Open your Bibles if you went
to the book of James. The name of the message is Wisdom.
Now I thought we would be able to do verses 5 and 6 and then
when I started putting the study together I quickly realized we're
only going to be able to do verse 5 today and we may even touch
base on that again next week as well as verse 6 Lord willing
next week. There's just so much packed into
this portion of scripture and as I said we're going to take
it very slowly in this study. I don't want to rush the study.
We'll take it very slowly. James chapter 1. We'll continue
our study in the book of James. We've looked at the first four
verses so far where we've studied the greeting of James to the
saints that he's writing to. And we saw how he instructed
them by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God to be joyful in
various trials. And last week we looked at the
trying of our faith and how the trying of our faith is not to
cause us pain. It's to prove our faith that
is genuine. of this genuine faith. And our
faith will be tried. There's no question about it.
In the text we see it very clearly. And we are to patiently wait
upon God during our trials in our tribulations. Now there's
two things right there that God deals with that's hard for us
as humans to do, right? To be joyful in trials and to
be patient, to wait on God. But we're instructed to do that.
And that patience, if we patiently wait on God, it'll work patience
in us. It's again, it's the Holy Spirit
working that in us. We can't muster that up. I'll
tell you what, no matter how much you seek to be patient,
you can't muster that up. The Lord has to work it in us,
beloved. So we're to just wait on our
great God as we go through various troubles. Let's read James chapter
1 verses 1 to 10. James, a servant of God and of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered
abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into divers temptations, or that means, remember, trials
is the Greek word for temptations there. Knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience. works patience but
let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect
in entire wanting nothing this is the verse verse five is what
we're going to be looking at today if any of you lack wisdom
let him ask of god that give it to all men liberally in a
pride of not and it shall be given him But let him ask in
faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that
man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded
man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree
rejoice that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low,
because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away." So
today's topic will be wisdom, which is spoken of in verse 5
and enlarged upon again in verse 6. Now, the modern definition
for wisdom is the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships,
insight, a good sense, judgment, accumulated philosophical or
scientific learning, which is knowledge, or a wise attitude,
belief, or course of action. And then the third one is the
teachings of ancient wise men. So let's look at verses 5 and
6 again. Let's read that together again
with that definition in mind. If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and abrideth
not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like
the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. I decided
to look up in Webster's 1828 dictionary what the definition
of wisdom was. And he writes this, the right
use or exercise of knowledge, choice of laudable ends, and
the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom in act,
effect, or patience, the faculty of discerning or judging what
is most just, proper, and useful, and if it be considered as an
acquirement, the knowledge and use of what is best, most just,
most proper, most conductive to prosperity or happiness. Now
any wisdom that we have, we know comes from our great God. And
how does He have us come to know wisdom? Well, experience is one
of the greatest teachers of wisdom, right? I can't tell you how many
times I've done something and went, I shouldn't have done that.
Right? I can't tell you how many times. And we've all done that,
haven't we? But don't we learn? We learn
from experience, don't we? And the Lord teaches us that
way. Another way we gain wisdom is when He reveals the Scriptures
to us. When He illuminates the Scriptures
by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. You know, we as God's
people are wise people, but not by our own doing, not by our
own doing, but by the power of God. He's made us wise unto salvation
by His almighty power. He's revealed Christ to us, the
Father has, the Holy Spirit has, by illuminating the Scriptures
through the preaching of His Word. We don't feel wise, but
we're wise unto salvation. And we'll see that later on in
the scriptures. So wisdom is gained by experience
and it's of great value. Any wisdom that we gain from
experience, from what God allows us to go through, is of great
value to us. It's actually of great value
to us. Because we try not to repeat the same mistake twice,
right? But we know how fertile that is sometimes, right? But
a lot of times we don't want to do the same thing because
we know the result of that. And we pray We pray for our rulers,
don't we? That they would act with dignity
and wisdom and that they will yield everything to reason and
refuse everything to be done in force to make it come to pass. Now in Scripture, wisdom speaks
of Christ. In the Old Testament, in the
book of Proverbs, wisdom is Christ. Wisdom is also human learning,
right? Education, knowledge of arts and science. But worldly
wisdom is separated from he who is called wisdom. You know, you
can have all kinds of wisdom in earthly things, and it's absolutely
no eternal profit to you at all. But if you know Christ, if He's
revealed Himself to you, oh my, what profit that is. Scripture
says, for what shall profit a man if he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul? Then profit of nothing, right? But oh, we
are so rich in Christ, beloved, in blessings. We're so rich in
blessings in Christ. Turn, if you would, to the book
of Acts. And we see from Scripture that Joseph, Joseph was given
wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh by God. He was sold into slavery
by his brothers. He ended up in Potiphar's house.
