If You Lack Wisdom, Ask God | James 1:1-18

Show Notes

Episode 822: 
In this episode, we delve into James chapter 1, verses 1 through 18, focusing particularly on verse 5, which emphasizes that if we need wisdom, we should ask our generous God, who will provide it without rebuke. This promise is especially relevant in times of trouble, as James reminds us that challenges are not a matter of "if" but "when." We discuss how these trials can serve as opportunities for growth and endurance in our faith.

What is The Bible Guys?

Whether you’ve been following Jesus for years or you’re just starting to ask questions, there’s a seat for you here.

Join Jeff and Chris for honest conversations about Scripture, faith, and the everyday stuff we all navigate. With humor, personal stories, and plenty of back-and-forth, The Bible Guys explore what the Bible says and how it connects to your life.

Subscribe, bring your questions, and get to know the Bible one conversation at a time. Head over to TheBibleGuys.com for more information!

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in practical ways. Good morning, good morning. We talked the whole not through good morning, good morning to you and you and you. You got to get that copyrighted, the Chris Editions Singing in the Rain. I know, but it's it's your version. You own it. I own that version. Yeah. Well, hey, good morning everybody. Whether you're listening morning, noon, or night, who knows. But we are the Bible Guys today. Jeff's out of pocket, so today we have Wesley. Yeah, good to be here again. Yes, and you are the Platinum Edition. That this is the Platinum Edition, right, yes, so and you made that joke one time and it just yeah, which is really funny. And by the way, you have no idea how many people have referred to uh when either when you're hearing Jeff's here or me or you, they always say the Platinum Edition. Yeah, they always refer to it, which is really fun. Catch you on yeah, yeah. So hey. We are in the middle of a series about God's promises in different contexts, and this week's theme is God's promise of wisdom and guidance. So we're gonna be in the Book of James. But before we do. Uh, it says that we have to go to chat GPT. Oh did you know that we didn't even we didn't even look at this segment before it started recording. It says, since it's Thanksgiving week, you have chat GPT on your phone. I can pull it up. Okay. It says, let's see what funny stories, dad jokes are, random Thanksgiving chaos chat GPT can come up with. So we probably should have done this beforehand. I'm thinking of what what what will we even type in for that? Like, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say for the Bible Guys segment today, we need to get you to give us Thanksgiving humor or funny story, worries or facts around Thanksgiving period. Give us at least five minutes worth of material. This is going to be good, all right, Absolutely, here's five minutes of Thanksgiving humor funny stories. Okay. The first Thanksgiving kind of the pilgrims brought bread, the natives brought deer, and someone brought that one side dish that everybody politely avoids, and nobody knows how to the courage to throw it away because even in sixteen twenty one there was that one cast a role. That's not bad. Yeah, that's pretty good. The real reason turkey makes you tired because people always blame it on try. The trip to fan. Yeah, trip to fan. Yeah. But science says it's actually because you eat enough food to feed a small youth group. You've been listening to Uncle Larry by politics since noon, and you've made the mistake of sitting on the couch after three plates. Let's be honest, you could eat a single cracker and Thanksgiving and still be ready for a three hour nap. The awkward It talks about the awkward prayer. This tret okay, okay, so let me let me go through. There are there no jokes, no jokes. But by the way, I do have a Thanksgiving joke. Okay, you ready, Yeah, I'm ready? Okay. Why did the cranberry. Blush cranberry blush? I don't know, because she saw the turkey dressing. Oh that is definitely a dad joke. Yeah right, that's funny though. Right, by the way, that wasn't even a part of the chat. That was just that was just me reading it one, which I thought was great. I just remember from thanks Oh my goodness. No, hang on, hang on, I gotta read this one. The average American consumes how many calaries and Thanksgiving Day. I mean the old like saying you to be two thousand calories was like average. Yeah, so I'm going to double it four thousand maybe. For thanks four thousand, five hundred calories on Thanksgiving. Yeah, because I could see like doubling it. Yeah, it says this is not a meal. This is a spiritual test. If Thanksgiving we're in the Bible, it replaced, it would replace the Book of Job. Then job arose looked at the empty table and says, surely I've eaten all the stuffing. That's funny. Okay, go ahead, you said, we know. This wasn't a funny story. I can just it's a memory I have of Thanksgiving with my mom. She would literally start on the Wednesday before in the morning and would literally cook all day long, literally cook all day long. And then the last thing that she would prepare on I