notes

Main point summary

Ask God for wisdom, but do so in faith.

James 1:5-8

editing

NT

James 1:5-8

esv

mine

j If any of you lacks wisdom,

If you lack wisdom,

k let him ask God,

ask God,

l who gives generously to all without reproach,

because he gives generously to all without reproach,

ground

and it will be given him.

and you will receive it.

actionresult

conditional

But m let him ask in faith,

But ask in faith,

n with no doubting,

without doubting

negativepositive

for the one who doubts is like o a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

for if you doubt you are like a wave of the sea that is driven and

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

series

p he is a double-minded man,

q unstable in all his ways.

inference

ideaexplanation

actionmanner

Go back to lesson 3, and look at "inference note" and "mine column"

discourse

Notes

Where have we been looking for wisdom? Maybe we think there's too much uncertainty as to whether God will provide us with the wisdom we need, maybe we feel as if it won't come soon enough. And so we fall for the temptations of the world, that it will instantly provide the insight we need to make sense of everything. Or maybe we look to ourselves, and our own abilities as our guide, especially in the age of information and knowledge. Let us not be double-minded (James 1:6-8) . Someone who is double minded is restless, always in conflict with himself/herself, and cannot trust in God. Let us commit to the Lord, i.e let us look to him, and we will find peace in his counsel. Let us not doubt the Lord and his intentions. He is generous, let us humbly draw near to him in faith and confidence, and receive the wisdom he has always been ready to give. Consider Proverbs 2:6, "For the Lord 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 in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints."