Place: Lurgan Baptist 21:9:2003

Reading: James 1:1-8

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY

3. WISDOM, AND HOW TO GET IT

A man was pulled over by a policeman asked if he knew he was going to fast. He said, “ I’m sorry officer I had my cruise control on and just forgot the speed limit changed.” His wife said, “ Harry, I told you two miles ago that you were speeding.” Harry gave his wife a dirty look. As the policeman took his ticket book from his pocket he said, “ By the way sir, did you know that your left rear signal light was broken ?” Harry replied, “ it must have just happened in the car park we left.” His wife piped up, “ Harry, how can you site there and lie to that nice policeman ? I told you t fix it three weeks ago.” Harry gave his wife another look that could kill. The policeman continued, “ I am going to have cite you for not wearing a seatbelt also.” Harry protested, “ But I just unbuckled it as you came up the side of the car.” Again his wife piped up, “ Harry, you know good and well I tell you all the time to buckle up because you never wear your seat belt.” Having taken all he could Harry turned to his wife and shouted, “ Woman, would you keep your big mouth shut.”

The policeman looked at and addressed the little lady and asked, “ Does he verbally abuse you like this often madam ?” She said, “ Oh, no only when he has one drink too many.” My …. the need for wisdom is great.

Abraham Lincoln said on one occasion, “ I don’t think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” Surely one of the greatest needs of modern man is wisdom. Think about this for a moment. In many ways our generation is the most prolific of all generations. We have more college graduates. In our day and age it is not enough to have a simple degree. It is increasingly important to have master’s degrees to excel in our chosen professions. Knowledge is exploding. We travel farther and fly higher than any previous generation in history. We accumulate data as never before. The computer age is advancing in such a way that information becomes outdated with virtually every passing minute.

But while such knowledge is increasing, wisdom is often lacking. Many lives are in shambles. Suicide rates are higher than ever before. Morals are at a record low. Divorce is ever on the increase. In many way the world is on the brink of chaos. And yet to such a generation James says, “ If any of you lack wisdom …. God,” Now I want to talk to you this …. about “ Wisdom, and How to Get it.” James speaks here about:

(1) THE NEED FOR WISDOM

“ If any of you lack wisdom,” ( 1:5 ) Now what does this word mean ? Well, to the ancient Greek wisdom was mental excellence. But then James was a Jew and he was writing to Christian Jews. To such people wisdom was more than knowledge or intelligence. I think that we can say that this has nothing to do with a person’s I.Q. When James talks about “ wisdom,” he does not mean intelligence, knowledge, cleverness or education. He is not speaking about mental prowess but spiritual perception. Someone has said, “ Never mistake knowledge for wisdom one helps make you a living, the other helps you make a life.” There is a vast difference between the two. During his education campaign in the 19^th century, the 7^th Earl of Shaftesbury once said,

“ education without instruction in religious and moral principles will merely result in a race of clever devils.”

The Greek word for wisdom here, means “ the practical use of knowledge.” Someone has said that “ Knowledge is the ability to take things apart, while wisdom is the ability to put them together.”

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. Now all of us know people who are educated fools. They have brilliant academic records, but they cannot make the simplest decisions in life. John Blanchard defined wisdom, “ as the ability to discern God’s hand in human circumstances and apply heavenly judgements to earthly situations.” And how we stand in need to this heavenly wisdom for human reasoning is deficient. As Elihu said to Job, “ great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgement.”

( Job 32:8 ) You see, we need this spiritual perception to:

(a) DISCERN THE WAYS OF GOD:

Is this not the immediate thought of the context ? James has been dealing with stressful trials. Here were a company of people who were passing through times of testing. They were literally hanging by a thread not knowing which way to turn. Believers who had lost their jobs, homes, property. Christians who were facing persecution, and why ? Why these trials in their day ? Why are you facing all that you are now ? My …. we need a wisdom more than human to answer those questions. Do you see what James is getting at ? The ability to view a test from God’s perspective. We need to discern God’s aim in our testing, to make some sense of our trials, to make proper use of them. Wisdom helps us to understand how to use these circumstances for our good and God’s glory. A gifted secretary of a pastor was going through great trials. She had a stroke, her husband had gone blind, and then he had been taken to hospital where he was not expected to live. On Sunday morning in church the pastor assured her of his prayers.

