1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:01,800 All right, good morning church family. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:06,040 You as you guys find your seats, if you would open your Bibles to 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,840 the book of James. We start a new study last week 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:12,080 after finishing the Book of Numbers. 5 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,400 We have been going through numbers for almost a year and 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,239 last week we started the book of James. 7 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,800 So if you're visiting this morning, you've only missed one 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,480 week of the series. We looked at the 1st 4 verses of 9 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,440 James and this morning we're going to look 4 verses, James 10 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:32,240 152, 8. The title of the sermon is this. 11 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:39,040 God promised to give wisdom. So let's read the text openness 12 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,360 and a word of prayer and then we'll jump into the sermon this 13 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,320 morning, James chapter 1 beginning in verse 5. 14 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:55,560 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously 15 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,920 to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:06,000 But let him ask in faith with no doubting for the one who doubts. 17 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,920 It's like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,120 wind. For that person must not suppose 19 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,480 that he will receive anything from the Lord. 20 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:22,400 He is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways. 21 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:31,280 If you will pray with me. Got to pray this morning that 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:39,760 you would please give us the gift of faith to believe that 23 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:45,240 when we need wisdom and when we come to you and ask for it, you 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:50,440 will give it. Give us faith to believe God 25 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,880 that you have promised this. It is not a maybe. 26 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,520 It is not a on some days, but that you have promised your 27 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,160 children that if any of us lacks wisdom, all we have to do is 28 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,920 come to you and ask and ask in faith and you will give it. 29 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:10,199 Help us to believe that this morning. 30 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:19,520 Lord I pray in Jesus name, Amen. Yesterday I was helping my son 31 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,160 Ezra with his one of his essays. I don't normally get involved in 32 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,880 the school work, Lauren usually does that, but I was being him 33 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,720 with his essay. He did not know that I was going 34 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,000 to help him with his essay. And one of the the essay 35 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,880 question was something along the lines of it. 36 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,080 It was like if you have 3 wishes, what would you wish for? 37 00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:40,280 And that was the assignment that his teacher at the Co-op. 38 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,480 If you have 3 wishes, what would you wish for? 39 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:49,280 You know what his wishes were number one, that he would 40 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:57,160 glorify God #2 God would give him wisdom and #3 that he would 41 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:03,760 be able to accept God's will as a dad. 42 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:09,160 I there are a few things you could be more proud of. 43 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,760 You know, we that's a very common question, right? 44 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,680 If you had three wishes and and you know, there's always that, 45 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,760 but you can't ask for more wishes. 46 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,080 It's in the movie Aladdin, right, That that idea. 47 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:28,960 Sometimes, you know, we may wit, you know, wish ourselves like 48 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,680 well, I would love for that to happen. 49 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:38,480 This actually did happen to someone one time, except it was 50 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:44,440 one wish. God came to Solomon and he said 51 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,520 to him, ask what I shall give to you. 52 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,520 In other words, he basically told Solomon, you have one wish, 53 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:56,760 name it, I'll give it to you. Out of all the things that 54 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,160 Solomon could ask for, do you remember what his request was? 55 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:07,120 He said, give me now wisdom and knowledge. 56 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,280 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern 57 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:17,000 your people, that I may discern good from evil. 58 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,880 You may read that story and think I would love to have that 59 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,800 opportunity. I wish God would give me one 60 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,720 wish. I wish God would say name it and 61 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,240 it's yours. Well, we may not get that offer, 62 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,960 but here's the thing. We do get access to the very 63 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:43,040 same thing that Solomon asked for and that God gave him, 64 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:51,720 because God in this verse has promised to give us wisdom. 65 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,480 And that's what the sermon is about this morning. 66 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:02,720 God promises to give his people wisdom as we work our way 67 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,160 through the text. I'm going to start with the next 68 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,320 position of the text. I'm going to break it down, 69 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,000 break down these 4 verses into 9 parts and so and then I'll give 70 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,480 application at the end. So let's start looking at verse 71 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:21,520 5A where James writes if any of you lacks wisdom. 72 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:26,640 Now last week James had said that God gives us trials and 73 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,680 these trials are to produce steadfastness in our life. 74 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,360 And then he says let's steadfastness have its full 75 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,440 effect. And the reason for this is that 76 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:40,120 we will then be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, 77 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,720 lacking in nothing. But then here James says, if any 78 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,120 of you lacks wisdom, we must remember that when James says 79 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,360 lacking in nothing, that is on the day of judgement, he is 80 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,880 saying that on the day of judgement we will lack nothing. 