James 1 (ESV)
5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But 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. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
v. 6 ask in faith, with no doubting That's the implicit trust of a child to his Father. We have grown up too much in ourselves instead of our faith. We think so much for ourselves that we doubt the Almighty. We need that faith of a child. The faith that asks for bread and expects bread, not a stone; asks for fish and expects fish, not a snake (Matthew 7:9-11).
Our wavering must insult the Creator. We can't expect anything from Him if we are like that (v. 7).
Let's not be unstable. Let's be like the Lord Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Malachi 3:2-3 (ESV)
2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
I've heard about "refiner's fire"; actually, there is a Wilds song about it. But I was reading this tonight and thinking about it.
We are the Levites. A holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). And His refining is our sanctification. So...is the "offerings in righteousness to the LORD" our "bodies a living and holy sacrifice" (Romans 12:1)?
I'm always concerned about context and pretext and no text. Is this reasonable application? I guess I need to do further study.
James 1:2-5 (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
v. 2 Count it all joy This isn't a one time thing. It is a consistent joy, a joy that is a once-and-for-all attitude. Joy that God gives that is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
v. 4 let steadfastness (Or, endurance NASB) have its full effect This is a cause and effect relationship.
cause: steadfastness
effect: perfect and complete
v. 5 In the context of this verse, one who lacks wisdom asks God for wisdom facing trials. It is important to remember that. Even though, I am sure there is an application outside that. But it is interesting to note how often it is taken from the context so readily.
To ask for wisdom we have to realize that we are lacking (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). And the first step is clear Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.So far my philosophy of Categories has been to allow the user to choose a broad category (like Bible, OT or NT) to see all entries that come under that category or a specific category (like John) to see only entries relating to the book of John. Now, this philosophy promotes necessarily a large amount of Categories, and it requires authors to choose mutiple categories to maintain the system.
But we don't have to keep this going, we can change it if we don't like it.
I've heard the Holy Spirit called the Comforter (KJV) and the Helper, (NASB) but I never knew the Greek word until my Pastor explained it this morning, and I read it in the notes in the NASB.
παρακλητος -- one called alongside to help.