I invite you to turn with me this morning to, once again, to James chapter 1, as we read together the first 18 verses as we did last Sunday morning. Many of you recall that we considered verses 2 through 4, and the call to active Christian suffering, noticing that the surprise in Christian suffering is that we suffer, that we're called to suffer. It's not trials, but that we suffer, and that we are taught something in the midst of that. We are taught to know that God is testing our faith, and also that the testing of that faith produces perseverance which must finish his work so you may be mature and complete as James says not lacking anything this morning we consider verses five through eight in connection with this two-parter you might say and considering what James says about being equipped then for active Christian suffering beginning at verse one as we hear now the word of God James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations, greetings. 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. The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position, but the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant. Its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when by his own evil desire he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created. A beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, did you happen to notice, as we sang stanza 3 of number 455, the hymn we just sang, did you happen to notice the confession that we made together there? Let me remind us that stanza began with these words, should Thy mercy send us sorrow, toil, and woe? O God, if Your mercy should send us these things. Now, of course, that's not infallible Scripture, but that is according to the truth of Scripture. We know that God is in charge of all things. Nothing happens by chance. It is all by His design. Yet we might ask, how can that be true? How can it be that God's mercy would send these things? You see, we thought that God's mercy for the believer is not giving us what we deserve. That's mercy, right? We thought that God's mercy for the believer is to relieve misery, not to cause misery, not to inflict misery. So how can it be that God, in His mercy, would send us sorrow, toil, and woe? Again, we need to remember what we considered last week, verses 2-4. 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. We need to remember that in sorrow, toil, and woe, God is at work in us. And God is at work in us for our good. For the unbeliever, indeed, suffering is not merciful unless God should use that to turn one's heart to Himself. But for the believer, God is using that suffering to mold us and make us and shape us after His will. And that, beloved, is merciful. That is gracious. Because we don't deserve that God should do that for us. We don't deserve that He should take time with us to mold us and make us after His will. And when we understand that, when we understand what God is doing in us and for us through trials and suffering, then we can also understand, as we considered last week, the call to active Christian suffering. Again, not passively, not as a spectator, simply enduring and surviving it without any sort of change for the better. And not reactively shaking our clenched fist at God, saying, what are you doing, God? What in the world were you thinking when you sent that my way? But instead, as actively participating in faith, always asking what God is designing for my life and my character and my conduct. And I trust we see, as we hope to talk about in a few minutes, but also this suffering and trials this way affects our prayer life. You see, our natural instinct is to run away from suffering. It is to shrink in the midst of pain. To ask God, take it away, God, take it away quickly. Please rescue me. Deliver me. But we also need to remember, beloved, that God is not telling us in the midst of trial to delight in pain and suffering. but he is telling us to delight in him in the midst of suffering because he is faithful and he will provide a way of escape, as Paul says. And often that way of escape may very well be by way of the pathway of enduring trials and suffering. Perseverance. And of course that's something that confuses the world, doesn't it? The world is confused when they see a believer who is undergoing severe trials and testing and suffering. The world is confused when they see that believer able to smile. And able to simply get out of bed in the morning. And to continue on and go forward in life. The world is confused by that. But even as God's people, we too might be tempted to ask, well, how is this possible? All that James says here, consider it pure joy. Oh, we know what he has said so far, but how is it possible? What James teaches in this text before us, the how. That God's people are also equipped for active Christian suffering. Or supplied for it, if you will. Equipped with covenantal direction. Equipped by our covenantal God and equipped in terms of the covenantal condition. You see, we serve a God who has bound Himself to His people in a covenantal relationship and we enjoy the comfort of that covenantal relationship not because of what we have done but because of Jesus Christ. Because He has fulfilled all righteousness. Because He has merited every single covenantal blessing for us. So that God hears and cares and answers and protects and preserves us and as well in the midst of trials He equips us with covenantal direction first of all. Now we have to confess that we need the direction in the midst of trials. We might not think we need it when everything is going well, but we certainly need it when we are facing trials. Remember God's goal for us in verse 4 is that we be mature, complete, not lacking anything. His goal is our complete sanctification which we will enjoy in the glory of heaven one day, but we are not yet there. And while we are still here, we must confess our lack. James says, if any of you lacks, and he says it in such a way as if to say, and you all do. If any of you lacks, and you all do. As we face trials, beloved, we lack. As we face trials, and as we experience the suffering that goes with it, we can become disoriented. We can be knocked off of balance, as it were, and it It may be that we do not see the situation or think through the situation clearly. We might not be able to locate, as we sometimes say, the light at the end of the tunnel. The situation simply might not make any sense to us. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 12, Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror. Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. We have a need for direction. And James also goes on to talk about the direction that we need. He says, if any of you lacks what? Wisdom. Now that's a shock. That's a surprise in itself. If any of you lacks wisdom as you face trials, wisdom. Not strength. Not deliverance. Not escape. Not endurance? Those are the things that we would think that we need in suffering, right? No. That's not our greatest need. Our greatest need is not pain management. It is not the ability to make that next house payment. It is not the reversal of the situation that is causing the suffering. That's not our greatest primary need, beloved, but our greatest need in trials is wisdom. That's a biblical, covenantal word which is rich in content. The writer of Proverbs says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And as we obey, as we keep the commandments of God by the power of the Spirit, we learn wisdom. And what is wisdom? In Proverbs 2, verse 6, the writer equates it with knowledge and understanding. We can say very simply that wisdom is the proper use, The right use of knowledge to achieve the proper end. Using knowledge rightly to achieve the proper end. And it involves discernment. Discernment is, we might say, to separate, to distinguish, and then to select what is true and appropriate and excellent. Discernment is the ability to determine what's real and true from what's not. It's the ability to determine truth and reality underneath the surface, behind the appearance. One who is discerning reads the situation and makes good and wise decisions. Young people, that's what your parents and your elders and your pastors pray for you. That you would be able to discern good from evil. That you would be able to discern right from wrong. You see, this is what we need in our trials and our suffering. Wisdom. Again, verses 2-4, remember, teach us that we have knowledge. Remember, wisdom is the right, the correct use of knowledge. We have knowledge. What is that knowledge? That knowledge is that in trials, God is working. He is testing our faith. And the other knowledge that we have, as James says, is that that tested faith develops perseverance that we will be made mature. We have that knowledge, and therefore wisdom is the proper use of that knowledge, putting that knowledge to work in our trials. We need wisdom in trials to know and understand godliness and in order to do what is pleasing to God so that we will not, as we sang, lest by base denial I depart from Thee. We need wisdom in trials. with discernment to direct us how to live in those trials. How to face them. How to understand what God is doing in them in order that we might glorify God in and through our trials. In order that we might be obedient in the midst of suffering. In order that we might consider it pure joy when we face all kinds of trials. Wisdom, as one commentator says, describes is an inner spiritual direction finder. Kind of like a gyroscope that helps us understand where up is. It's an inner spiritual direction finder that in the midst of experiences and circumstances that do disorient us and knock us off balance or off course or do toss us around a bit, it gives us balance, it gives us perspective that no matter how far we are tipping over because of the suffering, we are unable to see up from down and sideways from sideways. So that we are able to see God's hand at work for my good. So that we are able to see that He is my refuge and my strength. He is my ever-present help in troubles. So that we are unable to see, as the psalmist says in Psalm 138, verse 8, that the Lord will fulfill His purpose for me, no matter how He does it. He will fulfill it. So that we can see God's love for me, at work in and for me, that we might see God's glory and God's grace even in the midst of trials and suffering, and then be able to respond to all of that appropriately. We have a need for direction. The direction that we need, beloved, is wisdom in the face of trials and the source of direction then. The source of that needed wisdom is God's Word. The promises of God's Word, which are ours because of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has indeed merited every blessing for us. God's Word, Psalm 119, verse 105, says, Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Now, boys and girls, the psalmist there is not talking about a nice big lamp that you might have sitting on a coffee table in your living room. He's not even talking about one of these lights up here. You know, if it was dark right now, if it was night time, and only one of these lights was on. The light would spread out, it would give enough light, that though we might not be able to see the words on the page in the Bible, yet it would give us enough light to see where we were going. To be able to exit or move around. That's not the kind of lamp that the psalmist is talking about. He's talking about a foot lamp. Something that was carried down below by the knee or a little below the knee that gave just enough light for one step at a time. