Get Wisdom

Well, let me start by asking you a few questions this morning. How would you describe your faith currently?

How are you doing? Are you wiser in your Christian walk today than you were pre-COVID? Solomon told his sons in Proverbs chapter 4 to get wisdom, get insight, pursue it, pursue it greatly, acquire it. And the Epistle of James gives us great insight on how to gain true wisdom.

He teaches us how to do that in the context of dealing with our trials in life that hit us unexpectedly. So I invite you to take your Bibles and turn to the Epistle of James. And to set the context, I'm going to read to you verses 1 through 4, the testing of our faith here through various multicolored trials. James 1, 1 through 4. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the 12 tribes in the dispersion, greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

We see here that God wants us to learn perseverance through our multicolored trials so that our faith is mature and complete as we walk with the Lord. But sometimes we just don't get it, do we? We continue to struggle with the same kind of issues sometimes in our life, right? As Paul Tripp put it, we're often blind to our blind spots. Well, people in the world don't always gain wisdom from their experiences either. They often repeat the same mistakes over and over again because of unwise decisions that they make.

Let me give you an example. Two teachers were applying for the same vice principal position at a local high school. One had been teaching a total of eight years and the other a total of 20 years. Everyone expected the teacher with the greater experience to get the job. But when a decision was made, it was the person with eight years of teaching who was chosen for the job. The teacher overlooked for the job, complained bitterly. I've got 20 years of teaching to her eight, he cried. I'm vastly more qualified. The school board's reply went like this, Yes, sir, you do have 20 years of teaching to her eight, but where she has eight years of experience, you have one year's experience repeated 20 times. Interesting, isn't it?

So that begs the question for us. Are we learning and maturing from the trials and experiences that God has allowed in our lives? Put another way to follow the point of the story, do we have eight years of experience like the younger teacher?

Or one year's experience repeated 20 times like the older teacher? Are we growing in wisdom or are we repeating our folly? A key way to embrace our trials with joy is to petition God for help through prayer. And in verses 5 through 8, our text for this morning contained God's offer to help us in facing our trials and tribulations. Here we see a God-centered approach for acquiring wisdom and strength in the midst of our challenges to make us more like the Lord Jesus. There are two important ways to get wisdom in the midst of our trials.

So we're going to look at two ways this morning. The first one is to pray in faith, to pray in faith in verses 5 and 6. What does it mean to pray in faith to receive wisdom?

We'll follow along here as I read verses 5 through 8. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. So first of all, we see here to pray in faith for wisdom in our trials, James helps us to see our need for wisdom. Notice what he says there in verse 5, if any of you lacks wisdom.

When we're hit with unexpected challenges in our life, we realize how much we need wisdom, don't we, to navigate through them. Notice the connection with verse 4, and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Then he goes on here in our verse, if any of you lacks wisdom. You see the repetition of the word lack shows that he's still discussing the subject of our multicolored trials that we face that come our way from outside of ourselves unexpectedly.

So he's talking about those trials. And in verse 4, he assures us that when perseverance has finished its work, we will be mature and whole, lacking in nothing. Meaning we will lack none of the virtues and strengths that characterize a mature believer in Christ. He's growing us, he's sanctifying us through our trials and tribulation. And hopefully, at the end of our lives, we'd be able to testify as the Apostle Paul did, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the what?

The faith, I have kept the faith. That's what James is talking about here, to learn perseverance through our trials so that we may be mature and complete, a virtuous Christian. In verse 5, however, he is speaking of the period of testing before perseverance has finished its work in us. During such testing of multicolored trials, if you lack wisdom, he's saying, you can have it by coming before the Lord and humbly asking for it, and God will grant it to you. One commentator says this, James speaks of a period of testing before perseverance has completed its work.

As we're being sanctified, we haven't arrived yet, and those trials will continue to come to grow us and stretch us. And so James is saying, if you still lack wisdom, which we do, then ask God for it. Notice how tactful he is by saying, if any of you lacks wisdom, he appeals to each of us individually.

