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welcome to everyone will read from Psalm 73 for our call to worship this evening Psalm 73 Psalm 73 beginning in verse 1 a psalm of asaph truly god is good to Israel to such as our pure and heart but as for me my feet had almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped for I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked for there are no pangs in their death but their strength is firm they are not in trouble as other men nor are they plagued like other men therefore pride serves as their necklace violence covers them like a garment their eyes bulge with abundance they have more than heart could wish they scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speak loft elite they set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walks through the earth there for his people return here and waters of a full cup are drained by them and they say how does God know and is their knowledge in the most high behold these are the ungodly who are always at ease they increase in riches surely I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence for all day long I have been played and chase and every morning if I had said the if I had said i will speak thus behold i would have been untrue to the generation of your children when I thought how to understand this it was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God then I understood their end surely you set them in slippery places you cast them down to destruction oh how they are brought to desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrorists as a dream when one awakes so Lord when you awake you shall despise their image thus my heart was grieved and I was vexed in my mind I was so foolish and ignorant I was like a beast before you nevertheless I am continually with you you hold me by my right hand you will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory whom have I in heaven but you and there is none upon earth that I desire beside you my flesh and my heart fail but god is the strength of my heart and my portion forever for indeed those who are far from you shall perish you have destroyed all those who desert you for harlotry but it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all your works amen will please turn in your hem books to number 315 him number 315 will stand as we sing together you Oh well let us pray Lord God most high we gather in your house again on this Sabbath day and we come to confess your majesty and your glory and your excellence the scripture everywhere declares our god is great and he is greatly to be praised and we want to do that tonight and we need the Holy Spirit so that we may worship you in spirit and in truth cause us to reflect on your being caused us to reflect on your glory cause us to reflect upon the fact that you are try Yoon Father Son and Holy Spirit and may these considerations provoke in us a desire to worship you as you are worthy of we pray our God and Father that you would be pleased to run the heavens to come down and to dwell in the midst of your people tonight we pray that you would be found and in the midst of this lamp stand that you would encourage our hearts and strengthen us with might and conform us more and more unto the image of the Lord Jesus Christ so that as we enter into a new week we may go and shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation we ask our Father that our daily lives our corporate lives together would indeed bring honor to you for you are worthy we acknowledge that you are the God of heaven and earth the god who has made this world and all things in it you are the God who does sustained and the God who governs over all this creatures you are the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ and we acknowledge in a special way on the Sabbath day that rest that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ that one who lived for us and who died for us and who rose again for us we trust will come again in glory to judge the living in the dead how we thank you for the glorious gospel of free and sovereign grace and how we thank you that you have made us partakers by your grace in these spiritual blessings we ask our God our God in heaven that you would just look with favor upon this congregation we pray that you would bless those who are having physical trials and difficulties and challenges we think in particular mr nufeld still waiting for surge we just commit our brother to you and to the word of your grace and pray that he would be able to get this procedure done and Lord God we pray that he would have a season a long season of good health and strength she would bless him and remove from him the pain that so often causes him grief we pray that you would encourage his heart for certainly as we suffer physically it is difficult to to maintain a steady heart of composure rooted upon the the grace of God so Lord work in his heart work in his life and courage him and strengthen him and just cause him to to be looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith be with others in our midst God with ongoing challenges and struggles and trials we ask our Father that they would find great peace and comfort in the the goodness of God their Lord we pray as well for each and every one of us as we all face spiritual struggles and trials in this world we know there are many temptations and there are many challenges to to serve faithfully as Christ people in this lower world we pray that you would empower us by your spirit and strengthen us and enable us to be faithful witnesses and to do those things that are pleasing in your sight we pray our God that you would be merciful to the governing authorities both in Canada and in the United States recent reports recent news over this past week shows such unrest and in many major cities and we know God in heaven that Christ is the Prince of Peace and we pray that in those cities the gospel of Jesus would be proclaimed we pray that you would turn men and women boys and girls from their useless idols to the true and the Living God that you would cause men that you would cause there to be a revival and an awakening for we know ultimately it's not political power that will suppress these things it is the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord we do pray that you would give wisdom to those in positions of government we know God that this is a high calling and a difficult one and Paul tells us in 1st Timothy to that we are to pray for kings and for all who are in authority and we would ask that you would grant wisdom and that there would be things done that would in need help in these situations we asked for this particular nation God we see such sin and such evil in such wretchedness and we cry out to you that in your wrath you would remember mercy we