WISDOM FROM ABOVE:

Knowing and doing the will of God.

Ask, Surrender and Receive

James 1:5-7 

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God 

who gives generously and without reproach,

and it will be given to him.  

But let him ask in faith, not hesitantly,

for the one who hesitates is like the surf of the sea

driven and tossed by the wind.

For let not that man expect that he will receive anything

from the Lord, being a double-minded man,

unstable in all his ways."

The book of James is known as the New Testament book of Proverbs.  James is a leader of the New Testament Church who wants God's people to know what God wants of His people and how God's will can be accomplished in our lives.  That is what God is doing in His church: showing us the way God wants to work in all of us, through His Word.  Jesus the Word of God has become for us and in us Wisdom from God, to write the truth of God's Word and will in each of our hearts.

First we need the holy desire to do God's Word and the power of God's Holy Spirit in our hearts to do it.  We can't ask for God to make us holy and live our lives trying to find fulfillment in sinful ways.  That is being double-minded, wanting God's will and the empty fulfillment of living lives in sinful rebellion.

For the first eight years after my baptism from age 12 to 19, I tried my "Christian life" trying to get by with all kinds of sinful thinking and behavior and to serve Christ as well.  I fell back and forth into all kinds of sin though I said I wanted to be a Christian.  I fooled myself by listening to the false doctrine that God couldn't see my sin and was fooled by the deceitful sinfulness that I was a Christian.  What was the result?  My life was a mess.  I was terribly unhappy.  Gradually my life became more and more sinful.  I was going from bad to worse, trying to call myself a Christian but was trapped in sinful behavior and desires.  I was miserable, a slave to many sinful thoughts and behavior--alcoholism, drug addiction, anger, fear, and immorality.  I was obsessed by all this sinful thinking and behavior and could not get out of it now matter how I tried on my own.

But something glorious happened to me around Easter of 1972.  I completely surrendered to Jesus Christ.  I repented of all my sin, and Jesus became to me Wisdom from God.  He not only showed me God's will--to live according to God's Word daily, but Jesus came into my life to teach me and empower me to do God's will.  That changed my life forever and permanently.  Forty-six years clean and sober.  Jesus has delivered me from my double mindedness and continues to do so as I surrender to His Word daily.  He writes the truth of His Word in my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I am free from sinful addictions and bondage and am joyously happy and free!  Jesus has purified me from my double-mindedness and is teaching me to live each day in His will and Wisdom.

All my life I have been tormented and torn--knowing God's will but being afraid to do it.  I allowed fear to control me, so much so that I was stuck in this double-mindedness and fear.

I have what doctors say is terminal pancreatic cancer.  God has given me six months without growth, which is miraculous.  Yesterday we saw a highly respected doctor at UCD.  She was very optimistic and shared a new plan of taking care of my cancer, perhaps giving me another six months.  My family was very happy, and so was I.  This brilliant doctor even asked me, "How do you find God?"

But last night after a beautiful evening, our son told us how his eight year old boy told him that he prayed for God to heal his grandpa for a year.  Our son asked, "Why not pray for God to heal him forever?" Soon he heard his child's whispered pray in response.  He had been playing a game on his handheld device that he would go heal patients who would jump out of bed and dance.  That night God awakened me from sleep and told me He has healed me from my cancer.  Believe it or not, I was afraid to tell my family and friends.  I have asked God for wisdom, and He has shown me his will.  Part of that Wisdom and will is for me to continue with my treatments and be a witness for God.  Now I pray I will now do His will and enjoy more of this wonderful life He has given me.