Do you see that? He could have said everybody lacks wisdom, and that's true, right? We all lack wisdom. But by saying any of you, he gives us a chance to examine ourselves, to come to the conclusion ourselves that we need his wisdom and should follow his inspired counsel to ask God for it. Now what type of wisdom is he talking about here?

It's not theoretical. It's not based on some philosophical system of men. Paul talks about that in Colossians chapter 2, verse 8, where he says, see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. But that's not what James is talking about here. The wisdom he's talking about here is more than just knowledge. Remember that a good education could give us knowledge, but it does not necessarily give us what? Wisdom, right?

We can accumulate a lot of facts in our minds. That's knowledge, whereas wisdom is the proper use of those facts. For example, teaching engaged couples about finances and the importance of living within their means, and that they don't get into credit card debt and other trouble to apply to be a good steward of God what he has given you at that stage of life.

But wisdom dictates that we would watch ourselves closely in the area of finances. What James is talking about here is a God-given understanding based on his word that encompasses the rich Old Testament meaning of wisdom. The comparable Hebrew word carries the idea of being skilled in living God's way. How to do a God's way?

Remember Psalm 37 4, delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. If we're walking closely with him, we can gain wisdom and be skilled in living God's way. Does that sound familiar, an Old Testament book on wisdom?

What book are we thinking about? The book of Proverbs, right? The book of Proverbs contrasts how a wise person lives compared to a person that wants to live in folly. The book of Proverbs, and in the New Testament here, this book of James, the epistle of applied Christianity teaches these things for wisdom. James is teaching us here, don't just tell me you are wise, what?

Show me by your words and your actions in life. This type of God-given wisdom has a wider application and relates to all areas of our lives where spiritual discernment is needed. You may be wise concerning the things of the world, but it doesn't necessarily follow that you are a wise person in the spiritual realm. Natural wisdom and godly wisdom are vastly different. He describes the contrast between godly wisdom and natural wisdom in chapter 3 verses 13 through 17, so keep your finger there in chapter 1 and flip over to chapter 3 verses 13 through 17. Notice how James describes the difference between godly wisdom and natural wisdom. Who is wise and understanding among you?

By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of what? Wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. May our world and our country, especially at this time, see us walking with godly wisdom and not the wisdom that they purport in the world where people are looking out for themselves.

Notice the contrast that he draws here. Peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, good fruits, impartial and sincere. That's quite a description of godly wisdom.

That's what James is talking about. We can receive that from the Lord when we ask for it in faith. Where does this wisdom start for us? Well, going back to the book of Proverbs, Solomon tells us, Proverbs 8, 22 and 23, he writes there, The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

Ages ago I was set up at the first, before the beginning of the world. There is wisdom, even before God created us. Wisdom was with God. And where does wisdom begin for us?

Proverbs 9, 10 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of what? Wisdom. And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. So how are we going to get wisdom? Well, the first step is the fear of God, to know Him personally.

Then in our lives it continues in progressive sanctification. Proverbs chapter 4, verses 5 through 9, where Solomon writes to his sons, Get wisdom, get insight. Do not forsake nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her and she will guard you. Love her and she will guard you.

The beginning of wisdom is get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly and she will exalt you. She will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland. She will bestow on you a beautiful crown.

Don't you love that? How Proverbs is stressing to us. Get wisdom, get insight, pursue it, go after it. Walk with the Lord closely. So how do we receive God's wisdom that James is describing here in our text? By humbly asking for it. Look at the next phrase in verse 5, Let him ask of God.

This is a present act of imperative. It's a command, consistently ask from God. Do it, acquire it, pursue it, ask the Lord for it. The way to gain wisdom is to simply and humbly ask for it. It's a necessary part of our prayer life that we pray in faith, trusting God to give us wisdom. We are to go to God for wisdom in each situation. Now many of us in this room this morning are familiar with Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your what?