think Thanksgiving Day would be like the cakes and pies. That was like the last thing to get made. But yeah, cooked all day long. Yeah. Yeah, hey, there's another one that's pretty decent. It talks about the weird family tradition. It says everybody, every family has that strange tradition that no one remembers. Starting number one, somebody always burns the rolls, yep. Number two, somebody always forgets the cranberry sauce and the fridge until the meal is over. And then somebody always shows up with a new boyfriend or girlfriend who's told to just act normal and then realizes this family doesn't have an m Yeah. That's pretty good, right, there have been lots of burnt roles on Thanksgiving. Yeah, I can recall, yes for sure. So yeah, yeah, that wasn't too bad. Yeah, it turned out pretty good. Okay, well, hey, you know, maybe your tradition is one of those. But you know what a tradition is that is always good? Reading your Bible. Yeah that's pretty rough. It was pretty rough. Yeah, So, yes, reading your Bible was good, that transition, was it? Yeah, Well it should be a tradition. It should be a tradition to read your Bible. It should be a daily tradition. Yes, it should be. So we're in James chapter one and we're going to read verses one through eighteen. Here we go James, Chapter one n LT New Living Translation. That's the version. This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the twelve Tribes Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings, dear brothers and sisters. When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow. For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waiver, for a person with divided loyalty is unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them, and those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers. The little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say God is tempting me. God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give to sinful actions, and when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don't be mislet, my brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God, our father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word, and we, out of all creation, become his prized possession. That's good stuff. Then there's a lot in there in there, Yeah, there's a lot in there. So the verse that we're focusing on is verse number five, because again this is the promise of wisdom and guidance. And so verse five says, if you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. So that's the promise that we're focusing on. You know, it's interesting, we you know, so yesterday we talked about in Psalm it says that wisdom begins with humility and that he will guide those who are humble, and he'll teach you you the right thing. And then today is again talks about wisdom, and it talks about getting wisdom. But in this case the context is asking for wisdom, and it seems like the context also is trials and tribulations. Yeah, right, because it says, dear brothers, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. But I do love how it says when troubles come your way. It doesn't say if troubles or you know, troubles may or might come your way. If you are living on this planet earth, trouble will come your way. Yes, So it lets us know that so in those times we need to rely on God, don't try to do this thing yourself. So that's why verse five says, if you need wisdom, ask our generous God. And I love the fact that it lets us know that God is generous. He's not stingy or trying to hold anything back. If we need wisdom, we can ask our generous God and he will give it to you. You not, might not, could not, may he will. How many times it just and I think of my own personal life where I've been at a crossroads. I've got to make a big decision. I ask friends, I ask other people. Maybe you. You look at a magazine, you try to do all these things, and God is like, hey, I'm over here. If you just ask me, I'll give you the wisdoms you need. So we got to learn to do that. God is ready willing and able to generously give us the wisdom we need in times of trouble. Yeah, he certainly will. And And I love how God says that he'll generously give and he won't get angry if you ask, and and and it just it just it sort of speaks into the idea that like somebody is obviously struggling, right, I mean, considered it all joy because then your faith is gonna, you know, gain endurance, and then endurance when it's finished is gonna be perfect and complete, and so you're gonna be able to grow. And then it says, ask wisdom. So there's there seems to be a sense of like, he's not going to get angry when you're asking, because there seems to be a sense of asking and frustration. Right, It's like, God, what the heck have you ever been at the point where you're like, I'm going through this trial or this tribulation or this trouble and and you have all these questions. That's what James is doing. He's actually giving us advice and saying, no, no, no, no, no no. Have the perspective that your faith is being sharpened and hardened, and your endurance and your patience is being refined. And then he's saying and then, you know, go to God. And somebody might say, well, I'm not