81 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:58,560 We will be perfect and complete. Until then, we all lack in 82 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,160 things, all of us lack in multiple things, and one of the 83 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:06,760 things that we lack is wisdom, James writes. 84 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,120 If any of you lacks wisdom. Let's break this down. 85 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,000 He says if any of you. Now, the reality is that all of 86 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,680 us lack wisdom. Nobody is perfectly wise except 87 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:25,000 Jesus Christ. If any of you lacks the word for 88 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,920 LAX, here is the same word in verse 4, same exact word. 89 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,760 It means to be deficient in something that ought to be 90 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,000 present for whatever reason. If you LAX. 91 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,160 What wisdom? Not every question. 92 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,040 What is wisdom? Well, we could we take the whole 93 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:43,800 rest of the sermon on that topic, right? 94 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,200 I'm going to give my personal definition. 95 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:47,840 I'm not saying you need to go with this definition. 96 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:49,240 I'm not saying it's the best definition. 97 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,640 Through the years I have tried to come up with the definition 98 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,680 for this. There are multiple definitions 99 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,560 of wisdom, but this is how I understand the term being used 100 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,560 in scripture. Here's my personal and I've 101 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,120 shortened it from the way I traditionally defined it. 102 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:07,240 Here it is. Wisdom is the ability to discern 103 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:12,160 right from wrong and the good from the best. 104 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:16,600 And there was 2 parts of this. Wisdom is the big you don't 105 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:17,920 think of. Wisdom is making like good 106 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,240 decisions or but but really wisdom is the ability to discern 107 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,880 right from wrong right? Can I discern what's right and 108 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,920 what's wrong? What is God's will and what is 109 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,640 not God's will? It also is the ability to 110 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,600 discern what is good from what is best. 111 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,400 Often there can be two choices where both right but one of them 112 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,480 is better than the other right. God laid 2 choices before you. 113 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:44,440 Neither of them will be disobedience. 114 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:50,160 Wisdom is the ability to discern what is a good decision and what 115 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,600 is the best decision. That's what I'm going to go 116 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,760 with. It's OK if you define this 117 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,920 differently. Let's look at 1st 5B. 118 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,800 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God. 119 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,400 Let him ask God. Now, as I frequently like to 120 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,000 point out, we should always notice what the text doesn't 121 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,720 say. James doesn't say. 122 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:17,720 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him research diligently. 123 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:24,040 If any of you lacks wisdom, make your best possible decision. 124 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,920 If any of you lacks wisdom, ask a wise person. 125 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:36,600 Now, none of those are wrong, they are just not the best thing 126 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:42,840 that we can do. If we need wisdom, the very best 127 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:47,520 thing that any of us can do is to ask God. 128 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,480 I want to point out that this is not a suggestion. 129 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,120 Ask in the Greek is an imperative verb. 130 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,240 It's a command. In fact, there's only one other 131 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:04,960 person in the New Testament that actually commands us to ask, and 132 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,200 it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Three times Jesus commands us to 133 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:14,040 ask our Father. Now, why should we ask God? 134 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:21,760 5C Who gives generously to all without reproach? 135 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,160 I want you to notice 4 descriptions of how God gives #1 136 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,480 continuously. Continuously gives is a 137 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,240 participle, which means it's an ongoing action. 138 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,960 It's not as though God gives one time where you ask God for 139 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,160 wisdom and he gives it to you that once and it's like a one 140 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,720 time deal and that's it. You used up your your wisdom 141 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,880 card for the for all of the rest of your life. 142 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:52,560 God gives wisdom continuously through the Christian life #2 He 143 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:56,320 gives generously, generously. This is not the normal Greek 144 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,400 word for generously. It's a Greek word. 145 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,360 It means straightforward, simply, above board, sincerely, 146 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,880 openly. It really carries the idea that 147 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,440 God gives with a simple mind. The best translation might be a 148 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:15,480 sincere mind, a sincere heart. God gives wisdom with a sincere 149 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:21,800 heart #3 He gives to all. All. 150 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:27,600 Not just the pastors, not just the elders, not just the 151 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,640 deacons, not just the teachers, not just the missionaries, not 152 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:35,520 just to the leaders, not just to the mature, but to all. 153 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:43,840 All who ask, everyone who ask, He gives children. 154 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,440 And four, He gives without reproach. 