James Post #3 - James 1:5-8

Yesterday we launched our study of James’ book by working our way through verses 1-4.  Today we'll pick our study up at verse 5 and work through verse 8.  I hope you have your Bible handy and will read James 1:1-8 (a little review and a little new) before your read any further down the screen.  It's a good way to focus on the Word right off the bat.  Oh yes, before you read the scriptures I just mentioned I'd love it if you would, right there at the keyboard or staring at the phone screen, take just a moment to pray and ask God to open your eyes to what He wants you so see, read and experience in your own life as a result of taking the time to be here today.  I know it helps me and I've no doubt it will help you too.  Don't worry.  I won't go on until you've finished your prayer.  :)
There ya go.  I hope you didn’t cheat.  I think I’ll make it a habit to start with posting the scripture for the day on the screen as well but I do want to encourage you to read the passage in your own Bible first.  That’s the one you carry with you to church and, hopefully, read daily.  That should be your “go to” Bible.  I’ll include the verses on screen just for quick reference as you read through the post today.

“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.  But when he asks he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable I all he does.”                                 James 1:5-8 

Yesterday we talked about trials (vs. 2) and discussed their function in our Christian walk.  Trials are ways that God helps us see how we are doing, where we have strengths and where we fall short.  He doesn’t do this to make us feel bad but to show us where we need to focus our attention in becoming more like Him and being more effective in serving and sharing the Lord with others.

The very next thing James brings up is “wisdom”.  James is talking about knowledge but is relating it to his previous topic of growing in the Lord and becoming more “mature and complete” (vs. 4) in our faith and depth of understanding as well as our discernment or ability to make good decisions on a daily basis.  To say it another way, this “wisdom” God promises to give us “generously” is the ability to make good and Godly decisions.  As one author put it, “Wisdom begins with respect for God, leads to right living, and results in increased ability to tell right from wrong.”  One of the ways I try to make “right” decisions is to ask myself a question posed by four very simple and very familiar letters…WWJD.  Or as I like to say, WDJD.  As I face a decision and just can’t seem to come to terms with an answer I often think, ‘What WOULD Jesus Do?’  The answer is really pointed out in the other letters I mentioned.  WDJD. ‘ What DID Jesus Do?’   We all should know what that means.  “Get your nose in the book!”  Get into God’s Word to see what Jesus DID do.  That’s why it’s there and why we have such wonderful access to His Word.  We need to read it!

I’ve heard so many people say, “I think that Jesus would …”  You can fill in the end of that sentence just as they do.  They tell me what THEY think Jesus would do in a specific situation or decision but the truth is, those statements are usually influenced by the opinion of the person speaking.  What we really need to do, rather than say what we guess Jesus might have done, is to  see what Jesus did by reading about it the Word of God.  I don’t know about you but I am barely scratching the surface of the depth of knowledge contained in God’s Word.  But if we spend time, prayer bathed, in God’s Word through our own reading or sitting under the teaching of solid, Bible based preaching or Godly counsel from Christian friends who use God’s Word as their source as well, (sorry, long sentence) then we are moving in the right direction.  In Matthew 7:7,8 Jesus says,  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “   When we find ourselves in the moments of uncertainty, when facing big (or little) decisions and aren’t sure what to do, seek your answers from the Lord.  Pray, read, stop and meditate on what He shows you or causes you to become mindful of.  Ask Him to help you.

But there’s a catch in all of this.  In verses 6 through 8 James writes that we should not expect any help if we come to God with doubts about His really being there or really caring about us and what’s happening in our life.  I often fall back on the verse that reads “even the very hairs of your head are numbered.” (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7)  I figure if God knows the number of hairs on my head then He surely knows what problems/decisions I am facing and He cares about what is happening in my life.  You see, that’s because the number of hairs on my head keep changing….rapidly!  If you know me you are aware that I am ‘folicley challenged’ or, in laymen’s terms, BALD!  Well not completely but I’m workin’ on it.  

God knows you, He loves you, He wants to help you with your life and He’s just waiting to hear you say that you need Him.  That’s what so often unlocks the door that seems closed tight when you are trying to find answers.  Know that God cares about you, individually, and wants that close, intimate relationship of father to child.  But we need to approach him as a child would, believing that he can to anything, just like most of us thought about our earthly fathers.  If you ever have the opportunity to listen to the song ‘My Father’s Hands’ by GLAD, I hope you will.  It’s a wonderful song about this very thing.  We need to come to God in “childlike faith” (Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17).  That means that we come to God and ask in faith, believing that if He IS there, He DOES hear us and He WILL answer our requests, albeit in His time and in His way.  Shucks, that’s no different than when I asked my earthly parents for something.  I knew I’d get a ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘we’ll see’.  Boy did I hate that last one!  God answers in the same way based on His will, His plans and His knowledge of what we really need.

James says in verses 6 through 8 that doubt is like waves splashing or us bouncing on the open water.  We get pushed this way and that and we lose our sense of direction, our focus, even our hope that we’ll ever get where we want to go or ever get out of the dilemma we are in.  I am going to end this post with a passage from Hebrews that I hope you find encouraging.  Just remember that God loves you and cares about every facet of your life.  He’s there, He’s listening and He’s waiting to her from you.  Talk to Him.  He knows just what you are going through.  Actually, He already knows what you want to say to Him. (Psalm 139:4)  God bless until next time.

 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, (emphasis and underline added) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”                                                                                                Hebrews 4:14-16