In Faith Ask God For Wisdom

James 1:5-8
January 17, 2021
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

Praise be to God the Father. He gives wisdom generously to all without reproach. He knows that we can lack wisdom as we wait for Jesus. And so he invites us to ask him for wisdom. This is his care for us. This is his love.

And praise be to God the Son. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saved us with his wisdom. He lived a perfect life of righteousness and obedience to the law. And now all of his perfect life is counted as yours. This is his work for us. This is his love.

As we go through trials and tests during these last days, we can indeed ask God for wisdom. But we are to ask in faith.

What does asking in faith mean? It means this. We are to ask God for wisdom with the belief, with the assurance, with the conviction that he does indeed give wisdom generously to all without reproach. We are to ask God for wisdom with trust that he will do what he says he will do, with confidence that he will give what he promises to give. And we are to ask God for wisdom without doubting him. Without doubting his character. Without doubting the fact that he is good and that he loves and that he will take care of us. This is what it means to ask God for wisdom… in faith.

This is serious stuff. I ask you to realize that failure to believe that God gives wisdom generously to all without reproach is ultimately an attack on his character. I ask you to shudder at the idea that when you doubt God’s goodness and love and care for you, you are essentially making an insanely offensive and derogatory statement about him. I ask you to remember that when Adam and Eve fell it all started with the serpent who twisted their view of God and sought to turn their faith in him into doubt against him. This is serious.

Today’s passage describes to us what it looks like when we do not ask God for wisdom in faith. And it’s not a good picture. The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Such a wave goes up and down and back and forth, bringing with it motion sickness and nausea.

This is a picture of a person who is double-minded and unstable in all of his or her ways.

Such a person goes back and forth between God and the world. I think about the sad story of Lot’s wife. Lot’s wife was running away from the city of Sodom as it was being destroyed. But then she looked back. Her heart was in this world. Her allegiance was divided. And so she turned into a pillar of salt. This is very nauseating. A person who is double-minded and unstable in all of his or her ways.

And such a person also goes back and forth between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. I think about how people go back and forth between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of human science, the wisdom of man-made philosophies and religions, the wisdom of social change, the wisdom of beloved family and friends, and the sacred wisdom that comes from within. I think about Ephesians 4:14 and how people can be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” This is very nauseating. A person who is double-minded and unstable in all of his or her ways.

But thankfully, by the grace of God, Highland, you are not this person. You used to be. You may still struggle with your old self. But you are not this person. You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. And you are learning to fear the Lord and grow in his wisdom. You are becoming less and less like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. You are standing on the solid rock that is Christ Jesus. And Jesus is weakening your doubt and strengthening your faith until the day of his return.

Highland, if it is hard for you to trust in God, then let me to ask you a few questions.

You do believe that God split the Red Sea, yes? You do believe in how the walls of Jericho collapsed, yes? You do believe that Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace but came out completely unaffected, yes? You do believe that Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days, yes? You do believe in the miraculous and supernatural brith of Jesus who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, yes? You do believe in all of Jesus’ healings, yes? You do believe that Jesus died and rose again from the dead, yes? Then why do you doubt God when you ask him for wisdom?

Highland, if it is hard for you to trust in God, then think about this.

Think about everything that God did in history that has been recorded for you in the Bible. Think about how God fulfilled his promise in Genesis 3:15 to send someone who would crush the head of the serpent. Think about how God fulfilled his promise to Abraham that he would bless him with many spiritual descendants. God fulfills all of his promises.

Think about how God powerfully redeemed his people from slavery in Egypt. Think about how God mightily brought down fire upon Elijah’s altar. God is with his people.

Think about how Jesus dwelled with us and ate with sinners. Think about how Jesus wept when Lazarus died. Think about how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. Think about how Jesus died and rose again. Think about how Jesus set down his path for the Apostle Paul and stayed with him until the end. All of this really happened.

And soon we will see Christ Jesus face to face. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. We will live in the kingdom of the new heavens and new earth. There will be no more sin and no more death.

Highland, you can trust in the Lord. The Bible makes clear to us that our God is perfect in his word, in all of his works, in his promises, in all of his salvation for us. Read the Bible. And as you read the Bible, be assured of everything that we hope for. As you read the Bible, be convicted about everything that we do not now see. Therefore, ask God for wisdom in faith.

Highland, if it is hard for you to trust in God, then please remember this.

God is not double-minded or unstable… toward you. He is nothing like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. God is not like that toward you. God is not like that in his relationship with you.

God does not change. God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind (Numbers 23:19). There is no variation or shadow due to change with God (James 1:17). God is unchangeable in his being, unchangeable in his wisdom, unchangeable in his power, unchangeable in his holiness, unchangeable in his justice, unchangeable in his goodness, and unchangeable in his truth (Westminster Shorter Catechism #4).

If we are faithless, God remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever (Isaiah 40:80). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, ask God for wisdom believing that he gives wisdom generously to all without reproach.

Soli Deo Gloria