Part. And do not lean on your own what? Understanding. But acknowledge God in all your ways and He will make your past what?

Straight. But we don't often quote and go on to verse 7. Do not be wise in your own eyes, Solomon says, warning his sons. Be careful. Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. So how do we gain wisdom according to Proverbs? Fear the Lord and turn away from evil and to ask God for wisdom. Now I think it's interesting to note, Luke tells us in his Gospel, in Luke chapter 6 verses 12 and 13, that before the Lord Jesus chose His disciples, what did He do?

He went away all night and what? Prayed. And in His humanity, praying for His Heavenly Father to grant Him wisdom. Of course, He contains all wisdom. And yet in His humanity, praying to His Heavenly Father, Lord, give me wisdom, before He chose His 12 apostles. Now notice in verse 5 again, part B here, let Him ask of God who gives generously to all.

You know, it's interesting to note here, the language that James uses here is very, very rich. It pictures the needed wisdom as present alongside of God. It's there. We just need to ask for it. It's there in full supply if we come and ask God for it. He's talking about God who gives, the giving God. He can give us wisdom. It's in His inherent nature to give to us when we ask for it.

John 3.16, right? For God so loved the world that He gave and He wants to give us wisdom as well. He gave us His only begotten Son and He wants to give us wisdom in the midst of our trials. And the present tense language that He uses here sets forth God's generous nature as continually giving. None of us, in other words, can out-give God. He is our Creator and Sustainer. And He would love to give to us if we come before Him as His children, asking for wisdom.

One commentator writes this, I love this. It's characteristic of the unbeliever to see God with a clenched fist. As Becca said, she viewed God in her testimony as what type of God? Angry. Remember that?

Just a few minutes ago. She viewed God as an angry God, whereas it is characteristic of the believer to see Him with an open hand. Because of Christ, as we're under this cross here, we can come to Him with open hands and ask for wisdom, and He will graciously give it to us. So wisdom is available to all Christians. If we see our need for wisdom and approach Him in what? Faith.

In faith. To ask for wisdom. He responds with giving us wisdom.

And how does He do that? Notice, He gives generously to all without reproach. The promise here is that wisdom will be given to those who ask for it. There is nothing in God that keeps Him from giving. And how does He give wisdom? Generously.

Notice that? He gives generously. What does it mean unreservedly? Wholeheartedly?

Liberally? All we need for that particular moment, whatever trial you're going through, God can grant you wisdom. If we ask Him in faith. He has a limitless supply. He won't skimp in giving us wisdom. He's our Heavenly Father. He loves us. And He will give it to us wholeheartedly. Now notice that next phrase there. He gives without reproach.

It's an interesting term, isn't it? What does that mean? How does God give us wisdom without reproach? What does that mean? Well, it means without finding fault. God gives wisdom generously to us without finding fault or without insulting us.

Why? Because He loves us. Because of Christ. He loves us. We're His children.

We're joint heirs with the Lord Jesus. He loves us. So He doesn't scold or chide us because we have failed in the past. Or rebuke us for our repeated lack of wisdom. Which is going to happen to us, right? In our sanctification, as James says later in his book.

We all still stumble in many ways. But when we come to Him in humble faith and ask for wisdom, God will give it to us. He won't scold you for that. He won't chide you for that.

He won't be sarcastic about that. As I thought about this, what James is telling me here, it's interesting, I couldn't help but think of us as parents, right? With our kids. If we're honest, it can be typical of us when one of our kids comes to us and they realize their mistake and they come for further advice on something to say, something like, well you should have known better than to do that, right?

You should have known better. Or well, I'll give it to you again, but you sure don't deserve it. We do that as parents, don't we? That's giving with reproach.

We sort of become sarcastic or say you don't deserve it, but I'll give it to you again. That's with reproach. Instead we should say in moments like that, what did you learn from your experience?