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light for my path. God doesn't always give us the light that we need to see for tomorrow or next week or next year or even three hours from now, but for one step at a time. Thy Word alone, O Lord, gives and provides balance and direction in trials. It gives wisdom, which is covenantal direction, for one step at a time. You see, beloved, even in suffering, we are not to abandon God's holiness, but we are called to reflect it. Sometimes, even God's people in the midst of suffering and trials, we sort of abandon God's holiness and what He desires and expects of us. Sometimes, when God's people face trials, they don't go to church. They face death in the family. I can't face anybody, you see. That's where we belong. In the midst of suffering and trials, beloved, we are not to escape the congregation of God's people, but come and be enfolded by the congregation of God's people. Even in suffering, we are not to abandon God's holiness, but reflect it. And James makes clear, too, that this direction, this wisdom is to be asked for, he says he should ask of God. He should ask. Pray. As we said in the beginning, that's one of the benefits of suffering, isn't it? It enriches, as many of us have found by experience, it enriches our prayer life. It brings us into focus that I am weak and I am needy. And there is only one who can help me. You see, beloved, if you have become lazy and sloppy and undisciplined in your prayer life, simply nodding your head for a few seconds, maybe a time or two a day, should you be surprised if God comes through trials and reminds you of your need and reminds you of the true source of all blessings? Should we be surprised? After all, the preacher in Ecclesiastes says there's a time for everything. There's a time to laugh. There's a time to mourn. If you're laughing today, who says you won't be mourning tomorrow? We don't know if that's what God has in store for you and me, but should we be surprised? You see, if you were not praying, could it be that at this point your life is going way too well for you? We are to ask of God and, beloved, ask of Him in advance of the suffering and trials that may come. That you may be equipped. That you may be prepared. Because being equipped for active Christian suffering is only in the second place by our covenantal God. Verse 5 again, 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. Beloved, God alone gives the needed wisdom in trials. And it comes only from above. It's not found in the advice column on the local newspaper. It's not found from Oprah or Dr. Phil or Tyra or anybody else. They will only tell you to look for some way to get out of it, but not to endure it. It only comes from God who has saved us in Jesus Christ. And He is the one, beloved, who is generous, James says. He gives. And in His generosity, He gives without hesitation. There are no blackout dates when it comes to God's giving of His gifts. There is no ineligibility period like there is often with insurance. You've got to wait 30, 60, 90 days before it's effective. God does not make us sit and think. He does not have to think about it and make us wait. He gives generously also without bargaining. He does not say, I will give to you if you... And He doesn't hold out His gift and then pull it back. He doesn't tease us like we may have done with our children or some of the younger parents might do now when your young child is just learning to walk. You hold out a toy and you back up and you make them follow, take a few more steps, you tease them. Or boys and girls, you might do that with your puppy, with a dog biscuit and make them follow you around? God doesn't do that with his children. He doesn't play with our emotions. He doesn't make us wonder. He is generous. He gives also without portioning out. He does not have only so much blessing to go around so that he can only give you so much that he can save some for me. He has more than enough for all to give each one of us all that we need to serve Him with all that we have. He is a generous God, but He is also an understanding God. James says He gives without finding fault. And the idea there is without rebuke, without insult, without scolding. Not to say that God does not admonish or discipline His people. He does, but the point here is for those who come to Him desiring wisdom. He gives without finding fault. He doesn't throw it in your face or mine. He doesn't say, well, you don't deserve it. But I'll help you this time. But don't plan on it again. Sometimes as parents, we do that with our kids, don't we? Especially maybe when they get a little bit older, our kids get in a jam, and when they finally have the courage to come and tell us about it, we want to wag our finger in their face and say, you know, if you had only listened to me the first time, If you had only done what I said to do, this wouldn't have happened. And we want them to feel ashamed. But you see, beloved, God never gives in a way that makes us feel ashamed that we asked. He never gives in a way that makes us feel sorry that we asked Him. He is gentle and kind, and if you are His child by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, He says, no matter what you have done, No matter who you have been or what kind of life you have lived, no matter what circumstances you have