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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 verses 2 to 4, 
and then we'll move on to the believer's request during times 
of trial. James chapter 1, beginning in 
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 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 
a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing 
his natural face in a mirror, where 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. 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, as 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, no 
lack of difficulty, no lack of affliction in 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 2 to 4. We noticed the believer's 
response to trials. In many ways, this is absolutely 
contrary to the way we actually respond. When trials come, we 
freak out or we panic or 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 foolhardy laugh. 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, he is talking about that. He 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, or the specific, 
rather, 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 is 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 5. That will probably be the 
path that we take as well. And then James indicates in verse 
4, that patience, let it have its perfect work, that you may 
be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. And that brings us, 
secondly, well, that was the first point a few weeks ago, 
that brings us to the believer's request during trials. There's 
two things I want to consider in verses 5 to 8 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. He 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 it's 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 under trials. 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 text, 
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. Gill says, it intends wisdom 
to behave aright 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 hits. Remember a couple of weeks ago 
we considered the various responses. It's not counting it all joy. 
It's getting angry, it's getting confused, it's getting upset, 
it's getting unsettled, all those things. We need wisdom in order 
to navigate through those seas of affliction. Now note, secondly, 
he exhorts the people of God. If any of 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 and 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 affliction. 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 7 to 11. Ask, and it will be given to 
you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened 
to you. For everyone who asks receives, 
and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 
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 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-tongued Puritan. God will have everything fetched 
out by prayer. If any of you lacks wisdom in 
affliction, in trial, 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 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 Yahweh 
and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite. Isaiah 40 and verse 28, His understanding 
is unsearchable. Romans 16, 27, to God alone wise 
be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Colossians 2.3, 
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 1 Timothy 
1.17, now to the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who 
is alone wise, be honor 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 in 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. Isn't it beautiful? He doesn't 
hold back. He doesn't restrain His hand. 
He doesn't look at you, floundering, and say, well, tough on you. 
It'd be nice if you had some wisdom, but since you ask, I'm 
not going to give it to you. No, He does give. Proverbs 2, 
specifically verses 6 and 7. For Yahweh 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. 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 encouragement 
here 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 are 
floundering, is it floundering or floundering? I think it's 
floundering. If we are floundering and we are having difficulties 
in trials and we don't have wisdom, we are to ask. That's it. Not 
to conjure it up or not to, you know, whip ourselves in the back, 
go live on a pole, go out to a cave. We are to ask of God 
the encouragement He gives to all who ask, and He gives 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. Calvin 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 miserly manner. He doesn't just apportion 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, 
if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all 
liberally and without reproach. The idea here means to rebuke, 
to reproach, to insult. And 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 me and you're impatient and 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 
you? God's not like that. He doesn't 
reproach us. He doesn't rebuke us. He doesn't 
insult us. It's 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'd you do 
with the wisdom I gave you last week? Did you squander it? Did 
you waste it? Did you misuse it? Did you misspent? 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. You're 
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 upbraiding 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 His divine eyes and say, 
I cannot believe that you don't know how to manage the wisdom 
I apportion 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. Isn't that beautiful? This is 
added, lest anyone should fear to come to God too often. There can't 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. 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. This ain't health, wealth and 
prosperity. James isn't saying, if any of 
you lacks a big old nice car, let him ask of God. If any of 
you lacks summer homes and vacation spots in Barcelona, let him ask 
of God. No, if any of you suffering saints 
in the sea of affliction recognizes the fact that they sincerely 
lack wisdom, 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 James 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 
deists. 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 1, 
naked I came into the world, naked I will return. The Lord 
is given, the Lord is 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 through 
the divine lens of God's plan and purpose in his life. We have 
seen in our studies in 2 Samuel, David, 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. In 2 Samuel 19, Joab, 
just as an aside, says concerning David's situation here. Absalom 
has died, David is mourning and lamenting him, and he is demoralizing 
the troops. And Joab says, you can't demoralize 
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 Absalom and his army. But just 
as an aside, here's what Joab says in 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 outside 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. 2 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 1 and 2 Samuel 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 afflictions and trials and difficulties. 
