If you would look with me in your Bibles again to James 1. I'm going to go back and start in verse 1 and read down to verse 12. But really, my text is taken from verses 6 through 12. And we're going to look at what it is to ask in faith. ask in faith. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations or trials, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. And again, last time we established the premise that the faith here has to do with the gospel. This whole section has to do with a word of encouragement to those who are suffering because of the truth, because of the gospel, the exclusiveness of it, the distinctiveness of it. And we looked at that last time, how the very message separates families, friends, acquaintances, former associates. It determines where we worship or don't worship. So it's a very strong statement here, knowing this, that the trine of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work. that she may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing, lacking nothing. It speaks here of patience as almost animated, as a person doing her work. The idea even of her in a sense of gentleness. Patience doesn't beat you as it teaches you. It's like a smooth river that works over a rock and smooths it, a current, that you may be perfect, or whole is another way of looking at that, an entire wanting nothing. If any man lacked wisdom, and we saw that last time, wisdom how? In connection with how to live according to this gospel in this world, in your workplace, as men confront Let him ask of God that giveth to all liberally, man is in italic, so it's not saying that God gives to every person in the world liberally this wisdom, but to all in whom this patience is having her perfect work. All who are identified with this faith, you see, God gives to all liberally and abrades not, he doesn't chastise you for asking of him for wisdom. I think one of the problems in some circles that profess sovereign grace is that they promote at the same time some sort of stoic attitude that God's sovereign, so why are you even asking? You know, this is the way it is and it's the way it is. We run into people that way. But in there where there's life, there's affection, there's emotion, there's tenderness. And as we go through various, as it's described there, diverse temptations or trials, it does affect our being. And the Lord does use it to humble us. and to bring us to bow once again before His throne of grace and to seek Him. And the point here is that God will never, just like you wouldn't in a time of crisis, ever scold your child for coming to you and seeking your help. God abrades not. He's not going to upbraid you but rather will give you wisdom to deal with that situation. Now, it may not be the way we think it ought to be, but that's wisdom. Paul asks of the Lord three times to remove that thorn in the flesh, and he said, My grace is sufficient for you. I'm sure that whatever the thorn was, Paul was burdened by it, not for selfish reasons, but he was thinking in terms of how this would affect his ability to continue to preach the gospel. When you're laid low, when you're going through a particular trial, and you've been raised up to preach the gospel, and then the Lord strikes you with an infirmity, that goes through your mind. How am I going to be able to continue? How is it that I'll be able to be faithful to this message? into Christ. But the instruction here is, let him ask of God. And I would say that to you. We all are in different situations. It might be family. It might be work. I'm talking about with regard to the gospel. Some of you have come and shared with me different situations that you're facing. And you'll ask me, how do I go about this? Well, the scriptural answer is ask of God. Let him give you wisdom. I remember back in seminary days, you know, we would sit around and try to figure out how to deal with each particular group. If it was a Jew or if it was a Muslim, you know, if it was a Mormon, if it was a Catholic, if it was a Protestant. We tend to deal with everybody but the Baptist. They were in, but everybody else we had to figure out how to handle. That's just the way I was raised. But that's man's wisdom. It has nothing to do with the reality and the truth of the matter that this gospel concerning Christ and His death has to be revealed. The Spirit of God has to take it and reveal it to the heart of that sinner for whom Christ died. So it takes wisdom. It takes wisdom to know when to speak. It takes wisdom to know when to be silent. Don't we still somehow think, if I don't say anything, maybe that person might be lost if I don't say anything? If the Lord hadn't paid his debt, he's condemned already. It's not your speaker not speaking that's going to make a difference. We need wisdom in these matters. You can reason people into positions and persuasions and still they'll be lost. So it takes wisdom. On the other hand, it takes wisdom not to be, to swing to the other extreme from trying to persuade to saying nothing. So the Lord has to give us Wisdom. I've heard conversations where a person has said, you know, they said this and I just didn't know how to answer. So I just commend them the Lord. And then someone else jump in and say, well, I know how to answer. I'd have told them this. Well. Obviously, in the in the situation, the Lord purposely didn't answer. Don't try to go back and fix it. You run back in there and think, OK, I like that idea, I think I'll run in there and, you know, You're just stirring the pot. So these things take wisdom. But it says here, let him ask in faith nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. So now we're getting to the part that we want to look at. What it is to ask in faith. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth. and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, endureth tribulation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." look at this and have some understanding. I'll just give you four particular points here that I've drawn from this particular portion of what it is to ask in faith. First of all, it's to ask according to the faith. That's, I believe, a right way of interpreting this. Let him ask of God. That's who we address because he is the author of all things, the source of all things. So if we desire grace under trial, under affliction, and again, particularly with regard to the gospel, the opposition that we face as a result of it, would we not turn to the one who has revealed it to us in the first place? If you had a book and had some questions about the meaning, would you sit around and discuss it, try to figure out what the author meant, or would you go to the author? I believe that we go to the author. In areas of discrepancy and disagreement, we come to God. Let him ask of God. And he gives that patience. He gives that wisdom under trial. But it says, let him ask in faith. I believe that let's ask according to the faith. I don't know about you, but as the Lord has taught me, I'd be the last person to say I know how to pray as I ought. We know not how to pray as we ought. But I find help. And I find guidance when I don't know which direction to turn. Just simply coming to the Word of God, coming to the truth, coming to the gospel, and praying according to this Word. Praying according to the faith. If you're in front of a bunch of unbelievers and you work around them, do we pray a general prayer like you hear in religion? Lord, save them all. Nowhere in Scripture do we find that it's His will to save everybody. So it affects how you pray. Let them ask in faith. Let them ask according to the faith. Lord, if any of these are Your sheep, give me the patience. Give me the wisdom in how I respond with these that I work with that in Your time You might be pleased. reveal Christ in them even as you've been pleased to do with me. Doesn't that settle you a little bit? To recognize that maybe this person's reaction is because of the ignorance, that the Lord has not yet revealed Christ in them. But again, be careful. Don't write them off. We tend to do that. Let them ask in faith. Let them ask according to the faith. This might be one of the Lord's elect. who like Saul of Tarsus for a while was breathing out hatred against the Lord's church until such time as Christ was pleased to reveal himself in him. So we ask according to the faith. God's the object. He's the one we come to. But it says here, nothing wavering. nothing wavering. In other words, again here, it doesn't mean don't doubt yourself. There's this mentality that somehow if I can just stay focused and if I can just keep believing that we're going to see this thing done. It has to do with nothing wavering with regard to the truth. the faith. What is the faith but that which reveals God? His very being and His very existence. So no circumstance ought to cause me to consider that, well, maybe God's different. When I see people wavering, you know, they pray for something for some time and they just don't see the kind of response that they're after. And so they begin to change their doctrine. rather than just bow. And I've seen people over time become angry. They become angry with you, but they're really angry at God because they don't like the notion of a God who would actually subject them and keep them in that situation all their lifetime. They'd rather renounce that God and go and try to attach themselves to a God that can be manipulated. and ultimately get what they hope they want. That's what you do with an idol. You manipulate it. I've seen it in Africa over the years, you know. People change idols all the time. This one isn't working so let's try this one. Have you tried this? Have you tried this? But nothing wavering has to do with that firm persuasion that whether I ever see it, in my lifetime or not, whether the circumstances ever align as I believe they ought to, I still believe God. And I still rest in who He is. And I rest in that fact. And this, I'll tell you where it hits home, it's with your own children. That it may be that God has been pleased to pass them by. Will that change my idea or view of God? Absolutely not. He is who He is. He is God, let him do what he will. That's the sense here. We don't change the truth to accommodate doctrine to make us feel better. He is who he is. Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. Okay, so that's what he is. You ask in faith, you ask according to the faith, the truth, you ask without wavering. That's the second characteristic of it. Now is it right to ask? Yes. Notice the word ask. But ask according to the faith, nothing wavering. The word ask there is to supplicate. It will God be, does he desire us to pray? That's why he puts us in situations to where you cry out to him. This is a needy sinner crying out to the Lord. But as far as the thing asks for, you can see here in verse 6, he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Isn't the truth an anchor? You pull up that anchor, you're just going to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. let him ask nothing wavering. In verse 7, for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. The Lord does not bless error. So while you're wavering, while you're considering or reconsidering whether he is who he says he is, don't expect any peace. Don't expect any blessing as long as you waver, as long as you're looking somewhere else. It says in verse 8, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. When a person has divided interests, what should be our primary interest in any matter with regard to life? Isn't it God's glory? Isn't it the the glory of Christ and that unwavering persuasion which the Spirit gives fixes the heart upon Christ. It rests in the knowledge that even though I might be tossed about by every storm and trial and affliction with regard to these matters pertaining to the gospel and to to Christ, yet if I'm His, He'll never let me go. I rest in that. And so, double-mindedness is uncertainty. I'll tell you, the Lord will use trials in people's life to test profession. It's one thing to sit in the calm here and say amen to the fact that God is sovereign, say amen The fact that Christ's death was accomplished for a particular people, say amen to the fact that His grace is irresistible. These are all fundamental to the gospel. But watch a person when the Lord brings trial. Where do they go? What sort of response do they have? Does it drive them even more to Christ and to that settled truth? Do they find comfort in it? Is this their rest in peace? Or do you find them running away from it? I've had some people run away from it. Just even in observing particular trials that the Lord has brought me through. And it's humiliating because the Lord will lay you low. And other people observe it and think, well, what kind of God is that? If that's the kind of God He's preaching, I don't want anything to do with that God. I've had people tell me that. I'd rather not. Thank you very much. And they go away. On the other hand, when you're going through that particular trial, you're going to find out those that are the Lord's because their understanding. It draws you together. It causes them to speak to you in what? Continue to point you to Christ. And that's where you look. That's where you look. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. In other words, uncertain. At one moment, He's inclined to believe God, and then on the other hand, he's thinking, well, maybe these things aren't so. We would all wave. We would all falter. We would all go away were it not for the grace of God. But these trials tend to manifest and show where there's been hypocrisy. mere profession, because mere profession will not stand you in the day of trouble. The storm is going to strip away every pretense and every false profession. Oh, to have a heart like Job, because wasn't that a trial of his faith? The whole thing in Job, when you get down to the last chapters was to bring him to see God as he was. And he was brought to say, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. That's an astounding statement. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Will we as men and women be weak through trial? Yes, we're weak, but he's strong. But the bottom line is, a divided heart in these matters is an evidence of really a lack of grace. We need to be taught again. We need the Lord's grace, and that's the time to seek it. So to ask in faith is to ask according to the faith, is to ask without wavering. But then verse 9 and 10, ask in view of edifying one another. It says, let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted. You say, what does that mean? The brother of low degree rejoicing. Well, first of all, the brother. Doesn't the Scripture say that there's no trial or temptation that has taken you but such as is common to man? And that the Lord does provide that way of escape. Regardless of whatever particular trial we are going through, the Lord has given us brothers and sisters in Christ. And whether you're going through one now or not, just wait. It's like a wheel. You might be on this part of the wheel, but it's going to swing around and you're going to feel the pressure of the wheel and the wheel of providence. We're all at different stages and points. in our life. And there's going to be times that the brother of low degree, you know, a low degree is talking about somebody who may be without wealth. It might be somebody without any kind of earthly influence or rank. Doesn't that describe most of us? As far as the world concerns, who's thinking of Shreveport Grace Church? Who's thinking of any one of us right now? It's not. We're not front and center on the world stage. And yet, we're to rejoice that in Christ we possess true riches. And we possess true greatness and true rank. you think about what it is to be a child of the king or of the priest or an heir of all things this is how we're described we're uh... joint heirs with christ so don't let these trials don't let these oppositions don't let the uh... the difficulties that come because of your being separated out in this world, like the wheat being separated from the chaff. Do not let that affect your mindset as far as who you are. It says, let the brother of low degree rejoice