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James 1, our focus is going to 
be verses 2 to 8, but I want to read the chapter, we'll pray, 
and then we'll look at this section in some detail. So the book of 
James, beginning in chapter 1, verse 1. James, a bondservant 
of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve 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 in 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 its 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 forth 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 variation or shadow of turning. Of His 
own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth that we 
might be a kind of firstfruits 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 
a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing 
his natural face in a mirror. For he 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. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God and our Holy Father, we thank you again for this day, 
for the privilege of gathering in the house of God to worship 
you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray for your blessing now 
as we consider this section of Holy Scripture. We pray that 
you would encourage and strengthen our hearts, that you would help 
us to deal with the various things that face us in this lower world, 
and to do so in a manner that is consistent with the written 
word of the living God. Forgive us for all of our sins 
and all of our transgression. Cleanse us in that precious blood 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and how we rejoice that You made 
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become 
the righteousness of God in Him. Certainly all praise and all 
glory and all honor goes to our blessed God for the salvation 
of sinners. We take no credit We are not 
able to pat ourselves on the back. There's no contribution 
that we have made to this wonderful scheme. We give all praise to 
our blessed Savior, who lived for us, who died for us, and 
who was raised again the third day for us. And we know that 
He will come back in glory to judge the living and the dead, 
and He will bring His church into that blessed New Jerusalem. God, we pray that you'd hasten 
the day that you would come, Lord Jesus. Even so, come quickly 
and help us all to be ready, washed in the precious blood 
of the Lamb and clothed in that righteousness. Guide us now by 
your Holy Spirit, we pray, and we ask through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. Well, this morning as we considered 
those two builders, we noted the similarities between them. 
One man built on the rock, one man built on the sand. But one 
of the similarities they both had is the trials and the difficulties 
and the afflictions and the hardships that are associated with life 
in a fallen world. Well, God Most High in His grace 
not only tells us that the house will remain steadfast because 
it's founded upon the rock, but He gives us means and helps to 
deal with the various tempests, the rains, the winds, the things 
that assault us. And James 1, 2-8 is one such 
passage. It is instruction for the believer 
on dealing with trial, instruction for the believer on dealing with 
affliction, the difficulties associated with life in a fallen 
world. And James does two things in 
our section here in verses 2 to 8. First, he says there is the 
believer's response to trials in verses 2 to 4, and then he 
underscores the believer's request during trials in verses 5 to 
8. So there is this response, verses 
2-4, and this request in verses 5-8. So let's look first at the 
believer's response to trials in verses 2-4. We need to first 
understand what he's talking about, obviously, because if 
you have the Old King James, it reads this way, My brethren, 
count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. And then when you drop down to 
verse 12, you see, blessed is the man who endures temptation. And then again in verse 13, let 
no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God. So if you're 
looking at that, on the one hand, you're supposed to be joyful 
when you fall into these various temptations, and on the other 
hand, you're supposed to resist them, and you're simply not to 
suggest that God has sent them. Well, the same word is doing 
double duty in our particular passage. Verse 2 is rendered 
well in the New King James. My brethren, count it all joy 
when you fall into various trials. The Lord tries His people, the 
Lord tests His people, and He does so with the intention of 
a good outcome. Genesis chapter 22, when Abraham 
is told to take Isaac up to Mount Moriah and to sacrifice him, 
we see that the Lord was testing him. Again, the intention of 
a good outcome. When we drop down in this section, 
we see the temptation of verse 13 is specifically a solicitation 
to do evil. Now again, we have words that 
have a broad range of meaning, and that's what's going on in 
this particular passage. So in verse 2, it is a trial 
that God sends to test us and to help us and to bring out good 
as a result of it. Verse 13 is a solicitation to 
do evil. It is something that does cause 
us to sin if we give in to it. This is a tactic of the devil. 
He goes about roaring like a lion, seeking whom he may devour, but 
he also uses temptation as one of the means to solicit the people 
of God to do evil. And as well, these temptations 
in verse 13 are associated with our remaining corruption in verses 
14 and 15. Notice, 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 forth death. So we're dealing with two different 
concepts in verse 2, and then again in verse 13. So in verse 
2, it is the difficulties, the hardships, the trials, the afflictions 
that we face in this world that God uses to conform us evermore 
unto the image of His beloved Son. Again, look at the emphasis 
in verse 2. My brethren, count it all joy. 