All that to say, in 2 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 schmoozed Israel, won 
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 knew some sorrows here. At any 
rate, he is leaving Jerusalem, and a man named Shimei curses 
him, throws rocks at him, is just speaking ill of him, and 
Benaiah can't take it anymore, and he says to David, let me 
go take his head off. Benaiah didn't like people misspeaking 
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 
of the Lord. Now, what Shimei was saying wasn't 
precise. Shimei was saying that David 
was responsible for the death of the house of Saul. David wasn't 
responsible for the death of the 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 story, he's 
riding on his mule and 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. So Joab goes and he plunges three 
javelins into the heart of Absalom, and then ten men basically carve 
him up. What is David affected about? 
He's affected by the death of Absalom. Oh, Absalom! Oh, 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 counsel that he 
received, both from Ahithophel and Hushai, 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 to go back to Jerusalem. He gets to rejoice in the fact 
that God has preserved him. But he's aching, and he's in 
pain, and he's suffering, and he's struggling, and he's asking 
people about Absalom. We asked 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 
end. 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-seated, 
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's 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's dead ultimately because 
of David's sin. That's why he says, O Absalom, 
Absalom, O 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 1, 2 to 
4, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 
And when patience has had its 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 
unto the image of Jesus Christ. So you need that wisdom to understand 
the good end of God in our afflictions. And fourthly, we need wisdom 
to help regulate our response to afflictions. You 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 violences 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 
apt counsels and comforts, that our hearts may be above the misery 
that our flesh is under. That's why I read Psalm 73. Asaph is very candid with us 
in that psalm, isn't he? Asaph says, but as for me, my 
foot nearly slipped. Truly God is good to Israel, 
but as for me, my foot nearly slipped. Why? Because I saw the 
righteous suffer, 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 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 response to our afflictions. Psalm 73, 17, Until I went into 
the sanctuary of God, then I understood therein. Hymn 21 tells us that 
blind unbelief is sure to err 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. Verses 
6 to 8. 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 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, 20 to 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 Him. Gil explains 
the type of faith and view. Let him ask in faith. Gil 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. 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 with no doubting. You're not supposed to doubt. You're not supposed to, you know, 
waver. 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 them 
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 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, His mother said, what did you think of Reverend Whitefield? And he says something to the 
effect, Mr. Whitefield preaches a big God. So does James. 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 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 in faith 
with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a 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 that faith in God 
steadies the soul. Doubting the power of God leads 
to chaos and unsettledness. In your life, what do you prefer? 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. Persons who pray and don't get 
what they are seeking typically blame God, don't they? Well, 
I asked God and 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. But you see, there are those 
types of people that 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 affirmation, maybe you've 
been those people. He didn't answer me. He didn't 
do 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. 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 would 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. Why would God answer me? I don't even believe what He 
says. I have 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. In some senses, what James is 
saying in terms of praying and 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 to 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, are to 
blame. You'll be unsettled, unanswered, 
and unstable in all your ways. You see, maybe the reason why 
your life is a mess 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, 
they're unanswered, and they are unstable in all His ways. The word used is literally double-souled 
or double-minded. Note its use in 4.8. He says, 
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 two-souled man, not in 
some weird hypostatic union, but 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 
our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. With all 
implies there's not to be a two-souledness. There is not to be a double-mindedness. 
There is to be a full soul, a whole soul commitment to God Most High. Proverbs 3, trust in the Lord 
with what? With part of your heart? No, 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-souled or double-minded 
nation. And the word is, as I said, further 
described in verse 8. He's double-minded, unstable 
in all his ways. So maybe your life is a mess 
because 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. Well, 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 wander 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 affliction? We study the life of David, who 
by God's grace successfully navigated through affliction. We study 
the book of Job, who by God's grace successfully navigated 
through affliction. We study the Psalms, which record 
for us David's navigation through those seas of affliction. We 
study the life and 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 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. It's recorded for us in Matthew, 
but what we find in Mark is absolutely incredible. When Jesus tells 
the man with the son 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 struggling in this particular area. God's not going to go, 
wow, I would have never figured that out. I'm perplexed that you have those 
struggles. God knows you intimately. So 
if you are 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 an unsettled man, an unanswered man, or an unstable 
man, but I will be a man that is secure and firm 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 commend 
anybody who struggles with the idea of faith. Read J. Gressom 
Machen's book, What is Faith? One place he speaks of faith. 
He says, 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 look, that 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 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 we'll never 
have 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 
that You 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. And 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 that you 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.