food, you name it. If we can grow 272 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: up in Jesus, so many of our struggles will start 273 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:17,650 Speaker 1: to fade. It's about maturity, maturity growing up in him 274 00:18:17,690 --> 00:18:21,570 Speaker 1: in every way who is the head is Ephesians 4.15, right? 275 00:18:21,609 --> 00:18:24,109 Speaker 1: But back to 4.14, so we may no longer be 276 00:18:24,150 --> 00:18:27,750 Speaker 1: children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried 277 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:33,530 Speaker 1: about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning. Hello, reels, 278 00:18:34,330 --> 00:18:40,060 Speaker 1: by craftiness and deceitful schemes. Man, hello, some diet companies 279 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: out there that are trying to trick you in various 280 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 1: ways into buying their plan or spending a ton of 281 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,550 Speaker 1: money on something that really is just going to starve you. 282 00:18:50,570 --> 00:18:53,629 Speaker 1: I mean, oh, there's so many schemes out there and 283 00:18:53,670 --> 00:18:57,810 Speaker 1: we have to find the wisdom to be mature, to 284 00:18:58,070 --> 00:19:00,430 Speaker 1: grow up in him so that we have the discernment 285 00:19:01,010 --> 00:19:04,980 Speaker 1: to tell What is helpful knowledge and what is unhelpful 286 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,700 Speaker 1: to us? Wisdom gives us a filter and it gives 287 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,940 Speaker 1: us an anchor. Okay, let's look at a couple more 288 00:19:10,980 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 1: verses here. I'm really hitting you with tons of verses today. 289 00:19:13,780 --> 00:19:17,360 Speaker 1: But wisdom gives us a filter. 1 Thessalonians 5.21, test everything, 290 00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:21,310 Speaker 1: hold fast to what is good. Wisdom doesn't reject all input, 291 00:19:21,930 --> 00:19:25,409 Speaker 1: but it also doesn't swallow everything it hears and learns. 292 00:19:25,570 --> 00:19:29,510 Speaker 1: It tests things first. 1 John 4.1 says, do not 293 00:19:29,550 --> 00:19:32,570 Speaker 1: believe every spirit, But test the spirits to see whether 294 00:19:32,609 --> 00:19:36,129 Speaker 1: or not they are from God. There are confident, spiritual-sounding 295 00:19:36,190 --> 00:19:40,510 Speaker 1: voices out there that you still need to test. I 296 00:19:40,550 --> 00:19:43,190 Speaker 1: was in a group the other day, and I had 297 00:19:43,210 --> 00:19:45,710 Speaker 1: a woman tell me that she learned from a pastor 298 00:19:45,750 --> 00:19:49,949 Speaker 1: that we had to love ourselves before we could love others. 299 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,350 Speaker 1: And I was like, test that friend, like read the Bible. 300 00:19:54,369 --> 00:19:57,770 Speaker 1: It says there in that Matthew passage that there's only 301 00:19:57,830 --> 00:20:00,510 Speaker 1: two commandments. To say that I have to love myself 302 00:20:00,590 --> 00:20:03,610 Speaker 1: before I can love others or love God well, just 303 00:20:03,750 --> 00:20:07,210 Speaker 1: isn't in the Bible. Not everyone wearing the label of 304 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:12,379 Speaker 1: Christian or Christian authority is is actually speaking God's truth. 305 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:16,260 Speaker 1: So you have to know the word and that gives 306 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:20,330 Speaker 1: you a filter to figure out what is true. Test 307 00:20:20,460 --> 00:20:25,260 Speaker 1: the spirits. Wisdom also gives us an anchor. Psalms 1, 308 00:20:25,260 --> 00:20:27,449 Speaker 1: 1 through 3, the blessed person doesn't walk in the 309 00:20:27,510 --> 00:20:31,790 Speaker 1: counsel of the wicked, but delights in God's law and 310 00:20:31,850 --> 00:20:36,780 Speaker 1: is like a tree planted by streams of water. When 311 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,939 Speaker 1: you are wise, you are rooted, you are anchored in 312 00:20:41,020 --> 00:20:46,380 Speaker 1: God's truth. And that helps you to apply what knowledge 313 00:20:46,420 --> 00:20:51,570 Speaker 1: you hear through, again, that filter of wisdom. But I 314 00:20:51,609 --> 00:20:54,450 Speaker 1: told you we were going to look at how this 315 00:20:54,510 --> 