That's the command. That's the imperative. We're 
to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. John Gill 
says, not the temptations of Satan or temptations to sin, 
for these cannot be matter of joy but grief. These are fiery 
darts and give a great deal of uneasiness and trouble, but afflictions 
and persecutions for the sake of the gospel, which are so called 
here and elsewhere because they are trials of the faith of God's 
people and of other graces of the Spirit of God. So we see 
a good end in verse 2 and a bad end excuse me, in verse 13, followed 
by 14 and 15. As well, notice the expectation 
of James concerning trials. He doesn't say, my brethren, 
I want you to know something, that living in a sin-cursed world, 
there might be the minuscule potential that you'll have some 
troubles as you traverse this globe. Now, it probably won't 
happen, but I want you to know there is this little possibility 
that you may undergo some hardships as you walk this earth, as God's 
people, in a hostile land where many around you are at odds and 
have enmity with your master. That's not what he says. He assumes 
the presence of trial. He assumes the presence of hardship. He assumes the presence of difficulty 
in the Christian life. He assumes this because he's 
familiar with the Old Testament. He assumes this because he's 
familiar with the teaching of our Lord Jesus, who didn't shrink 
back from declaring the truth to his disciples. The text I 
typically cite at this point is John 16. In this world you 
will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I've overcome 
the world. James as well understood the experience of the early disciples. He knew the history recorded 
in the book of Acts. He knew what God's people faced. 
He knew that Peter and John were arrested in Acts chapter four. 
He knows that Peter was put in prison in Acts chapter 12. He 
knows that the apostle Paul was stoned during his first missionary 
journey, such that he was able to preach to a congregation, 
we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of heaven. 
James knew this because the Old Testament, because the teaching 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and because of the experience of 
God's people in the first century. As well, in this particular epistle, 
notice who James writes to according to verse 1. James, a bondservant 
of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ of the twelve tribes, 
which are scattered abroad. They weren't in their home, they 
weren't in their country of origin, they were scattered abroad. He 
writes to those in the context of the church who suffered poverty, 
according to 1.9, 2.1-7, 2.15-17. As well, the people James wrote 
to suffered religious persecution, according to chapter 2, verses 
6 and 7. So again, he's not introducing a brand new theme. He's not trying 
to tell them that in this world you may possibly have a bit of 
difficulty. No, he starts his letter with 
this emphasis. He wants to encourage the people 
of God. He is going to deal pretty hard 
with them in terms of justification by faith, in terms of their response 
to the various theological issues he has to deal with, but he appeals 
to them at the very outset in terms of trial and difficulty 
and hardship. Notice as well the disposition 
that he commands. Verse 2, as I said, the command 
is, count it all joy. Count it all joy when you fall 
into various trials. Why does he say we're to count 
it all joy? Because this is counterintuitive. This is not the default position. When you fall into various trials, 
what's your immediate thought? Wow, isn't this grand? God is 
working out His purposes in my life. God is further conforming 
me unto the image of His blessed Son. May God be praised. If you do that, then this sermon 
isn't for you. If you do that, this sermon's 
at least for one of us. If you do that, praise be to 
God. But most of the time, for the 
people of God, it is counterintuitive for us to fall into a trial, 
to fall into an affliction, to fall into a hardship and to pop 
out praising God immediately. This is why James writes. This 
is why James reminds. This is why James exhorts. This 
is why James is doing what James is doing. Count it all joy. when you fall into various trials. Go back to the Gospel of Matthew. I suggested this morning that 
James was obviously familiar with Matthew's Gospel in general, 
and the Sermon on the Mount in particular. And in Matthew chapter 
5, Jesus endorses the same mindset. There's the beatitudes in verses 
2 to 10. Those are the statements concerning 
blessedness or happiness, verses 3 to 10. And notice that eighth 
beatitude in verse 10. Blessed or happy. Happy are those 
who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile 
and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely 
for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 
for great is your reward in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets 
who were before you." See, we need to ponder passages like 
these so that we're prepared for the eventuality of falling 
into trials. It's not the time when we fall 
into trials to say, Okay, now, what was it that Jesus said? 
What was it that James said? What was it that I was taught 
in church on how to respond to such things? We need to have 
this in our mind. We need to have this orientation 
so that when it does occur, we're able to face it. We're able to 
stand fast. And Jesus says, rejoice and be 
exceedingly glad. Turn over to the book of Hebrews, 
Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, again, a 
people group that were persecuted in the first century church. Notice in chapter 10 at verse 
32, but recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, 
you endured a great struggle with sufferings, partly while 
you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, 
and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated. 
