- Notes to Jumpstart Thinking
- Faithfully obey these laws. This will show the people of the world your wisdom and insight. When they hear about all these laws, they will say, "What wise and insightful people there are in this great nation!" (Deu 4:6 GW)
- "Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight. (Job 12:12 GW)
- A person will be praised based on his insight, but whoever has a twisted mind will be despised. (Pro 12:8 GW)
- Sources
- Helpful Links
By Michael Mooney, Exec. Elder
Insight a defined by Merriam-Webster
1) the power or act of seeing into a situation: penetration
2) the act or result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively
Defined from Hebrew using Strongs:
Insight: bee-naw’ From H995; understanding: – knowledge, meaning, X perfectly, understanding, wisdom.
Wisdom: khok-maw’ From H2449; wisdom (in a good sense): – skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
Understanding: taw-boon’, teb-oo-naw’, to-boo-naw’ from H995; intelligence; by implication an argument; by extension caprice: – discretion, reason, skillfulness, understanding, wisdom.
If you pay close attention to wisdom, and let your mind reach for understanding, if indeed you call out for insight, if you ask aloud for understanding, if you search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and you will find the knowledge of God. (Pro 2:2-5 GW)
Notes to Jumpstart Thinking #
Call “out” for Wisdom (as if wisdom is your travel guide and you lost them in a foreign country).
Ask Aloud for Understanding, (as if understanding was your beloved pet that you are calling to come home for food).
Search for Wisdom (as if it were your only set of keys, and without them you will not be able to drive or even get back into your home).
To grasp wisdom and discipline, to understand deep thoughts, to acquire the discipline of wise behavior—righteousness and justice and fairness— to give insight to gullible people, to give knowledge and foresight to the young— a wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction (Pro 1:2-5)
Faithfully obey these laws. This will show the people of the world your wisdom and insight. When they hear about all these laws, they will say, “What wise and insightful people there are in this great nation!” (Deu 4:6 GW) #
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight through obedience to God’s Word?
How can I show the world God’s wisdom through my actions?
How can I live so that others see His understanding in me?
God gave Solomon wisdom-keen insight and a mind as limitless as the sand on the seashore. (1Ki 4:29 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I ask God to enlarge my heart for insight like Solomon’s?
How can I depend on His Spirit instead of my own mind?
How can I prepare my thoughts to receive divine wisdom?
The LORD will give you insight and understanding as he commands you to take charge of Israel and to follow the Teachings of the LORD your God. (1Ch 22:12 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I follow the Lord’s teachings with understanding?
How can I ask God to guide me with insight in leadership and responsibility?
How can I recognize when He gives me direction?
David’s uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David’s adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king’s sons. (1Ch 27:32 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I learn from others who have insight?
How can I seek wise counsel before making choices?
How can I listen carefully when God speaks through advisers?
Huram added, “May the LORD God of Israel be praised. He made the heavens and the earth and has given King David a wise son who has insight and intelligence and can build the LORD’S temple and a royal palace. (2Ch 2:12 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I give thanks when God grants wisdom and insight for my work?
How can I use the intelligence He gives to serve Him faithfully?
How can I honor God in every task He assigns?
“Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight. (Job 12:12 GW) #
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight from the experience of others?
How can I humble myself to learn from those who have walked with God longer?
How can I value age and wisdom more deeply?
God has wisdom and strength. Advice and insight are his. When he tears something down, it cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed. (Job 12:13-14 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I trust God’s wisdom instead of my own plans?
How can I gain insight when He allows things to be torn down?
How can I learn to see His purpose when I do not understand?
I have more insight than all my teachers, because your written instructions are in my thoughts. I have more wisdom than those with many years of experience, because I have obeyed your guiding principles. (Psa 119:99-100 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight by keeping God’s Word in my thoughts?
How can I grow wiser through obedience?
How can I let Scripture shape my understanding every day?
I have more insight than all my teachers, because your written instructions are in my thoughts. (Psa 119:99 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight by keeping God’s Word in my thoughts?
How can I grow wiser through obedience?
How can I let Scripture shape my understanding every day?
My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Open your ears to my understanding so that you may act with foresight and speak with insight. (Pro 5:1-2 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I pay closer attention to God’s wisdom?
