Faithful Living - Studies from the Book of James

No 3 "The Way to Wisdom" James 1: 5-8 - by Pastor Jack Anderson

Introduction Trials do not destroy faith; they only put it to the test. And the faith that stands the test is proven to be genuine and the faith that fails the test is proven to be false.

Trials are Purposeful, Predictable, and they are Productive. Trials have many purposes. God sends trials to humble us. He sends trials to wean us from the world. He sends trials to call us to concentrate on eternal things. He sends trials to reveal to us what we really love.

He sends trials to teach us the value of His favour and blessing. He sends trials to enable us to help others in their trials. He sends trials to develop in us greater strength for greater usefulness.

Trials produce Purging, Patience, Perseverance, and Perfection—spiritual maturity. Trials lead us to Prayer and Prayer leads us to "Wisdom"

Wisdom is the subject matter for this study.

V 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (KJV)

There are those who would suggest that the epistle of James lacks cohesion that the author jumps haphazardly from one subject to another.

Others suggest that the epistle is not just so much a chain of thoughts or beads, but a handful of beautiful pearls dropped one by one into the hearer’s mind.

I personally feel they are beautiful pearls which are wonderfully connected together by the "Inspiration of the Holy Spirit"

At the conclusion of verse 4, James is urging Believers to aim for the quality of life, which they were lacking. Then in the very next sentence he says

V. 5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God"

A Problem that is Serious

"The Lack of Wisdom" James offers simple and practical advice that works, for the facing of the various trials of life . . . go to God! Go to God who is looking out for our best.  If any lacks" implies that everyone has a deficit (shortage) of wisdom.

A measurement of our wisdom; verses God's; is the question we ask when the trials come.

Our wisdom asks, "WHY ME?" and God's wisdom allows us to start asking for wisdom to see us through the trial.

There is Wisdom for the Asking   1:5

ASK = the present tense says to keep on asking. We might say it like this, "Let him ask the constantly giving God"

This wisdom God offers to us, is simply for the asking; it is not mere knowledge of facts, or the accumulation of information.

Many a man and woman have gone under the trials of life knowing all the facts. The wisdom God offers is understanding for living. It is the God-given ability to make godly decisions and choices in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Many will ask "Why do we need wisdom for trials?"  Why not ask for strength, grace, or deliverance?  We need to ask for godly wisdom, which allows us to see that strength, grace and deliverance comes, with God's wisdom.

Man is Deficient in Wisdom—

In every generation man has been characterised by the absence of real Wisdom.

Through knowledge, man has learned to go faster than sound, but shows his lack of wisdom by going faster in the wrong direction.

Through knowledge man has accumulated vast information about the planet in which he lives, but shows his lack of "Wisdom" in the way he treats his environment.

Man lacks "Wisdom" although he is more educated than ever before.

It was the Earl of Shaftsbury—who said during his education campaign in the Nineteenth century.

" Education without instruction in religious and moral principles will merely result in a race of clever devils"

Biblical Wisdom is something that man desperately needs and it is something that the unconverted man never has. The Person without the Holy Spirit does not accept the things that come from God.

1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (KJV)

We must also remember that the Christian is equally incapable of making right judgements and decisions by mere human reasoning. We cannot afford to act without God, when making our own decisions.

Paul’s burden for the church at Ephesus

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (KJV)

It was also his--

Prayer for the Colossians

Col 1:For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (KJV)

Wisdom to James and to any Jewish reader of that time was the understanding needed to live life to the glory of God.

Wisdom was functioning in obedience to the will and the Word of God. It began with fearing God and then moved to obeying God.

John Milton who wrote.

All is best, though we oft doubt

What the unsearchable dispose

Of Highest Wisdom brings about.

Man is Deficient in Wisdom

God is Sufficient in Wisdom

V 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. NKJ) God has wisdom to give generously.

When we go through a test or a trial, we need wisdom. Any believer is going to feel weak, and to feel the need for strength and resources. He will look for an anchor to hold on to in the midst of the trial. That anchor is God’s Wisdom.

Daniel cried out-- Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: Dan 2:20 (KJV)

I think about; Proverbs 3:5 to 7, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding."

What a great statement. When you're going through a trial, when you're going through difficulty, don't lean on your own understanding; trust in the Lord with all your heart.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths, be not wise in your own eyes." Don't look to yourself for answers. Ask God for divine wisdom.

There is Wisdom for the Asking   1:5

Wisdom is better than strength. Wisdom is better than the weapons of war. Wisdom is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. (Eccl 9:16,18)

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Prov 3: 13,15(KJV)

Solomon prayed, "O Lord give thy servant an understanding heart".

Abraham Lincoln said "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day".

Prov 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (KJV)

A Problem that is Serious

A Prayer that is Successful.

To whom does God give this Wisdom?

Wisdom for the Believing Look back at verse 5 again.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God...let him ask of God." This is imperative. It is not optional.

V6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (KJV)

This command is as much a command to prayer as, ‘pray without ceasing.’

At the end of verse 16 of James 5, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

The illustration is of Elijah who was a man subject to like passions as we are, "He prayed earnestly that it might not rain. It rained not in the earth by the space of three years and six months.

He prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her food." God answers prayer. God responds.

