I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of James chapter 1. James chapter 1. I've got a question. for all of us today. We've been, most of you here have been coming here for a long time, a long time. Most of you, a lot of you, all of your life, you grew up in this assembly and you've heard Preaching, not only now, but Brother Scott was here, different men have come to preach at these conferences. Now I want to know something.

Are we right? Now you think about this. Are we right in what we believe? Are we right in setting forth God's absolute sovereignty? Are we right? Well, I'll tell you this. We better be. Because if we're not, we're going to leave this world and we're going to face God. And I can tell you, according to the scriptures, if we're not right, Let me tell you what's going to happen. We're going to stand before God and we're going to say, well, we preached in your name. We did this in your name.

And he's going to say, if we're not right, I never knew you. I cannot think of more sobering words. I never knew you. And at that point, we're going to be cast out into outer darkness, and we're going to spend eternity in hell. No reprieve, no change.

How do I know that I'm right? I thought about the responsibility that I had this morning. I'm standing here as a man that I'm convinced that God's called to preach the gospel. But I'm telling you, there's men that are standing in pulpits today, and they truly believe that they're right. They believe they are. Obviously, I guess they do. I've been there. I stood in pulpits and preached a message that left salvation up to man, up to me. I preached it, and I was convinced of it. But by the grace of God, the Lord was pleased to show me I was wrong. and those that continue to stand in pulpits and preach a message that salvation is left up finally, finally up to man.

They're convinced that they're right. Now, we can't both be right. I'm going to tell you right now, we can't both be right. I got to have, I got to have some, I got to have some way to know I'm right because I know my eternal destiny lays in the balance.

Someone came to Brother Henry one time and had a question for him. She said, I want to know what you think about this. Henry wisely said, well, let's just take the Bible and let's just open the Bible and see what God has to say about it. And this woman said, I don't care what God has to say about it. I want to know what you have to say about it. And Henry closed his Bible. And he said, I don't have anything for you. I have nothing to say to you. The only thing that matters is what God has to say.

I've entitled this message out of the book of James, chapter 1, verses 1 to 5, If Any Man Lacks Wisdom. If Any Man Lacks Wisdom. And I'd like for us to consider this morning the reality of how it comes to be that a redeemed and regenerated sinner possesses the guidance of true wisdom, true wisdom.

In James chapter one, verses one to five, I'm going to just read this to you. James, a servant of God and of the 12, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes, which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Now here's where I'm gonna be preaching from, right here, verse five.

If any of you lack wisdom, Let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. If any man lacks wisdom, if any man lacks wisdom. Now, I want to know something. I want to know How do I know the wisdom of God? I know how man is by nature. He'll take something out of the Bible and he'll twist it. I'm going to show you that in just a minute.

Hold your place there in James and turn with me to Proverbs 8. Proverbs chapter 8. Proverbs 8, if any man lacks wisdom, there's two things I'm going to show you about wisdom. If any man lacks wisdom, Proverbs chapter 8, verse 1 to 9, does not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice?

She standeth in the top of high places in the way and the places of the past. She crieth at the gates, at the entrance of the city, and coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom, and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

For I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right. For my mouth shall speak truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing froward or perverse in them.

I have wisdom. Here's the first thing I know about wisdom. If any man lacks wisdom, we're going to look at it in just a second. If any man lacks wisdom, what do I know about wisdom? Well, first of all, I know that wisdom is a person. Wisdom is a person. Does not wisdom, chapter 8, verse 1, does not wisdom cry an understanding put forth her voice? I know that wisdom is the voice of the Lord. It's the Lord's voice, wisdom. What does God have to say about it?

Now, wisdom is not something that's accumulated by a man's understanding by a bunch of facts that's given to him. That's knowledge. A man can get a lot of knowledge. I know a lot of stuff about a lot of things, and I know a lot of nothing about a lot of things.

That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. You ask me, how do you make a certain color with paint? Well, I might be able to remember. I used to know a little bit more about it. I used to know how to mix colors a little bit better and come up with something. But that doesn't matter.

