James 1_4-8
James 1:4-8
Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
If we remember last week we remember that the word of God teaches us that our trials are not without purpose or meaning. God certainly uses them, as James teaches us, to make us complete, and mature - to make us whole. In the following verses before us James continues to speak about this same theme of wholeness – the wholeness of wisdom. It is significant that James introduces wisdom in the context of counting it all joy when you fall into various trials.
This morning we consider verses 5-8 dealing with asking God for wisdom. Before we get into this though it is important for us to realize the connection between counting it all joy when we face trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience, and that this works in us according to the plan of God a maturity no that we would lack nothing. Interesting when under trial we lack so much, yet the wisdom of God is that he has a divine fatherly purpose for us so that through persevering through these trials we might lack nothing.
The problem immediately apparent to any who have experienced the various trials of life is that while you are in the midst of them, it is hard to understand what is going on and to believe it is for your benefit. It is easy to be the wise pastor or counselling friend assuring the hurting that they are being matured and to “hang tough.” But it is another thing when I am the one being tested! It’s much easier to say to someone else, “Consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds” than to joyfully embrace my own trials.
James, understood this, and in the closely connected verses which follow (5-8), he instructs those who are suffering on how to get the wisdom necessary to plough victoriously through life’s many trials.
You will notice congregation that verses 2-4 don't have the word “wisdom” mentioned in them do they, yet in a way God's wisdom is assumed. It isn't always understood why he does the things he does. But his wisdom is assumed, confessed, and in it we find comfort because we know that the Father has a fatherly plan, a good plan for his people.
It is especially in times of trial that we cry out not only with WHY Lord? But we also cry out what are we to do about this situation? How can we move forward through trouble such as this? James says go to the Lord for wisdom.
1. Wisdom for the asking
v.5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
a. desiring wisdom/ knowing the need:
We notice that James begins this section with a conditional sentence. The condition is "if any of you lacks wisdom." Here the word of God is coming to us in a delicate way to delicate and sensitive people such as us. The thrust of the passage here is: I know you perhaps won't admit that you need wisdom, but you do need it. No person likes to hear that they are dim witted, or that he doesn't always act in the best way, or that he needs help. Part of our stumbling block to seeking out wisdom is our own pride is it not? We don't like people to think that we need wisdom. It is the proud fool who is the hardest to counsel. To proud to listen or to receive wisdom. His own stubbornness is foolishness.
With this “if” statement James is giving the reader a chance to examine himself and to come to the conclusion that he or she needs wisdom, and then to follow his advice to go to the one who is wisdom Himself and ask God for these things.
b. what is this wisdom:
Wisdom is more than having knowledge. It is the practical use of knowledge in the right way. Wisdom is far more than the accumulation of information and intellectual perception. In our day we have more information at our fingers than ever before, yet it has done little to make man wise or give him true wisdom.
True wisdom is first of all rooted in true knowledge and the source of knowledge and truth is God himself. This year for our home visits have been using Psalm 1. It is a psalm all about wisdom. It shows two ways - the way of the wicked and the way the righteousness. There are those who listen to the council of the wicked - the foolish, and those who meditate upon the word of God day and night.
The Scripture teaches us where the beginning of wisdom is found. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Believers need to remember that despite the many trials they find themselves in, they still remain in Christ. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we are born again we begin as babes to drink of the wisdom of God. It is the beginning but it is not the end. Christ is a giant treasure chest of wisdom. You think of a giant trunk filled with gold coins, rubies, pearls, rings, diamonds – this is what Christ is to us – his wisdom is pure treasure. Wisdom is treasure for our lives.
Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
If you scan down to verse 8 of Colossians 2 you see the warning against being deceived by the philosophy and empty deceit of the traditions of man according to the basic principles of this world, and not according to Christ. These vain philosophies aren’t treasure. Its like trading gold and silver for tinfoil and saran wrap.
c. Asking/seeking for wisdom
To ask is in the imperative mood. It expresses a command, intention, or exhortation.
When we seek wisdom where do we go for it? What does James say here? If we were writing this letter about seeking wisdom what would be the first thing we would mention. Perhaps we might say, if you want wisdom read your Bible. This surely is true and very important. But it is interesting here that James doesn't begin here. No he begins with prayer. It is remarkable. It may even seem to some to be not really Biblical, but yet it is. Ask yourself what value do you put on prayer? Very often people can dump on this blessed gift that God has given us. They may think prayer is really not anything at all.
But God uses prayer. Prayer is a means by which God gives wisdom. We need to have a robust, a strong view of this gift of prayer.
Are we wisdom seekers? Are you a wisdom seeker? Do you pray for it expectantly or doubtfully? Very often people are content with their own ignorance and lack of wisdom, or with just remaining where we are in a holding pattern – no gain, no loss. They may expect the church leaders to tie their shoe laces on a variety of issues while they remain passive. If this is so then we may flounder through trial instead of diligently and prayerfully seeking the wisdom the Lord would have us ask him for. We don't raise our children like this do we? No we don't just seek to give them knowledge but we seek to train them to use knowledge in the right way. God also would have his people filled with wisdom, as he delighted in Solomon delight for wisdom.
