Lacking in Wisdom?
James 1:5-8 ESV
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Wisdom is defined as good sense, good judgment, discernment,
insight, perception, reason, prudence, and understanding. To me it is doing the
right that you know to do, i.e., it is applied (not head) knowledge. And the wisdom
from above is “first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (Jas 3:17).
So, if we are lacking in wisdom, we are lacking in good
judgment or insight or understanding, or we need direction and guidance in a
particular area. We have a dilemma, and we don’t know which way to turn, and so
we need godly counsel from God to know what to do next, and to know what to say
or how to pray in this particular circumstance.
But if we are going to ask God for wisdom, we need to be
prepared to do what he shows us to do or to say. We shouldn’t ask God for
wisdom and then wait to hear what he has to say first before we decide if we
are going to do it or not. Now, we need to make sure what we are hearing is
from God. And if the wisdom comes from his word, then we need to do what it
says.
For, if we doubt that God is going to give us the correct
wisdom, or if we question his counsel to us, or if we wait for it before we
decide if we are going to obey it (apply it), then that is doubting. It is like
wanting righteousness but not at the same time. It is like believing in God but
not at the same time, which the Bible calls unbelief.
Doubting is Double-Minded
And then let me say this here, too. The Bible is filled with
all kinds of words of wisdom for us to follow. If it is from the Old Covenant
but it is repeated for us under the New Covenant, then it still applies to our
lives. So, we already have much wisdom spelled out for us. So, if we are asking
God for wisdom but the Bible already tells us what to do, then I think that is
doubting, too, for it is asking hoping for a different answer.
Anyway, if we ask God for wisdom, but we don’t know if we
are going to accept it or not until we hear what it is, or if we ask God for
wisdom but we already know what to do, because the Bible already tells us what
to do, and so we are asking hoping we’ll get a different answer that we like
better, then that is not asking with faith, but that is doubting God and his
counsel.
And the Scriptures have a name for that. It is called “double-minded,”
which has to do with trying to go two different (opposite) directions at the
same time. It literally means to be of “two souls” or of “two selves,” kind of
like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is the same person but with two different
natures. He (or she) is trying to hold on to the old sin nature but be in relationship
with Jesus Christ, too, and they don’t mix.
I have heard people like this say that they pray about
something, but they already know the answer, but they don’t want to do what
they know to do, and so they will say that God isn’t answering them. Well, at
this point, God probably isn’t answering them because they aren’t listening,
because they are double-minded, but that is just an excuse to not do what is
right.
Anyway, what this says here is if we are double-minded that
we should not expect that we will receive anything from the Lord. If we want
him to answer our prayers, we have to pray in faith, but it isn’t just that,
but we can’t be claiming to believe one thing while we are living the opposite.
For that is being double-minded, too. For, if we say we have fellowship with
God, but we walk in darkness, we are liars who don’t live by the truth (1 Jn
1:5-9).
The Implanted Word
James 1:19-21 ESV
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
First of all, we need to be quick to hear the Lord, and slow
to speak to him. If we do all the talking and we don’t listen to what he has to
tell us, then there is no relationship there. Also, in our talking with him in
prayer, it shouldn’t be all supplication, either. It can’t just be a list of
things that we want which we hope he will supply. That is a one-sided
relationship.
We should be seeking out his will and purpose for our lives.
We should be desiring him and to hear his voice speak truth to our hearts. And
we should be developing an intimate relationship with him like newlyweds
getting to know each other, for he is our husband, and we, the body of Christ,
are his bride. So, our relationship with him is also to be like a marriage.
Then, we should practice good listening skills with other
humans, too, and be slow to speak and quick to listen and slow to anger. Now, not
all anger is wrong. God gets angry. So, we should love the things he loves, and
hate the things he hates, and thus have righteous indignation over the things
he has righteous indignation over, too.
For, we read in Ephesians 4 to be angry and sin not, so not
all anger is sinful. It has to do with what is in our hearts, and what kind of
anger it is, and it has to do with how we handle that anger, too, so that we
are angry, but we don’t sin, but that we use that anger as motivation to do and
to say the right things in order to try to resolve a difficult situation.
The Righteousness of God
Since, as followers of Jesus, we want to produce the
righteousness of God, the fruit of our walks of faith in Jesus Christ, we must
therefore put away all wickedness and all filthiness (immorality, impurity)
from us. We must forsake our sins and turn to the Lord to follow him in
obedience. And the implanted word is the word of God living within us, so we
must receive it.
If we read both the Old Testament and the New Testament of
the Bible (Genesis-Revelation), we will find a common message throughout. What the
prophets taught in the Old Testament Jesus also taught as did his New Testament
apostles. And the message is fairly simple, and concise, and can be summarized
in a sentence or two.
What God demanded of his people then is the same thing he
demands of us now, that we should leave our lives of sin behind us, be changed
in heart and mind of God, and now walk (in conduct) according to the Spirit, in
obedience to our Lord, and in righteousness and holiness to the glory and
praise of God, and only by his grace and in his power and strength.
The implanted word is able to save our souls only if we
receive it, embrace it, and do what it says. For, if we live according to the
flesh, doing what our flesh desires, we will die in our sins. But if we live
according to the Spirit, in walks of obedience, holiness, and righteousness,
then we have eternal life with God. So, please know this, and please take it to
heart.
Seek
the Lord
An
Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based
off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
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