Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-12-06-2017

This is devotional thought number 9 in our devotional series, God’s Promises are Sure!

“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 ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 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. 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 any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:1–8).

Have you ever been so thankful you could hardly stand it? I have. Have you ever been befuddled to the point of exhaustion and asked God to order your steps and give wisdom, and rejoiced when He did? I have! Have you ever been buried by trials and the Lord lifted you up? I have. God is good. This is where you say, “AMEN!”

Life is not easy. If fact, it is down right overwhelming at times. That’s the bad news. The good news is that God is on your side if you trust Him. While God does not tempt anyone or make our lives unnecessarily difficult, He does use our life circumstances to draw us closer to Him. When you are tempted to sin, rush into His presence through prayer and give thanks for His goodness! Ask Him to keep His promise of angelic protection and power over all temptations. When you face trials and difficulties, rush to Him in praise and thank Him for the many times He has helped you and others you know, and laud Him for what He will do in the future. When you realize that you are experiencing small victories, give thanks and look forward to progressively bigger ones. God is working your spiritual muscles.

It is a known fact that we don’t really know enough to question God. Ask Job. While He was righteous, and in no way lost faith during His crazy life ordeal, he did make the mistake of asking too many questions as if he understood more about the situation than he did. Notice I said that it was a mistake. That is not the same as sin. When you face your next big challenge do yourself a favor and ask God to give you wisdom. Ask Him to give you the faith to believe that you will receive it, and it shall be done. Full stop.

I am going to share a Bible secret with you that will change your life forever if you accept it. Was that melodramatic? Stay with me here. Biblical wisdom is not the mere application of knowledge. It is not simply prudence or even superior intelligence summed up in maxims and proverbs. I know that may be hard to believe for the studious ones among you who perhaps looked up the word in Greek. Yes, all I have said and more is the technical definition of the word James used, but it is not the Biblical or supernatural essence. The Biblical essence of wisdom can be found in a number of Scriptures. We will have a look a just two. Of wisdom the Bible says: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: When he set a compass upon the...