Scripture:
James 1:2-8 NKJV
[2] My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. [4] But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. [6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. [7] For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; [8] he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Observation:
I know that this is not the first time I have written about the first chapter of James. It’s just hard to stay away from. Because James has so many useful things that will guide us in our daily walk with Jesus, and I kind of have a history with his book. James is the half-brother of Jesus and did not come to faith until after the resurrection is what most biblical scholars believe. His short 5 chapter book is stuffed full of how to live and walk as though the word of GOD is deeply ingrained in your life and totally true… because it is. HE starts right out the gate in chapter one. By pushing the fluffy easy parts of the bible to hold onto like… “I can do all thing” and “I know the plans I have for you” to “count it all joy when you face many trials.” And “the testing of your faith produces patience.” It’s these things that we don’t want to hear for the most part. After looking at verses 2 and 3, you may be sitting there with the wind hardly blowing your sails at all, wondering what this is all about. Then we get a good look at verse 4 and get a better picture of what’s being said. James wants his readers to know that GOD’S timing is absolutely perfect. HE misses nothing. The way HE does things is always designed to build your faith and trust in HIM. HE will always come through right on time, and what needs to be learned will be learned. Verse 5 dives into this just a little deeper and brings us to a point where we are asking the Father what exactly we are supposed to be learning from the trial or test we are facing. Asking for wisdom from GOD is not a sign of weakness. It shows a dependency upon HIM that HE desires. HE wants us to put our trust in HIM, and when we do, HE will give us the answers we need to get where HE is trying to get us. The hook is in verse 6. James is showing us in the way he writes what real faith looks like. Asking the Father without any doubt that HE will come through with what we have asked for… the wisdom to learn what is needed to get to the other side of what is going on. Now I want you to hold on for verses 7 and 8 because they are kind of a throat punch, and really, the only way to explain them in my mind is with a question, and it leads me to the application so I will ask the question and then we will move into how theses verses affect our lives…. why would GOD give you what you don’t think HE can, or you’re not sure that HE will?
Application:
It’s easy to get halfway into something you know for a fact that GOD has called you to, and when the timing doesn’t match what you think, it should start to wonder if you are on the right path. GOD’S timing is perfect, and HE is always moving us forward. Shaping and molding our faith and trust in HIM. Every time I come to a spot that seems to be impossible, I think about what it looked like at the edge of the Red Sea Moses standing there with all the people coming at him, wondering why he didn’t just leave them to die in Egypt. The mountains all around them the sea in front of them and what seems like death quality approaching. All of GOD’S people doubted that HE was going to come through. But one man’s faith was enough. After seeing the burning bush and all the plagues. Moses had no doubt GOD is who HE said HE is. The trick to all this is leaning into GOD when things don’t look like they are going to work out. I want you to know our faith will be tested. It’s what faith is about. Do you really believe that GOD is going to come though? That’s the question the enemy will though at you over and over again until you learn not to take matters into your own hands. So by saying that I’m not saying that we should do nothing. Because I believe that faith is an action word. If we really believe we will step out of the boat. Now here is the problem we all run into… when the water starts to get choppy and our feet get a little wet we take our eyes off the person of our faith (Jesus) and place them on the circumstances and therefore start to doubt. Just because what you see does not line up with what GOD has said does not mean GOD is wrong. Remember it’s impossible to please GOD without faith. HE has taken you to waters too deep to cross because HE knows your enemy can not swim. The question is do you trust that HE will do what HE said? That’s the question. HE wants your faith to grow. Think about it… if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move and it will. Faith is a seed. Plant it on fertile soil and watch it produce even more faith. My point is this if you doubt that GOD will then why would HE? Over and over HE has proven HIMSELF. Not just in HIS word but in your life. Look back on what HE has already done and know that HE is not finished yet.
Prayer:
Father, it’s easy to say we trust you. We know that you want to see that trust. You are a GOD of action. When we step out in faith you meet us there. So we are moving forward regardless of what it looks like. We know that at just the right moment and with perfect timing you are going to come through. You always have and you always will. All you want is for us to trust you. Just like a father with his child teaching them how to walk their little hands holding onto his fingers, you show us step by step how to do this. We trust that you will make a way. You will show us how to walk on water. Keep our eyes fixed on you. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.