pray you would change the hearts of men to consider the the lawlessness of abortion and sodomy and euthanasia God we know that you are grieved that you are angered by such wickedness and I pray that you would help us to to share in this likewise and to be a prayerful people and to be a faithful people testifying what the truth of God Almighty says we pray our Father for nations around the world where the people of God suffer for the cause of Christ we just commit them to you we pray for those who are in prison and those who are suffering and those who have been dispossessed from homes or businesses we just ask God in heaven that they would be faithful to the very end that you would sustain them and grant them grace to count it all joy when they fall into various trials and may they indeed find help and strength from you Lord God continue with us now forgive us for all of our sins and all of our unrighteousness cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his name that we pray amen well please turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to 579 number 579 will stand as we sing together Oh we can turn in your Bibles to the prophet Ezekiel Ezekiel chapter 20 it's a long chapter so we'll read verses 1 to 32 it came to pass in the seventh year in the fifth month on the tenth day of the month that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord and SAT before me then the word of the Lord came to me saying son of man speak to the elders of Israel and say to them thus says the Lord God have you come to inquire of me as I live says the Lord God I will not be inquired of by you will you judge them son of man will you judge them then make known to them the abominations of their fathers say to them thus says the Lord God on the day when I chose Israel and raised my hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt I raised my hand in an oath to them saying i am the lord your god on that day i raised my hand in an oath to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them flowing with milk and honey the glory of all lands then I said to them each of you throw away the abominations which are before his eyes and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God that they rebelled against me and would not obey me they did not they did not all cast away their abominations away the abominations which were before their eyes nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt then I said I will pour out my fury on them and fulfil my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt but I acted for my namesake that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were in whose sight I had made myself known to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness and I gave them my statutes and showed them my judgments which if a man does he shall live by them moreover I also gave them my Sabbath's to be a sign between them and me that they might know that i am the lord who sanctifies them yet the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness they did not walk in my statutes they despised my judgments which if a man does he shall live by them and they greatly defiled my Sabbath's then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness to consume them but I acted for my namesake that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles in whose sight I had brought them out so I also raised my hand in an oath to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them flowing with milk and honey the glory of all lands because they despised my judgments and did not walk in my statutes but profaned my Sabbath's for their heart went after after their idols nevertheless my I spared them from destruction I did not make an end of them in the wilderness but I said to their children in the wilderness do not walk in the statutes of your father's nor observe their judgments nor defile yourselves with their idols I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes keep my judgments and do them hallo my Sabbath's and they will be a sign between me and you that you may know that I am the lord your god notwithstanding the children rebelled against me they did not walk in my statutes and we're not careful to observe my judgments which if a man does he shall live by them but they profaned my Sabbath's then I said I would pour out my fury on them and fulfill my anger against them in the wilderness nevertheless I withdrew my hand and acted for my namesake that it should not be profane in the sight of the Gentiles in whose sight I had brought them out also I raised my hand in an oath to those in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries because they had not executed my judgments but had despised my statutes profaned my Sabbath's and their eyes were fixed on their fathers idols therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good and judgments by which they could not live and I pronounce them unclean because of other ritual gifts and that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire that I might make them desolate and that they might know that i am the lord therefore son of man speak to the house of Israel and say to them thus says the Lord God in this to your fathers had blasphemy by being unfaithful to me when I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised my hand and an oath to give them and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees there they offered their sacrifices and provoked me with their offerings there they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings then I said to them what is this high place to which you go so its name is called bhama to this day therefore say to the house of Israel thus says the Lord God are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers and committing harlotry according to you their abominations for when you offer your gifts and make your son's pass through the fire you defile yourselves with all your idols even to this day so shall I be inquired of you above buy you a house of Israel as I live says the Lord God I will not be inquired of by you what you have in your mind shall never be when you say we will be like the Gentiles like the families in other countries serving wood and stone amen so God through the Prophet is highlighting the fact that they are acting consistently with their fathers in the wilderness who rebelled against the living in the true God they sought out idols they profane the Sabbath's and on the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem and 586 587 the prophet Ezekiel indicates to the people that he's speaking to they are just like their fathers in the wilderness just as Jesus does in Matthew 23 highlights the reality that they are one in the same the rejection of the living in the true God would ultimately end in their destruction for having violated the covenant made by God with them and those blessings and cursings outlined in Deuteronomy 28 so the time is right for judgment in Ezekiel's prophecy concerning the wickedness and the rebellion of the nation of Israel well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the consistency of your word unfortunately one aspect of that consistency is man's depravity and sin how we thank you that you sent Christ the Son of God the savior for centres how we thank you that he has washed us in his own Precious Blood thank you that we have forgiveness and thank you that we have been counted as righteous in the sight of God not because of our righteousness but that imputed to us and received by faith alone how we praise you for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord how we praise you that one did do all that the father commanded and how we praise you that He fulfilled your law perpetually exactly entirely and personally and he did so for his people as well we thank you for these blessings and these mercies that you have given to us may they not promote in us or produce in US ally sensious attitude but may it promote holiness and righteousness and may we pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight that we would not profane your Sabbath's that we would not go after idols that we would not break those good laws that you have given to us may we indeed embrace these things and may we by the power of your Holy Spirit walk in righteousness and we pray through Christ our Lord amen well for our final him before the preaching of the word we'll look we'll sing number 534 again we'll stand as we sing together why well please turn in your Bibles to the book of James James chapter 1 our consideration this evening is verses 5 to 8 I do want to read however the entire chapter review a little bit concerning vs. 2 to 4 and then we'll move on to the believers request during times of trial James chapter 1 beginning in verse 1 James a bond servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad greetings my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing 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 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 for let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord he is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways let the lowly brother glory and his exaltation but the rich in his humiliation because as a flower of the field he will pass away for no sooner has the Sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass its flower falls and it's beautiful appearance perishes so the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits blessed is the man who endures temptation for when he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him let no one say when he is tempted I am tempted by God for god cannot be tempted by evil nor does he himself tempt anyone but each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed then when desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full-grown brings for death do not be deceived my beloved brethren every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no very creation or shadow of turning of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures so then my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves for if anyone is it hearer of the word and not a doer he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror we observes himself goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was but he who looks into the perfect law of Liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this one will be blessed in what he does if anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart this one's religion is useless pure and undefiled religion before God and the father is this to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world a man will let us pray thank you Father for the word of God and thank you for its sufficiency and the fact that it speaks to all matters of faith and practice and God we come to this passage tonight it's a passage that is familiar to all of us and what it speaks to is familiar as well there's no lack of trial the lack of difficulty in the lack of affliction and the lives of God's people thank you that you not only tell us these things but you prescribe ways through these things ways hopefully that will bring glory and honor and praise to you and continual steadiness to our souls and growth and grace again forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions and do supply the holy spirit that we may receive with Thanksgiving the written word and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well a few weeks ago we considered verses 22 for we noticed the believers response to trials in many ways this is absolutely entree to the way we actually respond when trials come we we we freak out or we panic or we we get angry or we want to run and hide but that's not what James says he tells us that we are to count it all joy when we fall into various trials that doesn't mean some fool already laughs in the midst of calamity and difficulty but it means a steady composure an understanding that God is in control and that joy that should permeate our hearts in all situations and in all circumstances when James speaks of trial in verse 2 is talking about that is talking about difficulties hardships afflictions the same Greek word appears in verse 13 context dictates however that in that verse it is a temptation it is a solicitation to do evil that's not what's in view in verse 2 James is not saying when you fall into various solicitations to do evil count it all joy that's not the point it is to count it all joy when you fall into various trials and the specific disposition that we are to have is or the specific rather a recognition that we are supposed to have is in verse 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience so these things have a remedial effect in the lives of God's people he doesn't afflict us he doesn't send trials he doesn't send difficulties to pick on us he doesn't do it simply to frustrate us he doesn't do it because he's angry with us he does it for our good to conform us more and more unto the image of Jesus Christ and such that the testing of our faith will indeed produce patience patience isn't learned on a beach sipping drinks patience has learned in the context of difficulty hardship and pain that's where the people of God learn patience Jesus learned obedience through suffering according to Hebrews five that will probably be the path that we take as well and then James indicates in verse form that patients let it have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking not that brings us secondly well that was the first point a few weeks ago that brings us to the believers request during trials there's two things I want to consider