155 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:49,840 What does that mean? Without reproach, Literally 156 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,680 without finding fault, without reprimand. 157 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,840 Other words, God doesn't shame us that we need wisdom. 158 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,720 He is not like an earthly father that when your 25 year old son 159 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:09,480 ask you, dad, how do I change a tire? 160 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:13,000 What's wrong with you? You don't have to change a tire. 161 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,640 You're 25 and some of you are like, I don't know how to change 162 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:21,040 a tire. He is not like that where he 163 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:28,800 reprimands us, shames us, that we don't know something, looking 164 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:34,880 for 5D, and it will be given him. 165 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,760 It will be given him. The verb here is a future 166 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,600 passive indicative. All of those matter. 167 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:42,960 It's not just a grammar lesson here. 168 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:44,800 It's a future passive indicative. 169 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,080 All of those matter. First, it's a future verb. 170 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:49,920 What does that mean? It means God will give this 171 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:54,160 wisdom at a later time. He might give it right then and 172 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,440 there, but it's important that we not think of God as a 173 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:01,160 computer where we just simply go and download wisdom right when 174 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,760 you pray, it's not as though God right then right there downloads 175 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:06,000 it to you. Doesn't work that way. 176 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,840 God gives wisdom when he's ready to give it. 177 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,080 Future verb. It's a passive verb. 178 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,680 Why is that important? It means wisdom is not achieved. 179 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,920 Wisdom is not earned, it's not learned. 180 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:26,240 It's given. It is a gift and it is future. 181 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,240 It is passive and it is indicative. 182 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,480 Indicative is the mood of quality. 183 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:32,440 What does that mean? It's a promise. 184 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:40,320 James is is saying if you ask God for wisdom, he will give it 185 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,240 to you. Not he might not. 186 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,440 He'll think about it. He will give it. 187 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,520 Now if you read just verse 5, it seems like there are no 188 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:59,640 conditions to this. But verse 6 clears this up. 189 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:05,320 Look at verse 6A. But let him ask in faith. 190 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,600 So there is one condition to this, asking with two sides, one 191 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,920 condition, two sides. The first side is this. 192 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:18,200 Let him ask in faith. Now 2 questions to that. 193 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,280 Number one, what does it mean to ask in faith? 194 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,880 What does that mean to ask God for wisdom, Faith? 195 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,640 It means this. It means to believe verse 5. 196 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:34,280 It means to believe verse 5. Remember the two blind men who 197 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,160 were crying out to Jesus. Do you remember what Jesus said 198 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,960 to them? Jesus walked up to them and he 199 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:46,600 said this. Do you believe that I am able to 200 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:51,720 do this? And they said yes. 201 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:57,120 To ask in faith means two things. 202 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:04,560 A, it means to believe that God is able to do anything that 203 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:10,960 we're asking him. And B, it means to believe that 204 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:18,880 God will give me his very best, even if his best is no. 205 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,760 That's what it means to ask in faith #2 why do we need to ask 206 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,760 in faith? Why faith? 207 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:34,640 A lot of humility. Ask sincerely. 208 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:40,600 Ask persistently. Why is it faith? 209 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,440 Why does he say ask in faith? Because, as the author of 210 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,240 Hebrews writes, without faith it is impossible to please him. 211 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:53,040 For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists 212 00:14:53,520 --> 00:15:05,000 and rewards those who seek him. You must believe that God 213 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:15,720 rewards those who seek Him. 6B with no doubting the other side 214 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:17,400 of the condition. Remember I said one condition, 215 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,680 two sides. The other side of this condition 216 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,600 is this with no doubting. Now 2 questions with this number 217 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,680 one, what is doubt? What it says no doubting. 218 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,320 What does it mean to doubt? What is doubt? 219 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,600 Here's the definition of the Greek word to be uncertain, to 220 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,800 be at odds with oneself to waiver. 221 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:36,920 Waiver is actually the best translation there. 222 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:41,520 We just, but you know some more, it literally means like to 223 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,240 waver, right? You're kind of just wavering 224 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,920 like, you know, somebody, Hey man, you want to go hiking this 225 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,680 weekend? That's, that's the idea. 226 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:56,720 It's to waver. Doubt can come in many forms, 227 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:02,600 doubting God's ability, God's wisdom, God's character, God's 228 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:07,560 discernment, God's judgement. Doubt can come in many forms #2 229 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,480 Second question, Why must there be no doubting? 230 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,080 Why do we need to ask in faith with no doubting? 231 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,320 Here's why. Because doubt is the enemy of 232 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,000 faith. They will not coexist. 233 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,760 They might coexist for a short period of time, but one of them 234 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:28,440 will squeeze the other one out. They won't stay together. 