How can I help you to make a wise decision now? That's wanting to impart wisdom without reproach. And that's what God does for us when we ask Him. When we ask Him in a humble spirit, we will hear no reproach, just His lavish response. And as James states here in verse 5, wisdom will be what?

Given to Him. We can have God's wisdom. Okay, let's look at an Old Testament example. I couldn't help but think of Solomon here.

Both of God granting him wisdom, and him applying wisdom in an interesting circumstance. So take your Bibles and turn back to 1 Kings chapter 3. As we read the account here of King Solomon, first we see that Solomon asked for wisdom, and God grants it to him. First Kings chapter 3, starting in verse 9. First Kings 3, 9. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern — key word there, discernment — between good and evil.

For who is able to govern this, your great people? So it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this, and God said to him, because you have asked this and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word, behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you have been before you, and none like you shall arise after you. There we see in his prayer asking for wisdom, and God grants him wisdom.

Now let's see an example right after that in his life of Solomon's wisdom. Verse 16, then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. The one woman said, oh my Lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth, and we were alone.

There was no one else with us in the house, only we two were in the house. And this woman's son died in the night because she lay on him, and she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me while your servant slept and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead.

But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had born. But the other woman said, no, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours. The first said, no, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine. Thus they spoke before the king.

Now here we see his wise response. Then the king said, the one who says this is my son that is alive, and your son is dead. And the other says, no, but your son is dead, and my son is the living one. And the king said, bring me a sword. So a sword was brought before the king, and the king said, divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other. Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, oh my Lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.

But the other said, he shall be neither mine nor yours, divide him. Then the king answered and said, give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death, she is his mother. And all Israel heard of the judgment, and the king had rendered, that the king had rendered. And they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice. The wisdom of God, what a great application to ask for wisdom, and God will give us wisdom as he did with Solomon. So stepping back now after that example, let's look at the big picture for us as believers in Christ.

We know the Creator from the universe, of the universe, because of what the Lord Jesus has done for us. He's redeemed us. He's given us his special revelation, the Bible, which is wisdom. It is his practice to give generously and without finding fault when we ask for it. So how are you doing at praying regularly for wisdom in the midst of your trials? Do you think that God will provide only part of what you need? Of course not.

He won't do that. Ask in faith and receive all the wisdom that you need, for you and me. So the first way to acquire wisdom is to pray in faith. The second way to acquire wisdom is to pray without doubting. Here comes the caveat now, to pray without doubting.

Here is the contrast to the right approach. One moment a Christian may say that they trust God and the next moment they doubt Him. Graphically illustrated by the wave of the sea here as James describes it, completely lacking in stability, tossed by the wind, back and forth, a billowing restless sea moving back and forth with its endless tides, never able to settle, which is one of the metaphors is that such a Christian wavers in his faith, his or her faith. We're not sure of God and His promises, which could indicate our own independence still from God. We don't trust Him. We're unstable and restless.

This person is like a cork on the waves of the sea, up one minute and down the next, showing some signs of immaturity. Paul speaks to this in Ephesians 4, that pastors and teachers are here to equip the saints in sound doctrine. Paul speaks to us in Ephesians 4, 15, 14 and 15 by saying, so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes, rather speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head into Christ.

So we don't want to certainly be like a cork on the waves, up one minute, down the next. But some people struggle because they're not trusting in God's promises. And the Christian who doubts God's promises, look at verses 7 and 8, for that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, meaning wisdom. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Because he doubts God, God withholds wisdom from that person because of his doubt. This person's a fickle or vacillating type of person. And God withholds wisdom from him.

Why? Notice, because he's what kind of man? A double-minded man. Literally here, it means a man who is too sold.

Too sold. It's only used twice in the New Testament, this word. And James uses it those two times. In James chapter 4, verse 8, draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. It's only these two times that this word's used in the whole New Testament. Don't be too sold. Don't be double-minded. Don't be on this hand, I trust the Lord on this hand, I do not trust Him.