00:20:59,790 Speaker 1: whole wisdom, knowledge, distinction affects our faith. And this is 316 00:20:59,830 --> 00:21:01,990 Speaker 1: something that's going to be part of my brand new 317 00:21:02,050 --> 00:21:04,510 Speaker 1: book coming out February 2nd. I'm so excited for it. 318 00:21:04,530 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: I hope you are too. It's called, Did I Say 319 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: the Right Thing? And a million other micro fears that 320 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: hold Christian women back. You can pre-order it on Amazon 321 00:21:15,510 --> 00:21:18,030 Speaker 1: right now. Just look up Heather Creekmore, Did I Say 322 00:21:18,050 --> 00:21:25,910 Speaker 1: the Right Thing? But friend, we are influenced and I'm 323 00:21:25,970 --> 00:21:30,990 Speaker 1: afraid that this abundance of knowledge that we have accumulated 324 00:21:31,010 --> 00:21:34,899 Speaker 1: is working against our faith. And let me tell you how. 325 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,500 Speaker 1: if I know all the things, do I actually have 326 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: to lean on and rely on the Lord in the 327 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,100 Speaker 1: same way as if I didn't know all the things, right? 328 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,220 Speaker 1: Like I was watching television yesterday and there are dozens 329 00:21:51,260 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: and dozens of pharmaceutical commercials. And I was just thinking 330 00:21:54,340 --> 00:21:58,100 Speaker 1: about this reality that like there are so many more 331 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,820 Speaker 1: specific like diseases and issues that are diagnosed now than 332 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,940 Speaker 1: there were even, you know, 15, 20, 30 years ago. Right. 333 00:22:04,980 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: And each of them has medication to help it or 334 00:22:07,780 --> 00:22:11,619 Speaker 1: to cure it even in some cases. Right. Which is fantastic. 335 00:22:11,660 --> 00:22:14,020 Speaker 1: I mean, if you have one of those specific issues, 336 00:22:14,420 --> 00:22:18,460 Speaker 1: like praise God that there's smart people out there developing 337 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:24,129 Speaker 1: a cure for you. But think about the reality that 338 00:22:24,150 --> 00:22:27,369 Speaker 1: if you had the symptoms related to your random, you know, 339 00:22:27,510 --> 00:22:29,950 Speaker 1: unique condition, if you had those symptoms 20 or 30 340 00:22:29,950 --> 00:22:32,830 Speaker 1: years ago, what did you have to do? Right. The 341 00:22:32,869 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: doctor's like, we don't know what it is. And so 342 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,369 Speaker 1: you have to just pray, right? Like, God, help me. Like, 343 00:22:38,869 --> 00:22:40,990 Speaker 1: help me with this thing. I don't know what to do. 344 00:22:41,090 --> 00:22:43,850 Speaker 1: Help me with this thing. Like you had to lean 345 00:22:44,109 --> 00:22:47,250 Speaker 1: on the Lord. If you're a person of faith, help me. 346 00:22:47,270 --> 00:22:51,889 Speaker 1: I don't know how I'm supposed to handle this or 347 00:22:52,030 --> 00:22:54,270 Speaker 1: cure me or like you just really had to lean in. 348 00:22:54,859 --> 00:22:57,959 Speaker 1: Now you can lean into Google. You can put all 349 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: your symptoms in and figure out, oh, I have this 350 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,730 Speaker 1: and then find the specific medication that addresses this and 351 00:23:04,810 --> 00:23:08,170 Speaker 1: feel like really your healing can come from a pill. 352 00:23:09,130 --> 00:23:12,490 Speaker 1: And again, I'm so grateful that there are pills out there. 353 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:17,379 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful that there are medicinal cures. But just 354 00:23:17,460 --> 00:23:22,380 Speaker 1: think about how the additional knowledge that we have culturally 355 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: may be affecting our first instinct, our gut instinct as 356 00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:32,850 Speaker 1: Christians to turn to God first. Right? It's harder now. 357 00:23:33,850 --> 00:23:37,669 Speaker 1: Another example. I was having a challenge with a teenager 358 00:23:37,690 --> 00:23:42,170 Speaker 1: this summer. And I've really been, like God's been working 359 00:23:42,260 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: on me around these influence issues for a year or 360 00:23:46,060 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: so now. So this isn't a new topic for me. 361 00:23:49,180 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: But one of the things God's been speaking to me 362 00:23:50,820 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 1: about is not turning to Google when I have a problem. 363 00:23:53,780 --> 00:23:58,980 Speaker 1: Not immediately Googling my issue and finding the answer. And 364 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,010 Speaker 1: I had a challenge with a teenager this summer. And 365 00:24:03,670 --> 00:24:06,310 Speaker 1: I was picking up my phone, ready to Google, what 366 00:24:06,350 --> 00:24:10,590 Speaker 1: do I do about? And I like almost audibly, it 367 00:24:10,630 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 1: wasn't actually audibly, but the Holy Spirit was like, no, 368 00:24:13,140 --> 00:24:15,340 Speaker 1: I want you to pray. I want you to ask me. 369 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,580 Speaker 1: I do not want you to Google that. Oh, that 370 00:24:18,619 --> 00:24:22,020 Speaker 1: was so hard. I went outside. I prayed. I said, God, 371 00:24:22,060 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: help me. Help me with this kid. Help me. Help 372 00:24:24,740 --> 00:24:26,109 Speaker 1: me know what to do. Help me know what to 373 00:24:26,220 --> 00:24:32,150 Speaker 1: say to this really difficult thing. And he was faithful. 374 00:24:32,170 --> 00:24:36,530 Speaker 1: He did help me. And I had a great conversation 375 00:24:36,609 --> 00:24:40,550 Speaker 1: and it went well. And I got to be honest, afterwards, 376 00:24:40,630 --> 00:24:42,930 Speaker 1: I Googled it anyway, even though I knew I shouldn't, 377 00:24:43,070 --> 00:24:46,390 Speaker 1: like I confessed, I repented of this. But I Googled anyway, 378 00:24:46,410 --> 00:24:50,129 Speaker 1: just to make sure I didn't miss anything. I mean, friend, that's, oh, 379 00:24:50,170 --> 00:24:54,250 Speaker 1: that's the ugliness, the messiness of what my own heart 380 00:24:54,350 --> 00:24:58,340 Speaker 1: is doing around these issues of knowledge. I really have 381 00:24:58,490 --> 00:25:02,189 Speaker 1: some level of trust. in strangers from the internet and 382 00:25:02,230 --> 00:25:06,310 Speaker 1: what they tell me. And that's a faith issue. My 383 00:25:06,410 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: heart needs to trust in God alone, right? Proverbs 3, 5, 384 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: and 6, I go back to this verse all the time, 385 00:25:13,460 --> 00:25:16,700 Speaker 1: but trust in the Lord with all your heart, right? 386 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,419 Speaker 1: Not trust in the Lord with half your heart and 387 00:25:18,460 --> 00:25:20,500 Speaker 1: trust in Google, the other half your heart. Trust the 388 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,629 Speaker 1: Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. 389 00:25:24,430 --> 00:25:26,270 Speaker 1: In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make 390 00:25:26,290 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: your paths straight. Oh, friend, who are we trusting and 391 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:36,189 Speaker 1: who do we believe is the best source of knowledge? 392 00:25:36,869 --> 00:25:39,230 Speaker 1: I mean, the other hard just reality here too is 393 00:25:39,790 --> 00:25:42,409 Speaker 1: when I pray and ask God to answer, sometimes he 394 00:25:42,450 --> 00:25:45,510 Speaker 1: doesn't give me the answer right away. Sometimes I have 395 00:25:45,550 --> 00:25:47,310 Speaker 1: to wait. In fact, a lot of times I have 396 00:25:47,350 --> 00:25:51,070 Speaker 1: to wait or I actually just have to keep walking 397 00:25:51,150 --> 00:25:54,990 Speaker 1: in faith, trusting him, not really sure whether or not 398 00:25:55,050 --> 00:25:58,609 Speaker 1: I'm getting it exactly right. But when I go to 399 00:25:58,710 --> 00:26:01,109 Speaker 1: Google and just type in the answer, I'm going to 400 00:26:01,130 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: get something spit out at me right away. There's an 401 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: instant gratification that comes with Google being my source of knowledge. 