Attention: Wisdom needed
James addresses in 1:5-8.
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
What is wisdom?
There are various definitions of wisdom.
Webster defines it as “the ability to make right use of knowledge.”
Theological dictionary defines wisdom as “prudent, considered, experienced, and competent action to master the various problems of life…”
My definition of wisdom is this: Wisdom is the convergence of knowledge and skill which enables a person to make right choices that honor God.
True wisdom, according to Scripture, begins with God.
Proverbs 1:7 “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
Proverbs 1:7
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Now that we have an idea what wisdom is all about, let’s look more closely at what James says regarding wisdom.
Life creates a demand for wisdom. – If any of you lack wisdom…
We are in a state of lacking wisdom.
– This shortage of wisdom could be highlighted by many different problems.
• Financial problems
• Family problems
• Relationship problems
• Work problems
• We don’t always have a clear handle on every intersection we come to in life.
Most people do not really have these problems but instead what they really have is a wisdom problem
Now, this is very important to understand.
– If you do not face up to your lack of wisdom, you will never ask for it.
– It is the arrogant person who thinks they never need counsel.
– It is the foolish person who refuses to admit his/her need for wisdom.
Great! Now you are ready for step two.
God supplies wisdom to those who ask. “If you lack wisdom ask God.”
God will give you wisdom.
– He will give it generously. God is not stingy with this gift.
– He will give it without finding fault.
Remember God’s attitude toward gift giving. Jesus explained it in Matt. 7:9-11.
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
He pointed out that a good parent never insults the child who comes asking for bread by giving him a stone. He doesn’t give him a snake if he asks for fish. So, if you, who are evil, can give good gifts to your kids when they ask, how much more will God give us good gifts when we ask Him?
Do you need some wisdom today?
Life creates a demand for wisdom. God supplies wisdom when we ask.
Now there is one more thing we need to see.
Wisdom is supplied to those who ask in faith.
-We must ask in faith, not doubt. Faith is an attitude of trust.
– Doubt means “to dispute with oneself.” It is not the kind of “he loves me, he loves me not,” it is convincingly believing
– The doubter should not expect to receive anything
from God.
– The doubter is a double-minded person, unstable in all he does.
Doubt here is… the vacillating Christian who cannot decide from one trial to the next whether he or she will really trust the Lord and follow His wisdom.
I love the words of Abraham Lincoln who said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.”
Can you identify with those words today?
Does anyone lack wisdom here today?
Let him ask God come and let’s pray together.