But what about wisdom? What about having wisdom? I looked up wisdom right there. Chapter 8, Proverb Chapter 8, verse 1, does not wisdom cry? I'm going to say this just because it proves a point. I always tell you, you know, If anybody ever asks you, what did Marvin, was there anything Marvin ever said about understanding a scripture? How do you get the understanding of a scripture?

What's my answer? Look it up. Look it up. Look it up. Does not wisdom, wisdom, cry? That word wisdom right there, out of the Hebrew Bible, H, 2451. It means prudence in religious affairs. Does wisdom, prudence, understanding in religious truth, look it up, does not wisdom. There's an assurance about wisdom concerning a man or woman's hope and assurance.

Proverbs 8 that we just read. Proverbs 8 and verse 8 says this. Look at verse 8. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing froward. Well, if you look in it, I got a marginal reading. It means wreathed. But here's the understanding where I grab hold of it. There's nothing twisted. or wrestled with about God's Word. Take the Word of God as fact. This is the way it is. This is what God said. And it's not up for debate. It's not up for debate. Does not wisdom cry? That's the first thing. It's a person.

But also, and here's the thing about it. This is what I'm getting ready to tell you right now. It's the same thing, and it's out of, found out of 1 Kings, if you want to turn over 1 Kings chapter 1, 1 Kings chapter 1, I'm going to tell you something else, and then I'm going to tell you something about wisdom. And here, it's the same word again. I know it's a person, and it's also the understanding of that Blessed truth, it's it's it's it's a word and the understanding sometimes you'd have a word and it's it's the same word But it means something a little different. This doesn't mean anything different. This is the same thing first Kings first Kings chapter 3 first Kings 3 First Kings 3 look at verse 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said, ask what I shall give thee. You ask me what you want from me.

Now look at 1 Kings chapter 3 verse 9 to 12 and this is what Solomon asked. He said, give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this so great a people?" And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, because thou hast asked this thing, thou hast not asked thyself long life, neither hast thou asked riches for thyself. Thou hast asked the life of thine enemies.

Have you ever asked for that? But as ask thyself for thyself understanding to discern judgment, behold, I have done according to thy words, lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart so that there is none like thee before me. What? I'm sorry. Behold, I have done according to thy words, lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. Not only is wisdom a person, wisdom is that understanding that is given by the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wisdom, wisdom.

Wisdom now I want to know I want to know this blessed truth How is it now turn back with me to The book of James James chapter 1 James chapter 1 and just look now at that Those first few verses James, servant of God, to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad, James is going to write something to all God's people. These 12 tribes represent the whole scope of God's elect, all of them, 12 tribes. It's not just the 12 tribes that we think about in Israel. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Let patience have her perfect work, that she may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Now, here's what I know. Here's what I know about this blessed truth of wisdom. God's got a people. He's got a brethren. James, right here, the apostle James, he's getting ready to write verse two.

You count it all joy when you fall into temptations. You count it, you reckon it to be a joyful thing when you are called of God, when you are found to be in a position, when you fall into these diverse temptations, these many different temptations, when people refute what God has to say and what God has taught you. Diverse temptations, all these, you know, I know we all go through trials and tribulations, but let me tell you one of the greatest trials that's going to be found with a believer is when people refute what you know God says, and they take an issue with you, they take an issue with God. And here you are, you may have to, there may be some separation, there may be some animosity, there may be, there's no telling what's going to happen. But you count it, you reckon it to be all joy when you're tried for the truth of the gospel. You reckon that to be joyful. You reckon that to be worthy of being found by the grace of God to stand for the truth.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith, verse three, worketh patience. Knowing or perceiving that the testing of your faith, the proving of your conviction, worketh patience. It accomplishes something to rest in the Lord and to stay there and stay there. God's people are those that they've been called of God.

They've been taught the truth. And whenever they're tried and somebody stands against it and they say, now, how in the world can you believe? this, that, or the other. How can you believe that man doesn't have free will? How can you believe that? Well, God has said so.

I'm going to show you that in just a second. But you count it all joy. I want, I've told you before, I want people like me. I really do. I try to be, I want try to do the best I can. I want to treat you right. I don't want to be mean to you. I really don't. I don't want to be hard.

