06.13.07 (original entry)
["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. Than man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."]
Wisdom is a great deal different than information or intellect. Wisdom is tied to the "fear of the Lord" and requires discipline (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom involves a heart that claims Christ as both Lord and Savior, rather than merely a mouth that claims Christ as Savior. Wisdom involves a reverent and worshipful love of God. A continual theme of James will the Lordship of Christ, and action by the child of God in response to that Lordship. The "double-minded" man is more interested in a Savior than a Lord. This double-mindedness causes one eye to be heavenward and one eye to be fixed upon the treasures of this world. The spiritual battle Paul referenced in Galatians, where the Spirit of God and the sinful nature of natural man are in constant conflict in the heart of the child of God, is the root of this double-mindedness. Yet, if we believe that God will give us the wisdom to discern a righteous pursuit of the genuine treasure of God, then God will give such wisdom generously. The past failure of the repentant heart is not a stumbling block, for God gives wisdom "without finding fault." Yet, the heart that "doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." I wonder if this doubting finds its footing more in man's love of sin then it does in man's consideration of God's abilities and attributes. That is, the doubting is whether complete devotion toward God is more rewarding than the pleasures of a fallen world. This is the heart of the trial. This the allure of the temptation. The double-minded man is unstable. Instability in the face of temptation is a recipe for sin.
John Dee Spicer
Arkivi i blogut
About Me
I started the Daily Journal in 2000. I sent it as an email to a few friends (it was a round number, either 10 or 20, I can't remember exactly). It has grown over the years, primarily due to those original few forwarding it to others. During this time, I have journaled through Genesis, selected Psalms, the Gospel of John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and Peter's letters. (These are the books I can remember for sure this morning, anyway.) I don't have seminary training and don't claim to have special wisdom. Rather, I simply desire that others develop a love for God's word. There is only one interpretation for any Bible passage, and I will rely on the wisdom of scholars through the ages (at least those at my disposal) to help with that one interpretation. I will also attempt some practical application. Somewhere along the way I started sharing some funny things my kids would say, and this became known as "Heard 'Round the House." I will continue to share these priceless nuggets as my kids provide material. The "Daily" Journal is a bit of a misnomer, since I only do it Monday through Thursday. I don't do it on Friday because I attend a 6 am Bible Study. I don't do it on the weekends because so many received it at work (I may revise this approach since I have gone to the "Blog" format). I do read my Bible on a daily basis, and strongly recommend a chronilogical daily Bible - you will read the Bible completely each year, and the events unfold in a historical fashion.