How can I act with foresight instead of impulse?
How can I speak words that reflect spiritual insight?
“I, Wisdom, live with insight, and I acquire knowledge and foresight. (Pro 8:12 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I live in close fellowship with wisdom?
How can I gain insight by seeking knowledge that honors God?
How can I plan ahead with foresight guided by His Spirit?
A person will be praised based on his insight, but whoever has a twisted mind will be despised. (Pro 12:8 GW) #
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I develop insight that earns respect?
How can I guard my mind from twisted thinking?
How can I align my understanding with God’s truth?
I will give you shepherds after my own heart. They will be shepherds who feed you with knowledge and insight. (Jer 3:15 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I recognize and receive insight from godly shepherds?
How can I feed others with the knowledge God gives me?
How can I lead with a heart that reflects His wisdom?
Whenever the king asked them about things that required wisdom and insight, he found that they knew ten times more than all the magicians and psychics in his whole kingdom. (Dan 1:20 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I pursue excellence that reflects divine wisdom?
How can I prepare my mind through faithfulness and study?
How can I rely on God to give insight for complex situations?
He changes times and periods of history. He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who have insight. (Dan 2:21 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight into God’s control over history and leadership?
How can I thank Him for the knowledge He gives?
How can I seek His wisdom in every season?
I’ve heard that you have the spirit of the gods and that you have insight, good judgment, and extraordinary wisdom. (Dan 5:14 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I walk in insight so that others notice God’s presence in me?
How can I practice good judgment under pressure?
How can I ask the Holy Spirit for extraordinary wisdom?
In Cyrus’ third year as king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar). The message was true. It was about a great war. Daniel understood the message because he was given insight during the vision. (Dan 10:1 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I pray and wait patiently for understanding?
How can I discern spiritual truth when the message is hard?
Wise people will understand these things. A person with insight will recognize them. The LORD’S ways are right. Righteous people live by them. Rebellious people stumble over them. (Hos 14:9 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I walk in the Lord’s right ways with insight?
How can I recognize His truth and avoid stumbling?
How can I gain understanding that produces righteousness?
We have given up our wisdom for Christ, but you have insight because of Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. (1Co 4:10 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight through humility in Christ?
How can I value His wisdom over worldly honor?
How can I let His example reshape my thoughts and priorities?
He poured out his kindness by giving us every kind of wisdom and insight (Eph 1:8 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I receive God’s kindness as insight and wisdom?
How can I become aware of the ways He has already guided me?
How can I grow in gratitude for His spiritual understanding?
Then you will have deeper insight. You will know the confidence that he calls you to have and the glorious wealth that God’s people will inherit. (Eph 1:18 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain deeper insight into my hope in Christ?
How can I see the riches of His inheritance more clearly?
How can I let this understanding strengthen my faith?
I pray that your love will keep on growing because of your knowledge and insight. (Php 1:9 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I grow in love that is filled with insight?
How can I gain discernment that chooses what is best?
How can I express wisdom in the way I care for others?
For this reason we have not stopped praying for you since the day we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through every kind of spiritual wisdom and insight. (Col 1:9 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I ask God daily to fill me with spiritual wisdom and insight? Imagine spiritual wisdom and insight being poured out like “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”(Luk 6:38)
How can I understand His will more fully?
How can I keep a teachable heart open to His direction?
Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. (Jas 3:13 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain wisdom that is humble and pure?
How can I live in a way that shows insight through gentleness?
How can I avoid pride while learning from the Spirit?
In this situation wisdom is needed. Let the person who has insight figure out the number of the beast, because it is a human number. The beast’s number is 666. (Rev 13:18 GW)
Jumpstart Thinking #
How can I gain insight to discern truth from deception?
How can I grow in spiritual awareness to recognize evil?
How can I stay faithful when wisdom is tested?
Sources #
Helpful Links #
- Internal: NACM Ministry Tools Docs
- Internal: NACM Answers and FAQ
- External: Merriam-Webster: Insight
- External: Strong H995: binah
- External: Strong H2449: chokmah root
References #
- Holy Bible, God’s Word Translation (GW) citations as noted.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, entry on insight.
- Standard Hebrew lexicons referencing Strong H995 and H2449.