When I was in Franklin, I'm sure I told you this, there was somebody that came up to one of the members of the church I was pastoring in Franklin, and this person that never had heard me preach, I had dealings with them in the community, and they told one of the members there, I really would like to go, you know, to the church there. I enjoy being around Marvin. He's always joking, and we're always having fun and stuff like this. She said, I bet he's a lot of fun to listen to when he's preaching. And this lady told her, she said, I'm going to tell you something. She said, he's like two different people. She said, he'll joke with you and have fun with you, and we'll just laugh, and I love doing that. Y'all, I picked on every one of you. But when I step into this pulpit, it's all business. And I don't have time. I don't have time. You count it all joy when you fall into these divers temptations.

Verse four, you let patience have a perfect work that you may be perfect and entire. wanting or lacking nothing. You let, you let patience. What that word let means, you let patience. They're like people say, well, let the Lord save you, if you will. That word does not mean what you think it means. The word let, but let patience, it means you hold fast to this. That's what the word means. Hold fast. Don't waver.

Do you want to know why? that people are still sitting under this message here that is despised by this world's religion. You know why you're still here? Because God's kept you here by the power of God. You'd have left. You'd have left a long time ago.

It's a whole lot easier to be somewhere where everybody's, you know, happy and everybody is somebody. You hold fast to this truth. Don't waver, stay kept. All right, now here's, I'm gonna get to verse five. This is where I was wanting to be. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Now, I wanna be honest with you.

I know just enough, I've seen just enough in the last couple of years for sure. I knew a lot of this. I knew it in my heart. I knew it by reading it in the Bible. But I know this. You really get to know something when you go through it. If any of you lacks wisdom, I want to know. I want to know that I know God. I told you what wisdom was. It's the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's an understanding also of what he's got to say. It's him and what he has to say. Wisdom. If any man lacks wisdom.

Now here, let me ask you this. Do you want to know what God has to say? Do you want to? I'm gonna tell you something, one of these days, when we leave this world, if we don't know him, all of a sudden, I'm gonna then say at that moment, man, I wish I knew him. Man, I wish I'd listened. Man, I wish I'd, you know, I don't wanna see me, I don't wanna see any of you leave this world.

I know God's sovereign, I know he's gonna do what he wants to do, I know that. I know he is. But I tell you what I need. I need for God to do something for me. If any of you lack wisdom, any of you lack wisdom, what do we do? Here's what scripture says. If any man lacks wisdom, and do you really want to know? Do you really want to know?

There's been people that's come here, sat here for a while, And I don't think I've preached anything different. I've been here now almost 23 years. And by the grace of God, the Lord's kept me on one message. I got one string that I'm strumming. This thing of God's sovereignty, God's free will, God's free will. I don't have a free will. God has free will. He's free. He does as he will. In the army of heaven, among the inhabitants of the earth, nobody stays his hand. Am I right? Am I right? I'm going to know one way.

What does God have to say? What does God have to say? If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given unto him. Those that are made to see that in themselves that they're ignorant. Now, let me just, let me just be honest with you. I'm ignorant. Being born in Adam, I'm ignorant of the things of God. I don't know. I don't know.

And there's men that's standing in pulpits all over this world and has been since time began. They're standing in pulpits and they're saying, this is how men are saved. This is how God saves men. Here's what I want to know, is what you're saying, does it line up with what this book says?

And if it doesn't, then you're wrong. If any man lacks wisdom, don't come to me and ask me something Unless by the grace of God, you want to hear what God has to say about it. That's what Henry told that woman. You know, she said, I don't care what God says. I want to know what you say. Henry said, I don't have anything for you. I don't have anything for you. If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. Can you realize the marvel of that blessed privilege? Lord, what do you have to say about it? And Lord, would you do me something? Would you do something for my good? Would you give me understanding?

I want to understand what it says. That's why I tell you, because I'm telling myself, you look up the word, you look it up. Don't listen to what Marvin's got to say if Marvin has not looked it up to find out what does that word mean. What does it mean? The responsibility to stand in a pulpit. And I think God has called me to tell a group of people what God has to say. And do you realize that if I lie to you, If I'm wrong on this, do you realize that the consequences of that, that you, your kids, Mitch, I don't want to see you, I don't want to see your grandkids, I don't want to leave this world not knowing God. If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, what does God have to say about it.