going to go to God because I'm just so angry at him, I'm frustrated. No, he's not going to get angry if you go to him with all of your you know, complaints, you know, that's one of the reasons why I love you know, we read from yesterday David Psalms. You know, David wasn't afraid to yell at God. David wasn't afraid to say, God, I'm frustrated with you. Have you forgotten me? Have you chosen to ignore me? Or withhold your blessed and and and uh and God wasn't afraid of any. Of those things. I heard someone say that God has big shoulders. They're like, he can handle it. He's got Yeah, that's right, that's right. Yeah, and and uh and it says that, uh, he'll give generously. You know what, sometimes I think that we think that God is going to sometimes always give us the clear choice, you know, like like sometimes I will say, God, there's choice, a choice, b I just want you to tell me what to do. And sometimes I think that when we pray choice a choice, be there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer, right. But I think that sometimes what we have to do is we have to just realize God does give us a choice. God's will could be lateral, right, So it could be that if God says, for instance, you know, there's two job offers on the table you pray. God, just just make it clear. You know, I want wisdom. You're praying for wisdom. Give me wisdom, and and and then yet God doesn't make it clear. It's either choice A or choice be. It could be that you could be in God's will in either one of those jobs. Yeah. It could be that God is just giving you the option of which job to choose that's closer to your parents, yeah, Or the one that has better health benefits. Yeah, that's true, or the one that has better weather. You know what I mean. Because God is giving you wisdom, but he's giving you the opportunity to make your choice based on his character, based on his principles, based on who he is. And if you're in God's will and either one of these jobs, it could be that he's just giving you the choice. Yeah. That's a good point, Chris, because I think sometimes we look at the choices as being either good or bad. Yeah. God's one perfect will. Yeah, so there's either a good choice or a bad choice. And I think that's often how we look at it. And it's like, no, they could both be good, and it's just a matter of like you, all the things that you shared as to which when you choose. Yeah, I often try to think of God's will, like, do you ever go bowling? And have you ever used the bumpers? Or they're fun, aren't they? Yeah? Yeah, they're really fun. Yeah. But I always look at the bumpers like the Holy Spirit, and it's like, just throw the ball, Just throw it, and it's the Holy Spirit's job to bump you and guide you along the way, you know. And it's like, so, yeah, you're gonna go off the path and the Holy Spirit's gonna go bump, bump, and eventually you're gonna make it down to the end, right, because the Holy Spirit is going to be your guide as long as you know, every time that we take a step, we're constantly consulting God in the Holy Spirit a lot for a lot. I think that's the key there. Yeah, for sure. And can we touch on this, Chris. It's down a little further verse twelve, where it says God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. I know there's someone who heard that and they're like, I do not like that verse. So I like the fact that God blesses I like that part, but I do not like the endure testing and temptation right of that sentence. But the Bible says that that He blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Yeah, and I memorized that verse in the King James version James on twelve, blessed is the man who endureth temptation, for when he has tried, he should receive the crown of life, to which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Yeah, and so and I think to myself, you know, listen, that was my motivating verse for every time I was tempted. And I know that it may sound small, but like back in the eighties, you remember Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers. Oh yeah, and they're still around, They're still around. But I had a subscription to Sports Illustrated magazine back then, and and loved you know, all the sports, you know, especially around you know, you know, you know, football season, everything else. But there was always that one magazine, you know that that was going to come and it was just gonna be a bunch of girls, you know that I just didn't necessarily want to, you know, spend my time looking at I don't want to be looking at all that and and well, I mean, the truth is, I do in my flesh, right, But but I don't want to because I'm gonna be like, you know what, I'm just gonna put that magazine aside. I'm gonna just get rid of this. So the problem is it would come in the mail, right and so, and it would come with a with a you know, like a brown sleeve back then, and then you know, I would take it upstairs, and all of a sudden, there it is. And so I would say to myself, you know what, I'm not going to be tempted to lust and do all these kinds of things. So I'm gonna take this thing and I'm gonna throw it in the trash. Right. But you know, but but nobody's in there in the doorm with