402 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:12,740 Speaker 1: And man, that's handy to have it come right away, 403 00:26:12,850 --> 00:26:18,530 Speaker 1: isn't it? But whose way is actually the best way? 404 00:26:18,609 --> 00:26:22,700 Speaker 1: Whose way is actually true? rooted in God's truth, absolute truth, right? 405 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,580 Speaker 1: The knowledge I'm getting from Google is not reliable. Friend, 406 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 1: I asked it some questions about me and my programs 407 00:26:29,780 --> 00:26:33,030 Speaker 1: one time a year or so ago, like just to 408 00:26:33,150 --> 00:26:35,510 Speaker 1: see how my marketing was and, you know, just to 409 00:26:35,530 --> 00:26:37,710 Speaker 1: kind of check a few things to see like what's 410 00:26:37,770 --> 00:26:40,770 Speaker 1: out there about me. And it explained to me one 411 00:26:40,790 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: of my programs and it said that it was written 412 00:26:44,460 --> 00:26:51,199 Speaker 1: by a doctor. She was a psychologist. I'm in Texas. 413 00:26:51,220 --> 00:26:54,820 Speaker 1: She was a psychologist in North Carolina who was a 414 00:26:54,900 --> 00:27:01,310 Speaker 1: big LGBTQ advocate. And then a friend of mine, and 415 00:27:01,350 --> 00:27:04,130 Speaker 1: it gave her the title of reverend. She is not 416 00:27:04,170 --> 00:27:08,859 Speaker 1: a reverend. It was so wrong. It just completely made 417 00:27:08,980 --> 00:27:11,900 Speaker 1: up the information it gave me. And so I wrote 418 00:27:11,940 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: back like, no, check again. That program was written by 419 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,900 Speaker 1: Heather Creekmore. And of course, it's like, oh, I'm so sorry, 420 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: you're correct. That program was written by Heather Creekmore. But 421 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,649 Speaker 1: it startled me into the reality of, like, I can't 422 00:27:24,710 --> 00:27:26,770 Speaker 1: rely on anything it tells me. I mean, it does 423 00:27:26,810 --> 00:27:29,530 Speaker 1: say on fine print at the bottom of ChatGPT and Claude, 424 00:27:29,570 --> 00:27:33,300 Speaker 1: it says, you know, that it could be wrong. But boy, 425 00:27:33,380 --> 00:27:37,540 Speaker 1: it presents things so confidently. And how would you know 426 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,180 Speaker 1: it was wrong unless you were testing something that you 427 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,180 Speaker 1: already knew for sure to be true? If you're sincerely 428 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,780 Speaker 1: seeking something, you don't know whether it's wrong or not. 429 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:53,700 Speaker 1: And so friends, that's my encouragement slash caution to you, right? 430 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: I want you to think today, are you focused on 431 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,570 Speaker 1: growing your knowledge? Do you have a thirst to just 432 00:27:59,609 --> 00:28:01,170 Speaker 1: know more and more and more and how to fix 433 00:28:01,270 --> 00:28:06,290 Speaker 1: it and what to do? Or are you seeking wisdom? 434 00:28:06,310 --> 00:28:09,070 Speaker 1: You know, and I changed the pace as I said 435 00:28:09,109 --> 00:28:11,490 Speaker 1: those two things because I feel like knowledge is quick. 436 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,780 Speaker 1: Like more, more, more, more, more. And wisdom is slow. 437 00:28:16,940 --> 00:28:20,880 Speaker 1: It's wow, what do I do here? God, help me 438 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:26,210 Speaker 1: navigate this. Help me be wise. And we want to 439 00:28:26,250 --> 00:28:29,689 Speaker 1: be wise God's way, right? Because let's go back to 440 00:28:29,730 --> 00:28:32,530 Speaker 1: James a second. James says there's two kinds of wisdom. 