for you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted 
the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better 
and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." Brethren, 
in my current mindset, I can't even imagine or envisage or see 
a situation wherein I would be joyful as my goods were seized 
and taken out of my house. Now, that is to say, I need to 
be reminded as to what he goes on to say. Notice the next word. In other words, these goods that 
we possess in the here and the now, they are fleeting. They're 
comfortable, they're nice, it's good to have them as long as 
we don't make an idol out of them, but they pale in significance 
as compared with the eternal weight of glory that we are heading 
to. Going back to James 1, the command is count it all joy when 
you fall into various trials. He's going to underscore why 
this is the case in verse three in more detail, but specifically 
he wants the people of God in the face of difficulty to maintain 
a joyful disposition. John Calvin says he means in 
short that there is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb 
our joy. This is the perspective of God's 
people, the ability to rejoice, the ability to be thankful, even 
in the midst of deprivation, even in the midst of hardship, 
even in the midst of suffering. Now notice the recognition of 
God's purpose in our trials in verses 3 to 4. He highlights 
a virtue in verse 3 and then gives us its value in verse 4. Notice what he says in verse 
3, just like what we see in Hebrews chapter 10. You joyfully accepted 
the plundering of goods, knowing you had a theological understanding, 
you had the right perspective that there is an eternal weight 
of glory that you are heading to. Well, the same thing is true 
here. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various 
trials, knowing Okay? You've got this mindset. You've 
got this theology. You've got this framework. You've 
got this context in your heart, so that when you fall into these 
difficulties, you already know the response. You already know 
what's in view. You already know what's happening. 
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. So the believer must know what 
James relates here. So you're no longer off the hook. You've all been instructed. If 
you fall into trial tomorrow and you lose your mind, that's 
because you didn't pay attention tonight. That's because you didn't 
know what God's perspective or God's purpose is for your trial 
or for your issue. The believer must be prepared 
and sustained by such knowledge. Thomas Manton says ignorance 
is the cause of sorrow. So many times when we are beset 
with difficulties and hardships, it's as if we forget everything 
we've ever learned about God Most High. Look at what James 
says concerning God Most High in verse 17. Our God is unchangeable. The trials and the difficulties 
and the afflictions and the hardships that we face do not change God. It is not a reflection that God 
has somehow changed. He was good to us on Monday, 
and by Friday everything's a mess. What has He done? Why has He 
changed? Why has He taken this new course? 
No, He doesn't change. There is no wrinkle on the brow 
of eternity. This is the language of Manten. 
God doth not change. There is no wrinkle upon the 
brow of eternity. The arm of mercy is not dried 
up, nor do his bowels of love waste and spend themselves. We 
are not to forget. We are to know and to understand, 
such that when we have the difficulties and the challenges, we have a 
resource to draw from. Notice that the trials undergone 
produce patience. Now, patience is probably better 
rendered here as endurance or perseverance. Patience by itself 
suggests passivity. You'll see the same word in Hebrews 
chapter 12, verse 1. Run the race with patience. But it's rather, or it's translated 
in the New King James as, run the race with endurance. I think 
that's the same sort of emphasis here. knowing that the testing 
of your faith produces perseverance, it produces endurance, it produces 
the ability to go forward in the midst of hardship. One man 
says, the emphasis is not passivity, but being bravely patient with 
suffering until it dissipates. In other words, there is a good 
end in view of God's having sent these trials or difficulties 
upon us because we need to learn endurance. We need to learn perseverance. You don't get stronger muscles 
until you lift heavier weights. You don't run a marathon until 
you run a marathon. And the way that you get there 
is to increase the amount you run each and every time. You 
need to be able to test yourself physically in order to increase 
or improve physically. It's a pretty simple emphasis 
in biology. Well, it's the same in spirituality. In order to grow in the grace 
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, more 
often than not, it's the school of hard knocks that proves to 
be one of the best helpers along that path. God knows what He's 
doing in your tests, in your trials, in your afflictions. 
God knows what He is doing as He conforms you unto the image 
of His beloved Son. The trials themselves have a 
theological purpose. knowing that the testing of your 
faith produces perseverance, knowing that the testing of your 
faith produces endurance. It is a most blessed thing. David, 
a commentator, says tempered metal is more precious than the 
raw material. Thomas Manton, God's aim in your 
afflictions is not destruction, but trial, as gold is put into 
the furnace to be refined, not consumed. You want to get the 
dross out? It's not going to come out by 
your invitation. Hey, dross, jump out of the gold. 
No, you need to put it in the fire. You need to heat it up. 
You need to bring it to that place where you can pull the 
dross out. And God does that with reference to the dross and 
his people. We need the trials. We need the difficulties. We 
need the hardships, because oftentimes that's when God is at work in 
us to bring about conformity unto the Lord Jesus Christ. So 
the virtue, endurance or perseverance, but then notice the value in 
verse four. He says, but let patience have 
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking 
nothing. So the presence of endurance 
ultimately leads to, or the presence of perseverance ultimately leads 
to perfection. Now, James is not suggesting 
perfection is up. He's not teaching that a Christian 
can be perfect on this side of heaven. He's not teaching that 
you will be sinless before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
That blessed state awaits us in the eschaton. But what he 
is saying is that there will be a maturity. The word is used 
this way, 1 Corinthians 14, 20. It's used this way in Ephesians 
4, 13. There is a maturing process that 
the people of God must undergo. Again, how do the people of God 
undergo that? It's through trial. It's through 
testing. It's through hardship. It's through 
affliction. It is through being pressed. 