God gives Generously and Graciously! But there is a condition. The man of faith solves all his problems through God’s help, by consulting and praying to Him.

Though, he has prayed to God and called upon the Lord’s Name, if he does not solve his problem by trusting God, but struggles to solve them himself, he is not a man of faith. He is filled with problems, not with God.

ASK IN FAITH

Faith is an unwavering trust and belief in God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him.

To ask in faith believing, says we are committed to depend upon God and His wisdom rather than our own. God has wisdom available and God wants to give it to the seeking heart. But there's a sense in which He holds it back until you come and ask for it, demonstrating your love, your trust and your dependence on Him

ASK WITH NO DOUBTING

There are some people who just doubt that God can give them an answer. There are other people who just want to argue with God about why He did what He did and so their prayers are nothing but a fight and a struggle.

You are not to doubt the available supply of God. You are not to doubt the available power of God. And you are not to doubt the purpose and the will of God.

Matt 14 When Peter saw the Lord walking on the water he said with great excitement.

Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Jesus said, "Come". And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt

You are not to debate whether God did what He should have done or not. If something in your life doesn't go right, that's no cause for debate or dispute with God, telling God He should have done it your way.

Unwavering faith, simply believes that God is sovereign, -- believes that God loves,

believes that God will supply everything that is needed for understanding the trial, and goes in prayer to God. In doing so he not only comes to the Throne of heavenly grace but also touches the very heart of God with prayer.

Let us keep in mind that the Devil cannot keep the Lord from answering our prayer, but he will seek to make us waver in unbelief. He can cause us to be double minded.

The doubting man has a divided heart. One moment he shouts, "I believe" the next "I have my doubts" James says this kind of man is unstable in all his ways v 8. Doubts affect every area of his life.

He is unstable in his relationship to God. Unstable, in relation to worship, fellowship, and service.

Ask Without Wavering

James 1:7-8 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

If we do not apply faith that works, and ask God for His wisdom in our times of trials, we should not entertain ideas that God will give us anything for help.

The "Way of Prayer was open when Jesus died on the cross and the Veil was rent in two.

The "Worth of Prayer is Obvious"

Prayer substitutes man’s weakness with God’s strength, man’s ignorance with God’s wisdom, mans emptiness with God’s fullness, and man’s poverty with God’s wealth.

Illustration. Sometimes we can be too much like the man who was caught in a flood. 

He had the opportunity to get out by car but said he would stay with his house. 

As the water got deeper, he prayed for God to save him.  A boat came by with the offer to take him out, but he refused, stating that God would save him.  Then the water became too deep to stay inside the house, so he climbed out on the roof. 

A helicopter came by offering to rescue him, but again he refused saying that God would save him.  He drowned in the flood. 

When appearing before God he said,

"Lord I prayed for You to rescue me and You let me drown" 

The Lord said, you prayed and I sent a boat and a helicopter to save you but you refused!

Jesus has promised, And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matt 21:22 (KJV)

The Christian lives by faith.

Faith is not an additive that somehow gives more impetus to prayer. It is an attitude of heart of the person who prays. Believing prayer is the prayer of a man who is utterly convinced of the power, love, grace and mercy of a faithful God.

The greater our knowledge of God as revealed in His word, the more steadfast our faith will be and the more we shall learn to pray in accordance to His Will.

E. Stanley Jones, shares, how this truth came across to him " In prayer I seldom ask for things. More and more I ask for God Himself, for the assurance that His will and mine are not at cross-purposes, and that we are agreed on all major and minor matters.

To continually doubt that God sets a pattern for our lives, which is the opposite of what God, wants to bring about in our lives--namely maturity through the trials.

Stability or instability, which do we want in our lives? 

Instability is the easiest.

We simply live a life full of worry, and constant questioning of God over our circumstances. And the answer never appears on the horizon.

Wavering prayer is offensive to God. It’s like the waves of the sea, which are forever changing, driven by the wind.

James 4:3 you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss

If we want stability we must ask God for His wisdom and then believe God will see us through the trials. Stable faith we might call it. James is teaching the need for this stable faith.

James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

The faith God wants in our lives is 100% pure ... no mixture of selfish motives.  This faith is filled with wisdom that is willing to yield to God's Word.  Wise faith produces good fruits in our lives.  It's the faith that works no matter what the circumstances or trials.

A Problem that is Serious

The lack of wisdom

A Prayer that is Successful.

Let him ask in faith, not wavering

A Promise that is Sufficient.

V 5a if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God

V 5b " and it shall be given him"

So often we can doubt God, we can be double minded. We live like corks on the waves, bobbing up and down, tossed to and fro. This is the evidence of Instability and Immaturity, which go hand in hand.

Let me tell you something of what it means to be "Double minded" The original Greek meaning for "Double minded" means "One who has two souls". It’s as picture of a person whose heart is divided in its affection and in its loyalty. A Double minded man is one who fails to claim and hold fast to the promises of God.

Illustration. One Sunday, a minister spoke on the subject of faith. He told a story about a pastor, who had called his members to a prayer meeting to pray for rain, to end a terrible drought.

After the opening hymn he sent them home saying, "You came to pray for rain, but didn't bring your umbrellas.

Faith is something that has to be applied.

God has given a Promise that is sufficient

ASK-- AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN.