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Robert Houk Hitchcock |
In the world in which
we live, we constantly need answers to life's many questions and choices.
The tendency of many people is to rely on their own, or someone else's
wisdom to fill these needs. As believers, we wish to develop the habit
pattern of going to God first, and asking of Him. God's Word clearly defines
God's desire to walk and to talk with His children, and His wisdom is freely
available to us.
James 1:5-8
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.
If and when we lack wisdom, who are we to ask? Ourselves: search your heart. No. Your trusted advisor. No. The Daily News. No. We are to ask of God. Honestly, there are a lot of things we can know by the 5 senses, but it sure doesn't hurt to check them out with God, does it? Getting the spiritual vantage point will assure your success in living!
This passage declares that God gives His wisdom LIBERALLY, which means "simply, openly, frankly, sincerely." He is liberal with it. He is open with it. He is certainly capable with it. There's something else here, too- He UPBRAIDETH NOT. To upbraid is to "chide or revile." It is the same word used when the thieves who were crucified with Christ reviled him. God doesn't "put us down" when we lack wisdom. To the contrary, He gives His wisdom freely.
James 1:6-8
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.
There is a condition that
the believer must fulfill in order to receive this wisdom from God.
We are to "ask in faith [believing], nothing wavering [doubting.]
Believing is what appropriates all the promises of God, so why would it
be a surprise for believing to fulfill the conditions for receiving God's
wisdom?
It is of great benefit to know that the first place
that we would seek the wisdom of God is in the written Word of God. The
Word of God being the Will of God, it must be His wisdom as well. The first
place in seeking the wisdom of God is always going to be checking His Word.
James 1:21
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls.
Romans 4:3
For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
We are to receive God's Word with meekness and walk upon it. There are many, many promises of God revealed in the scripture that will fill our need for wisdom! The first and best question to ask (and to answer) is "For what saith the scripture?" What does the Word say? If you can answer THAT question about your need, then you are well on your way to having that need met. You are well on your way in finding your wisdom from God.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word of truth.
Perhaps we can see how important a knowledge of God is to our day by day living. The means of acquiring this knowledge is, of course, to study. We have to put time into studying God's Word so that we may know His will. We are to study His Word in order to rightly divide it. That takes some skilled workmanship. That takes learning the keys of how God's Word interprets itself - like In the Verse, In the Context, and Used before. The more knowledge you garner from God's Word, the more dynamic your walk with God can be.
Hebrews 5:13-14
For every one that useth milk
is unskilful in the word of righteousness:
for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to
them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have
their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
If one is unskillful in the Word, then they are at the "babe" stage of their growth. "Babe" is fine for someone new in learning God's Word and walking on it, but God also wants us to mature. "Meat" - a figure of speech for the great depth of truths of God's Word- belongs to them who are mature (full age.) How does one get to the mature stage? By reason of use- and use means "practice." When we have practiced by exercising in God's Word, by rightly dividing God's Word, then we can discern both good and evil. Then the choices we make can be filled with the wisdom of God and not our own wisdom.
When God's Word is our first touchstone for information, how then do we seek God and ask God for wisdom. How do we go to Him and seek His wisdom? What is our standing to ask of God?
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.
Sin should not keep us from going to God. He made
us righteous in Christ Jesus. Righteousness is our God-given standing
before God that makes us holy and without blame before Him in love. Sin
consciousness often keeps a believer from asking God for His help; we might
"feel" unworthy to receive.
But Christ has made us worthy- therefore we are worthy.
We go to God in prayer knowing that Christ has made us worthy to ask and
worthy to receive.
Romans 8:1a
There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...
Since there is no condemnation from God, we have a perfect standing in Christ. We should therefore use our position in Christ to have confidence. We can ask of God freely- He gives His wisdom freely.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help
in time of need.
Because of our perfect standing in Christ, we are to
come BOLDLY to the throne of GRACE. Someone who is in condemnation
will not come boldly. Our confidence is in Christ, and because of
that, we are bold. We ask boldly from God, expecting to receive.
We ask boldly from God, believing He will answer!
Ephesians 3:12
In whom we have boldness and
access with confidence by the faith of him.
Again, we have boldness in Christ. The word "access"
means " a personally escorted introduction." We have an escorted
introduction to God by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ who has
made the path to the right hand of God. It is Christ Jesus who is seated
at the right hand of God, and spiritually the Word says we are seated with
him. That is a position of confidence, wouldn't you say? If
we have that position, then we can ask of God certainly expecting to receive.
There are some who realize
that God will answer them. There are some who are convinced in their confidence
to go to God and asking, but lack confidence that they will be able to
hear or know the answer. Really, isn't the answer God's responsibility
to get to you? There's no reason to become overly concerned about how God
answers you, for He surely will be able to let you know when you are believing
to receive.
Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in
you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure.
There are many scriptures that deal with the subject
of receiving revelation knowledge from God, but this is a wonderful summary.
God is at work within you. God is capable to communicate to you in
terms that you will know and understand. If it is visually, then
you will know the answer visually. If it is by hearing, then you
will know by hearing from God. You may just "know." It will
be God, who is Spirit, communicating to His gift in you, which is your
spirit; then your spirit will communicate with your mind and you will KNOW.
That's how simply God works within you. You by your freedom of will operate,
by believing, the spirit of God so that you will KNOW.
Matthew 6:7-8
But when ye pray, use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do: for they
think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto
them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask
him.
I'm sorry, but there's not a pre-set pattern of prayer
for you to memorize here. We can leave the vain repetitions to others.
They don't do any good, anyway. It's not in the much repetition that
gets you an answer. You Ask. You Pray. You Believe.
You Receive. That's the pattern that God's Word establishes for us.
He knows your need before you even ask, but He does ask you to ask Him!
With this knowledge of God's Word, you can begin to operate effectively,
going to GOD for answers, and receiving the wisdom that you need.
Ask of God.
Cortright
Fellowship