But she shocked him when she said,” Pastor, what are you asking God to do ?” “ I’m asking God to help and strengthen you,” he replied. “ I appreciate that,” she said “ But pray about one thing more. Pray that I will have wisdom not to waste all of this.” A young missionary couple who were working in Yokohama, Japan, wrote a letter to their many friends in the U.S.A. one Christmas. The letter told of the tragic loss of their only son who had just died from leukaemia. The child’s body was buried in a strange land far from the burial ground back home. His parents were robbed of the loving comfort that close relatives give in such an hour of loss. The question, “ Why did God take what little we had left, when we had given up all to serve Him in Japan ?” must have crossed their minds. The letter spoke of their emptiness. Two sentences filled with emotion stood out in that letter. They said, “ At a time when empty hours would echo with little memories, we find the pressure of work a welcome problem, but we need wisdom and strength for the task.” Are you in the midst of stressful trials ? Have you discerned aim in your testing ? Are you making proper use of your trials ?

(b) DISCOVER THE WILL OF GOD:

Here is a crisis in your life, or a least a situation where two or more courses are open to you ! It may something that affects you, your family, and others ! It may be the question of a life-partner, it could be the issue of stepping out into the Lord’s work, or maybe a decision concerning the home. Carefully you weigh up the pros and cons from a rational point of view. The issue seems to lean in one direction. So far so good. But there is one vital overruling factor that must be brought into the situation before you can safely move. Do you know what that is ? The “ still small voice of God.” Without this all human reasoning is deficient. Have you ever noticed the first thing for which Paul prayed for the Christians at both Ephesus and Colosse ? “ …. making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation.” ( Eph 1:16-17 ) He says, “ we do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” ( Col 1:9-10 )

Have you reached a crossroads in your life ? Are you unsure in which we way to go ? Are you listening for

“ the still small voice of God ?” We need wisdom A:B:

(c) DO THE WORK OF GOD:

Can you not imagine that James asked for wisdom time and again in the service of His Master ? After all he was an apostle ( Gal 1:19 ) the probable leader of the work in Jerusalem ( Acts 21:18 ) Do you recall that when the Jerusalem council was held to discuss the problem of circumcision it was James who stood to his feet and uttered words of wisdom. ( Acts 15:13-21 ) When God gave to King Solomon a blank cheque and said to him

“ ask what I shall give thee.” ( 1 Kings 3:5 ) Solomon reminded the Lord of the circumstances and responsibilities of his life and said, “ Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart …. for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people.” ( 1 Kings 3:9 ) Are you involved in the work of God ? Maybe like James its in leadership, do you feel your need of wisdom ? Perhaps its soul-winning, its outreach, its evangelism among the children, its working with youth with all of their problems, do you not need this wisdom ? Do you know what our Lord Jesus said when He was sending forth His disciples into a hostile society ? He said, “ be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

( Matt 10:16 ) We need a wisdom greater than our own to (a) (b) (c) (1) But James goes a step further, for he talks here about:

(2) THE SOURCE OF WISDOM

You see, wisdom does not come from Plato, Aristotle, Socrates or any other philosopher of renown. Do you see the source of wisdom ? “ If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God.” ( 1:5 ) Our God is not only All-loving, and All-powerful, but All-wise as well ! Now on the one hand we have got the need, but on the other hand we have got the source, God ! ( Prov 3:5-6 ) Do you see how God gives this needed wisdom ?

(a) SPONTANEOUSLY:

“ If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth ….” ( 1:5 ) The Amplified Bible puts it like this,

“ if any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the Giving God.” Is that not lovely ? God is known amongst men and down through the ages as the Giving God. Its characteristic of God’s nature to give ? He gives spontaneously and instinctively ! The psalmist says,

“ The Lord will give strength unto His people,”

( 29:11 ) “ The Lord shall give thee the desires of thine heart,” ( 37:4 ) “ The Lord will give grace and glory,”

( 84:11 ) Do you recall what the Lord Jesus said, “ I gave unto them ( my sheep ) eternal life,” ( Jn 10:28 ) Paul says, “ Thank be to God which giveth us the victory.” ( 1 Cor 15:57 ) Our God is a Giving God, one who gives wisdom spontaneously !

(b) IMPARTIALLY:

“ That giveth to all men ….,” ( 1:5 ) You see, God is not exclusive but inclusive in relation to this gift of wisdom.