441 00:28:33,210 --> 00:28:36,250 Speaker 1: That's important to know. There's a wisdom that's from above, 442 00:28:36,310 --> 00:28:39,730 Speaker 1: which is pure and peaceable, merciful wisdom. We talked about 443 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 1: that before, but there's also a wisdom that is earthly 444 00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:48,740 Speaker 1: and spiritual and demonic. And how do we tell which 445 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: wisdom is which? Well, James says that that kind of 446 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:58,180 Speaker 1: wisdom is marked by jealousy and selfish ambition. And so 447 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: that makes me think sometimes when we think we're being 448 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:06,190 Speaker 1: wise around things that we learned from influencers or the internet, 449 00:29:06,790 --> 00:29:11,460 Speaker 1: we really have to check What is going on in 450 00:29:11,540 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: our hearts? If I am, oh man, zealous for it 451 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: because I want it for myself, that doesn't sound like 452 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:25,370 Speaker 1: God's kind of wisdom. Again, if I'm prideful about it 453 00:29:25,850 --> 00:29:27,950 Speaker 1: or if I'm jealous that it seems like she's getting 454 00:29:28,010 --> 00:29:32,730 Speaker 1: ahead of me because she's pursuing this, that might not 455 00:29:32,990 --> 00:29:43,590 Speaker 1: be God's wisdom. It could be earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. wisdom. Yikes. 456 00:29:43,590 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 1: 1 Corinthians 1, 19-21 says that God will destroy the 457 00:29:50,410 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: wisdom of the wise. Did God make foolish the wisdom 458 00:29:55,360 --> 00:30:00,310 Speaker 1: of the world? It's a question. It's a confounds those 459 00:30:00,350 --> 00:30:02,830 Speaker 1: who are wise in their own eyes and makes them 460 00:30:02,850 --> 00:30:07,020 Speaker 1: seem foolish. Isaiah 5.21, woe to those who are wise 461 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: in their own eyes. Proverbs 3.7, be not wise in 462 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,959 Speaker 1: your own eyes, fear the Lord. Romans 1.22, claiming to 463 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: be wise, they became fools. We can't just assume that 464 00:30:19,060 --> 00:30:22,370 Speaker 1: we're wise because we know a lot of things and 465 00:30:22,380 --> 00:30:25,790 Speaker 1: we try to make good decisions. Wisdom has to be 466 00:30:25,970 --> 00:30:30,350 Speaker 1: rooted in the Lord and in our relationship with Him. 467 00:30:30,990 --> 00:30:34,209 Speaker 1: We have to constantly be going to Him and asking 468 00:30:34,410 --> 00:30:37,350 Speaker 1: Him to lead us, to guide us. That's that spirit-led 469 00:30:37,430 --> 00:30:41,390 Speaker 1: living we talked about a couple episodes ago. That is 470 00:30:41,550 --> 00:30:45,390 Speaker 1: what wisdom is. So as we close today, let me 471 00:30:45,410 --> 00:30:48,250 Speaker 1: just give you some more practical applications as you think 472 00:30:48,310 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: about Knowledge versus wisdom and think about the ways that 473 00:30:51,420 --> 00:30:55,980 Speaker 1: you are personally influenced, okay? So the first thing I 474 00:30:56,240 --> 00:31:01,540 Speaker 1: suggest is pause before you absorb something. First, ask whether 475 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: or not it's true, right? But then does this fit scripture? 476 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:09,180 Speaker 1: Does this match what scripture teaches? And asking this question, 477 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:13,310 Speaker 1: if I decide to believe this, if I take this 478 00:31:13,410 --> 00:31:19,450 Speaker 1: knowledge as truth, who benefits? Second, I think it's really 479 00:31:19,490 --> 00:31:23,860 Speaker 1: important to anchor your convictions in advance. You have to 480 00:31:23,980 --> 00:31:31,350 Speaker 1: know what you actually believe before the pressure arrives. And so, 481 00:31:31,710 --> 00:31:33,690 Speaker 1: you know, in the context of food and body stuff, 482 00:31:33,730 --> 00:31:36,350 Speaker 1: in my 40-day body image workbook, I work through a 483 00:31:36,390 --> 00:31:40,130 Speaker 1: lot of different questions to, and I offer you questions 484 00:31:40,430 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: actually so you can work through what do you actually 485 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 1: believe about your body and how God made your body 486 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,340 Speaker 1: and what your body's purpose is and what we should 487 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,820 Speaker 1: be doing