Friday, 7 June 2019
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; James 1:7
James now explains what a person who fails to ask for wisdom in faith is like. He had just said for a person to “ask in faith, with no doubting.” For one who doesn’t ask in faith and who does doubt, he says, “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
Who would go to a bank, fill out all the paperwork for a loan, and then hand the paperwork to the loan officer unless he thought there was a chance of getting a loan? It would be a waste of time and energy to do so. How much more then should a person have faith in God, who knows all things and who can do all things. And how much more should he ask without doubting when he is told in advance in God’s word that he will receive the wisdom necessary for the trial at hand! But, as it says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
Faith is the key to salvation. Christ has done the work, and He offers life to us by grace through faith. Likewise, faith is the key to receiving the wisdom needed for each trial we face.
Life application: This is a chronic problem with us. We receive godly instruction at church through sermons, Bible studies, or personal meetings and then we fail to believe the wisdom imparted to us.
Have you ever sat next to a family member in church who is going through a problem and the pastor speaks to that exact problem that very day? He now has the information necessary to make his decision and yet he doubts what he has heard. The reason why this is so offensive is that God has created him, He has given him His guidance in an obvious way, and then He simply asks him to have faith that what he has received will be sufficient. Instead, he goes home with his hands on his face in frustration – “Oh me, how will this all turn out?” This is the one “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” There is no anchor in such a life; there is no foundation for that soul.
Instead, he actually expects nothing from the Lord, and he will receive exactly what he expected…nothing. If this is you, don’t be overly disheartened. We all face doubts in our lives to varying degrees. But James says that as our faith grows we become mature and complete. There is an end to doubt and worry; there is an end to the tempest. It is found in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is found in the Bible.
This is why a daily study of the Bible is so important. Again and again, Jesus held the “word of God” and the “Scriptures” to the highest level. Why? Because those written prior to His coming point to Him, and those written after His coming explain what His coming means. Look for your firm foundation in its pages – you’ll find it under the name “Jesus.”
Glorious Heavenly Father, thank You for the wisdom You provide from Your word to meet our various trials and troubles. In the end, Your word speaks of Jesus, and so whether through life or death, if we are in Christ our Lord, we have the ultimate answer to our trials – life eternal because of Him. Thank You for this marvelous assurance. Amen.