James 1.1-18

Introduction:

John Ortberg: “Nevertheless, we often try to get people to trust Jesus for eternity —to get them into heaven—without their first learning to trust him for their daily lives. As a matter of psychological reality, this just does not work. It produces people who say they trust Jesus and who might even think they trust Jesus, but what they do shows that they do not share his ideas about the way things really are and the way life really works. Therefore they are not able to live the way that Jesus would live in their place. It is hard to live as Jesus would live if we do not share at the core level his convictions about the way things really are.”

John Ortberg: “In many languages, including ancient Greek, there is a connection between the words for “doubt” and “two.” We have a similar case in English in the relationship between “doubt” and “double.” To doubt is to be of two minds. The Chinese speak memorably of a person “having a foot in two boats.”

“Thomas was a double.” “Thomas was a double”

Doubt is double-mindedness

Ortberg, John; Ortberg, John. Faith and Doubt (pp. 125-126). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Ortberg, John; Ortberg, John. Faith and Doubt (p. 51). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Suffering=sue

Lack of wisdom focuses on suffering

When you are in darkness. Toe holds. Things people say. New ideas. Comforting advice. Kind of wisdom.

Discipline: Wisdom

Discipline: Can’t doubt. That means I can’t have uncertainty.

Greek: Doubt= dipsychos. Double-minded. Don’t be divided in your loyalties.

Perseverance in verse 4: Hyperstand- nothing moves. Not thrown for a loop. We stand fast. Can only do that with an anchor. Divided mind= divided anchor. Ship wrecked.

Going throughout trials without wisdom isn’t good

Consider it joy.

Grasp for wisdom.

Doubting of God’s goodness

Two Types of Testing

Suffering

Temptation: dragged by desire

Verse 13: When ‘tempted’= When ‘trialed’ same word as verse 12.

Desire is conceived.

Desire is conceived.

Desire gives birth to sin

Sin grows up and gives birth to death.

Trail: 2x- verse 2 and 12

Physical? Financial? Death?

Persevere: 3-4 and 12

Test: vs. 3 and 12

he gives us trials, but he doesn’t give us temptation

Have wisdom when you are suffering!

“I just don’t know why all this is happening?!”- It’s because you caused all this!

Wisdom in suffering:

Doubt:

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: James The First Example: Lacking Wisdom (1:5–8)

The error has left many in bondage to fear, afraid of their own thoughts and afraid of the God who might hold their doubts against them and therefore not grant the wisdom needed. The result is a crippling of people’s faith and a perversion of the very truth James is teaching: that God gives freely, without finding fault.

Doubt: Double-minded

Double-souled. Heart loyalties are divided. Not yet decided to follow God.

Self-reliance and God-reliance

Root-belief.

Blackberry- different at the core. Business and home. Confused phone! We all know what happened to Blackberry...

“If you encounter a trial and lack wisdom to know what to do, stand the test of faith by asking God for the wisdom you need. As you ask God for wisdom, do not be unbelieving toward God or frightened about your lack of wisdom. Instead, trust God to give wisdom generously. He will do so. Therefore consider it pure joy that you face the trial, for that very trial will be used by God to develop your perseverance toward maturity.”

George M. Stulac

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: James Summary (1:12)

“However reluctant we may be to embrace it, we know that suffering rightly received is one of the Christian’s supreme means of grace” (Wenham 1974:79).

How to deal with Various Suffering

Many-coloured, variegated’. Diversified, complex.

Count as joy

Testing produces perseverance

Trust the process so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

In the suffering, ask for wisdom

Believe that He’ll give you wisdom!

Doubt and Double-Mindedness

Doubt and Double-Mindedness

Double loyalty

Anchor: Wave of the sea

It’s a doubting that God’s power and grace is bigger than your suffering!