around food. And I challenge you from all 488 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:57,300 Speaker 1: different directions around these issues so that you can come 489 00:31:57,540 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: up with, okay, well this from scripture, I read this 490 00:32:01,310 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: because I've got lots of scripture through there. From scripture, 491 00:32:03,780 --> 00:32:06,100 Speaker 1: I read this and I think a right way, according 492 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,510 Speaker 1: to scripture, to think about my body is this. A 493 00:32:08,610 --> 00:32:10,330 Speaker 1: right way to think about food is this. And then 494 00:32:10,690 --> 00:32:13,930 Speaker 1: when you watch all those reels that tell you, eat this, 495 00:32:14,010 --> 00:32:17,070 Speaker 1: not this, you know, this is true about your body. 496 00:32:17,150 --> 00:32:20,070 Speaker 1: This isn't true about your body. You better keep working 497 00:32:20,110 --> 00:32:22,510 Speaker 1: on your body to make it look like this because 498 00:32:22,550 --> 00:32:25,970 Speaker 1: this isn't acceptable. Like all of these things. And again, 499 00:32:25,990 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that all reels are bad. Please hear me, right? 500 00:32:28,820 --> 00:32:31,180 Speaker 1: But you have to know what is actually true according 501 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: to God's word so that you have the wisdom, discernment, 502 00:32:34,860 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: maturity to absorb all these sources of knowledge coming at 503 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:44,530 Speaker 1: you and come out of it not confused, not tossed 504 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:49,390 Speaker 1: to and fro, not buying everything presented to you, but 505 00:32:49,490 --> 00:32:53,030 Speaker 1: come out of it confidently saying, okay, I believe this. 506 00:32:53,630 --> 00:32:55,510 Speaker 1: And so, you know what? I can take this piece 507 00:32:55,550 --> 00:32:58,540 Speaker 1: of information. That's helpful. But I'm going to Discard that 508 00:32:58,580 --> 00:33:01,020 Speaker 1: piece of information. That's not helpful. That doesn't match my 509 00:33:01,060 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 1: theology of the body. That doesn't match my theology of food. 510 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,380 Speaker 1: Number three, ask God for discernment. This is the most 511 00:33:06,420 --> 00:33:08,770 Speaker 1: important thing. We should be doing this every single day 512 00:33:08,810 --> 00:33:11,570 Speaker 1: because James 1.5 says, if this is something we seek, 513 00:33:11,850 --> 00:33:14,090 Speaker 1: if we're praying for wisdom, God is going to give 514 00:33:14,110 --> 00:33:16,850 Speaker 1: it to us. So why don't we pray for wisdom more? Friend, 515 00:33:16,870 --> 00:33:18,970 Speaker 1: if you take nothing else from this episode, I hope 516 00:33:19,390 --> 00:33:21,850 Speaker 1: every day you'll just say, God, give me wisdom. Give 517 00:33:21,870 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: me wisdom. Help me. Help me to see what is 518 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:29,770 Speaker 1: true according to your word. Give me wisdom to navigate 519 00:33:29,810 --> 00:33:33,630 Speaker 1: these things. We live in a very confusing culture, right? 520 00:33:33,690 --> 00:33:39,250 Speaker 1: We need God's wisdom desperately. And then number four, watch 521 00:33:39,270 --> 00:33:43,150 Speaker 1: what you're taking in. Friend, again, like there is no 522 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:49,820 Speaker 1: shame or finger pointing in this. But if you're spending 523 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: two hours a day on the internet being influenced by 524 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,100 Speaker 1: and getting in five to 10 minutes of Bible time, 525 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:01,590 Speaker 1: whose voice is going to be loudest? I mean, and 526 00:34:01,810 --> 00:34:04,930 Speaker 1: I'm not necessarily saying you should be spending two hours 527 00:34:04,970 --> 00:34:06,590 Speaker 1: reading the Bible. That'd be awesome if you did. I 528 00:34:06,830 --> 00:34:10,470 Speaker 1: don't do that. I wish I did. I don't, but 529 00:34:10,590 --> 00:34:13,089 Speaker 1: it is worth me being more cognizant about those two 530 00:34:13,110 --> 00:34:15,230 Speaker 1: hours I