Then he ended up in jail. But you know, the Lord gave him
wisdom all through that time. Remember, he found favor with
Potiphar for the things that he could do. That all came from
God, beloved. And then he stands before Pharaoh
and none of Pharaoh's wise men could even interpret the dream
he had. And Joseph had praise to God and he gives him an interpretation
of it. Gave him wisdom, didn't he? Gave him wisdom. Look at
this in Acts chapter 7, verses 9 to 14. Look at this. We see
that God gave Joseph wisdom and great favor in the sight of Pharaoh. Acts chapter 7 verses 9 to 14,
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.
But God was with him. What a thing said of Joseph!
But God was with him. You know that can be said of
every one of us as believers. Isn't that amazing? God is with
us. He's with us. There's never a time when He's
not with us. Never. Not one second that He's not with us. Isn't
that wonderful? It just warms my heart, beloved. And God delivered
him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom
in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor
over Egypt and all his house. He became second in command over
all of Egypt because God gave him favor in the sight of Pharaoh
and God gave him wisdom. I've said it before, I'm going
to say it again. Everything we know comes from God. Everything. We may learn things, but it's
Him who's given us the ability to learn those things. Isn't
it wonderful? Think of this vaccine now. You
know, God gave these scientists wisdom, whether they know it
or not, whether they acknowledge it or not. He gave them wisdom
to put that together. Isn't that amazing? Absolutely
incredible. Absolutely incredible. It says,
Now there came a girth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan
in great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance.
But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out
our fathers first. And at the second time Joseph
was made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred were made
known unto Pharaoh. Then sent Joseph, and called
his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and
fifteen souls. So they sent Joseph down into
slavery. The Lord had Joseph find favor
with Potiphar, right? Remember? And Potiphar got mad
because his wife lied to him, but he didn't know that his wife
had lied to him. Think of how Potiphar felt later
on when Joseph had become second in command. He probably thought,
I'm dead. No, no. Joseph probably showed them mercy,
didn't he? We don't know the scripture is silent on it, but
I would imagine from him being a born-again blood-washed believer
he probably showed him grace my oh my and look at this look
at how the sovereignty of God works so the patriarchs moved
with envy sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt but God was with him
God was with him don't forget again God's with you if you're
a believer he's with you no matter what you go through he's with
you And God delivered him out of all those afflictions. Gave
him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh. Gave him wisdom to
say, we need to store away grain for seven years. We need to do
that. It was God that gave him that wisdom. And oh my. And look
at the end result. His dad and his brothers were
saved from starvation. They were, what do we call? Preserved
by God. Isn't it wonderful? Now look
down a little bit further in this chapter. Moses in the same
chapter down in verses 20 and 21. We see that he was learned
in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Do you remember Pharaoh's sister
drew him out of the water? Raised him like he was her own.
Look at this. Verse 20. In which time Moses
was born, was exceedingly fair, and nursed up in his father's
house three months. So we find out there he was three
months old when they put him in that little basket. That little
ark. Oh, the ark. Little ark. When he was cast
out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up and nourished him for
her own son. Why? Why didn't he just get eaten
by a crocodile? Because God was with him. God was with him even before
he knew who God was. Oh, isn't that wonderful? Oh my! I'll make your heart sing. And Moses was learned, look at
verse 22, and Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians
and was mighty in words and deeds. So we see here in verse 22 that
Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was
taught probably by the best teachers, I would think, because this is
Pharaoh's sister. I would expect that he was probably
seven of the most wisest teachers in all of Egypt. And it says
here he was mighty in words and deeds. And think of this too,
the Egyptians were well known. They were actually anciently
famous for their learning. For their learning especially
in astronomy and also in philosophy. So he had a good education in
the world sense. Very good. And we see in verse
22 that Moses was mighty in words which means he was an eloquent
speaker. Now we know that God didn't choose him because he
was an eloquent speaker. God chose him because it pleased
him to do so. And we see also that he was mighty
in deeds. This brings forth that his deeds
were equal to his words. When I saw that, I thought, wow,
that's incredible. So he meant what he said, and
he stood by what he said. He could do as well as say what
became him. And beloved, all this came by
our great God. It's God who gave him that wisdom
to learn. It's God who made him mighty
in words and in deeds. And do you see something here?
Isn't this amazing? Remember Moses said, I'm not
fit for this. And that's what every preacher thinks. We're
not fit for this. Not at all. We see ourselves as insufficient.
But do you see how God prepared him for what he was going to
do? By his providential hand, do you see how God prepared him?
