Tag Archives: James 1:2-8

If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - James 1:2-8 - If Any Of You Lakes Wisdom - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – James 1:2-8 – If Any Of You Lakes Wisdom – Growing As Disciples

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:2-8 (NIV)  

Ask Me

Do you lack wisdom? That is a very important question don’t you think? Yes, it is. If you think you have all the wisdom you need, then you won’t ask me for any, isn’t that correct? Yes, that would be true. Well, what do you think, do you have enough wisdom? I know what I have done. What have you done? I have foolishly and pridefully failed to ask you for wisdom when it was obvious that I desperately needed it. Why is that? I have been self-sufficient. I have been strong willed. I have been self-reliant. I have been independent. Most of all, as I have said, I have been proud and foolish. How has that worked out for you? Not well. I have made mistakes, taken many missteps, wasted time and valuable resources all because I failed to ask you for wisdom. That’s not good. No, it’s not.

What will happen to you when you fail to ask for my wisdom? If I continue to fail to ask for your wisdom, I will never know or be able to do your will. I will never be able to accomplish your purposes or fulfill your plans. I will never be able to bear fruit for your kingdom or bring glory to your name. I will never be able to live a life that is pleasing to you. Why is that? You want me to come to rely on you. You want me to live in an intimate relationship with you. You want me to hear your voice. You want me to follow your direction. Yes, I do.

It isn’t that hard. It isn’t that hard to do what? It isn’t that hard to come to ask me for wisdom. I am ready, willing and able to generously give you wisdom. I won’t turn you away. I won’t leave you empty handed. It will be my delight to generously give you all the wisdom you will need to be able to know and do my will. Will you humble yourself so that you will come and ask me for wisdom? Yes, I will. With a heart filled with faith will come and ask me for wisdom? Yes, I will. If you humble yourself and believe that I will hear and answer your prayer for wisdom what can you expect? I can expect that I will generously receive wisdom for you. That’s right. Ask me for wisdom right now. Yes, I will. That will be very good. 

Heavenly Father, I desperately need wisdom from you. There is no question about that. Forgive me, for pridefully and foolishly failing to ask you for wisdom. With a humble heart, filled with faith I am now asking you to generously give me all the wisdom I need. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Discipleship – James 1-2-8 – If Any Of You Lacks Wisdom – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Ask Our Generous God

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The Virtuous Life - Day 206 - James 1-2-8 - Ask Our Generous God - Growing As Disciples

The Virtuous Life – Day 206 – James 1-2-8 – Ask Our Generous God – Growing As Disciples

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles 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 waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as 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. James 1:2-8 (NLT)

Be Filled With Joy

If I need anything, I need wisdom. Why do you say that? On my own, I am not wise. I make dumb mistakes. I make foolish decisions. I take missteps from which I must stop, go back, and retrace my steps and start over. I can’t tell you how many times I have thought, or spoken, or acted unwisely. My foolish ways have cost me time, wasted resources, and worn me out. At no time do I need your wisdom more than when I am going through trials. On those occasions, I need to cry out to you in prayer to ask you for wisdom. Maybe that is one of the blessings of going through trials. How so? Trials show you that you need wisdom, Trials cause you to ask for my help. Trials make you come to rely on me. If you never went through trials or if you never needed my help, would you cry out to me and ask for my help? Let me ask you another question. I’m listening. When has your faith grown stronger? Has your faith grown stronger when the water is calm, and everything is smooth sailing or has your faith grown stronger in the storms of life when you have taken refuge in me? My faith has grown stronger when I have been forced to take refuge in you. Then maybe, you should consider giving thanks for the trails have come your way. I could ask you a few more questions. Go ahead. Has your endurance, as one of my followers, strengthened as you have gone through trials in life? Have you developed a more intimate relationship with me as you have suffered trials? Has your prayer life grown deeper as you have prayed faith filled prayers when storms swirled all around you? Have you learned to hold on to me more tightly as you have gone through all the twists and turns and ups and downs of life? Yes, my endurance has strengthened, my relationship with you become more intimate, my prayer life grown deeper and my hold on you stronger as I have gone through trials in life. Then, for that rejoice. Then, for that give thanks. Then, for that be filled with joy for how trails have performed a good work in your life. That I will do. That will be very good. Thank you, Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father, there is no doubt, I need your wisdom, especially when I am going through trials in life. I will, with a heart filled with faith, cry out to you for help. I will rely on you to give me wisdom, grow my faith, and strengthen my endurance as I follow you. Amen

Key Question…  What wisdom has God generously given to you when you asked Him for His help?