spend on the internet and what they're doing 531 00:34:15,310 --> 00:34:17,650 Speaker 1: to me or two hours I spend on Netflix and 532 00:34:17,690 --> 00:34:21,280 Speaker 1: what those messages are doing to me, right? Like we 533 00:34:21,380 --> 00:34:26,089 Speaker 1: have to be discerning of what messages we're taking in 534 00:34:26,469 --> 00:34:30,690 Speaker 1: because those messages are affecting us. And the only way 535 00:34:30,710 --> 00:34:34,310 Speaker 1: to be truly over the influence, right, is to be 536 00:34:34,510 --> 00:34:38,070 Speaker 1: so grounded and rooted in Christ that he influences me 537 00:34:38,700 --> 00:34:42,140 Speaker 1: more than any other thing on this earth. And friend, 538 00:34:42,219 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: I'm not there yet. I wish I was, but I'm 539 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:46,739 Speaker 1: not there yet. And I hope that this can be 540 00:34:46,780 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: a call to myself and to all of us, right? 541 00:34:52,219 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: to be less influenced, to be wise, to not thrive 542 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: on more and more and more knowledge, but to beg 543 00:35:01,100 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: God for his wisdom so that we can make good 544 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:08,530 Speaker 1: decisions about our health, about our lives, about all the 545 00:35:08,570 --> 00:35:11,350 Speaker 1: things that we pursue, but do those from a place 546 00:35:11,390 --> 00:35:14,110 Speaker 1: of humility, grounded in love, and not out of a 547 00:35:14,130 --> 00:35:18,509 Speaker 1: place of pride. So thanks for listening today. I hope 548 00:35:18,530 --> 00:35:22,070 Speaker 1: this whole series has been helpful to you. We've got 549 00:35:22,150 --> 00:35:26,090 Speaker 1: more coming this month. I did an awesome episode on 550 00:35:26,690 --> 00:35:29,700 Speaker 1: how to handle seeing your family around the holidays with 551 00:35:29,739 --> 00:35:32,500 Speaker 1: Travis Stewart, who is a favorite guest from years ago. 552 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,100 Speaker 1: He's back. So that's coming this month. I've also got 553 00:35:36,140 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: a great interview with Emily Gossett. She's done an amazing 554 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 1: new book, but she was kind of like one of 555 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:46,960 Speaker 1: the original women who wrote about eating disorder stuff years 556 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,299 Speaker 1: and years ago. And she's a fascinating story that you're 557 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 1: going to love to hear. So stick with the show 558 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: this month. But I hope you've enjoyed this Over the 559 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:56,980 Speaker 1: Influence series. Four episodes. If you missed any, go back 560 00:35:57,020 --> 00:35:59,180 Speaker 1: and listen to them. You can find them all at 561 00:35:59,219 --> 00:36:03,550 Speaker 1: improvedbodyimage.com slash podcast. You can also go to that page 562 00:36:03,590 --> 00:36:06,690 Speaker 1: and just type into the search bar any topic that 563 00:36:06,710 --> 00:36:09,650 Speaker 1: you're interested in. And chances are we've done an episode 564 00:36:09,710 --> 00:36:12,590 Speaker 1: on it. Hey, I also asked you a few weeks ago, 565 00:36:12,730 --> 00:36:17,460 Speaker 1: go to SpeakPipe, speakpipe.com backslash compared to who. Leave me 566 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,779 Speaker 1: your question. I'd love to answer some questions on the show. 567 00:36:19,820 --> 00:36:22,299 Speaker 1: Haven't really gotten that many in recently, but leave me 568 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,720 Speaker 1: your question and I'll incorporate that into a future episode. 569 00:36:24,980 --> 00:36:26,779 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening today. I hope something today has helped 570 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:30,140 Speaker 1: you stop comparing and start living. Bye-bye. The Compared to 571 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: Your Podcast is proud to be part of the Life 572 00:36:31,540 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: Audio Podcast Network. For more great podcast, go to lifeaudio.com.