He was able to speak to people. It all came from the Lord. I
often look back and see how the Lord has used things in my life. I don't find it hard to talk
to people. I like to talk to people. But when I was younger,
I was really quiet. But the Lord used several of
the jobs that I had gotten into, where I had to speak to people
all the time. And I didn't know at that time, but He was preparing
me. for where I am now. And I'm just
marveled at it. I look back and go, Lord, look
what you did. At the time I had no idea. But
he's done that for every one of us. We all have different
giftings in the body of Christ. And he's prepared us to be at
that place where they will be utilized within the body. It's
absolutely amazing. And again, all this came about
by Moses and Joseph, their wisdom, by our great God. So never forget
that anything we learn from Scripture all comes from our God. He reveals
it to us. We cannot be proud in what we
learn because it all comes from Him. He is the one who illuminates
the Scriptures for us. He's the one who teaches us.
He's the one who regenerates us, the Holy Spirit of God. He's
the one who grants us faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's all Him. Therefore, He gets all the glory,
doesn't He? We just want to praise His name.
And think of this, that which we wanted nothing to do with
at one time, the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel is now the only
thing we want to hear. Can man make that change? Amen,
sister. No way. No way. That's a mighty
work of God, isn't it? That's a mighty work of God.
Turn, if you would, to the book of Exodus. Exodus, chapter 31. And we see God-given wisdom on
display. This is amazing. I was looking
at this. And I just sat back and looked at this and thought,
wow, look what the Lord's done here. You know how I've said
that everything that we learn, whether it be spiritual things
or in our lives, in our vocation or whatever, it all comes from
God. All of it. Now look at this.
In Exodus 31, this chapter brings forth, we're going to just look
at the first 11 verses, but it brings forth that God gives quickness
of intellect. readiness of apprehension, dexterity
in execution, and we will see in the wisdom given to Belzelio
and Oab in the construction of the tabernacle. We see that here
in Exodus chapter 31 verse 3 and Exodus 31 6 but we're going to
read the context. I'll have us read verses 1 to
11. Look at this and think of how
God gave them wisdom. Verse 1, And the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uriah,
the son of Hur, the tribe of Judah. Now look at that. God
chose him for this for what he's going to have them do. Look at
this. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and
in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship.
Look at God. God did this. God filled him
with the Spirit of God. Beloved, we're filled with the
Holy Spirit of God. He dwells in us as believers. And He's
filled him in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner
of workmanship. Look at this. To do what? To
devise cunning works to work in gold and in silver and in
brass. Those were master arts, beloved.
God's given them wisdom to do all this. And I, behold I, and
look who's given this too. Look at the eyes. This is God
doing this. And I, behold, I have given with him Ahol-eleb, the
son of Ashesmuch of the tribe of Dan, and in the hearts of
all that are wise-hearted, look at this, I have put my wisdom
that they may make all that I have commanded thee. He gave them
the knowledge to make the things for the tabernacle. It's right there, you can't argue
with it, can you? And we wouldn't want to, but isn't it amazing?
Look at this, the tabernacle of the congregation, and the
ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon,
and all the furniture of the tabernacle, and the table, and
his furniture, and the pure candlesticks with all his furniture, and the
altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offerings with all his
furniture, and the laver in his foot, and the glass of service,
and the holy garments for Aaron, the priest, and the garments
of his sons to minister in the priest's office. and anointing
oil and sweet incense to the holy place according to all that
I have commanded thee shall they do." He gave them wisdom to make
all those things. The Ark of the Covenant made
of pure gold. The Almighty Altar. All the things
that are used. And it says there, right? Things
that are to work in gold and silver and brass. He gave them
that knowledge. That which He commanded, He gave
them the wisdom and knowledge to do. God commands. that we
should flee to Christ, right? And He gives His people, He makes
them will in the day of His power. He grants them faith to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. It's amazing. It's all of the
Lord. And in Scripture, theology, wisdom
is true religion. Turn if you would to Psalm 90,
verse 12, and then put your finger in Psalm 111. In Scripture, theology,
And wisdom is true religion, the godliness, the knowledge
and fear of God. This is truly wisdom, which is
from above. Look at Psalm 90, verse 12. Oh,
may we heartily devote ourselves to the study and the practice
of true wisdom, which is only found in Christ. Only found in
Christ. Look at this. So, teach us to
number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Teach
us to number our days to know that our life is short and that
it's in your hands, Lord. who has redeemed us from all
our sins? The Lord Jesus Christ, by the
shedding of His precious blood at Calvary, is our substitute.
And our lives are in His hands. They're in His hands. Teach us,
Lord. Teach us just to look to Thee.