235 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,360 One of them will eventually push the other one out. 236 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:38,720 That's just how it works. Verse 6C For the one who doubts 237 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:44,080 is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the 238 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:47,200 wind. What does James mean by this? 239 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,120 The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and 240 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:54,640 tossed by the wind. James is making the point we can 241 00:16:54,640 --> 00:17:00,200 either be a wave or a rock. If you ever watch the sea on a 242 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,760 stormy day, the waves are extremely unstable. 243 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,920 They're currently unpredictable. They just, they're just going 244 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,800 left to right, up and down. The wind blows and the waves 245 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,079 just go all over the place, right? 246 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,640 Contrast this with a giant rock in the ocean. 247 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,720 Stormy, it gets, it doesn't move. 248 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:31,200 You see, the enemy has all kinds of wind currents, currents of 249 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:37,960 anxiety, wind currents of fear, wind currents of anger, wind 250 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,840 currents of worldliness. And what doubt does? 251 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:50,640 It raises A sail and gives the enemy something to work with. 252 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,200 That was when we doubt, we have raised a sail. 253 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:06,720 The enemy, we'll just toss you back and forth. 254 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,440 Belief, doubt, trust. I don't know. 255 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,440 I like God. I'm not sure I like God's plan. 256 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:23,360 I don't know. That's what doubt does. 257 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,600 Look at verse 7. For that person must not suppose 258 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:33,600 that he will receive anything from the Lord. 259 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,040 Now he says that person, who is that person? 260 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:37,840 It's the doubting person in verse 6. 261 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,840 That person is the Doughty person in verse 6. 262 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,400 James says he must not suppose, could also be translated as 263 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:49,480 think or expect. He must not think or expect. 264 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,120 He must not think or expect that he will receive anything from 265 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:54,760 the Lord. Now I want to be clear. 266 00:18:55,240 --> 00:19:00,200 James is not saying that we'll never answer our prayers if we 267 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,400 have doubt. He's not saying that God is 268 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,160 merciful. God is gracious, and he may 269 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,920 choose to give us something in spite of our doubt. 270 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:16,520 He may very well do that. But James is saying we shouldn't 271 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:21,000 expect to receive it if we have doubt. 272 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:27,560 Now, why would God withhold? Because we have doubt. 273 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,280 Or if I ask God for something, but I doubt whether he's 274 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,040 actually going to give it to me, why would God withhold it? 275 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,960 Because I have doubt? Well, think of it like this. 276 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:42,040 Imagine if God always gave us what we asked for despite our 277 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,400 doubt. How would we ever grow? 278 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,320 How would we ever learn to trust Him? 279 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,960 Look at verse 8. He is a double minded man, 280 00:19:57,120 --> 00:20:01,920 unstable in all his ways. What does it mean to be a double 281 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,600 minded man? The Greek word is die psychos. 282 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,760 You can see like psychos can mean soul or mind and then die 283 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,880 meaning double or two. A lot of commentators think that 284 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,720 James invented this word. This Greek word literally 2 285 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:20,920 souls or two minds. Another word has one mind for 286 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,920 the Lord and one mind for the world. 287 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,120 One mind for the Lord, one mind for the world. 288 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,640 This reminds us of Jesus words when he said no can serve 2 289 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,280 masters. Here's what it it's like this. 290 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,640 I trust God, I do, but what about this? 291 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,600 I know God will give me what I need, but what if he doesn't? 292 00:20:56,080 --> 00:21:01,120 If he doesn't, I know God is able. 293 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,760 Matt. Yes, yes, yes, I know God is 294 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:08,200 able. I just need a backup plan just 295 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:16,300 in case. James says This is a double 296 00:21:16,700 --> 00:21:25,260 minded person and their double mindedness makes them unstable. 297 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,200 It can also be translated. Restless, in other words, 298 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:37,880 reduces rest for our souls. Doubt produces anxiety. 299 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,720 I have never met someone who was I would call to be an anxious 300 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:49,200 person who I thought rested in the sovereignty of God and vice 301 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,720 versa. I have never met someone that 302 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:57,160 rested in the sovereignty of God who was just constantly anxious 303 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:05,000 all the time. Application of the text. 304 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:14,480 I have 7 points of application #1 the beginning of wisdom is 305 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:20,920 this get wisdom, IE acknowledge that we lack it. 306 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,600 It's one of my favorite verses in the Bible. 307 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:30,600 The beginning of wisdom is this. Get wisdom, IE acknowledge that 308 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,920 we lack it. You ever heard the phrase? 309 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,960 The more you know, the more you realize you don't know. 310 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,360 You've heard that idea right? The more you know, the more you 311 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:43,240 realize you don't know. The idea is that the person who 312 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:45,400 boasts in their knowledge ever meeting somebody who like how to 313 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,920 boast and how much they know, all they are actually are 314 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,080 testifying to is their ignorance. 