in verses five to eight tonight first the pursuit of wisdom in verse 5 and then secondly the necessity of faith in verses 6 to 8 let's note first of all the pursuit of wisdom and there are four sub considerations here there's an assumption by James given to us in verse 5 says if any of you lacks wisdom I think that's an assumption that fits we all lack wisdom when it comes to affliction this isn't wisdom in the general sense of having skill and knowledge to live our lives in this world but its wisdom specifically conditioned upon the afflictions and the trials that we face and notice the flow of thought verse 4 says let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing and then in verse 5 if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God verse 4 looks at the end of the process the believer taught undertrials the believer tutored under affliction verse 5 deals with the believer during affliction and what the believer needs during affliction is wisdom wisdom in the language of Manton he says it wisdom is to be restrained to the circumstances of the tax not taken generally he intends here wisdom or skill to bear affliction so believers ought to pray for wisdom in all areas of life general things work life home life church life family life whatever it is we need wisdom in order to live in a pleasing manner to God but here specifically the context is one of affliction and trial and difficulty you need wisdom when you go through these things dil says it intends wisdom to behave a right under temptations and afflictions so we have an assumption if any of you lacks wisdom does this find a place in your heart I think we'd all suggest or we would all say yes I lack wisdom especially when affliction hits especially when trial heads remember a couple of weeks ago we consider the various responses it's not counting it all joy it's getting angry it's getting confused it's getting you know upset it's getting you know unsettled all those things we need wisdom in order to navigate through the seas of affliction now notes secondly exhort seeeeee the people of God then if you lacks wisdom that's our assumption let him ask of God here's the exhortation let him ask of God the means employed for the acquisition of wisdom is prayer sweet hour of prayer we ought to go to the Father in the midst of affliction and we ought to call upon him asking for wisdom now James is not against Christian Fellowship there are seasons in instances in our lives when something will plague us and it's not wrong for me to go to a brother to go to a sister to go to a trusted friend and ask them for advice there is nothing wrong with that there's nothing wrong with reading a book on how to deal with or navigate successfully through the Seas of a flick Chet but brethren if we go to brethren or we go to books and we bypass God then we are neglecting the primary source of wisdom himself and this is James emphasis if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God james shows a knowledge of Matthew's Gospel several times in this small section of scripture Matthew 7 specifically verses seven to eleven ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be open or what man is there among you who if his son asks for bread will give him a stone or if he asks for a fish will he give him a serpent if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him you see what James encouragement is or James exhortation is we are to ask God if you lack wisdom ask God if you continue without wisdom the problem is is that you're not asking God don't blame God because you're a fool blame yourself because you don't ask manton comments on the necessity of prayer for wisdom he says God will have everything fetched out by prayer love that turn of phrase God will have everything fetched out by prayer he giveth nothing without asking we usually wear with thanks what we win by prayer and those comforts are best improved which we receive upon our knees beautiful sentiment from that golden tongue to Puritan God will have everything fetched out by prayer if any of you lacks wisdom in affliction in child in hardship in difficulty let him ask of God and as we consider this statement we ought to consider the reality that God is the source of wisdom just a few specimen passages from the scriptures will evidence that this is the case job 94 God is wise in heart and mighty and strength job 1213 with him our wisdom and strength he has counsel and understanding Psalm 147 5 great is Yahweh and mighty in power his understanding is infinite Isaiah 40 and verse 28 his understanding is unsearchable Romans 16 27 to God alone why's the glory through Jesus Christ forever amen Colossians 2 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge first Timothy 117 now to the King eternal immortal invisible to God who is alone wise beyond ER and glory forever and ever amen Jude 25 to God our Savior who alone is wise be glory and Majesty Dominion and power both now and forever amen so God is the source of wisdom as you sink into the affliction if you lack wisdom let him ask of God he is the source of it he gives it to those who ask you see how theology proper is necessary for everything we need to know who God is we need to know what he's about and we need to know that he has the resources necessary for his people we ought to contemplate and consider the attributes of God when we go through these various issues and trials so that we can come to him and we can bring that to him and say Lord God you are the fount of all wisdom I find myself on a perplexing situation at this particular time would you please give me some of that wisdom so that I can navigate successfully through these waters so there is an assumption there is an exhortation note thirdly under the pursuit of wisdom there is an encouragement there is a great encouragement if you lack it ask of God but he doesn't stop there notice how he goes on to describe this God if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives he gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him he gives beautiful he doesn't hold back he doesn't restrain his hand he doesn't look at you floundering and say well you know tough on you and be nice if you had some wisdom but since you asked I'm not going to give it to you know he does give proverbs chapter 2 specifically verses 6 and 7 for Yahweh gives wisdom from his mouth knowledge and understanding he stores up sound wisdom for the upright he is a shield to those who walk uprightly he gives wisdom you see that's an encouragement isn't it if I were to tell you child go ask your dad you're not sure whether or not your dad's going to answer you're not sure which way it's going to go but if I say ask your dad because he gives those things and he not only gives those things he gives them liberally and he not only gives those things