I've got a couple of illustrations here. I tried to think how many illustrations I could think of this and I just, the list got so long I thought I can't keep these people here that long. So I just picked a few. I just picked a few. I just, I thought to myself, what does God have to say? Let me ask you this. Turn with me while I'm saying this. Hold your place right there, but turn with me to the book of Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians 2. Ephesians chapter 2. All right, I want to ask you something. I know everybody and their brother that's not telling the truth is telling people that they that they have the ability to do this, that, or the other to reconcile themselves back to God.

Now let me ask you this. Now, is a man or a woman incapable, incapable because of being spiritually dead inside? Are they capable of being able to do something like give their heart to Jesus, pray through, be baptized, you know, is there something that they can do? And I know that men are telling people this because I know what they said. I used to stand in pulpits and say it. Is it, is a man born in Adam, a woman born in Adam, are they capable of doing something to reconcile themselves back to God.

Can they do that? Well, okay, let me, all right, here's what I'm gonna, I'm not even gonna answer that. I'll tell you what I think I'd rather do. I think I'd just rather read and let me see what God has to say about it. Let me see what God has to say. It doesn't matter what I have to say if it doesn't line up with this.

Is a man, is a woman spiritually dead? Are they? Well, Ephesians chapter 2, verses 1 to 3. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath." Now, I tell you what that, the children of wrath, I've told you before, it does not mean that God's people were ever under the wrath of God. It means that we were wrathful toward him, that we hated him, and if we could have gotten our hands on him, would have killed him.

I want to ask you something. Now, men are saying that people have the ability to make a decision in order to be saved. They got a free will. Now, what does God have to say about it? God Almighty says in these scriptures, what saith the scriptures? And you hath, he quickened, who were dead. Does man by nature, is he spiritually dead?

Yes. How do I know that? God said it. That's how I know. God said it. Does man have the ability to do something in order to be saved? No, he's dead. He's dead. Let me ask you this. Does almighty God show mercy unto one and pass by another according to his wisdom and will?

And for goodness sakes, please don't, don't, if you're going to, I'm going to just tell you right now, because I've done the same thing. If you're gonna sit here and argue with God, then I'm not here to argue with you. I'm gonna tell you what God has to say, and you let God be true, and I'm a liar. Listen, what God has to say, and if your thoughts doesn't line up with God, you're a liar, just like me.

I don't line up. Does God have the right to show mercy to one and pass by another. Does God have the right to do that? I know what you're thinking. The natural man is going to say, that ain't fair. That ain't fair. I've told people, I said, listen, we were all born dead in trespasses and sins. You want to talk about fair? God said they all sinned. Leave them alone. Let them all go to hell. That's fair. Don't, because if we're dead, and we are, then we don't have any ability whatsoever.

Does God have the right? Turn with me to Romans chapter 9. Romans 9. Romans chapter 9. If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. Romans chapter 9, verses 10 to 24. Does God have the right? to do that. Does God have the right? Well, let's ask God. Don't come to me and ask me if I'm not willing to look into these scriptures and tell you what God has to say. Romans 9, verse 10 to 24.

And not only this, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand. Not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Look up those words. You know what they mean? Just exactly what they say. What shall we say then?

Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not him that willeth, nor him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scriptures saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose, Have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth? Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, on whom he will he hardeneth?

Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault? Why does he blame me if he does what he will in the army of heaven? How can he blame me? You let God be true and every man's a liar. Why does God do what he does? I don't know. I don't know. Why does God choose one and leave another to himself? Why did he choose me? I don't know. It pleased him. That's what scripture said. It pleased him. Was there anything good in me that he saw that would be worthy of him choosing me? No, sir. I was the biggest rebel you ever met. Why would he choose me? Because it pleased him.

Verse 19, who hath then, no, no, verse nine, I'm sorry. Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?