and that he is exalted. How has he been exalted? When Christ died, I died. When he rose again, I rose again. When he ascended on high, I ascended. I'm seated in the heavenlies with Christ. And I share in the benefits of that blood that he shed. And that's that tie that binds. That's what draws us together as brothers and sisters in Christ. But it says there also in verse 10, let the rich, see, but the rich Do what? Still rejoice. See, rejoice is implied there. So let the rich rejoice in that he is made low. There is a time to be exalted and there is a time to be made low. You know, the natural tendency of wealth or talent or position is to fill us with pride or self-importance or vain glory. Now you know why we need trials. It causes us to, it's a reality check. It brings us low at Christ's feet. And the point here is that whatever the position, whatever the honor that we may have, If the Lord brings us low, even that's a mercy. Even that is a grace because it strips us from vanity. It strips us. You ever have a new thing that you bought and, you know, you really like it and it's clean, it's pristine, and then it gets its first scratch. And in your mind, oh, it ruined it. You know, you went so long trying not to scratch the face of it. Could be a watch, could be a Blackberry, you know. Could be a scratch on a car, brand new car, you know. Shopping cart comes and hits it, oh man. It's like the whole paint job's ruined now because there's a little scratch on the, that's the way we reason on little things in life. When we deal though with things spiritual, You know, we can say in one sense we're rich in Christ, but let's don't boast in those riches. Let's do not presume upon the grace of God. And that's why the Lord brings trial. You know, He lays you low, and what it does is strips you of that vain glory and that pride. Didn't Job say it's God that gives? He gave and He took away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I think about that when the Lord takes away even assurance. You ever had your assurance taken away? Some people tell me they never have. I'm not that way. Take away your joy of salvation. It doesn't have to be a sin. All the Lord has to do sometimes is just withhold His presence. And yesterday when you read the Scriptures, it opened up so beautifully and you thought, you know, it was the time of day I prayed. I think I'll pray tomorrow at this time. And what happens? You meet nothing there. Just as cold and empty, dry. Your thoughts all over. You know, you're scurrying your mind. These are things that, you know, the Lord determines. We're His to do with what He will. And the best thing you can do in those times is to bow and say, blessed be the name of the Lord. I'm thankful that even though I may not feel His presence, based upon the faith, if I'm His, He's not removed from me. I may not feel forgiveness, but feelings aren't my salvation. It's the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's His righteousness that He worked out. And so if that feeling of forgiveness is gone, I don't demand it of God. I don't, like a child, stand there and say, well, I'm not moving until you give it back to me. You may go days wondering whether you're one of the Lords. But if you are, it doesn't change the fact that you are. His blood has bought you. And in time, the Lord will strengthen. He'll raise you up, you see. We learn to live this way based upon His grace. Because everything in this flesh, and that's really the final point that we see here, everything in this flesh fades. Any glory for the moment is going to fade. You can have the most beautiful flower garden. I often wondered why on some of these, you know, look at these businesses and the landscape and whatnot, wondered how they keep the flowers so fresh all the time. Then I realized they're coming in and replacing them. You know? Someone's keeping an eye on it. They're starting to get a little bit, so let's dig them up. You see people out there digging them up and put new ones in. That's just the way life is. That's how the Lord deals with us. He opens these hands. Anything we're clinging to, He's going to open those hands and you're going to release it. And then in His time, He's going to, again, give you grace for today. And I believe that's the sense here. Because as the flower of the grass, He shall pass away. We're going to pass away. Our experiences pass away. Don't try to live on yesterday's manna. It's going to pass away. It's going to get worms and die. Because the sun is no sooner risen. What's the sun represent? Well, temptation, trial, difficulty. With a burning heat, but it withereth the grass and the flower thereof falleth. And the grace of the fashion of it perisheth. So also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Don't put confidence in any earthly riches, but don't put confidence in any spiritual riches. Don't think yesterday because I stood that I've got it. Let he that standeth take heed lest he fall. That's where we get in trouble. Constantly looking to Christ, resting in His grace. Earthly riches, earthly fame, glory, but even spiritual I've found. Like flowers, they have their outward show in beauty that attracts the eye and the mind. And we have to be careful even in giving testimonies not to fall into this trap where people gather around you and say, how'd you get through that trial? Tell me. How'd you face it? You know, it's good to encourage one another, but you know what? How I faced it can be of no help to you unless the Lord gives you grace to deal with it. And I'll tell you what, whatever I had when I faced that trial, when the next one comes, I need grace right now for this one. Because a lot of times people tend to think, well, you went through the worst trial you could ever imagine. back here. Oh no. Every trial, every affliction that the Lord brings is with a purpose to teach me again that I might rest in Him. So don't put your eye on anything, either physical or spiritual, that you look to rest in, idolize. I've mentioned to you before, the Lord had to deal with me. Even with that time where I believe He began that work of grace in me. I'm 22 some years removed now. Was it precious to me then? Yes. Is it precious to me now? This might surprise you, but I will tell you not as precious. Not as precious. I'm 22 years removed. I moved down this river. There's been an awful lot of other times and trials. and darknesses and difficulties where the Lord has dealt with me, that it really makes that back here, just the further you get away from it, the smaller it gets. Because I need His grace right now. I need it just as much as I ever did. And so do you. So do you. So where do we look? Continue to look to Christ. Is there ever any other answer? Do I ever find any kind of comfort anywhere other than in His blood and His righteousness? Whatever beauty, strength, or health, whether in a physical sense. You talk about getting old. I'm on the phone, you know, when He can speak now. It used to be Brother J.D. called me four or five times a day. Now I might hear from him once every two or three months when his voice is strong enough to speak above a whisper. But I've always been encouraged when he calls. He'll tell me this is one of the greatest endeavors he's ever needed is to grow old and grow old graciously. But you know what? Usually when you talk to him, he's been reading the Word, been reading the Scriptures. He'll talk to you about what the Lord is teaching him. To me, that's a strength. He's not holding on to his past strength or whatever he had. He's dealing with every day right now, but doing one thing, looking to Christ and looking to that finished work that he accomplished. That's a work of grace. So, verse 12 here, blessed is the man that endureth temptation. Will we have it? Absolutely. Blessed is that man that endures. The one great object, I believe, of these verses is to comfort and to direct the Lord's people under heavy trial to look to Christ alone. Trials don't produce faith. They reveal it. They manifest it. But they also strengthen it where the Lord has granted that faith. So happy is that man that stands up under. To endure means not trying to wiggle out, but stands up under when God has put him in the fire. Because the description there is when he has tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. What's the crown of life? It's called a crown because of its glory. You might translate even the glory of life. The glory of life everlasting. The understanding that no matter how bad it gets in this life, what's the worst case scenario? We're going to die. The Lord's going to take us from this world. That's a reality. We know that. So don't struggle under it. Face it. Rest in it. Submit to it. And it's the crown of glory because that's the glory that the Lord has given us to share that eternal life which He has given through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Over in 1 John chapter 3, and I'll close with this. 1 John chapter 3. Verse 1-3, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. You have a different source of refuge, of comfort than the world, if you're the Lord's. Behold, now are we the sons of God. So, that's in our standing. That hadn't changed. God chose us. Christ died for us. The Spirit has called us. The world may not recognize it. They'll run all over you. Some of the Lord's children have been chased from one end of the world to the other. Persecuted. The world hasn't recognized them for who they are, but they're still the Lord's. The fact that they're persecuted doesn't change that fact. And it says, it doth not yet appear what we shall be. what we shall be will be revealed in that final day as we stand around that throne and sing worthy is a lamb that was slain. And those who were perhaps our persecutors that died in that state apostate be cast away forever from the Lord's presence. Then it will be manifest. But in the meantime, what do we do? Endure. We endure. Because it says, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. There will be a change. We will be made like Him. No more sorrow. No more tears. No more trouble and opposition. We shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him, it says, purifies himself. It doesn't mean cleanse yourself in the sense of getting holier, What it does, that thought, that knowledge, that understanding of our ultimate end being Christ, being with Him forever, purges us. Purges us from any wavering, as we see in James 1, even as He is pure. He's of one mind. He's of one direction. And we're brought into line with that. you know, as he is pleased to teach us. So ask, ask of God, but ask in faith, ask according to the faith, which is that settled body of truth concerning Christ and his death, which is really all of our salvation. All right, let's take our hymn books and sing hymn number 294.