me at college. So is where I was. So I thought to myself, blessed is the man who endure a temptation, for when he has tried, and when he endures, he shall receive the crown of life. And so here's what I thought to myself. I thought to myself, I'm gonna take this magazine and I'm gonna throw it in the trash. And one day there's going to be a crown for that right to to avoid lusting, you know, after somebody you know, and and and and fulfilling the lust of the flesh. And so I would I would think that. And so that is this one verse has carried me through. And every time that I've been tempted to lie, or to respond in anger, or to or to do something that I know I shouldn't be doing, I think to myself, I want another crown, I want another pinky ring, you know. Not let me throw a curve ball at you, Chris, Could you in those times say well, this is God who did this to me, This is God tempting me. Right, Well, that's what it says. That's what it says. Right after that that, and remember when you were being tempted, do not say God is tempting me. That's right. God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Well, you think about it. Even the Book of Job, Right, it was God who gave permission to Satan to test Job for our benefit. Right, so poor Job had to endure for our benefit. But but but it was God who allowed Satan attempt God himself didn't tempt Satan or Job God himself didn't cause the tragedies and everything else that that came from you know, evil sources, not from God. So yeah, God is never going to you know, bring something your way. And I've heard this. People come into my office and they've said something about like having an affair or you know, God just wants me to be happy, and so so maybe God has brought this other person in my life. I'm like, I'm fairly certain that that other person coming into your life and you know that temptation and that discussion that you're having with that person, that's not from God. Right. Well, the Bible tells us that temptation comes from our own desires, that's right, which entices us and drag us away. So it's not. God, right, that's right, that's right. So yeah, God is never the source of our temptation. God will reward us for enduring temptation, that much is clear. But yeah, it's it's it's we're tempted because of our own life, our own desires. And by the way, another thing, another little mini sermon that can come out of that those verses is that people always blame the devil, but understand that the devil is limited. The devil is not omnipresent, right. I heard this is true story. There was a lady who had her took her wrint money, went to the casino, lost the money, and said, the devil took my wrint money. Oh no, oh no, I'm. Like, ma'am, that was you. That was not the devil that took your wrint money. Yeah. And and just know that the devil can't be in two places at once. Yeah, which means the devil, I'm sure is off, you know, trying to. Rear Havoc somewhere. Yeah, Rekavoc, and in the most effective ways that he can. Uh so. So the devil is not ever present with you, you know, most of the time, just like the Book of James says, when you're tempted, you're you're tempted because of your own brokenness, right, You're tempted because your own fleshly desires, because of the curse of sin, you know, and the havoc of the world we live in, you know. And so and by the way, here's another thing I was going to say earlier that I didn't say. When you were talking about temptation coming your way and trials and tribulations. I once heard a psychologists say that on the average, every human being faces a major crisis on the average every three years. Okay, think about that, Think about like a crisis of faith, or a crisis of circumstance. Or crisis of financial burden. Or financial burden, or a relationship crisis. Right, but every person on the average faces a crisis about every three years. So then here's the way he phrased it, and this depressed me. He said that means you're either coming out of a crisis, or you're about to go into a crisis, or you're in the middle of a crisis. That talk about the most depressing thing ever, right, which means like you're just coming out of it and there's just only a little bit of relief, or you're just about to go into it, or you're right in the middle of it. And I thought to myself, oh, depressing, you know, which means crises are just seeming like they're just one step away. It's a constant in our lives, right, And so we have to keep these verses in mind, just knowing that like, hey, it is an opportunity to strengthen our faith. It's not from our own temp you know, it's not the devil tempting us. It's not God tempting us. It's us going through much of the time, not always, but much of the time, going through the hardness of life, the difficulties of life, and that we have to just pray and say, God, give me your wisdom. And what does it say He generously wants to inform us, inspire us, remind us of his promises, to guide us along the way, and to help us us in our time of need. Yeah, that's awesome. I think that's a good spot to stop right to wrap up. Well, that is our time for sure. So hey, thanks for tuning in to the Bible guys, and hopefully we'll see you tomorrow.