James: Where Faith and Life Meet
Wisdom and Prayer
2/12/12
Introduction –
Aladdin is my second most favorite Disney animation film of all time (Beauty and the Beast is my favorite). I have many reasons why I have such a fondness for Aladdin but there are two reasons (one personal and one spiritual) I would like to share with you today. First, the voice and character of Genie played by Robin Williams is nothing short of brilliant. To this day whenever I watch this movie Williams never fails to make me laugh. Second, I like Aladdin because it gives a great example of what prayer and God are not. Let me explain; Often Christians view God and prayer in the way that Genie is portrayed as he grants wishes and is the servant to a human (namely Aladdin). People (many of which are Christians) tend to view God and prayer in this manner as well (although we would never say this). We are his master and He is our Genie. Hopefully as mature Christians you find the previous statement offensive and incorrect. Truth remains though, sometimes even us mature Christians get a wrong perception of prayer and God.
I share this video and introduce today’s message in the negative sense because I want to bring to your attention what James is NOT saying in this passage. Preachers, leaders and Christians around the world have misused these verses and misrepresented God and prayer for far too long. I have heard individuals use verses 6 & 7 as reasons why people do not have everything they want or they are pour because they lack faith. Prosperity preachers talk about asking in faith and if you do not receive what you ask for then you didn’t have enough faith. This is wrong and these verses need to be looked at in context. Note I will not make a case for faithless prayer because that would be unbiblical nor will I try to convince you that if you pray hard enough and find enough faith God will do what you ask. We are commanded throughout scripture to pray in faith thus we should ALWAYS pray according to God’s will and expect results for his glory. However I do want to dispel the false teaching that the reason you may be poor, sick, hungry, persecuted, and unsatisfied in life is because you do not have faith. The opposite is often true.
The Prayer for Wisdom
Last week I talked about trials and persecution and how God uses them to make us complete, whole and mature. We need to keep this context in mind as James writes in verses 5 – 8. It seems apparent that in this passage James is continuing to exhort his readers by telling them to seek wisdom in the midst of trials. The way a person should seek and receive wisdom is through prayer.
R. Kent Hughes writes in his commentary on James in regards to this, “When we are in the midst of trials, we may reflexively cry out, ‘God why me? There is nothing redemptive in my trial! Why does it go on?’ But how many of us say, while being tested, ‘Lord I need wisdom – Please use this trial to increase my wisdom and understanding of you, your people and life’”?[1]
Before we get too far in this short passage I think it would be best to take a moment and define wisdom and tie the importance of having wisdom and walking with God together. The simplest definition of wisdom could be in stating what wisdom is not… It is not just knowledge or intellect. It is much more than collecting data, learning more and holding degrees. The Greek word for wisdom is Sophia and means the ability to understand and as a result act wisely. It is a way of taking knowledge and understanding it and applying it to everyday life to make the right moral decisions. If we want to know about godly wisdom it would certainly benefit us to read the Proverbs of the O.T. which is also called the book of wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”
Just in reading this Proverb we understand why James tells his readers to ask God for wisdom… because he is the one who gives it. Not only does God give it but as verse 5 of James states God gives it generously and without reproach. This means God gives wisdom liberally or sincerely or simply and without scolding. God never tires of us asking for wisdom. He is not a God who says, “What do you mean you need more wisdom? I just gave you some yesterday! What did you do with it?” No, the treasure trove of wisdom from God is wide open and available whenever we need it. All we need to do is ask.
How are we to ask? We are to ask in faith and not doubt. I do believe this is not only how we should pray for wisdom but in prayer in general. I think James is referring to prayer in general (but also applies it for praying for wisdom in the midst of trials). In James 5:15 James writes about the importance of praying in faith for those who are sick. As I noted earlier I am not making a case for faithless prayer but I certainly do not believe James is making a case for the God/Genie scenario either. Author Douglas Moo writes, “Neither Jesus nor James intends to give to Christians a blank check on which they can write whatever they want and expect God to back it up. The ‘whatever you ask’ is clearly qualified in Scripture elsewhere to include only what God has promised to give his people. In James this point is clear from the connection with verse 5, where he speaks first of God’s desire to give wisdom to his people.”[2]
Asking in faith without doubt is essential in all prayer but what we usually forget to do most is to pray in God’s will. God will give to us what He has promised and he is not obligated in anyway to give anything more. Let us not forget though that He is a gracious God and He delights in giving good things.
In contrast James speaks about the one who doubts and the one who is double minded and it brings up a serious question, “Will God not hear any of our prayers if there is an ounce of doubt?” I don’t believe this is what James is implying or even saying. We all struggle with doubt in our lives. Sometimes I struggle with doubt in my prayers. I pray, I bring my requests before the Lord and sometimes I don’t actually believe God is going to do what I am asking. Most times I am not surprised when I don’t get what I ask for but there are times when God surprises me and blesses me with the request I ask. It’s not like the faith we have is actually something we posses by our natural abilities. Faith is given to us by God and when we pray we must pray in the faith that God has given to us and there will be times where our flesh and spirit war with each other but God honors the person who is open and available to Him.
So who is James talking to? D.A. Carson suggests that James refers to the doubters as the double minded. A double minded person is one who is divided in his own spirit between God and the world. He is not fully committed to God but wants the benefits He has to offer. In modern terms it is a person who is a fence walker; he has not fully committed his life to God but wants God to bless him. He is the person who goes to God only when he needs something. This is the person who wants to excel in the world for selfish gain but tries (and unsuccessfully I might ad) to hit up God to bless their endeavors. A double minded person can’t decide whether he wants to serve God or serve the world. He just can’t and won’t commit to either one. He wants the benefits of the world and he wants the benefits of heaven as well.
Conclusion
The crux of this passage then is intended for believers who are facing trials in their lives and need the wisdom of God to get them through or to teach them why they are experiencing what they are experiencing. This passage is relevant for you and me today as well. Are you facing a trial in your life? Take it to God in prayer and ask for wisdom in getting through it. I am certain there are at least one if not more of you here today that is facing a situation life where you need the wisdom of God. Maybe it is financial, maybe it is health related, or maybe it is family or work related. It could honestly be anything. I would encourage you today to go before the Father who has a store house full of wisdom and wants to give as much as you need without reservation. Pray and ask in faith for God to give you the wisdom you need. Do not be as the double minded person who only seeks to only gain for their own purpose. Ask in faith and God the Father will give to you liberally all wisdom you need for His glory.
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