It is through being beaten down and raised back up again. These 
are the means that God employs to bring about that maturity. 
The word could also mean, it's applied to Noah in the Old Testament 
this way, blameless or with integrity. It's used like that also in the 
book of Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 13. The perfection 
will not ultimately be realized until the day of judgment. Notice 
in verse 12, 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. So the perfection 
that we're on our way to, and the maturity that we're on our 
way to, and the blamelessness that we're on our way to, we're 
taking steps in the right direction. There is a further conformity 
unto the Lord Jesus Christ, but it's not fully achieved on this 
side of heaven. And James knows that. James is 
encouraging us to understand the purpose of God, theologically, 
in the trials that God sends our way. Now notice, secondly, 
the believer's request during trials. Two things here. There's 
the pursuit of wisdom and the necessity of faith. Isn't that 
interesting? Look at verse 5. Is that usually 
what we ask for when we come into affliction? We get dashed down. We're in 
a tried situation. We are besot with all kinds of 
hardship. It's our first cry to God, Lord, 
grant me wisdom. Again, you might already have 
this mastered. This might already be sort of 
your way, but there's a lot of us that need this reminder. He 
says, if any of you lacks wisdom, note the assumption. Verse four 
looks at a time of perfection and completion. Verse 4 says, 
"...let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect 
and complete, lacking nothing." Again, that's the goal, that's 
the value, that's the process, that's the purpose. But notice 
in verse 5, he assumes that it hasn't happened yet. He assumes 
that you're not perfect, you're not mature all the way, you are 
not blameless with reference to these particular issues. There 
is room for aid and assistance, and the aid and assistance that 
you need is specifically wisdom. So if any of you lacks wisdom, 
Manton says it—wisdom—is to be restrained to the circumstances 
of the text. This isn't a new thought. So 
verses 2 to 4 deal with your response to trials, and then 
5 to 8 is completely disconnected. Oh, and by the way, if you happen 
to lack wisdom, then ask of God and He'll give it to you because 
He loves you and He's good. No, it's very inextricably connected. The trials that we undergo, the 
process that God is working out, requires on our part wisdom so 
that we can respond appropriately and accordingly. And so James 
underscores that fact. So again, Manton says, wisdom 
is to be restrained to the circumstances of the text, not taken generally. He intends wisdom or skill to 
bear afflictions. Think about that. He intends 
wisdom or skill to bear afflictions. John Gill says the same thing. 
It intends wisdom to behave aright under temptations and afflictions. Again, brethren, is that intuitive? Afflictions hit, trials come, 
difficulties beset you, and you cry to God for wisdom, for the 
skill to be able to navigate through them in a manner that 
is consistent with what James enjoins upon us? Typically, when 
afflictions hit me, I cry out for deliverance. When afflictions 
hit me, I cry out for mercy. When afflictions hit me, I cry 
out for just about everything other than wisdom. See, that 
is what James demands because God is working out his purposes, 
and we need the wisdom to be able to appreciate that and navigate 
under this difficulty. Now, notice he says, if any of 
you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. Isn't that beautiful? I lack wisdom. What should I 
do? Go to Sunday school, attend church, 
read books, get Proverbs, and, you know, internalize that. Have 
you ever understood or rather recognized that Proverbs has 
31 chapters? Pretty handy to read a chapter of Proverbs a 
day for every month for the rest of your lives. It's a wonderful 
thing to learn the wisdom of Solomon. But in this instance, 
he says, let him ask of God. I lack wisdom to navigate through 
this particular trial. What shall I ever do? cry out 
to God for the wisdom that is necessary. This means that God 
is the source and giver of wisdom. Job 9.4, God is wise in heart 
and mighty in strength. Job 12.13, with him are wisdom 
and strength. He has counsel and understanding. 
Psalm 147.5, great is our Lord and mighty in power. His understanding 
is infinite. Isaiah 40.28, his understanding 
is unsearchable. Romans 16.27, to God alone wise 
be glory through Jesus Christ forever, amen. Colossians 2.3 
speaks of Jesus in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and 
knowledge. So if you lack wisdom to face the current trial, then 
ask God. This is what is intended here. 
And again, that's the means employed for the acquisition of wisdom. 
It's prayer. Remember, Jesus teaches this. 
