James wrote to the Jews scattered abroad, telling them to count it all joy when you fall into temptation, that testing their faith would produce patience. If they lack wisdom, ask God who gives to all generously, and without reproach.
But ask in faith, without wavering. “For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” If this is your mind-set, if so, you shall receive nothing from God.
A double-minded person is unstable. Unlike a humble brother or sister in the Lord, they can rejoice because God has exalted them. The rich are made low, because he, like his wealth, will dry up and blow away as so much dust.
Most of us are not familiar with exotic birds. Tony Silver’s was an author, and president of the Parrot association. At a parrot symposium, he advised newcomers, and collectors not to buy, or sell species of birds that were forbidden, or rare. Would you believe that he was caught smuggling in from South America, over a period of 9 years, 1.3 million dollars worth of rare birds.
In Florida, there was a man who was known to be a Philanthropist, speculator, family man, and an outstanding citizen. He presided over a company that employed some 4000 people. It was found out that he had two families living only 50 miles apart, one in Tampa, the other in St. Petersburg.
Several years back a man sat with his wife and video-taped the meeting between them because he wanted his wife to sign a post-nuptial agreement, not a pre-nuptial. He told her, its because I take so many business risks; I am anticipating going bankrupt. He left her the house, and 5 million dollars.
When he died it was found out that he was a womanizer, lived a life his wife never knew about, and was worth 300 million dollars.
When these things happen to any person, their lives begin to unravel. Some will even blame God! They have discovered what man’s original sin is all about, liars, cheaters, womanizers, corruption, and deception.
James is believed to be the half brother of Jesus. He was writing to a church under persecution. They were not under the threat of death, but of rejection, and economic boycott. He wanted them to know that the trials they were enduring were by God’s hand. In this they would learn persistence, endurance, and how to follow after Jesus Christ.
Receive your trials as a source of joy because you can look beyond them with the prospect of all God’s promises. If you lack wisdom, ask God. Not for the wisdom of intellectual knowledge, or speculation, but wisdom to live righteously, and be right with God.
With a cautionary note, James said, when you ask, let it NOT be as a double-minded person, one who is like a cork bobbing on the waves, finally to be taken out to sea.
Have you ever wandered why the Lord reserved his greatest criticism for hypocrites? He despised double minded men. The priests would pray, “Thank you Lord for not making me like the Gentiles, or like a women.” This is hypocrisy; this is how a double minded person reasons.
What is meant by a double-minded person? It’s when we ask for the things of the world, material things that will advance you in the world. Yet at the same time, we ask for God’s blessings. This world is in competition with God, and will never understand the spiritual things of God. Friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God.
Some will say, but we have to live in the world! We pay taxes, send our children to schools, etc. But Jesus said, John 15:19, “Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
To be of a double-minded spirit, is to have two hearts, two minds, two souls. If this has any resemblance to you, you will receive nothing from God. It bothers me greatly when I hear a Christian say, “I want to thank the Lord for my unanswered prayer,” meaning, I did not get what I wanted.
If you go to God with one foot in the world, and the other in the word, He will have nothing to do with you. He will NOT share His wisdom with us, or His spiritual gifts. We are talking about Christians here, not Gentiles? We like to call those in the world, hypocrites, taking them to task, but do we take ourselves to task?
James said, get something straight, when you ask God for something, He is always generous, and will never answer with a spirit of criticism.
When your child asks for water, do you tell him, “I gave you water this morning, I fed you this afternoon, I suppose your going to ask me to give you more water tonight, and feed you breakfast tomorrow morning? Of course we would never say this to our children, so how much more because God loves us unconditionally? John 14:13, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name (Jesus,) that will I do;” but make sure you have both feet in my kingdom, be of one mind.
He gives generously, never reminds us of past requests made, never reviews, nor will He rehash of old things. I am your heavenly Father, I love you. I will do you better for you, than you would do yourself.
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.”
There’s a difference between being tested, and being tempted. God does not boycott His children, nor does he have us rejected socially. The first recorded trial (testing) was Abraham sacrifice of his son Isaac. But before Abraham struck, God said, no! I know where you stand. Abraham was single-minded.
Have you ever noticed, for the most part, men and women who are NOT recognized worldly, those who do not achieve highly in business, or are daily in the publics eye, or have attained high government offices, etc. these are usually the achievers in the church. These are the humble, the servants of God.
The church does not work like the world does, neither do the people. But if it did, that church will usually fails. The poor are considered as being rich in Jesus Christ. Why, because he died for them, and He is the source of all our joy.
The rich are unhappy because they have found something they cannot buy, earn, or bargain for. The humblest Christians have more wealth then the richest of men. Can any Christian say that God doesn’t love them? or that He holds back his wisdom from them? There’s a wide chasm between the world, and the cross, between the unbelieving, and the Almighty.
Phil LaSpino www-seekfirstwisdom.com