encountered, come to me. Don't go elsewhere. As parents, we tell our kids that too. We say, you can come to me anytime. Please, do so. We can't guarantee them that we won't be upset. We can't guarantee them that we'll be fully understanding. We can't guarantee them that we will help them. But our God can. He says, don't go elsewhere. Come to me. I will give. And sometimes as parents become weary because their children don't seem to learn, our God never wearies. No matter how often we mess up, He never wearies. He says, come again and again and again because He is also a God who listens. James says it will be given to Him. What a powerful promise. It's so clear, beloved. He gives without measure. He gives to overflowing. He gives wisdom and direction and balance in suffering. And He gives to those who come looking for wisdom. Who truly desire it. He's not going to give to those who come simply wanting a quick fix. God, if You help me, if You get me out of this jam, I'll do, let's see, what can I do for You? Well, I'll do something for You. you see these kind of people have no desire to be serviceable to the purpose and to the will of god these have their focus only on themselves god gives to those who genuinely come to him with a desire looking for wisdom they come to the very one alone who is to be our focus god teaches beloved that in trials and suffering we are to direct our attention to the perfection and the power and the character of God. Not on ourselves. Not even on our own faith. Sometimes even well-meaning Christian people, they are suffering and they're suffering intensely and they are brought to the point where they say, I don't know if my faith is strong enough to get me through it. Or someone might try to encourage them and say, well, your faith will get you through it. But to both of these, we have to respond, no. God never expected our faith to get us through it. That's not the purpose of faith. The purpose of faith is to receive Christ and all of His benefits. The purpose of faith, beloved, is to look to God, who will get us through it, as He has promised, as He has demonstrated through Jesus Christ. We have peace with God through Him. You see, God, His Word, His promises are strong. They are enduring. They are everlasting. And in suffering, we are to get our eyes off of ourselves and meditate and dwell on the virtue and the character and the perfection of our God. And again, as I mentioned at the beginning, this affects our prayer life, doesn't it? It refines our prayer life when we understand, beloved, that we are called to have joy when we face all kinds of trials. Joy in suffering. When we understand what that means, that we are to ask for wisdom and all that that means, then maybe we won't be so quick to ask for healing or to ask for restoration or to ask for deliverance or to ask for whatever it is that is making us miserable to have that taken away. But instead, maybe we will be a little more quick to ask that so-and-so if we're praying for someone or that I myself might learn the lesson of patience and humility or sacrifice, that I might enjoy refined character, that I might learn whatever God purposes to teach me through that trial. And then we will pray, Father, do not take that trial away from Me. Do not relieve Me of My suffering until I have learned what it is You want Me to learn. Oh, that's a hard prayer, isn't it? That's a hard prayer. But what a blessed prayer. Because God will give it. Only with our eyes uplifted, dwelling on the person and the power and the perfection of God confessing His sovereignty and meaning it, only then can we say whatever Your will be, O Lord, let it be done. And let me be content with Your sufficient grace. This covenant God equips His people to consider it pure joy when we face all kinds of trials. And He equips His people to ask for wisdom, which He gives in the third place then in terms of the covenantal condition. And don't worry, now we're not talking about our earning power. But you see, God will give what Jesus Christ has earned for those who have true faith. Beginning at verse 6 again, 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. The terms of the covenantal condition, beloved, is faith. Not only is our faith tested, as James says, but God says, use it. Exercise it. Put it into practice. When you ask, when you pray, believe. Don't doubt. See, true faith, beloved, as the catechism says, is not only a knowledge and conviction that all that God reveals in His Word in true. It is that. All of that. But it's not only that. It is also a deep-rooted assurance created in me by the Holy Spirit through the Word that all that Jesus Christ has done, all that He has secured, is for me too. And that includes a saving relationship with our Heavenly Father who is both willing, because He is our Father, and He is able, because He is Almighty, to give us what we need. To do what He has promised. He will give, as Jesus said, He will give rest to those who are weary and burdened. And therefore, as Hebrews 4.16 says, Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence. So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Believe. Do not doubt. Doubting, you see, is the antithesis of faith. And James gives a very vivid description of the doubter here. He is like the waves that are tossed around by the wind. Boys and girls, you understand that if you go to the beach. Especially if you go near the breakwaters, all those big stones piled up in that path that you can walk out a ways. That water is rough. And the stronger the wind, those waves are chopping up and down, and even if you're out in the water, those waves make you bob up and