By studying God’s Word, we can acquire and gain the wisdom to build our faith. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge effectively, make sound judgments, and act wisely. Wisdom points us to the Lord.
Prayer will help attain wisdom. James’ Epistle begins (James 1:5) and ends with an exhortation to Prayer (James 5:13-18). Unwavering faith that stands sure and undisturbed, in all the storms of life is the condition of prevailing prayer (Halley, pg. 658). All things are possible to him that believes (Mark 9:23).
God primarily grants wisdom in four ways:
- through His Word (the Bible),
- through prayer,
- through the Holy Spirit,
- and through wise Christians.
Through Scripture and the Holy Spirit, we have access to the Lord’s divine wisdom. This kind of knowledge isn’t available through human reasoning. It is of a higher realm and comes through divine revelation. Divine wisdom is Bible-based, Christ-centered, and Spirit-led. So, we should follow James’ advice and keep praying for wisdom.
To Grow Your Faith Ask, Seek and KnockIf you lack divine wisdom, you should ask of it from God (James 1:5). Matthew 7:7-8 offers the same advice. Jesus said, “everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:8). The implication is something to the effect of “ask, ask again, and keep asking.” Jesus told us to have intensity, passion, and persistence in prayer.
To build your faith you should broaden your communication with God. You can broaden your relationship with God by simply talking with Him. The best way to talk directly to God is to pray to Him. There is more on this topic in my blog at https://jmhowington.com/2024/02/08/how-to-grow-your-faith/
Prayer does not incline God to bestow anything before He has resolved to give.
Some theologians say Prayer is a means by which we may submit our will to receive that which God has preordained. But the important thing is that prayer prepares us to receive what God will not give otherwise.
James 1:5 – Trials and FaithTrials bring a need to seek wisdom from God. We often don’t know we need wisdom until our time of difficulty. During trials, we need to know if a particular trial is something God wants us to eliminate by faith or persevere in by faith. To discern this requires wisdom.
To resist temptations, James invites us to ask God for the wisdom we need to do so
Verse 5 is a key verse in the Book of James. It states that God gives wisdom generously. He’s not stingy in providing insight to those who ask how to make the best choices.
A facet of God’s food nature id manifested in His willingness to provide our needs, whether they are material, like rain and crops (Acts 14:17), or spiritual, like joy (Acts 14:17), or wisdom. 1
During trials, we need wisdom a lot more than we need knowledge. Knowledge is raw information but wisdom knows how to use knowledge. Knowledge may be the ability to take things apart, but wisdom is the ability to put things together.
Our faith must not rest on human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:5). To receive wisdom, we should simply ask it from God, who gives wisdom generously and without despising rebuking our request.
The text does not say go to books, or go to men, or go to ceremonies. It merely says to “ask God.”
Don’t fear coming to God too often, because He is always ready to add new blessings to former ones, without any end or limitation. 2 Knowing God never despises or resents us for asking for wisdom, should encourage us to ask Him often.
We Christians need wisdom in things spiritual. We want more grace, which is the truest wisdom, and a larger knowledge of the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God.
Wisdom “will be given to you.” God has said it, Christ has promised it, and the apostles say it after them. All experience confirms the truth of it. (Matthew 7:7, 8; John 14:13, 14, 16, 23).
We know that wisdom in the Bible comes from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). That means that God gives us wisdom when He sends His Holy Spirit into us.
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Consider the Daily Bread email message sent on 2/14/2024 which says,
James 1:5 – But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (NASB)
Prayer, the act of asking of God, will help attain wisdom. James’ Epistle begins (James 1:5) and ends with an exhortation to Prayer (James 5:13-18). Unwavering faith that stands sure and undisturbed, in all the storms of life is a condition of prevailing prayer. All things are possible to him that believes (Mark 9:23).
You Can Receive The Daily Bread, for FREETo receive the Daily Bread email messages, free on Mon., Wed., and Fri., in your email inbox, just fill in the form below or send an email, and ask to be added, to jmikeh@jmhowington.com
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References:
- Stanley M. Horton, general editor, Systematic Theology (Springfield, MO: Legion Press, 1994)
- John Calvin, 1 James 1:4, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cal/James-1.html