Ask and seek and knock. If you, being evil men, love 
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will our Heavenly 
Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? James will later 
say you have not because you ask not. So many times Christians 
want for things, but they don't go to the source of those things. They don't call upon God for 
the wisdom necessary to be able to deal with the current situation 
or the current trial. Turn back to 1 Kings 3. 1 Kings 3, to see an embodiment 
of this principle in the life of King Solomon. Solomon ascends 
the throne, 1 Kings 2. Solomon destroys any competition 
relative to the throne, 1 Kings 2. which was the particular way 
or means of securing one's throne. You eliminate all competitors. 
That's how it's traditionally been done in the history of the 
world. But then God comes to him by 
way of vision and asks him, what shall I give to you? 1 Kings 
3 5. And Solomon said in verse six, 
you have shown great mercy to your servant David, my father, 
because he walked before you in truth and righteousness and 
in uprightness of heart with you. You have continued this 
great kindness for him. Excuse me. And you have given 
him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. Now, oh Lord, 
my God, you have made your servant king instead of my father, David. 
But I am a little child. I do not know how to go out or 
come in, and your servant is in the midst of your people whom 
you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or 
counted. Therefore give to your servant an understanding heart 
to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil, 
for who is able to judge this great people of yours? What a 
wonderful example. I want more horses. I want more 
wives. I want more wealth. I want more 
border territory. I want, you know, victory over 
my enemies. I want to crush them under my 
boot. I want to destroy all the heathen 
out there. No, I want wisdom so that I know 
how to govern and manage and lead the people that you have 
put under my charge. Now notice in verse 10, the speech 
pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. Back to 
James chapter 1. It is an assumption that you're 
going to fall into trials. It is an assumption that you 
know the purpose for these trials, and it is an assumption that 
one day you're gonna be mature and blameless, and all these 
trials will have done their good effect upon you under the blessing 
of God. But in the midst of it, you're 
going to need something, and you're going to have to ask God 
who gives this. Manton again says, 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." So he not only 
gives the exhortation, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him 
ask of God, he then gives an encouragement to that. Now think 
about this. He could just say, look, you 
got problems with wisdom, excuse me, a lack of it, ask God. Let's 
move on to the next subject. But he doesn't do that. He gives 
an encouragement to the people of God so that they will ask 
of God for that wisdom that they need. Notice that God gives to 
all who ask. Excuse me, once again. If any 
of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all. Who gives to all. In Proverbs 
2, 6 and 7, it says, the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth 
come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for 
the upright. He is a shield to those who walk 
uprightly. Why should I ask God for wisdom? 
Because he gives it. But notice, he doesn't just give 
it, but he gives it liberally. Not just a little bit of wisdom. 
Not just a miser. He's not just sort of doling 
it out in some sort of a system where, you know, you've had five 
units of wisdom, you know, this past month, and that's it. That's 
your quota. You can't have any more. He gives 
to all liberally. There is infinite resources in 
this God. We've seen this in Ephesians 
1-7, Ephesians 2-7, according to the riches of His grace. Well, there's riches of His wisdom 
as well. We cannot tap it dry. We cannot 
exhaust it. We cannot spend it. We cannot 
use it up. God gives to all liberally, not 
just a little bit. Calvin says, hence, no man ought 
to deprive himself of so great a privilege. But notice, not 
only does he give it, he gives it liberally, and then he says, 
and without reproach, or he upbraideth not. Why do you think he says 
that? So that if you have to go back 
again, you're not going to meet with any resistance from God. 
Now, just for a moment, suppose you're a parent, and your child 
asks you for something, and you give it to that child. And then 
about 10 minutes later, the child comes back and asks for the same 
thing again. You say, OK, give it back to him again. So 10 more 
minutes go, and he comes back, and 10 more minutes, and he comes 
back, and 10 more minutes, and he comes back. If you're like 
me, at some point, you're used up. Why do you keep coming back? Why do you not hold on to what 
I gave you? Why do you not improve upon what 
I gave you? Why do you keep wearying me with 
this constant coming back? This is James' emphasis. God 
doesn't do that. God doesn't reproach you. God 
doesn't upbraid you. God doesn't say, oh, come on, 
he's back again? Remember the lesson of the importunate 
widow? When Jesus teaches his people 
that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 
that woman who came, or that widow who came to the judge and 
said, you know, render my verdict, and the judge didn't hear. So 
she kept on him. And the judge, who didn't fear 
God, nor did he regard man, finally said, you know, I don't fear 
God, I don't regard man, but I'm going to give her what she 
wants because she's constantly wearying me. What does Jesus 
draw out from that? Shall not God avenge his own 
elect who cry to him day and night? God's not the unjust judge. God is the Most High. God is 
the Unchangeable. God is the infinitely gracious 
and merciful and kind and good God. He gives to all liberally 
and without reproach. You're not going to weary God 
at the throne of grace by coming to fetch wisdom. You're not going 
to hear from God saying, oh no, you've used it all up, go out 
and manage it yourself. This is an encouragement for 
the people of God to seek God's mercy. Again, Calvin says, this 
is added lest anyone should fear to come too often to God. Oh, 
you know, I've asked and He gave, but I don't want to weary Him. 