and gives those things liberally he does so without reproach there is all manner of an courage mijnheer for us as God's people to ask to seek and to knock in other words if we are in the midst of affliction and we're floundering is it foundering or floundering I think it's foundering if we are foundering and we're having difficulties and trials and we don't have wisdom we are to ask that's it good to conjure it up or not to you know whip ourselves in the back to live on a pole go out to a cave we are to ask of God the encouragement he gives to all who asks and he gives liberal liberally note the ideas of liberality and bountifulness and generosity are in view along with sincerity and singleness in other words God does this for his people Galvin comments on this aspect of his liberal giving he says hence no man ought to deprive himself of so great a privilege if you are in affliction and you lack wisdom ask God God will give you and God will give you liberally he doesn't just dole it out in some mais early manner he doesn't just a portion out a few bits but rather he gives to all liberally and then it says he does not reproach those who ask at the end verse 5 any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God it gives to all liberally and without reproach the idea here means to rebuke to reproach to insult I think it kind of goes like this if your child comes to you over and over and over again asking for the same sorts of things at some point if you're like being you're impatient you're fallible you're going to say you're here again again I mean we shouldn't do that I shouldn't do that I'm sorry please forgive me to my children and grandchildren I should have never done that but it's in my heart to do that it's in my heart after 5 or 10 or 15 or 20 times being asked the same thing to say can't you hold on to what I've already given God's not like that he doesn't reproach us he doesn't rebuke us he doesn't insult us is not the case that if you lack wisdom and you come to God asking and seeking and knocking he goes oh it's you again oh you're back what you do with the wisdom I gave you last week did you squander it did you waste it did you miss U's it did you miss spent he doesn't do that he gives to all liberally and without reproach you see what James is saying if in the midst of affliction you realize you lack wisdom ask God he's the source of it he gives it he gives it liberally and he won't insult you he won't upbraid you as the old King James says he doesn't mock you he doesn't rebuke you he doesn't reprove you he doesn't roll his eyes and say oh you again I don't believe it your back asking me for the same old thing James assures us that our God doesn't do that later James will say that every good and perfect gift comes from our father whom there's no variation no shadow of turning he won't turn on you he won't start up braiding you he won't start reproving you if you ask him for wisdom each and every day for the rest of your life he's not going to roll as divine eyes and say I cannot believe that you don't know how to manage the wisdom I apportioned to you yesterday again Calvin says with reference to this whole idea that he will give without reproach this is added lest anyone should fear to come to God too often it's not afore this is added lest anyone should fear to come to God too often it can be something embarrassing about having to ask somebody the same thing we've already asked for again the child coming to the Father coming to the parents I lost my ball again and I know that's just the worst illustration in the world but there's something embarrassing about having to come back and acknowledge one's mistake and having to ask for that same thing over again what Calvin says is that James has so structured this passage that we are not afraid to come too often to God a modern commentator davids says God is then one who gives sincerely without hesitation or mental reservation he does not grumble or criticize his commitment to his people is total and unreserved they can't expect to receive the st. help will health wealth and prosperity James isn't say if any of you lacks a big ol nice car let him ask of God any of you lacks summer homes and vacation spots in Barcelona let him ask of God know if any of you suffering Saints in the sea of affliction recognizes the fact that they sincerely lack wisdom ask of God he gives to all liberally and he does so without reproach so under the pursuit of wisdom we've seen an assumption there's an exhortation there's an encouragement and now fourthly some reasons why do we need wisdom in the midst of our afflictions that's a good question isn't it why would we need wisdom we need deliverance don't we isn't that what we would typically pray god I'm in the sea of affliction deliver me that's not what James says god I'm in the midst of affliction you know carry me off to the top of a mountain till it all blows by and then return me back home that's not what jane says James says in the sea of affliction the thing that you need is not deliverance it's not even a boat what you need is wisdom from on high why well in the first place we need to be able to see the hand of God in our afflictions we need to be able to see the hand of God in our afflictions there's a reason why things happen to us we are not atheists we are not beasts we are not secularists we are not those who think that life is about random chance and you know the bashing of molecules against one another we are the people of God who affirm romans 8 28 we know that God causes all things to work together for good as I have pointed out repeatedly what Paul means there is the bad things he cannot mean the good things because none of us need convincing that God works good things for good what we need to be convinced of is that God works out bad things for our good and the people of God need to see the hand of God in the midst of their afflictions and in order to do so they need wisdom they need to interpret things from the divine perspective there are a couple of illustrations of this in the Old Testament job is a beautiful one job one naked I came into the world naked I will return the Lord has given the Lord has taken away blessed be the name of the Lord job saw the loss of family job saw the loss of possessions job saw the loss of essentially everything that was his under the divine eye or through the divine lands of God's plan and purpose in his life we have seen in our studies in second samuel gave it who was no stranger to affliction you want to know and identify with a man who can probably know and identify with what you're going through David is that man it's an intriguing thing we saw on this past Wednesday night second Samuel 19 Joab just as a an aside says concerning David situation here Absalom has died David is mourning and lamenting him