James 1:5-18

James 1:5–18 NLT

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. 9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

We need wisdom.

we really are limited.

our feelings and experiences are shortsighted…not all-knowing

The primary need that James is addressing is proper living during economic pressure and downturns

We need wisdom from God.

we consult lots of things for our wisdom….

none know better than God.

He is already in our tomorrows.

remember, wisdom is not knowing good and evil, but rather knowing God and applying the life of God into our daily lives.

We need wisdom from God, so ask Him.

prayer is a primary avenue to which we engage with God. prayer is engaging in face-to-face relationship with God.

Learning to talk and listen to God’s voice is crucial.

Read the word to grow in learning of God.

pray out loud.

linger as you listen.

write down what you think you are hearing/seeing

check with someone spiritually mature

We need wisdom from God, so ask with honest humility.

Asking God is a matter of prayer. The response we should have to trouble and pressure? Prayer

humility before God is seen in a request…it’s an admittance we don’t have something….

we process but never pray. we worry and talk about it, but never take it to God…because it puts us in a weak spot to need.

some are so needy, we find our identity being shaped by our needs; we’ve grown complacent in our dependence…jesus was wants us to see Him differently….not in a sense of lack, but God’s abundance. victim and poverty mindset

some are so resistant to being needy, you have a hard time admitting you need anything like you’re a bother to others. You’ve spent most of your life being the resource for others problems

humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less often. it also means to put yourself in the lower situation.

I wonder if the difference between being humiliated and broken is one is holding to their pride while the other has let it go? Same experience, different character outcome.

Pride often points to where our trust and loyalty truly reside. (vs 9 - 11)

“poor” means lowly…someone not living with false pretense…not an economic status, but a heart posture and trust placement.

This is a reference to Isaiah 40…Things will fade in our world, yet God and his kingdom are unending.

our loyalty to Him is to seek His wisdom and trust it. Isaiah 40 reminds us that YHWY has NO EQUAL.

The rich may fade away, because they trust in the wrong thing, but people (young and old) renew their strength in all situations because they trust in YHWY, not materialism.

We cannot turn gifts into ‘gods’; that’s the temptation, to put our loyalty toward wrong means.

Loyalty does not belong to the world system

loyalty does not belong to wealth

We need wisdom from God, so ask with confidence in God’s character.

(v5-8)

God is generous.

God is not frustrated by the request (although that is more my attitude).

We can trust God because He has revealed His character through Scripture and Jesus. Everything in our world wants to syphon our loyalty away from God.

Confidence. No doubt?

When my loyalty is set, I don’t waver or worry, I stand firm and stable with wisdom…

when i find myself worrying..i realize my loyalty is being divided or syphoned.

we waffle about baptism…what if i don’t live 100 good from here on? what if i change my mind?

doubt isn’t the same as being double-minded. it’s an issue of hedging your bets and playing it safe, so you go to church here and there, but still determine the course of your own life instead of surrender to God’s priorities.

The New Bible Commentary: A person who is double-mind is the opposite of a person trusting God from one’s whole heart (Dt. 6:5; 8:3). In other words, this kind of a doubter is the person who is not wholly committed to God, but ‘plays safe’ by praying. Their real interest is in advancement in this world, but they also want to enjoy some of God’s blessings now and go to heaven when they die. Such a person will not get wisdom, James says. In fact, such a person will not receive anything at all from God.

The primary pressure and trouble, James was encouraging them through was economic…money problems.

God’s wisdom gives us the right perspective on life. (eyes are lamp of the body…)

God’s wisdom is found in His Word, from HS whisper, and our on-going application/practice. The more i practice generosity, the more my perspective of money shifts to God’s perspective.

We need a proper perspective of God’s Character…ask for that.

*eyes are lamp of the body…(Bible Project)

Every good gifts comes from God…financial provision is a good gift from God. So we can enjoy the bounty of life we have… we don’t have to feel guilty about having food to eat.

God lights up the shadow parts of our heart. God is not trying to complicate or trick us. This is why Jesus came.

Read Matthew 6 talks about loyalty to God…Three tests to reveal the loyalty of our hearts:

needing recognition for doing good (pleasure)

money directing our heart loyalty (greed)

unforgiveness and worry in our hearts (control/pride)

Matthew 6:24–34 (NLT) 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Practice: Before bed, read Matthew 6 out loud & Pray the Lord’s Prayer morning & evening.

Lords Prayer is a good practice for our heart posture being a place of trust, that moves our life in loyalty to God.

“Our Father who is in heaven, Holy is Your name.

May Your Kingdom come.

May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

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PRACTICING THE WAY

As disciples of Jesus, we know our allegiance to Him as King is expressed in our daily practice. We are not pursuing perfection but want to practice our faith each day. These practices will point you toward spiritual formation as an apprentice (disciple) to Jesus.

(1) Start the Bible Recap reading plan.

(2) Recite this prayer/liturgy daily: “Our Father who is in heaven, Holy is Your name. May Your Kingdom come. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

(3) Talk it Over (with friends, a spouse, or your Group)

The message was about asking God for wisdom and living with a loyal heart. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?

Read James 1:5-18. What does this passage teach about God?

What are some primary avenues to find wisdom according to the world?

How would you define prayer?

James tells us to ask God for wisdom, but have humility in our asking. What does that look or sound like? Why is humility needed in our prayer?

Read Matthew 6. What do you notice about our hearts loyalty to God?

Close in prayer, reciting the Lord’s Prayer (see above) aloud as a group.