Living It Out…  Rely on your Heavenly Father to give you wisdom, grow your faith, and strengthen your endurance as you pray to Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that your Heavenly Father will generously give you wisdom as you faithfully ask Him for it.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your Heavenly Father has given you wisdom in the trials of life.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you ask God for wisdom as you go through trials in life.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here

The Virtuous Life – Day 206 – James 1-2-8 – Ask Our Generous God – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

An Opportunity For Great Joy

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - The Prayer Filled Life - Day 64 - James 1:2-8 - An Opportunity For Great Joy - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – The Prayer Filled Life – Day 64 – James 1:2-8 – An Opportunity For Great Joy – Growing As Disciples

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles 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 waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as 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. James 1:2-8

Place Your Faith

How will you respond to troubles when they come your way? Will you try to avoid them at all costs? Will you treat them as if they were your worst enemy? Will you try to ignore them with the hope that they will go away all by themselves? Will engage in an all-out effort to try to overcome troubles with your own power and strength? Will you become bitter with the thought that you don’t deserve to be experiencing troubles? Will you follow your own counsel and seek your own advice when you find yourself in trouble? Will you place your faith in your closest and wisest friends? Will you listen to anyone and everyone who offers you advice? Where will you place your faith? You certainly do have a lot of questions for me today. Do you find them to be good questions, that you will do well to consider? Yes, they are good questions. I know some things for certain. What’s that? I have not welcomed troubles into my life as friends. The idea of finding myself in the troubles of life has not brought joy into my heart. I have tried to avoid troubles. I have ignored troubles. I have hoped that troubles would quickly disappear. I know for sure that I have often placed my faith in everything and anyone other than you. I have foolishly relied on myself and others. The dumbest thing I have done was to live by my own counsel and follow my own advice. For all the ways I have misplaced my faith, I ask for your forgiveness. You are forgiven. What would you like to do differently? I would like to place my faith in you alone. I would like to rely on you on every day and in every circumstance of my life. I would like to pray faith filled prayers to you for wisdom as I walk through life with you. I would like to live in an intimate relationship with you as you guard and guide me through life. I would like to live with the joyful knowledge that the troubles of life will only serve to strengthen my faith in you. Troubles will draw me nearer and closer to you. In that way, yes, I can admit that troubles can and should be welcomed into my life because I know that you will powerfully use them for good in my life. Yes, I will. Will you place your faith in me as you go through troubles in life? Yes, I will. That will be very good. 

Lord, I have not always placed my faith in you alone. I’m sure that comes as no great surprise. Forgive me. Through all the troubles of life, I will place my faith in you. I will rely on you. I will ask for your wisdom. I will ask for your help. Strengthen my faith in you. Amen

Key Question…  When have you asked God for wisdom as you have gone through troubles in life?

Living It Out…  Place your faith in God alone as you go through troubles in life.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will hear and answer your prayers for wisdom as you place your faith in Him alone.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are learning to place your faith in God alone.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you place your faith in God alone as you go through troubles in life.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 64 – James 1-2-8 – An Opportunity For Great Joy – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Consider It Pure Joy

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – 365 Days Of Promises - Day 1 - James 1:2-8 - Consider It Pure Joy - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – 365 Days Of Promises – Day 1 – James 1:2-8 – Consider It Pure Joy – Growing As Disciples

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:2-8 (NIV)

Joy

This life is filled with trials, of that I am sure. Sometimes, it seems like I have just left a trial, or I am about to enter another one. Yes, I know that I have been the cause of many of my own trials. I have made many dumb decisions and stupid mistakes that have brought trials into the heart and center of my life. But there are many trials that I did not cause. There are many trials I have not brought on myself. Trials are part of life. Trials are rampant in this sin broken world. Trials come in an almost unlimited variety of shape and sizes. Yes, they do. Did I mention, I am not a fan of trials. No, you did not. I would rather not go through them. If I can go around or pass by a trial that is fine with me. Yet, you say that I can have joy as I go through trials. It almost sounds like you are almost saying that I could welcome trials into my life as friends. Why is that? You tell me. I don’t know. What has happened to you as you have gone through trials?  I’m not sure what you are asking me. Has your faith grown stronger as you have persevered through trials? Yes, my faith has grown stronger as I have persevered through trials. Why is that? As I have gone through trials, I have cried out to you. I have asked you for your help. Would you know and rely on me less if you had not gone through trials? I’m sure that’s true. So, trials have helped you to come to know and rely on me more fully? Yes, that is true. There is no doubt about that. That’s right.

What have you learned about yourself as you have gone through trials? I have learned that I need wisdom, especially when I am going through trials. On my own, I am not likely to think or speak or act wisely when I am in the midst of trials. That sounds like an understatement to me. It is. I have thought and spoken and acted very foolishly when I have been in the midst of trials. What have your learned about me as you have gone through trials? You are the giver of wisdom. You are wise. You are all knowing. I can ask you for wisdom. You will not turn me away when I ask you for wisdom. You will generously give me all the wisdom I need when I ask you for it. Yes, I will.

Let’s recap this. I’m listening. Trials have caused your faith to grow. Trials have helped you to rely on me. Trials have led you to ask for and receive wisdom from me. Through trials you have come to know me better and follow me more closely. Is this all true? Yes, it is. Can you have joy in knowing all this about trials? Yes, I can. That is very good. 

Lord, I know trials will test my perseverance and strengthen my faith. I will let trials do their work in me so I will be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Help me through trials. With faith, I’m asking for all your wisdom as I go through various trials. Amen

Key Question…  What do you know that will help you to remain joyful even in the midst of trials?

Living It Out…  Ask God to give you wisdom as you go through trials in life.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will give you wisdom as you go through trails in life.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how God has given you wisdom as you have gone through trials in life.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you your faith grow strong as you are tested by trials.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 1 – James 1-2-8- Consider It Pure Joy – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com