I'm vacillating, I'm unsure. One minute I believe, the next minute I don't. And this divided attitude that reveals itself then in sinful words and actions, tragically, in some people's Christian walk. That type of person may teach Sunday school here at Calvary, and yet shows anger in his home. This type of person may say grace one minute and use profanity in his home toward his wife and children on the other hand. Church is good.

I like to go to church occasionally, but I like to hang out at the bar and have a few drinks with my friends as well. Going through trials, fear and worry dictate their responses instead of trusting God and His promises. And this type of Christian has a civil war going on inside of them, constantly fighting with trust and distrust of God, waging a continual battle in that person.

This double-mindedness reveals itself in someone's conduct as a whole. Notice the end of verse 8, James says he is what? Unstable in all his ways.

Unstable. This person is unsettled, not having totally committed to stand solid in Christ. Not sure of their salvation. They live their life a lot on their feelings instead of the promises of God.

In their personal lives, their business lives, their social lives, as well as their spiritual lives. A person like this will not, notice what he says, receive anything from the Lord. Curt Richardson puts it this way. That the double-minded believer is a believer is already clear, for he is challenged to understand trials not as the interruption of pleasure by suffering, but as the pathway toward a mature faith. This pathway will require endurance, but this is secured by the wisdom God always provided to those who ask for it in what? Faith. In faith. Faith receives because it trusts. Doubt, which also is directed toward God, is totally rejected by Him.

Prayer accompanied by doubt is much like the problem of claiming to have faith but showing no what works, as James says in chapter 2. Faith without works is what? Dead.

Dead. Now let me give you an example from our Lord's own words as He was teaching His disciples. Turn to Matthew 21, 18 through 22. Matthew 21, 18 to 22. In the context here, we see the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and God's impending judgment on faithless Israel for rejecting Him, their Messiah. Starting in verse 18, Matthew 21, in the morning as He was returning to the city, He became hungry and seeing a fig tree by the wayside, He went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves and He said to it, may no fruit ever come from you again.

And the fig tree withered at once, again representing the nation of Israel in general. But notice what Jesus goes on to say to them, truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith. God will grant us wisdom if we pray without doubting Him. Now beloved, we will have doubts from time to time, right?

We're still human, we're still being sanctified. During our trials, we're still going to doubt. But that should stimulate our faith, not cause us to recourse away from God. The psalmist, the lament psalms, there are many lament psalms, Lord where are You?

And yet they come back to, I will rejoice in my salvation because I trust You. That's a subject for another time, there are many lament psalms that can help us because they return to the promises of God. And we can grow tremendously through our tough times that are thrown at us as we pray to an all wise God who knows what is best for us in each situation. Paul exalts God's wisdom in Romans 11, 33, and 34. Don't turn there, just listen as I read this, Romans 11, 33, and 34. Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.

How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor? That's our Heavenly Father and we can run to Him and He will grant us wisdom if we trust Him. And if we do that and walk closely with the Lord. Notice back in James chapter 1, what's the reward at the end of our lives? James 1, 12.

Look at our reward. Look what's ahead of us, brothers and sisters. James 1, 12. Blessed is the man who remains what? Steadfast, under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. What's ahead of us?

The crown of life, salvation in its fullest sense, that when we go home and someday we'll get a glorified body and we will be with Christ and our Heavenly Father forever worshiping Him. That's what awaits us. Let's walk closely with Him. Now as many of you know, last December, my oncologist called me and said, Jim, you have cancer. That's pretty serious. And like many of you in this congregation who have been hit with a diagnosis like that, my mind went blank for a few moments.