Hath not the potter over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel under honor and another under dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known and endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted or made up to destruction, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called not only, not, not, of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

Let me ask you this. Does God have the right to show mercy to one that is worthy of death and pass by another? Does he have the right to do that? Well, the only thing I have for you is this. What does God say about it? My opinion don't matter. My opinion don't matter. How about the ignorance of a man asking if he's got, as I mentioned a while ago, a free will? Does man have a free will? Turn over to John 1, John chapter 1. I'm wrapping this up. John chapter 1. John chapter 1, verses 10 to 13. John 1, 10 to 13.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. Here's what that last verse I just read means. To as many as received Him, it was then made evident that He had given them the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name, which were born.

Now what does God have to say about a man's free will? What does God have to say about it? If somebody tells you man has a free will, all right, here's all I want to know. I don't have an opinion except what God has to say. Which were born, not of blood, they weren't born that way, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Men are not born because they had a free will and they decided that they wanted to be born of God. They were born. Not because my mom and daddy wanted me to be a believer or a preacher or something like that, but God called them. They were born. Does man have a free will?

And what about, let me ask you this, can somebody left to themselves in trespasses and sins, what does God say about the certainty of those that he's chosen in Christ, in his son, what does God say about them absolutely coming to him? What does he say? Psalm, chapter 110, Psalm 110, verses 1 to 3, says this. This is what God has to say.

The Lord said unto my Lord, Jehovah said unto the Messiah, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion, rule thou in the midst of thine enemies, thy people, thy people, thy chosen people, thy people. The Lord loves the people.

He's always loved them. That's what Jeremiah said. God Almighty said, I've loved you with an everlasting love. Thy people, they've always been his people. God doesn't change. If they were ever his people, they've always been his people. Thy people shall be willing in the day of his power and the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning. Thou hast the due of thy youth. Almighty God is going to call his people. And let me ask you this. Here's another question I've got for you.

Can anybody that God Almighty has called out of darkness, can somebody lose their salvation? John chapter 10, can they lose their salvation? I've heard people say, well, you know, you can lose, you can send your day of grace away. You can be saved and God, you know, Who told you that?

Well, that's what I've always heard. Well, okay, I've got a question. What does God say about it? What does God say? John chapter 10, 27, 29. My sheep, John 10, 27, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.

What if I What if I just, what if I fall into sin and I just, I've done so disrespectfully, I've just, I've sinned against God. I've just, I've just, I've, I've, I've denied him. Like Peter, I sinned against God like David with Bathsheba. Does it sting? Yeah. Yeah, it stings. But let me ask you this, can a person lose their salvation in Christ.

Verse 28, I give unto them eternal life. Now here's what God has to say about it. And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. Can a person lose their salvation? Well, what does God say? What does God have to say? Brethren, I know by nature that we're ignorant of God's revelation. We're born spiritually dead, but the heart of unbelief, I know that.

The heart that's set on proving God wrong. I guarantee you, I know for a fact, because when the Lord was pleased to show me that what I was by nature, I had so many people that was out there going to prove me wrong. They're going to prove me wrong. You're wrong. Man does have a free will. That's what they say. You can lose your salvation. That's what they say. What does God say? The scripture declares, if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Here's the last line in my notes right here, so I'm gonna stop right here. But it says, upbraideth not.

What does that mean? He won't reproach one for not coming before now. What does that mean? Well, how long has this church been here? Well, coming up on 75 years. How long was it before you came? You sat and you listened, you came. Why didn't you come before now? Because the Lord didn't effectually call you. You'd heard it. You'd heard it before. But why didn't you come before now? Let me tell you what the scripture says.

God upbraideth not. That means that the Lord will not reproach one for not coming until now. David, I'm gonna, where's David? I'm gonna use you an example, then I'm gonna leave you alone. You told me how many years your mom and daddy wanted you to come here. Why didn't you come before? Because God didn't call you. But whenever the Lord was pleased to call, and you can say that about me, I can say that about every one of you. Why didn't you come before? Because he didn't affectionately call you before. But when he gave your heart to come, he's not going to upbraid you for not coming before.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them. And they follow me. And when God calls them affectionately, they come. That's when they come. I see, I see in myself, I see rebellion. I should have done this. I should have done that. Let me tell you something. Almighty God is going to do what he will in the armies of heaven on the happiness of the earth. He's going to call his people and he's going to keep them, going to save them by grace and keep them by his power. I thank God they were pleased to save me. I pray I'll have mercy on you for Christ's sake. Amen.