I don't want to use up my privilege. Brethren, you cannot use up. 
God is infinite in His grace. Now, the reasons for this wisdom 
are manifold. We need to see the hand of God 
in our affliction. I think this is difficult at 
times, brethren. Are you able, with pinpoint accuracy, 
to understand what is of God, what is of the devil, and what 
is of your own remaining flesh, or remaining corruption? I'm 
not. There's some difficulties in 
that. I don't know if the devil is 
enticing me to do evil. I don't know if God is doing 
this trial in order to conform me evermore to the image of my 
blessed Savior. I don't know if this is remaining 
corruption in my own heart. There needs to be wisdom in order 
to see the hand of God in the affliction that we are undergoing. 
David had this in 2 Samuel 16. When Shimei curses David, his 
servant says, why are we letting this dog live? Let me go cut 
his head off. And David says, no, this is from 
the Lord. That's wisdom, brethren, wisdom 
to see the hand of God in the afflictions that we undergo. 
As well, we need wisdom to appreciate the sovereignty of God in our 
afflictions. Romans 8, 28, we know that God 
causes all things to work for good to those who love God, to 
those who are the called according to His purpose. Again, we don't 
need help understanding that the good things are from God. 
We don't need help understanding that bags of money and happy 
wives and happy children and a good work situation are blessings 
from God. We need wisdom to appreciate 
that the opposite is from God, too. They're under His divine 
management. They're under His providential 
control. As well, we need wisdom to understand 
the good end of God in all of our afflictions. Now again, brethren, 
we don't always see this when we're in the midst of it. I'm 
not sure how this is gonna work out for my good, but I trust 
in the sovereign power of God that it is gonna work out for 
my good. But as well, we need wisdom to 
help regulate our response to our afflictions. What happens 
if we don't have wisdom? What happens if we respond in 
such a way that is completely contrary to the way that we're 
supposed to? We get angry with God. We get 
bitter with God. We get upset with God. We wonder, 
why is it, God, that you have sent these things my way? Why 
is it, God, that you are doing these sorts of things? Well, 
we need wisdom to guard our passions. We need wisdom to guard our hearts. 
We need wisdom to guard our minds so that we don't call God into 
question concerning our current situation. Again, Manton, to 
moderate the violences of our own passions. He that liveth 
by sense, will, and passion is not wise. Listen again to that. He that lives by sense, will, 
and passion is not wise. Skill is required of us to apply 
apt counsels and comforts that our hearts may be above the misery 
that our flesh is under. That is sage, wonderful advice 
and counsel from a Puritan who wrote at length on the book of 
James. And then notice the necessity 
of faith in verses six to eight. So we're to ask God, who gives 
to all liberally and without reproach, understanding it will 
be given to him. Then there's this caution and 
encouragement to ask in faith. Notice the focus in verse 5 is 
theological in nature, the focus in verses 6 and 8. 6 to 8 is 
upon man. So verse 5 is theology. If any of you lacks wisdom, let 
him ask of God. God gives to all liberally, and 
He gives without reproach. Now verses 6 to 8, your heart 
needs to be right. Your heart needs to have the 
proper framework. Your heart needs to be regulated by the 
Word of God. So he says specifically that 
you need to ask in faith. Again, further knowledge of Matthew, 
Matthew's gospel. You might think this is odd that 
I keep emphasizing this, but there is that class of people 
out there say the Bible's kind of random, it's just kind of 
there. Oh no, the men of God knew what the other men of God 
had written, and more often than not, they assume that, and they 
write their theology with reference to those things as well. But 
how many times does Jesus sort of indict his disciples for little 
faith? Little faith. Not no faith, not 
reprobate, not absence of faith, but you of little faith. So there is that category of 
little faithness out there. And so James does not want that 
to be the case for those who seek out wisdom. but let him 
ask in faith with no doubting. Again, John 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 faithfulness 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. And then notice this caution, 
verse six, 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. So a man who asks in no faith, 
or a man who asks with the absence of faith, is described here as 
being unsettled, unanswered, and unstable. Now, none of us 
want that, right? Hey, what do you want in your 
Christian life? Well, I want to be unsettled, I want to be unanswered, and 
I want to be unstable. No, that's typically not what 
we respond. We typically want the opposite. We want to be settled, 
answered, and stable, right? All of us want to be settled, 
answered, and stable. So what do you think is the key, 
or the help, or the means by which we can be settled, answered, 
and stable? To ask in faith, to believe that 
He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
Him. Let him ask in faith with no 
doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea." This 
metaphor of a stormy sea was a very common one. We see it 
in Ephesians 4.14, and it demonstrates the unsettledness of the man 
who doubts. This is not a good place to be. 
