2020.02.23 - The Unstable Christian (James 1:5-8)

James 1:5-8 James continues his address to his original audience (the 12 tribes dispersed Jam. 1:1) and speaks to them and us about wisdom. It is what we lack. We lack wisdom because we do not ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach. True wisdom can only come from God. Therefore James asks us a very important question about wisdom: 1. Why Don't You Ask? When we seek wisdom for the difficult things in life we tend to search anywhere and everywhere but from above. James says we should ask of God who will give to us and with generosity. He will not chide us for asking. He goes on to remind us that when we do ask it must be in faith without doubting. Why would we ask God if we doubted He was able? So James asks us another important question. 2. Why Do You Doubt? When we doubt that God is able we are not fully embracing and acknowledging God as God. This causes problems in that we ask without faith and because we doubt we are tossed about like the waves of the sea. We have no stability nor are we firmly grounded in the knowledge of God that He is able. Furthermore, James tells us that if you doubt not only will you be tossed about like the waves of the sea but you also ought not to expect to receive anything from the Lord because you are double minded. The last question James asks us is: 3. Why Are You Double-minded? Being double-minded sounds a lot like this. "I love God ... but..., I will serve God ... but..., I will obey God ... but..." You cannot love God, serve God, and obey God when you are double-minded because to be double-minded is to be two-souled and in constant disagreement with yourself.