Now turn, if you would, to Psalm 111. Psalm 111. And we see here
that the fear of Jehovah, who is the Lord, is the beginning
of wisdom. The Scripture declares, actually,
in Proverbs 1, 7, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction. There
was a time when we despised wisdom and instruction. But now, by
God's grace, we love He who is called Wisdom. We don't despise
Him anymore. Now we love Him. And His name
is the Lord Jesus Christ. But fools despise Him. Look at
this in Psalm 111, verse 10. The fear of the Lord, that's
Jehovah, the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. Now
that fear there is not a slavish fear, it's a fear of awe and
wonder at who God is. So the fear of the Jehovah, singular,
is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding have all
they that do his commandments. His praises endureth forever,
beloved. Do you know that God's people,
as I mentioned earlier, are made wise unto salvation? Turn, if
you would, to 2 Timothy 3. Made wise unto salvation in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ. All the things we know about
Christ has come to us by revelation. I was talking to Brother Norm
Wells about that on Friday. That everything we know about
God is all by His revelation. The fact that we know who Christ
is, The fact that we know He's our Redeemer is all by the revelation
of God. And we stand in awe, don't we,
as believers, that He revealed Himself to us. To me. A dead
dog sinner like Brother Tom Hardin likes to say, He revealed Himself
to me. Mercy beggar! Wonder of wonders. Again, all that we know about
God has been revealed to us. It's by revelation. No amount
of human learning can lead us to a true knowledge of God. Now,
people know doctrine. I've met people. They know doctrine
up and down. But they're the meanest people
I've ever met. I'm telling you. I have. No grace. No grace. So, no amount of human learning
can lead us to a true knowledge of God. God must reveal Himself
to us. Or we'll be lost. We'll be left
dead in trespasses and sins and without hope in this world. Look
at 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 14 to 17. Look at this. This
is wondrous. But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a child thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation. Look at that. Make you wise unto
salvation. How? Through faith, which is
in who? Christ Jesus our Lord. He's the
object of our faith. And then it says, all scripture
is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine.
It's profitable for reproof. It's profitable for correction.
And it's profitable for instruction in righteousness. Why? That the
man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
And the scriptures here declare that Timothy from his childhood
had been taught the scriptures as the Jews very early in a child's
life started to teach them scriptures. And men and women are not wise
of themselves. In our natural state we are without
understanding of the things of God. Scripture declares this,
but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. I can testify of that. And I know if you're a believer
you can testify of that. There was a time when this book was
just paper and ink. Now it's wondrous. Now it's wondrous,
because we're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. It's a wondrous
book. So we clearly see there in 2
Timothy that the scriptures are able to make men and women wise
to the fact that they testify of Christ. They testify of their
desperate need. Makes us wise unto salvation.
Whose salvation then? Christ and Him alone. Nowhere
else. The scriptures convict us and
convince us of sin. They revealed to us that we're
sinners, and they revealed to us Christ, who He is, what He
came here to do. They revealed to us His perfect
work on Calvary's cross. Oh, and they begat life too,
don't they? Oh, by the preaching of the Word. We're born again
by the Holy Spirit of God. and granted faith to believe
what the scriptures say. Wisdom to salvation lies not
in the knowledge of the law. It relies not in the knowledge
of rituals or ceremonies. but true wisdom to salvation
is in the spiritual knowledge of Christ. He reveals himself
to us, which come from the Scriptures. Now knowing the wisdom of God
in Christ, we speak of He who is true wisdom, don't we? We
now testify of Christ because He's made Himself known to us.
So now we testify of Him who is true wisdom. And outside of
Christ is judgment. Listen to this in Psalm 3730.
This is an amazing verse. I found this this week. The mouth
of the righteous speaketh wisdom. Well, who's wisdom? Christ. Amen. We speak of Christ. And his tongue
talketh of judgment. Remember that the Lord told the
gathering demoniac that we looked at a few months ago? He told
him, go and tell the great things the Lord has done for you. He
was speaking with wisdom, God-given wisdom of the things of Christ.
He was to speak of his great deliverance from a legion of
demons. Now let's go back quickly to
verse 5 and 6. Now we're finally going to look
at those verses in the last three minutes. So we're definitely
going to look at these two verses again next week. If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbribeth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like
the wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. So we see
that these verses are connected with the preceding ones. How
can we who trust in God, trust in the Lord, be happy in the
midst of trials? How can we be? Well, we're to endure trials
without complaining, without threatening, or questioning God's
providence. We're to endure trials without
seeking a quick deliverance, as we looked at last week. that
the full work of God might be done. How can we be patient under
the darkness of divine dealings? How can mere human beings submit
to the will of God and become disentangled from our own flesh
and will and desire? Well, James bids us here to ask
the Lord to give us wisdom. That's who we go to. Ask the
Lord to give us wisdom. And wisdom here is more than
knowledge or information or learning, because we can have vast stores
of knowledge and learning and be fools. I like this, one commentator
said, knowledge is the horse, wisdom is the driver. He steers
him in a proper direction. Knowledge is the horse and wisdom
is the driver. It's true, isn't it? Wisdom is the proper combination
of truth and spirit, of faith and conduct of mind, of knowing
the will of God and yielding to it. I'm going to stop there.
But isn't that what we do? We yield to whatever our great
God brings into our lives. We yield to Him.