We ought to be fervent in prayer for this divine gift. Set this down as a priority in your prayer life. Pray for wisdom for yourself, for those around you, for the leaders of this congregation. Young people, young men and women - know that the Lord has something special for you. He promises that he will give you wisdom and cause you to grow in it. There are lots of people in this world who claim to be very wise. There are highly educated people, walking in high places, yet without Christ they are truly fools in spite of all their vast amounts of knowledge. The fool says in his heart there is no god.
And then there are very simple people. I think of the many men and women I met in Africa. People who had spent maybe a few years of their life in school, people who by the world's standard would be consider poor worthless fools and yet in them was this beautiful diamond of wisdom. They had a wisdom that shone through their painful trial ridden lives. It was the wisdom from God, a wisdom rooted in Christ and in his word.
Perhaps you think, well pastor – you don’t know my situation. I don’t think that I can change. – And guess what – you can’t. But God can. God can and does promise that he will help us (TO ALL) to become wise – we have knowledge about what is right and wrong, we learned these things in Catechism and from parents, and from the word of God. But how does that knowledge used? It has to be used with wisdom. It is God who gives this. He helps us to overcome the folly of the past and present, so that we can grow in wisdom - just as long as they ask him for it.
James says to these wilting Christians, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God" (v.5). James does not say, "Agonise over it! or Wrestle in frustration and roll on the floor for it! No, ask God day by day for wisdom. Don't face a day without asking the Lord to make you wise in all sorts of circumstances.
When Jesus was on earth preaching the Sermon on the Mount he said many hard things. He said blessed are you when you are persecuted from righteousness sake. He told us to go the extra mile, to turn the other cheek, to do good to those who hate you. He told us not to worry about your life. How difficult these things must have seemed to the people Jesus was preaching to. But then in Matthew 7:7 he follows all of these things up with “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you… If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Gather who is in heaven give good thins to those who ask Him!
Jesus here tells us to Ask! Col 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
What kind of person are we asking?
A Giving God
We ask God because he is the giving one. It is written twice in v.5 as if to underline it: "God who gives" ... "and it will be given". God is a giving God
Loved ones, Do you know your Father as a giving God? Meditate on this. Do you look at your life and think that you or your husband or your parents are supplying all your needs? We may say - oh no of course not - I confess that God provides for everything. But listen, very often our head profession can be different and is different that our practice. In our practice we may thing that all things come from our own strength. God gives us trials perhaps to teach us to trust him more fully and to bring our practice in line with our profession.
Know him as a giving God; as a giving Father. He gave his son for you.
A Generous God
Is God a stingy Father? No, he is familiar with all our needs. He gives more than what we ask for. . Rom 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Giving without reproach to all
Here is something in answer to every discouraging mind. When we go to God, under a sense of our own weakness and folly, to ask for wisdom there is no reproach. He doesn’t stiff his nose at us and say or think – You again? James says he gives to all. What a wonder comfort what a promise. When we pray we can pray the promises of God back to him. Lord you said you give without reproach to all. Hear me Father. Listen to your child. Fulfill your promise in me. Give me wisdom, wisdom from your word, wisdom according to you will.
2. the condition for asking
Faith is the condition. Very often we can pray without expectation. Prayer may just seem that it is talking to myself. Doubt drowns faith. People pray without expectation just as James says.
He is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. The picture here isn't of a wave crashing against the shore. No, it is a wave blown around on the sea, rising, falling moving in this direction and the other. James says that this person is a "two souled" man - double minded, unstable.
Listen, the person who James is talking about is a believer, but a believer with a weak faith. He is a believer who is not maturing through his trials. Remember James is talking about asking for wisdom. Not that God would take away by trial, but that he would give me wisdom for my trial. That he might make me mature and complete through my various trials.
Do you doubt God? Sometimes we can think that the issues of life are just too great for thing to change. We think that we are too sinful, too ignorant to change, too stuck in our sin to change and our prayers reflect that. Brothers and sisters, we need to learn to pray with a spirit of expectation. We pray thy will be done, but we pray with expectation. We may pray for the Lord to take a trial away from us, but that may not be his will. We don't know. We pray that through this trial we might learn what God want to teach us, and teach those around us. But through all these things we pray that the Lord would give us wisdom. Wisdom to manoeuvre through a life filled with landmines.
James has said, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt” (v. 6) Like the writer of Hebrews, he sees faith as the essence of spiritual life: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). We must believe in the immense, omnipotent, holy God of Scripture, and that he is equitable in giving to his own.
Is the Lord demanding perfect faith? Is he insisting that we never waver? I do not think so. If our faith had to be perfect, few would ever receive anything, for we are all doubters. Abraham and Moses were great men of God, but they were not perfect in their faith. Jesus honoured the stumbling faith of the distraught father in the midst of testing-“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Moreover, faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
1 John 5:14 if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Remember the wisdom of Christ is pure treasure. Let us be diligent in seeking it. If we are filled with doubt it affects our speaking – our speaking to God and also our speaking with one another. When our faith and spirits rises and falls with different situations there can be unsteadiness in us. But Our God is there. He is the source of wisdom. He governs all things. He is not like a wave tossed on the sea. May we prayerfully set our hearts on him.
Amen.
Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. and verse 52 that he grew in wisdom
Col 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Rom 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