down, and they even come over your head, and they make you disappear for a time, and then you come out again. They can be dangerous. it's like a doubting man it's dangerous a doubting man is like the waves thrown around by the wind throwing prayers up half-heartedly not really believing what he asks for and not really believing that God is interested in giving him what he asks for maybe not even believing that God is able to and as someone has said that one the doubting man faces a two-fold problem number one, he gets nothing for his trouble and number two, he gets beat up by suffering and James says he is double-minded and that's no compliment he is unstable in all his ways when life is going well that very same one is not content he's always looking over his shoulder he is skeptical, he is never trusting he lacks wisdom he lacks direction a double-minded man has two personalities with one he says, I don't need God with the other one he says, well I might as well try religion. I've got nothing to lose if it doesn't work. You never know. It might do a little bit of good but there's no faith. And James makes it clear though that that one will not be heard. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. Beloved, God will not hear all that is called or all that is offered as prayer. Again, in this coming week we are called as a nation to observe the National Day of Prayer. And much prayer, much that is called prayer, will be offered in many different names, under many different religious names. But contrary to what some people believe, if some people pray in the name of Muhammad or Allah, that prayer will not be heard by the Almighty Sovereign God. He will not hear all that is called or offered as prayer. It must be only to Him through Jesus Christ and it must be offered in true faith. Dear people of God, God calls us to and He also equips us for active Christian suffering. And He alone can command us to have joy as we face trials and suffering because He gives every reason to have joy. He gives direction. He gives wisdom to see His powerful hand at work in us for our good. He gives us wisdom to know how to face trials and sufferings with confidence in Him. He gives wisdom coupled with assurance that through it all, He is preparing us for a life of eternal glory with Him. And only to those with true faith in Jesus Christ, God gives direction and wisdom to make sense, not in the worldly sense, because we can't begin to, but in the spiritual sense to make sense of war and rising gas and food costs and a failing economy and job loss and death and illness and all kinds of suffering. Only those with true faith find contentment, whether well-fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want, because God, through His Word, shows us that He knows the end from the beginning. He shows us that He is in control of the events of history and all of the events of our lives. He shows us that He knows what He's doing. and for those who don't believe they are without direction they have no clue which way is up which way is down they're going in circles there's only chaos and confusion and terror as they face trials and suffering and all they can do is rely on themselves and what they can see and that is dangerous it is hollow it is hopeless but for those who turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith what a blessed gift from our God God's grace is greater than all of our fears He removes the focus from ourselves and from our strength and even from our faith and He turns it to His person to His power to His perfection and beloved we are not to run from trials and suffering young people do not run from trials and suffering. But we are called to delight in God in the midst of them because through them God is preparing us for the rest of our lives here and for the glory to come. And instead, as we face them, we are to ask Him to help us learn what He is meaning for us to learn. Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil, and woe? Or should pain attend me on my path below? Grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see. Grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee. Let him who asks believe and not doubt. Amen. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes we try to make your grace and your work in our lives so difficult because we want to inject ourselves in it all the time. And especially as we face trials with the resulting sufferings, somehow we think that we have to participate in a way that we can relieve these things. But indeed, you make it so simple for us. But oftentimes in our blindness and in our ignorance, we want to twist everything around. But you simply say, look to me. Look to me and I will give you what you need. And Father, we do thank you as hard as that may be for us at times and as difficult as that may be for the world to understand, we do thank you for the trials and the difficulties that we face. Because you have taught us that you are working in us through these things, that you are molding and shaping us. And indeed, O Lord, give us the wisdom that we need to endure these things, to act appropriately as you would have us to act, to endure them as you would have us to endure them. Knowing, Father, that strengthened by your Spirit, we will not fail. But you will bring us safely through the flood to the other side. Father, we thank you that indeed you are our great shepherd who guides us through the valley of the shadow of death and difficulty, who will never leave us or forsake us, but holds us until you bring us safely home. It's in that confidence, oh Lord, we pray to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.