As well, he will be unanswered. We just assume that we're always 
going to be answered, but notice what James says. 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. See, he will be unanswered. We 
need to ask God for wisdom in faith that he is who he says 
he is, and that he gives what he says that he gives. And then 
notice, he will be unstable. A double-minded man, unstable 
in all his ways. The word literally is double-souled 
or double-minded. You see it again in James 4 at 
verse 8. He says, draw near to God, and 
He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, 
and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Again, this is not a good place 
to be. The word reflects a departure 
from what God calls His people to. You see it used, or the concept 
used, in the book of Deuteronomy and in Proverbs as well. The 
word was used of unfaithful Israel, being unstable people. The word is further described 
in verse 8. He's unstable in all his ways. It's not just with reference 
to a lack of wisdom, but this is indicative or characteristic 
of the man's entire life. So when we come to God, we must 
believe that He is, and we must believe that He is a rewarder 
of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11, 6. This is the 
similar emphasis of James at this particular point. Now, in 
conclusion, three thoughts, and then we go. First, the believer's 
preparation for trials. Now, by preparation for trials, 
I don't mean you seatbelt yourself to your couch and never move, 
because if we do that, then we're not going to hit trials, right? 
I mean, I guess the ceiling could collapse on us, you know, that 
sort of thing. By preparation for trial, I mean 
study passages like these. reflect upon the words of Jesus, 
reflect upon the history of Israel, reflect upon the New Testament 
church, reflect upon the 20 centuries of Christ's church, and realize 
that trials and difficulties and hardship are not unique in 
terms of the experience of God's people. They're commonplace. This is a means by which God 
further conforms us unto the image of our blessed Savior. 
Study passages like these. Again, Manton says, Christ's 
eyesalve must clear your sight or else you cannot make a right 
judgment. There is no proper and fit apprehension 
of things till you get within the veil and see by the light 
of the sanctuary lamp. A man that hath no other light 
but reason and nature cannot judge of those things. God's 
riddles are only open to those that plow with God's heifer, 
and it is by God's Spirit that we come to discern and esteem 
the things that are of God." Wonderful use of the Samson narrative 
there. Remember Samson upbraids those 
who, you know, found out his riddle, you only knew this because 
you plowed with my heifer. You only knew this because you 
prevailed upon her. If she hadn't have said anything, 
you'd have never understood. I love his use of that phrase. God's riddles are only open to 
those that plow with God's heifer. We need to study passages like 
these. We need to try and recognize God's purpose for the trials 
that we face in our lives. I mentioned this in Surrey as 
I was preaching, and I had said, you know, people often will come 
or talk or, you know, monks, not just pastors, but everybody. 
Yeah, I really don't know what God's trying to teach me in all 
of this. I don't either. I don't. I'm not omniscient. I'm not infallible. I don't have 
sort of a, you know, x-ray vision into, you know, all that God's 
doing. But in terms of the specificity, but in general, we all know what 
he's doing, don't we? We all know exactly what he's 
doing. Those he foreknew he predestined 
to be conformed to the image of his son. Well, the way that 
he conforms us to the image of his son, more often than not, 
is through the school of hard knocks. More often than not, 
it is through trial and difficulty and hardship. You may never divine 
the specific purpose for a particular trial in your life, but be content 
with the general understanding that in this, he is working out 
things for his glory and for my well-being. And I think that 
when you understand passages like these, it helps to fortify 
that understanding. Secondly, the believer's disposition 
during trials. What James says here, I just 
want to sort of encapsulate it. We must remember God's purposes 
and not rage against God. People do that, brethren. People 
get upset. People get outraged at God. I can't believe what God is doing. 
I can't believe that the Lord would do such a thing to me. 
What is that a suggestion of? What is that? Really? I mean, 
really? You can't believe that there 
might ever be some, you know, purposes of God for your life 
that might involve just a wee bit of suffering? Really? You 
can't entertain that thought? Have you reflected upon the man 
of sorrows who was acquainted with grief? Have you reflected 
upon the Son who learned obedience through suffering? Have you reflected 
upon the Apostle Paul? I mean, if Paul was afflicted, 
if Paul was tried, we are lesser than Paul. Therefore, we are 
open game. And in terms of God's purposes 
in our lives, we need to guard our hearts against raging against 
Him. We must recognize His purposes 
so that we don't panic. That's another response. People 
either rage against God or they panic. They become untethered. 