and he is demoralizing the troops and Joab says you can't demoralise the troops you need to rally the troops you need to encourage the troops you need to you know praise the troops for their having defeated absolument and his army but just as an aside here's what Joab says in verse chapter 19 verse 7 and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now I mean here's a man side of David's life who has seen David's life and he is able to say that this will be the biggest problem the biggest issue the biggest challenge it'll be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now Joab knew the sufferings that David had gone through now back to this point that we need wisdom to see the hand of God in our afflictions go to chapter 16 2nd Samuel 16 again just a bit of refresher for those who were there on wednesday night and encouragement for those who don't attend wednesday night there is more practical christianity that we are seeing in 1st and 2nd samuel then not than anywhere else but it's just where the people of God are it is about the ebb and flow of God's people in this world this messy sinful world that is filled with the flick shins and trials and difficulties well all that to say in second samuel 16 david is departing from jerusalem because his son just stole his crown and stole his throne i mean you think you've got problems you think your son's not the nicest fellow in the world Absalom stole the crown and the throne from his father Absalom smooshed snoozed Israel one or stole the hearts of Israel launched a conspiracy and had David thrown out of his own Kingdom you think you've got problems at home with your teenager yes you probably do and I don't want to minimize that but David newsome sorrows here at any rate he is leaving Jerusalem and a man named shimmy curses him throws rocks at him is just speaking ill of him and banaya can't take it anymore and he says to David let me go take his head off but I had in like people miss speaking concerning his king and david says no keep your sword in its sheath and david understanding that this was of the Lord it's an amazing thing this was off of the Lord now what shimmy was saying wasn't precise shimmy was saying that David was responsible for the death of the house of Saul David wasn't responsible for the death of house of Saul but David was responsible for committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah and so it was right that somebody come along and curse his name he saw the hand of god in his afflictions he recognized the hand of god in his afflictions going back to chapters 18 and 19 I've already mentioned Absalom dies on the field of battle actually in a tree of battle remember the stories riding on his mule his head gets caught in the terebinth tree and he's hanging there between heaven and earth and a man sees him and reports it to Joab and Joab says why did you leave him hanging there you've got to dispatch him the man says David said not to the job goes and he plunges javelins three javelins into the heart of of Absalom and then 10 men basically carve him up what is David affected about defected by the death of Absalom Oh Absalom o my son Absalom you wonder why I've just explained that Absalom stole his crown and stole his throne and sent him packing and Absalom was all about killing David the plan the council that he received both from a hit off l and housh i included the death of king david so Absalom was all set on and bent on removing David from the earth so now in battle Absalom dies David should be happy because he gets go go back to Jerusalem he gets to rejoice in the fact that God has preserved him but he's a king and he's in pain and he's suffering and he's struggling and he's asking people about Absalom we ask the question on Wednesday night why yes natural affection a man never wants to see the death of his son that natural affection doesn't hang children you don't know that but we always love you no matter what knucklehead you may be we love you that just doesn't change it will always be the case there is that affinity there is that affection there is that deep seat deep-rooted love that will never vanish and that probably marked David to some degree but you know what was even more penetrating to David was chapter 12 verses 10 to 12 the fact that David's sin brought this on the fact that David sin with Bathsheba and Uriah provoked the God of Israel to send Nathan to tell David because of this the sword will never depart from your house because of this I will raise up adversity from your own home and because of this your wives will be publicly defiled before all Israel so at the death of Absalom David is able to see the hand of God in his afflictions Absalom is dead ultimately because of David's sin that's why he says Oh Absalom Absalom oh my son that's why he's agonizing and grieving and that's why Joab has to call him out of it and say look David you need to encourage the people of God or they're not going to fight for you David is a wonderful illustration of this principle seeing the hand of god in our afflictions secondly a reason we need wisdom is to appreciate the sovereignty of god in our afflictions romans 8 28 we know that God causes all things to work together for good we need wisdom to see God's hand to see his sovereignty to see his supremacy to see his majesty in the midst of our struggles as well thirdly we need to understand the good end of God in our afflictions we need to trust the scriptures we need to trust the Bible we need to trust James 1224 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience and when patients has had his perfect work then you will be perfect and complete lacking nothing this is God's means this is God's purpose this is God's plan in your life he uses afflictions and trials to conform you more and more under the image of Jesus Christ so you need that wisdom help to understand the good end of God in our afflictions and fourthly we need wisdom to help regulate our response to afflictions see when we are afflicted it's not okay for us to freak out it is not okay for us to be mad at God it is not okay for us to Harbor bitterness it is not okay for us to say well God's always picking on me like this God's always doing this to me God's always out to get me that's not legit you cannot do that you need wisdom to help regulate your response to afflictions listen to Manton to moderate the violence's of our own passions this is why we need wisdom in affliction he says he that liveth by sense will and passion is not wise skill is required of us to apply app councils and comforts that our hearts may be above the misery that our flesh is under so I read Psalm 73 asaph is very candid with us in that Psalm isn't it Asaph says but as for me my foot nearly slipped truly God is good to Israel but as for me my foot nearly sleep