He brings Depth in His Word 3-6-2023
If you need wisdom, ask from our generous God, and He will
give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be
sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty
is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such
people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is
divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
James 1:5-8
It is easy to gloss over the scriptures with little bits and
pieces pulling out a portion here or there, we need to continue in and read the
rest! Let’s look at more of James today!
Lately I have been digging in and reading more and more even
when a study I have been working on suggests one or two verses in order to
answer the questions at hand. When we do this it gives us the full picture,
more wisdom in His Word.
I do not know how to explain it, but it gives me personally
more clarity.
In James, for instance, I found the clarity focused on how powerful
it is for us to trust God and obey Him when we pray. When we ask believing,
having the confidence that our Lord will hear our prayers then we can continue
on trusting Him with all our hearts. Then we will be able to accept the answers
that come, in His time and His will. I found here that we do
not seem to receive the answer because we ‘ask amiss’, or without paying
attention to His will and purpose in things. We need to do as Jesus said and
ask it in His name. To remember to
gather together in prayer because there is power in numbers too! But as James 1:5 reminds us when we need
wisdom ask God for it. His Word is full up on wise words! This chapter tells us
not to waver, to be full on strong in believing that God will answer it, don’t
be one of those wishy washy prayers that change up what we are asking sometimes
even in the same prayer. You know what I
mean? Like when we pray something like ; “God please help me find a job, but
don’t let it be on a day that I am sleeping in, or plan to go to a party or
other event, let it be if its your will that this happens and in your time,… etc.,”
Think about it for a moment, if we are going to put stipulations in our prayers
then we are not asking God to work it out but with wisdom but instead we are
putting in an order! Think about it, again now. Check your heart before you
pray. Seek God, yes and let your requests be known but check your heart to make
sure it is right with Him first. Just remember
that just because things do not go right the way you prayed for it to does not
mean it was not in God’s will. We know so little in comparison to the creator
of all things.
Sometime back, when my parents both died in one year, I was
devastated until I realized that God knew better. He knew what was best for
both of their lives. Maybe they would have had to suffer longer? What did I know? Maybe life would have been so
much worse? God chose to give them the ultimate healing from their suffering
and their situations. Only God knows why and when we say we trust Him we
included the way He chooses to run the universe as He chooses. There was peace
in that decision. When you know that
your God knows better, and accept that it is much easier to get through
situations that make no sense to us.
So, ask Him for wisdom in His Word, then stand on it! Do not
waver, accept the things as they come and know that as you believe that He is
God, you have to believe He knows what is right. No matter what.
Do not be a wishy washy prayer person.
Do believe. Trust God to listen and hear and sift the
prayers as He would choose to. Don’t get mad at Him when you can help it, but know
He will forgive you when you do. He loves you.
As Paul did become content no matter what we go through.
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Philippians 4:10-12
“Don’t let your
hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe (Trust) also in Me.” Jesus said
in John 14:1
Be filled with the Spirit and sing songs, and psalms to the
Lord from your heart cries. David did this until he was no longer desperate. He
asked God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within
him.
We should pray that too! Especially when things are making us mad. For that little
bit of leaven can bring us down, but God’s Spirit within us will lift us up. In
Jesus’ name… In His Word.