315 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,720 If someone boasts in what they know, all they are testifying to 316 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,920 is their own ignorance, because the truly knowledgeable person 317 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:05,360 knows how much they don't know. The same is true for wisdom, the 318 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:11,240 wise. No, they are not wise, not in 319 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,760 and of themselves. They recognize that in and of 320 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,600 myself, I am not wise. That's why Solomon wrote The 321 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,160 beginning of wisdom is this. Get wisdom. 322 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:28,200 It implies that to be wise, you already have to have some 323 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:35,440 measure of wisdom to know that you need wisdom, James writes. 324 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:40,360 If any of you lacks wisdom, we all lack wisdom. 325 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:46,320 There's only one who is perfectly wise at all times, and 326 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:53,360 we all need wisdom as a result. Common when young men finish 327 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:58,120 seminary this was this was true of me too. 328 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:02,200 I'm I'm It's very common when young men finish seminary to 329 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:09,160 think that they know something. But knowledge is not wisdom. 330 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:18,120 Doctrine is not wisdom Bible competency is not wisdom. 331 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:29,400 Experience is not wisdom. You see, in the economics of 332 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:40,880 wisdom we are all running a deficit #2 there are two AIS. 333 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,040 There is artificial intelligence, and there is the 334 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:53,040 author of intelligence. There are two AIS. 335 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,040 There is artificial intelligence, and there is the 336 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:01,840 author of Intelligence. I was watching a YouTube video 337 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,200 several years back, this is several years ago, and it was 338 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,760 discussing how there is a growing disconnect between young 339 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,440 adults and their parents and especially their grandparents. 340 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:13,840 There's a growing disconnect, right? 341 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,760 And what this video was saying is that one of the reasons for 342 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:22,000 this is that people, young people, no longer need their 343 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,160 parents or grandparents for advice. 344 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:28,600 One of the examples that gave was that if something was broken 345 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,760 in your car or something was broken in your house, and years 346 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,400 past, people would call up their dad or call up their grandpa and 347 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,200 they would help you or they would give advice. 348 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:42,240 Or if you're baking something and it's just not turning out 349 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,480 the way that you want it to turn out for whatever reason, they 350 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,560 would call up their mom or their grandma and they would help you. 351 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:55,320 But now we have YouTube. Need to change out your brake 352 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,360 light. There's a YouTube video for 353 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:02,240 that. I realized I was guilty of this. 354 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,160 If I have a question on how to fix something, I just go to 355 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,240 YouTube. There's a video for how to do it 356 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,440 now. This was several years ago. 357 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:22,680 How much more is it true now with AI? 358 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,080 People look up on AI. People look up marriage advice. 359 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:36,400 I that's fascinating to me. People look up marriage advice. 360 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:38,720 I actually saw an article yesterday. 361 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,920 I this is this is after I wrote the sermon. 362 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,320 I saw an article yesterday that said people are turning to AI 363 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:48,120 for financial advice. People look up marriage advice, 364 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,560 they look up financial advice, they look up career advice, they 365 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:56,040 look up health advice with AI. And I'll be honest, if you think 366 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,240 I'm just like a curmudgeon grumpy old man, listen, it's 367 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:00,880 impressive. I'm a fan. 368 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,920 I like it. My wife, I can't, cannot 369 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,360 convince my wife. She refuses to use it. 370 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,240 I'm in. I'm for it. 371 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:17,680 But here's where I want to caution us. 372 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:20,760 Here's where I want to caution us. 373 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:27,960 James doesn't say. If any of you lacks wisdom, let 374 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:36,240 him ask ChatGPT. Let him ask Gemini. 375 00:27:37,360 --> 00:27:42,000 Let him ask copilot. I mean, anybody's asking 376 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:55,560 copilot. Sorry Microsoft people, he says. 377 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:08,560 Let him ask God. There are two AIS, Artificial 378 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,440 intelligence and the author of Intelligence. 379 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:16,760 You see, the world can give us knowledge. 380 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,760 It can give us information. It can give us facts. 381 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,720 It can give us statistics. It can give us methods. 382 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,640 It can give us ideas. It can give us advice. 383 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,640 But here's what it cannot give wisdom. 384 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:40,920 Only God can give wisdom. AI may take the place of your 385 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,640 mom or dad or grandpa or grandma. 386 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,000 I hope that it doesn't, but it may. 387 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:53,040 Do not let it take the place of your God. 388 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:01,200 You will never. I don't care how good they get 389 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:06,480 this, you will never outgrow your need to ask God. 390 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:17,400 Three, our God gives continuously, generously, and 391 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,920 partially and ungrudgingly. We looked at those earlier 392 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,600 continuously, generously, and partially and ungrudgingly. 