They start to lose everything. I don't know what's happening. 
I can't handle it. Yeah, you can. God is merciful. God is gracious. God is good. We must count it all joy when 
various trials come. Remember, that's the command. 
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Not just 
fall into various trials. That's not the command. It's 
not commanding you to go fall into various trials. He is commanding you to be joyful. when you fall into various trials. Again, Mantet. Quoting Mantet 
a lot, because he's great on this passage. A Christian is 
a bird that can sing in winter as well as in spring. He can 
live in the fire like Moses' bush, burn and not be consumed. Nay, he can leap in the fire. Amen. That is a great emphasis. As well, we must endure during 
the trial so that God's purpose is realized in our lives. and 
you don't have any other choice. What are you going to do, cash 
it in? No. Whatever our God ordains is right, 
and we persevere by His grace and for His glory. We must as 
well consider the conduct of other saints who went through 
trials. This is why we read Christian biography. This is why we read 
missionary stories. This is why we read Hebrews chapter 
11. This is why we read the life of David. This is why we read 
the gospel narratives. This is why we fill our minds 
and hearts with the path of righteousness that others before us have taken. And we're supposed to learn from 
their example and go thou and do likewise. And we must seek 
wisdom so that we can navigate successfully through the trials. So let me encourage you, if this 
happens this week, or this month, or this year, you find yourself 
tried, you find yourself vexed, go to James 1. Count it all joy, 
knowing that God is working in the midst of it for your maturity 
and blamelessness, and that if you lack wisdom, which, hint, 
hint, you probably do, ask of God, because He gives to all 
liberally, and He does so without reproach. Do so in faith. Don't be a doubter, don't be 
a double-minded or an unstable man, but rather be one who has 
been bought with a price and use the privileges of adopted 
sonship to go to the Father and to seek wisdom to deal with it. 
And then contemplate the believers—your Savior, rather—who endured trials. 
Isaiah 53, 3. He is despised and rejected by 
men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it 
were, our faces from Him. He was despised, and we did not 
esteem Him. Hebrews 5.8, Though he was a 
son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 
Hebrews 12.2, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our 
faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, 
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of 
the throne of God. And if you're an unbeliever here 
this evening, the way to heaven is not to master dealing with 
afflictions. The way to heaven is to look 
at the one who mastered all these things in his life, death, and 
resurrection. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you shall be saved. This one was a man of sorrows 
and acquainted with grief, not because of his sin, not because 
of his criminal activity, not because his rebellion against 
God and the magistrate. He came for us. He lived a life 
of perfect obedience. Everything that God the Father 
ever commanded, Jesus Christ did. He never sinned. He never compromised. He never 
lusted. He never engaged in ungodly behavior. He never breached or transgressed 
that decalogue. Why is that? Was it just simply 
for an example? Well, it was exemplary to be 
sure, but it was rather so that His righteousness could be given 
to us. He goes to the cross and He dies 
for us. He sheds the blood or His own 
blood for us to cleanse us from all of our sin. He's raised again 
the third days, enthroned at the right hand of the Father. 
The gospel call goes forth, not manage your afflictions, but 
look unto the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. And when 
you do fall into afflictions as one who has, by grace, belief, 
then put into practice what James is talking about in James 1, 
2-8. The way of salvation is by grace 
alone, through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. Our brother 
read that beautiful passage of Scripture in the Scripture reading 
this evening, Numbers 21. Those fiery serpents sent by 
God to bite those wretched Israelites. What was the remedy? Raise up 
that brazen serpent. You look to that brazen serpent, 
you live. Notice they were not told to 
suck the venom out of their bites. They were not told to drag themselves 
over to the base of the brazen serpent and kiss it. They were 
told to look and to live. That's what Jesus uses by way 
of analogy in John's gospel at chapter 3. Just as Moses lifted 
up the serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Look 
and live. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you that it speaks 
to us at the level that we have need of. We know, God, that there 
are those difficulties associated with life in a fallen world. 
We know that there are difficulties associated specifically with 
Christians in a fallen world. So grant us grace to meditate 
upon and consider passages like these, and help us to be able 
at the time to deal with these things in a way that brings glory 
and honor unto you. And for all of us, God, increase 
the wisdom that we need, not simply for the trials in life, 
but for all things. Help us to know the will of God, 
to understand the truth of God as revealed in Holy Scripture, 
and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our blessed Savior. 
We pray now that you would go with us and watch over us in 
this coming week. Bless and strengthen us and cause 
your face to shine upon us. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief time 
of meditation.