slept why because i saw the righteous sufferer and I saw the wicked prosper and it was too much for me I couldn't handle it I couldn't face the reality that my beloved brethren were suffering and languishing and dying and struggling in pains and hardship and poverty and then the the wicked the godless the unrighteous it seems like there's no problems in their lives they don't get cancer they don't get Pinto cars they have nice cars they don't live in huts they live in nice houses he says this really bothered me until I went into the sanctuary it was wisdom divine wisdom that brought a new perspective on the reality this is the point we need wisdom to help regulate our risk bonds to our afflictions Psalm 73 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God then I understood their end him 21 tells us that blind unbelief is sure to air and scan his work in vain God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain and david says wisdom is the possession of the believer given by the spirit that enables him to see history from the divine perspective and that helps to govern our passions so that we don't lash out to God or at God in anger well that's the pursuit of wisdom let's hurry on secondly to the necessity of faith versus six to eight we've been told to ask of God now verse 6 tells us how we are to ask of God and under the necessity of faith there's three quick things we ought to observe the command the caution and the dangers note the command let him ask in faith the focus in verse 5 is theological in nature let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach right the focus in verse 5 is on God the focus in verse 6 is on us we are to go to this God in faith David's says having described the willing father in verse 5 James turns to the other side of the transaction the waiting child that's verse 6 let him ask in faith again an emphasis that is picked up from matthew's gospel Matthew 17 22 21 21 21 to 22 we see it in Hebrews 11 6 as well we must believe and believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek app Gill explains the type of faith and view let him ask in faith Gill says not only in the faith of the Divine Being that God is but in the faith of the promises he has made and in the faith of his power and faith illness to perform them and in the faith of this that whatever is asked according to the will of God and is for his glory and his people's good shall be given we must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him so he gives us this command let him ask in faith note the caution without or with no doubting and supposed to doubt you're not supposed to you know waiver you are supposed to believe that God is who he says he is and you are to believe that he will give what he has said he would verse 5 is an open invitation if you lack wisdom let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach but you are not to doubt the danger of doubting is highlighted by James the danger of doubting is highlighted by Jesus what does he say to his disciples in several places in Matthew's Gospel o ye of what little faith you're not supposed to doubt God is big God is massive God is glorious there's an account where a young boy went to hear George Whitefield preach and when he returned home mother said what did you think of a Reverend Whitefield and he says something to the effect mr. Whitfield preaches a big God soon as genes let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach when you ask ask in faith without doubting again this isn't Benny Hinn ism this isn't that that that foolish trinity broadcast network this isn't health wealth and prosperity this is for the saint in the sea of affliction who needs God and His wisdom that's what James is telling us in this context and then he highlights the dangers if you don't ask in faith there are certain dangers involved verse 6 let him ask let him ask in faith with no doubting for he who doubts is like the way wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind the danger is he will be unsettled he will be unsettled if you have doubt in your heart you do not believe God fully and earnestly you will be unsettled you'll be like the waves of the sea this was a common metaphor Paul uses it in Ephesians chapter 4 the idea is is that God or faith in God steadies the soul doubting the power of God leads to chaos and unsettled s in your life what do you preserve a preferred calm or chaos if it's chaos then just doubt God if it's calm then don't doubt God this is what James is saying you will be unsettled but there's a second danger he will be unanswered look at verse 7 for let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord not only will you be unsettled you'll be unanswered the tendency is to suppose that we will always be answered but if we don't believe God and we doubt God James tells us that we will not be answered person to pray and don't get what they are seeking typically blame God don't they well I ask God he didn't give it to me so you know too bad for him because i'm not going to serve him anymore well I question whether you served him ever with that sort of an attitude because the saint of Christ realizes that whatever my god ordains is right you see there are those types of people they say well I prayed I tried prayer and it just didn't work so they blame God don't they have you met those people maybe I'm the only guy that's ever met those people a little little affirmation maybe you've been those people he didn't answer me he didn't do what what James says well if you're doubting him and you're an unsettled man you're going to be an unanswered man we never blame ourselves do we like I said this morning we always try to shift it somewhere else it started in the garden God gets the first blame without the woman whom you gave me what's the implication God if you hadn't given me her I'd be perfectly fine and happy everything be great without that woman second in line for blame was the woman it's all her fault if she wasn't here boy I wouldn't eat that fruit we like to blame shift and if we don't get the answers that we want from God who do we blame do we ever say you know what my faith is lacking I'm doubting I'm like a double minded man which is the next danger I would God answer me I'm believe that he says what he says I've no faith we don't ever ever blame ourselves we blame God to the dangers if you doubt you'll be unsettled you'll be unanswered you'll be unstable notice in verse 8 he is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways not just in his afflictions but in all his ways some sense is what James is saying in terms of praying in faith certainly applies to this request for wisdom but it holds with all prayer doesn't it Allison says he moves attention from God to human beings in terms of six to eight he offers teaching that