I Need Wisdom

God is willing to give you wisdom when you need it. And wisdom is what you need. Often times we think we need most is for our circumstances to change, or for God to give us something, but that is not typically what we need most. What we need is wisdom to understand what we are to do in the midst of our circumstances.

You may have heard it said, “if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Teaching a man to fish, is giving him wisdom, rather than just changing his circumstance of momentary hunger. In the same way, God wants to give you wisdom in the midst of your circumstances.

James 1:6 NIV

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James then tells us how we are to ask for this wisdom. We must believe and not doubt. The question here you might be asking is, “believe what?”

I want to first mention what the word belief is not talking about. It is not talking about wishful thinking. Like wishing upon a star or making a wish before you blow out your birthday candles. It is not talking about the power of positive thinking. It is not talking about thinking something into existance.

The word “believe” is tallkng about trusting in God, who He is and His faithfulness. It is an assurance that the One you are coming before is reliable, good and all powerful. He is worthy of leaning upon. In the Bible, the word “belief” is talking about an active trust, in this case, a trust in God.

I want to take a moment here to ask each of you, have you put your trust in God yet? Have you trusted in Jesus to be your Lord and Savior?

I like to explain it by using three circles to represent three different types of lives.

The Self-Directed Life

The self-directed life is where we all start out. This is where we trust in ourselves to be the Lord of our life. We look to ourself to set the direction of our life. We follow our dreams, just like Disney Movies always told us to do. We follow our heart, just like all of our favorite songs always told us to do. But somehow we find that it still leaves us empty. It has still resulted in unfulfillment and discontent. And ultimately, we have left out the most important thing in the world, the very thing we were created for, to have a personal relationship with the God who made us.

The Christ Directed Life

But Jesus invites us to step off of the throne, and put him in charge. To trust Him to same us from our sin. If you do not yet have a personal relationship with God, you will never be at peace. It may feel like anxiety, depression, hopelessness, feeling discontent or unsatisfied. Ultimately, this is because there is a deep need in your heart to have a personal relationship with God.

God wants to offer you a gift tonight. He wants to offer you freedom. I believe that for many of you, you still need to receive the gift of God; which is forgiveness of sins, a personal relationship with God and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

To receive this gift, you must do three things

Admit

Believe

Commit

The Christ Directed Life

When you commit your life to Christ, you receive God’s give of eternal life. You then become a follower of Jesus, and allow him to direct your life.

The Double-Minded Life

But sometimes, we want the benefits of Christ, without actually wanting God. We want the gift of salvation, but don’t actually love Jesus above all else. We just want to use God in order to get our own selfish desires. Or maybe we do love Jesus, but we just want something else more than Him. A relationship, a car, to be accepted, to get the grades we want, or to have a comfortable life. This is called being “double minded.”

James 1:7–8 NIV

That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Who is “that person” this verse is talking about? It is talking about the one who doubts. I believe it is talking about the type of doubt that doesn’t really believe Jesus is trustworthy of giving their whole life to Him. They may want Jesus as a Genie, to come out of His majic lamp to give them their wishes, but doesn’t want Jesus to be their LORD.

This is represented by the life that still tries to put self on the throne, but still wants Jesus to be there on the inside.

Maybe some of you are here right now. You have asked Jesus to come into your life, but if you are honest, you aren’t letting Him up on the throne. You would never say it this way, but you doubt that Jesus would do a better job at running your life than you.

Maybe there was a time when you did put Jesus on the throne of your life; but over time, you lost sight of what was important. And gradually you pulled Him down off the throne, and put yourself back up.

Wherever you are at, Jesus is calling you to Himself right now. Listen to His Words to You:

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 14:6 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 4:13–14 NIV

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

I can tell you from personal experience that there is nothing else in this world that will satisfy other than Jesus Christ. And ultimately, there is no other way to be saved.

Acts 4:12 NIV

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Go to God with your need for wisdom

I want you to go back to verse 5

James 1:5 NIV

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

What is the promise? That if we need wisdom, we can ask Him, and he is going to give it to us.

So take God up on this valuable offer. Bring your circumstance to God and ask for wisdom.

Then listen

Engage your memory: God has given you some knowledge of His Word. As verses and wise words come to your mind, realize that it is likely God answering your prayer.

The Holy Spirit works together with your mind.

Sometimes I will ask God, “what would a wise person do in my situation?” And God shows me.

In conclusion, some of you guys need to get things right with God tonight. If you are ready to receive this gift of eternal life and begin your personal relationship with God, I invite you to do these three things

Admit

Believe

Commit

Would you bow your heads with me?

Discussion Questions

Kevin gave us the illustration of three circles, symbolizing three types of lives. Which of these best represents your life currently?

Which do you want to represent your life?

Has there ever been a time in your life when you needed wisdom, but weren’t sure what to do?