It was very surreal and it was a bit scary. And things race through your mind once you take that all in, Lord, I know my days are preordained before the foundation of the world, before there was yet one of them. But it would be my prayer that I'd like to hang around a few more years to be with my family and grandkids and to minister to the wonderful people at Calvary Church. And to receive cookies from those of you who try to bribe me in my Wednesday night classes not to give you quizzes and things like that. All kinds of things race through your mind, right? Because I'm a cookie monster, right? I love cookies. And many of you have brought me wonderful treats over the years to say, Pastor Pyle, we don't want a quiz tonight.

All those kinds of things race through your mind. And yet, over these past eight months, the journey between radiation, surgery, more MRIs and CAT scans coming in a few weeks, all these things that have been thrown, God has been teaching me to pray in faith and to pray without doubting because His promises are true. And myself and our family, Sharaya and our kids, have seen His faithfulness to our family as you have seen. But He's been teaching me, pray in faith, pray without doubting. And I say that because it's not about me, but I say as a fellow cancer patient, I want you to listen to this young lady who's also in our congregation, her testimony, who she's been battling cancer for quite some time. And she updates her journal on Caring Bridge, which I read.

And she has ministered to my heart a lot over the past number of months. The context in this particular journal is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before they went into the fiery furnace where they stood before Nebuchadnezzar and said, Nebuchadnezzar, O king, we cannot bow our knee to you to worship your golden image or any other god. Now, we know that God has the ability to deliver us, but even if He doesn't, we shall not bow our knee to you. What did Nebuchadnezzar do?

Okay, let's jack up the temperature seven times and burn these guys. But what happened? That's the context there of her comments here about her own cancer journey.

Listen to what she says. What if God doesn't save me from this cancer? Well, may we be brave enough to worship God for who He is and not what He does. Prayerfully praise Him. So, six years later, still got the cancers, still got other issues going on, still have tons of doctor's appointments and tests, amen to that, but I'm alive, loving Jesus, laughing and trying to enjoy life. Hey, no worse for wear, really.

I love that. Here's an honest testimony to say, hey, I'm going to trust God even if He doesn't heal me from my cancer, and I'm going to continually prayerfully praise Him, and I'm no worse for wear for to me to live His Christ and to die, like Paul said, is gain. That certainly has moved my heart and has helped me on my cancer journey, not to be double-minded as James is teaching us here, to pray in faith and pray without doubting. So, in closing here, when we're confronted with a trial, what kind of application can we take away from today's message from James? Let me give you a few thoughts here. What should we do first? When you're hit with a trial unexpectedly, what should you do first? Stop and pray for what? Wisdom.

Stop. Pray. Ask God for wisdom. May I suggest to you that you pray the words of Scripture. May I also suggest, pray out loud.

Get in the habit. Pray Scripture. Pray out loud and sing songs to God. Each Sunday, even as before I get up to speak this morning, I'm so grateful for the worship songs that we sing here.

Hearts can well up to sing praises to our great God. So stop and pray for wisdom. Be careful what you are watching and reading.

Is there anything in your life that is causing you to be double-minded, amputated, out of your life? Be careful, my brothers and sisters, what you read and what you watch, so that we can become more like Christ. Let me end by quoting Isaiah 26, 3 and 4. You keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is what?

Stayed on you because He trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord our God is an everlasting rock. What a great — that's how we can have a mind that is at peace, by staying and praying for wisdom and staying focused on Him. Let's pray together. Lord, thank You for this marvelous epistle and teaching from the hand of James. Help us to come to You daily in faith, without any doubting. To trust You, no matter what we're going through, whether it's a spiritual challenge right now or a physical challenge. Lord, we know You're sovereign, and that You care for us as Your children, and that You're not going to allow anything to come into our life, except Your sovereign purposes to make us more into the image of the Lord Jesus. So help us, Lord. Help us not to be double-minded, but help us to trust You in all things. May we walk more closely with You and be salt and light to those around us, to see a difference that we are living for You in such a troubled world, at such a time as this. Use us as instruments of Your grace, for we pray in Jesus' name, amen.