393 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:27,720 And this is so important. Why? 394 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:32,320 Because I find that sometimes we are tempted to believe that God 395 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:38,600 gives occasionally, sparingly, arbitrarily, and begrudgingly. 396 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,560 We ask God for something and we think maybe he'll give it, maybe 397 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:49,040 he won't. If he does give it, it'll 398 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:53,800 probably be the bare minimum. If he doesn't give it, it's 399 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,400 probably because I'm not on his good side. 400 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,360 This week probably presents me for asking him in the first 401 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:07,440 place. It's very easy for us to have a 402 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:15,120 warped view of who our Father is, and yet James tells us we 403 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:20,320 are to ask God, who gives generously to all without 404 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,520 reproach. He gives 4 descriptions in that 405 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:24,320 phrase. I'm going to look at them 406 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:26,960 briefly #1 He gives continuously. 407 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:32,440 Gives is a participle as I mentioned, which means he 408 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,920 doesn't just give once, He gives continuously. 409 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,160 He did not give his people mana for the first year in the desert 410 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,280 and tell them, all right guys, y'all figure it out from here. 411 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:49,240 He gave them mana all 40 years in the desert #2 he gives 412 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:52,800 generously. Jesus did not just give wine at 413 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:57,120 the wedding, He gave 6 stone jars of it. 414 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:01,360 He didn't just give a few pieces of bread and fish, He gave them 415 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,600 enough until they all were satisfied. 416 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,480 He didn't just give them fish in their Nets, He gave them so many 417 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,920 fish that their Nets were beginning to break. 418 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:17,040 Our God gives generously #3 He gives impartially. 419 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:22,560 God doesn't play favorites. He doesn't play favorites. 420 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:30,080 Jesus took the time to heal the bleeding woman before he went to 421 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:34,480 the ruler of the synagogue's house at 4:00. 422 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,480 He doesn't give he he gives ungrudgingly. 423 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:46,200 When we ask God for something, God never thinks What's wrong 424 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:51,600 with you? You're asking again. 425 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:54,400 Didn't you just ask me yesterday for wisdom? 426 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:01,880 You need it again today, Matt. You're about to turn 44. 427 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:08,280 You should know this by now. God never thinks that. 428 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:15,640 Our God gives continuously, generously, impartially, and 429 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:25,560 ungrudgingly #4 Wisdom is a rare jewel, but God has promised to 430 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:30,320 give it. Wisdom is a rare, rare jewel, 431 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,520 but God has promised to get it. Give it. 432 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,880 If you want to learn the performing arts and music, you 433 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,720 can enroll at Juilliard. If you want to learn film and 434 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,120 media, you can enroll in the American Film Institute. 435 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,280 If you want to learn law, you can enroll at Harvard Law 436 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,480 School. If you want to learn medicine, 437 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:55,960 you can enroll at John Hopkins. If you want to learn business, 438 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,040 you can enroll at the Wharton School. 439 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:05,440 But if you want to be wise, where do you enroll? 440 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,360 Chinese. Southern Baptist Church? 441 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:26,080 No, Where do you get wisdom now? 1 answer is to read this book. 442 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,480 Here's the problem. Anybody can read this book. 443 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:39,160 Jonathan can read this book. I can go out to somebody out 444 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:43,640 there on drugs who is lost and they can read this book. 445 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:53,080 Wisdom is knowing how to use this book and how to apply it 446 00:33:53,080 --> 00:34:00,240 correctly. Wisdom is a rare jewel, Job 447 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:03,840 says. Shall wisdom be found and where 448 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:07,360 is the place of understanding? Man does not know it's worth and 449 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,280 it is not found in the land of the living. 450 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:14,199 Job 28 Solomon writes She meaning wisdom personified. 451 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:18,239 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire 452 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:24,040 can compare with her. You see friends, you can find 453 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:28,960 knowledge, you can find. You can find skill, you can find 454 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,800 success. You can find love, you can find 455 00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:37,520 friends, you can find money. But where can you find wisdom? 456 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:47,600 It is a rare jewel, but God has promised to give it. 457 00:34:50,280 --> 00:35:00,200 James says Let him ask God and it will be given him. 458 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:06,760 That is a promise. And brother, sisters, I got to 459 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:08,920 be honest. That's an encouraging 1 isn't 460 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,840 it? Because how many times do we 461 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:16,400 just feel stuck and we think I don't know what to do. 462 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:23,280 I don't know should I date? Should I not? 463 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,120 Should I marry this person or should I not? 464 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:36,240 Should I invest or should I not? Should I change majors or should 465 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:41,200 I not change jobs or should I not? 466 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:46,160 Should we change churches or should we not? 467 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,640 Should we have another child or should we? 468 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:58,780 How are you going to make these decisions? 