My …. it does not matter about your intellectual, physical, social, material, or financial standing ! The only condition you must meet is to admit your need and ask for God’s help ! (a) (b)

(c) LIBERALLY:

The word “ liberally,” ( 1:5 ) denotes “ generosity, open-handedness, without stint.” ( Rom 12:8 ) It is characteristic of the unbeliever to see God with a clenched fist, but it is characteristic of the believer to see him with an open hand. You see, there is no limit to the wisdom that God can give. My …. the reservoir of God’s wisdom is never in short supply ! So He gives,

Spontaneously, Impartially, Liberally, and:

(d) GRACIOUSLY:

“ And upbraided not,” ( 1:5 ) That is, God gives this wisdom ungrudgingly, without reproaching, or faultfinding. Some people give gifts with all sorts of strings attached, and sometimes use the giving of those gifts as opportunities to belittle, insult, or rebuke the recipients ! But not God ! I heard the story of the Welsh village that was flooded in heavy rain. The Red Cross reached and their personnel were coming up the street in an inflatable boat looking for survivors. One man clambered out of the boat and walked gingerly up the roof of a submerged house and shouted down a chimney

“ Red Cross,” a weak Welsh voice echoed back up the chimney, “ we gave last week.” You see, men can always find a fault for not giving, but God never finds fault. Now on the one hand, you and I need wisdom, on the other hand, the Lord is willing to bestow wisdom. Here we have the Need, here we have the Source, but how do we get the Source to meet the Need. (1) (2)

(3) THE CHANNEL TO WISDOM

James says all we need to do is ask ! You see, prayer is the channel that brings wisdom from its source to where it is needed. Now James did not say if we lack wisdom we need to learn more theology. He didn’t say we have to search for a friend, or wait for a more mature believer to cross our pathway, or depend on an e-mail going and a reply returning. No ! He says we should turn to the ever-present God, approaching Him, through the ever-open door of intercession. No, is it not true that we often do the best thing last ? My …. since the Devil cannot keep God from answering our prayers, what does he

do ? He seeks to keep us from asking, he lies to us saying, “ You’re not worthy to ask God.” He tells us to help ourselves and then go the Lord as the last resort. But look at what James says, “ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,” for the channel to wisdom is prayer. Now did you notice the two phrases that James uses here, “ ask of God,” ( 1:5 ) and then, “ ask in faith,” ( 1:6 ) in other words we must pray:

(a) DEFINITELY:

“ Let him ask of God,” someone once said, “ the real secret of prayer is secret prayer.” Now there is probably no other subject about which we profess so vastly and practice so vaguely ! Its so easy to talk about prayer, to say how much we believe in it, to say how important it is, but the really important thing is this, do we pray ? If only our concern to pray could match our willingness to serve on committees ! If only we could get on our knees to plead with God as readily as we stand on our feet to preach to others. It was Robert Murray McCheyne who said on one occasion, “ What a man is on his knees before God alone, that he is and nothing else.” On that basis do you need to make a re-assessment of your spiritual condition ? Are you so caught up with your activities, programme, preaching, organisations, that your making the miserable mistake of confusing activity with progress ? When the Risen Lord sent Ananias to minister to the newly saved Saul of Tarsus, the one mark of recognition he gave him was this, “ Behold, he prayeth.” ( Acts 9:11 ) Is that the distinguishing mark of your life ? Or are you just a good preacher, a good S.S. teacher, a good organizer, a good choir-member ? Do you know what Andrew Bonar once wrote about McCheyne ? “ He dwelt at the Mercy Seat as if it were his home.” “ If any of you lack wisdom …. let him ask,” definitely !

Indeed, James says in ( 4:2 ) “ Ye have not, because ye ask not.” My …. its no good wringing our hands when we ought to be bending our knees ! For to many of us the well known words of J. Scriven are too well known

“ Oh, what peace …. forfeit,” (a)

(b) DECISIVELY:

“ But let him ask in faith nothing wavering,” ( 1:6 ) Have you ever noticed in the N.T. what a tremendous premium is placed on faith ? The writer to the Hebrews says, “ Without faith it is impossible to please God ….,”

( Heb 11:6 2 Cor 5:7 Mk 11:24 ) Now faith is not something that is added to a man’s prayer, prayer is something that issues from a man’s faith, from the convictions of a man’s heart. ( Heb 11:6 ) To pray in faith is to pray confidently in the knowledge of God’s nature, and in the growing knowledge of His will. Have you ever been in the midst of the ocean and experienced its constant rolling ? Well, James the man without faith is like the storm tossed wave. Do you know what I

mean ? Do you know what it is to be double-minded ?

To be swinging between faith and unbelief, between trust and distrust. Faith says Yes, and unbelief says No, and we become like a walking civil war in which trust and distrust of God wage a continual battle against each other. Can I ask, what way are you praying ? Are you praying in faith ? Without wavering ? With a single to the glory of God ? My …. our greatest need is wisdom, spiritual perception. Where do we get it ? We need to ask ! Who gives it ? God ! How ? In response to our believing prayers. How much will God give ? Liberally ! The psalmist put it like this, “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” ( Ps 111:10 ) Almost anyone can gain knowledge, but only those who seek the Lord can gain true wisdom.