applies not just a prayer for wisdom but to prayer of any sort he explicitly specifies a condition that must be met if prayer is to be answered and he implicitly explains why some prayers appear to have no effect human beings not God or to blame you'll be on settled unanswered and unstable in all your ways you see maybe the reason why your life is a mass is because you doubt God if James is to be trusted i think that's a legitimate observation maybe your life is frazzled because you doubt God the people who know their God the people who trust in their God are steadied are stabilized are secure the people who don't trust God the people who doubt God are just the opposite they're unsettled their unanswered and they are on stable in all his ways the word used is literally double sold or double minded note its use in 48 he says cleanse draw near to God He will draw near to you cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded it is a tus old man not in some weird hypostatic union because you are not committed to the God of heaven and earth you are unstable in all your ways the word reflects a departure from what God calls his people to do we're to love the Lord the guitar God with all our heart soul mind and strength with all implies there's not to be a tus old mess there is not to be a double mindedness there is to be a full soul whole soul commitment to God Most High proverbs 3 trust in the Lord with what with part of your heart now trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths Israel was rebuked for being double sold or double minded a nation and the word is as I said further described in verse 8 e's double minded unstable in all his ways so maybe your life is a mess because you don't doubt God or you doubt God maybe your life is a mess because instead of praying god help me to fix the mess you pray god grant me wisdom and grant me faith so that i don't doubt you at the throne of grace ask seek and knock brethren in conclusion in summary we need to realize that we need wisdom to navigate through afflictions it's incredible isn't it when you're in the midst of affliction James does not say pray for deliverance go to the healing service find the most Pentecostal and charismatic group in your town go to their tent meeting and launder up and get the Whammy so that all your things will be healed that's not what he says if you are going through afflictions and recognize that you lack wisdom you need wisdom to navigate successfully through your afflictions secondly we need to recognize the Lord God Almighty is the source of wisdom we ask him but as well we search the Scriptures how do we navigate successfully through a flake yet we study the life of david who by God's grace successfully navigated through a flagship we study the book of Job who by God's grace successfully navigated through the flics yet we study the Psalms which record for us David's navigation through those seas of affliction we study the life in the Ministry of the Apostle Paul did Paul just wander around and everybody loved him and esteemed him and praised him Paul suffered tremendously Paul was hunted as well Paul was persecuted Paul was beaten Paul was imprisoned Paul was ultimately martyred for the cause of God and truth if we need to know how to successfully navigate a trials and afflictions let's study the man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief who when he came to his own his own received him not brethren you see God is the source of wisdom and he has given us his word so we ought to be in that word so that we may know how to go through our afflictions and as well we need to understand that we need faith let him ask in faith I love that account in Matthew's Gospel and the man and it's it's recorded for us in Matthew but what we find in mark is absolutely incredible when Jesus tells the man with the Sun that needs to be healed if you believe and he says Lord I believe help my unbelief you see God's not going to upbraid you if you confess that at the throne of grace God knows that you have struggles God knows you better than you know you so if you were to say to God wow I'm I'm struggling in this particular area God's not going to wow I would have never figured that out I want you know I'm perplexed that you have those raw cotton nose you intimately so if you're struggling with doubt or you are struggling with a lack of faith be like that man Lord I believe there is that seed there it may be like a mustard seed but it is there lord increase my faith so that when i ask you for wisdom i will not be in unsettled man an unanswered man or an unstable man but i will be a man that is secure and firmed in his god well brethren let us heed james let us understand James let us recognize the fact that afflictions and trials are part and parcel of the Christian life and God has prescribed a way for us to deal with it to go through it and to navigate those seas of affliction and if we are not Christians it is not our ability to cope with affliction that makes us Christians it is Christ it is belief in him it is faith in him machen says in his book what is faith which again I highly command anybody who struggles with the idea of faith read Jay gruesome matrons book what is faith one place he speaks of faith he says the faith the size of a mustard seed may not move mountains doesn't Jesus say this but there is one thing that faith will do it will bring a soul to jesus that mustard seed faith that glimpse that looked at life that is the thing that is needful believe on the Lord Jesus Christ being able to successfully navigate and cope with the trials and difficulties of life does not ultimately commend you to god it is faith in christ jesus and then as you have that faith in christ jesus successfully cope with the hardships and difficulties of life well let us close in prayer father thank you for your word thank you for the the clarity and the openness and the honesty of it your word never lies to us and tells us that we'll never have problems or will never of difficulties but it assures us and it affirms to us and it tells us everywhere that these things are so but you don't leave us lacking you don't leave us on our own but you prescribe a way through these things so God we ask they help us to recall these truths when we come into trial give us grace to cry out to you for wisdom give us grace to do so in faith I pray that you would go with us now and watch over this church I love this church I pray for each of the brothers and sisters here she would watch over them in the coming weeks and months and years that you would bring us together again that we may worship you and glorify you and honor your great and holy name and we pray these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen those are the brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you