469 00:36:02,220 --> 00:36:04,940 God has promised to give you wisdom. 470 00:36:07,740 --> 00:36:12,000 Don't doubt that. Don't doubt that he will give 471 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:21,840 you wisdom to make the right decision. 5 Faith is the key 472 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:27,960 that unlocks God's pantry. And no, I didn't intentionally 473 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:32,160 rhyme that, but I have to worry. I realized it was like, Oh no 474 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:38,440 rhymes. Faith is the key that unlocks 475 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:42,480 God's pantry. Verse 5 seems like an 476 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:43,720 unconditional statement, doesn't it? 477 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:46,840 In many ways it is, many ways it is. 478 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:51,160 But James gives this. But in verse 6, it's a condition 479 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,000 2, verse five with two sides. The first side of the condition 480 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,720 is this. We must ask in faith again. 481 00:36:58,720 --> 00:37:01,440 I always like to read what is not there in the text. 482 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:07,160 James doesn't say Let him ask with maturity, doesn't say let 483 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:10,400 him ask with humility, a mask with patience. 484 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:13,320 Let him ask persistence. Now those are all. 485 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,960 But the condition that James gives is this. 486 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:24,400 Let him ask in faith. You see, God has storehouses of 487 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:28,240 mercy and grace and blessing and wisdom. 488 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:33,880 He has storehouses of it. And faith is the key that 489 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:40,160 unlocks God's pantry. Now, I want to be clear that 490 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:43,840 James faith is not just James's pet pod project. 491 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:46,000 It's not something like, you know what, man, James, he was 492 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:47,960 really big into faith. You know, I don't know why, but 493 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:51,960 he was really big into it. How many times did Jesus address 494 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:57,120 faith? Five times Jesus said, Oh you of 495 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:03,280 little, what faith? When the friends brought their 496 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:06,760 paralytic to Jesus, what did Jesus see? 497 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,520 When Jesus saw their determination? 498 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:15,920 No, their faith. When Jesus looked at the 499 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:20,320 bleeding woman, what did he see? Her faith. 500 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:27,560 Jesus said to the blind man, according to your What faith be 501 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:31,160 it done to you? Jesus said whatever you ask in 502 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:36,440 prayer you will receive. If you have what faith, brothers 503 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:45,520 and sisters, if you want God to work in your life, then have 504 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:52,680 faith. You're like, well, where do I 505 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,840 get faith? Pray for it. 506 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:01,120 You're like, wait a minute. So if I want wisdom, I need to 507 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,240 have faith to have wisdom. If I want faith, I need to pray 508 00:39:04,240 --> 00:39:06,760 to have faith. If I need to have faith to pray, 509 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:10,440 to have faith. This, the beginning of faith is 510 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:11,480 this. Get faith. 511 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:19,160 It all starts on your knees. It's got to start somewhere. 512 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:24,680 So if you're not even there yet to say I need wisdom, I don't 513 00:39:24,720 --> 00:39:27,040 believe that, then just start and say God, would you just 514 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:37,160 start with my giving me faith? 6 Doubt is like a hole in a 515 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:42,040 raft, if left unattended it sinks the vessel. 516 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:50,080 Doubt is like a hole in a raft, if left unattended it sinks the 517 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,920 vessel. The other side of this condition 518 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:56,680 is this. With no doubting, James says 519 00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:59,320 that the one who doubt should not suppose that he will receive 520 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,320 anything from the Lord. Now let me clarify 2 things that 521 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:05,040 James is not saying here. There are denominations that 522 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:06,440 teach this and I want to clarify. 523 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,680 There are two things he is not saying this number one, James is 524 00:40:09,680 --> 00:40:15,320 not saying that as long as we have faith and we don't doubt, 525 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,160 we will always get what we asked for. 526 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:23,320 He's not saying that faith and no doubt. 527 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:28,200 Is necessary to get what we're asking for. 528 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:37,600 It is not sufficient. Now for wisdom it is, but not 529 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:40,840 for everything else. It is not to say Lord give me a 530 00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:45,640 spouse and I believe it. I don't doubt you'll give it to 531 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:48,680 me at all. Doesn't mean he will. 532 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:55,120 That is a necessary condition. It is not a sufficient 533 00:40:55,120 --> 00:41:01,080 condition. 2 James is not saying that if we don't get what we 534 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:04,640 asked for, it means one of two things. 535 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:08,160 Either a we didn't have enough faith or B we doubted. 536 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:13,120 If you don't get what you're asking for, it doesn't mean that 537 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:16,520 either a you didn't have enough faith or B you had doubt. 538 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:21,600 It doesn't mean that I recently sat down at a coffee shop with 539 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:25,600 someone and they were asking me how are they to think of their 540 00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:28,480 doubts? They weren't sure if it was 541 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:32,640 normal for a Christian to have doubts and they thought, you 542 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:35,040 know, if I do have doubts, that maybe it means I'm not even a 543 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:36,920 Christian, right? Like, because I, I feel like, 544 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:38,720 you know, they were like, I go to church and seems like people 545 00:41:38,720 --> 00:41:40,920 here, you know, like nobody else here has has doubts and I feel 546 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:41,880 like I'm the only one who has it. 547 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:43,720 Does I mean I'm not saved. I mean, I'm not a Christian. 548 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:52,120 I would give is this doubt is like a hole in the raft, if left 549 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:55,280 unattended it will sink the vessel. 550 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:02,360 Remember the Father who brought his demon possessed son to the 551 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,040 disciples while Jesus and the other three disciples were up on 552 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:08,360 the mountain, they brought him to the disciples the other nine 553 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,560 and they couldn't cast out the demon. 554 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:14,640 And when Jesus came down, he approached the Father, and they 555 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:18,600 bring the boy to Jesus. And the Father says to him, but 556 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:23,160 if you can do anything, have compassion on us. 557 00:42:23,160 --> 00:42:24,840 You remember what Jesus said to him. 558 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:35,040 If you can, if you can, all things are possible for the one 559 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:40,280 who believes. Now immediately the father of 560 00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:46,680 the child cried out. This I believe, help my 561 00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:50,880 unbelief. Now what does that mean? 562 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:59,000 Now here's the thing. Did Jesus turn to him when he 563 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:01,800 said this I believe help my unbelief? 564 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:08,640 Did Jesus turn to him and say, sorry, you have doubt, I'm not 565 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:16,120 going to heal him. See you, You just admitted you 566 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:18,160 had doubt. Sorry. 567 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:25,480 He heals the boy. He heals him. 568 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:29,480 Now, interesting enough that when the disciples came to 569 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:33,960 Jesus, they asked, they said, why couldn't we cast the demon 570 00:43:33,960 --> 00:43:36,360 out? Do you remember what you said to 571 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:41,320 them because of your little faith? 572 00:43:43,720 --> 00:43:48,280 How do we make sense of that? Here's how I think we should 573 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:51,880 make sense of this. It appears to me that the 574 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:57,600 disciples were looking to themselves to heal this boy. 575 00:43:58,760 --> 00:44:01,960 They thought they could do it on demand because they had done it 576 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:06,400 before and because they were looking to themselves. 577 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:13,240 Their faith was lacking. But the Father, well, he looked 578 00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:19,400 to Jesus, Even though his faith is small, his faith is 579 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:21,720 struggling. It's barely there. 580 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:25,560 He looked to Jesus. How do we know that? 581 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:30,960 Because of the word help, help my unbelief. 582 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:42,680 He's basically saying my raft is floating, but it's sinking. 583 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:53,000 Help me. See Brother Scissor, Doubt can 584 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,880 take many forms. Doubt. 585 00:44:56,240 --> 00:44:57,760 You can doubt the goodness of God. 586 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,360 You can doubt the power of God. You can doubt the plan of God. 587 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:03,800 You can doubt the purpose of God. 588 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:07,040 You can doubt the love of God. You can doubt the wisdom of God. 589 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:09,280 You can doubt the justice of God. 590 00:45:09,720 --> 00:45:15,800 And that doubt in your heart. It is like a hole in your raft 591 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:22,480 and if you leave it unattended it will sink the vessel. 592 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:31,200 We must go to God and faith, even if we are struggling in 593 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,800 doubt, we must go to God and ask Him. 594 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:39,080 God, will you patch up this hole? 595 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,520 I've actually got a lot of holes in my raft. 596 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:51,320 Will you patch them up? Seven last point. 597 00:45:53,720 --> 00:45:59,920 Faith gives you an anchor. Doubt gives the enemy a sail. 598 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:05,920 Faith gives you an anchor, Doubt gives the enemy a sail. 599 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:10,800 James says that a person who doubts is like the sea, and the 600 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:12,920 sea is totally holding to the wind. 601 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:18,240 The wind blows and it drives and it tosses this sea back and 602 00:46:18,240 --> 00:46:25,760 forth and it's chaotic, right? You ever met somebody? 603 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:28,400 You ever met somebody who's chaotic? 604 00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:39,960 They're calls a man without a double minded man, stable in all 605 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:42,000 his ways. We sometimes call this spiritual 606 00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:45,960 schizophrenia. Think of it like this. 607 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:52,360 If your heart and your mind and your soul is a ship on the sea, 608 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:56,280 your heart, your mind, your soul, it's a ship on the sea. 609 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:04,200 Faith gives you an anchor. Doubt gives the enemy a sail. 610 00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:11,880 Faith not only brings our vessel to God, but it anchors us in the 611 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:18,640 harbour of God, and no matter how much the wind blows, we are 612 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:24,920 well anchored in the Lord. But doubt gives the enemy a 613 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:28,320 sail. It gives him something to work 614 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:32,200 with. The enemy stirs up storms. 615 00:47:32,200 --> 00:47:35,480 That's what he does. Last week we looked at trials. 616 00:47:35,640 --> 00:47:37,680 A lot of these trials are from the enemy. 617 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:44,000 He stirs up storms and these storms will toss us back and 618 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:46,600 forth. One moment we are trusting God 619 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:49,200 and the next moment we are trusting ourselves. 620 00:47:52,240 --> 00:47:56,480 One moment we are following, and the next moment we are following 621 00:47:56,480 --> 00:48:01,640 the world's plan. One moment we are freely resting 622 00:48:01,720 --> 00:48:05,320 in the sovereignty of God, and the next moment we are 623 00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:13,220 imprisoned by our own anxiety. Brothers and sisters, there's 624 00:48:13,220 --> 00:48:18,940 always a storm on the horizon. You look out of your life, 625 00:48:19,100 --> 00:48:21,220 there's always a storm on the horizon. 626 00:48:24,900 --> 00:48:31,060 Doubt raises A sail and it gives the enemy something to work 627 00:48:31,060 --> 00:48:39,000 with. Drop your anchor into the ocean 628 00:48:39,640 --> 00:48:46,720 of God's Providence and you will not be easily moved. 629 00:48:48,120 --> 00:48:48,480 Let's pray.