If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be
given him. But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea driven with the
wind and tossed. For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
A double minded man is unstable in all
his ways.
James 1:5-8
James is a book all about faith, and the pragmatic Authentic Christian lives true Christians must live. When we studied the book of Hebrews an important factor for people who desire to live Authentic Christian lives is: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). It seems as though most Christians can cite or in the least remember the words of Jesus: "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knockeh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask" (Matthew 7:7-11)? It is interesting to note that the Greek grammar having two words of "if," "ei," and "ean" the latter is used so we must understand this if we are to arrive at a correct understanding. The Greek word (and I did write this with our English letter "n" instead of the "v" which means "n" and give to you that this word is subjunctive and does not give the positive meaning that it would happen if the writer used "ei" but this subjunctive word is that it might happen or might not but in either case God just might fulfill your request. Am I saying that God just might not give what you ask? Yes! Two things: 1: Are you living an Authentic Christian life and are do you have Authentic Christian Faith. This will be demonstrated by your pragmatic Christian living. 2. Are you asking in the will of God? This means that you must know the will of God for you, for the circumstance before you ask. Christians are not to just ask! But if you do, then understand that God hears your request even if you do not know what to ask for and He will lead you to that place where you will come to know His will. Now you can ask properly. You say that it is impossible to know the will of God. Yes! At times this knowledge is out of reach. So we ask! But are you asking just for your own self, to get something from God that you might have caused? No matter how much faith you have in God it would be ridiculous to thing that God is "hamstrung" to do what you ask. He might,then again He might not! Now, notice the context of the Matthew Scripture quoted above: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12). Notice: "Therefore," and make note as to why this word is used, for it speaks about what was just stated in the above verse. Remember, this is a letter without verses and chapters, they were added much later to give us aid but we must read this as a letter if we are to gain truth. The writer of Hebrew gave us this rule about our faith, a faith that is pleasing to God and if we want God to be pleased we will live in His will. This requires turning off the TV, or other distractions and read His word, study to show yourself a workman unto God. Here is some more of the metric that will please God and God will give to the one asking: ask for patience, God give liberally to those asking according to His will. Ask for wisdom and God will give it to you, not some mysterious supernaturally wisdom, rather by means of the Holy Spirit living within you that when you study His word the Holy Spirit will guide you into the truth and not allow you to be led by man's speculation and heretical view. If you are not willing to do this then James states that you are unstable and will be unstable in all your ways. This we can see by the many Churches that have become liberal and have the culture of this world.
God is Providential! We cannot know all there is to know of God but we can know what He has revealed to us in His word. Do you want to know God? Do you want to please God? Do you desire to be in the will of God? Then, and only then will God answer your prayers, and those prayers must come by means of Authentic Christian Faith, and due to the fact that God is Providential our Faith is not in the answer, it is in God. Our trust, our love, our very lives are to be placed in the hands of God. We live, we love, we do things, all in the will of God. God, Jesus Christ must hold the priority in your lives or you will be unstable and unstable people do not have the guidance that God has given to all His children, the Holy Spirit in you, and you the temple of God live as what you are.
These are the thing that ye shall do;
Speak ye every man the truth to his
neighbor, execute the judgment of truth
and peace in your gates: and let none
of you imagine evil in your hearts against
his neighbor; and love no false oath:
for all these are things I hate, saith the LORD.
Zechariah 8:16-17
Speak truth and that truth is the will of God
Richard L. Crumb
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