Post by Char on Oct 24, 2008 17:18:36 GMT -6
LOVING ADVICE FOR ANXIOUS SEEKERS.
JAMES 1:5
I have heard of a young man who went to college; and, when he had been there one year, his parent said to him, "what do you know?" "Do you know more than when you went?" "I do." Then he went the second year, and was asked the same question. "Do you know more than when you went?" "Oh, no." said he; "I know a great deal less," "well," said the father, "your getting on." Then he went the third year and was asked the same question, "what do you know now?" "Oh" said he, "I don’t think I know anything." "That is right" said the father, "you have now learned to profit, since you say you know nothing."
He who is convinced that he knows nothing of himself, as he ought to know, gives up steering
his ship, and lets God put His hand on the rudder, He lays aside his own wisdom and crises. "Oh God, my little wisdom is cast at thy feet; my little judgment is given to thee."
James 1:5...has a special reference to persons in trouble.
Much tempted and severely tried saints are frequently at their wits end, and though they may be persuaded that in the end good will come out of their afflictions, yet for the present they may be so distracted as not to know what to do.
Whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma, this text consoles us.
This text might be peculiarly comforting to some of you who are working for God.
You cannot work long for your heavenly Lord without perceiving that you need a greater wisdom than our own.
Your lips shall overflow with knowledge, and your tongue shall drop with words of wisdom, if you wilt but wait on God and hear Him before you speakest to your fellow men.
Thou shalt be made wise to win soul if you wilt learn to sit at the masters feet.
I. THE GREAT LACK OF MANY SEEKERS, NAMELY, WISDOM.
This lack occurs from divers reasons.
Sometimes it is their pride which makes them fools. Like Naaman, they would do some great thing if the prophet had bidden them, but the will not wash and be clean.
If this be your difficulty—and I believe in nine cases out of ten a proud heart is at the root of all difficulty about the sinners coming to Christ–then go to God about it, and seek wisdom from Him.
He will show you the folly of this pride of ours, and teach you that simply to trust in Jesus is at once the safest and most suitable way of salvation.
Many persons also are made foolish, so that they lack wisdom through their despair. Probably nothing makes a man seem so much like a maniac as the loss of hope. When you see the blackness of sin, I do not wonder that you art driven to despair. You lack wisdom because you are in such a worry and turmoil.
As John Bunyon used to say, "You are much troubled up and down in your thoughts, I pray you, then, ask wisdom of God, and even out of the depths, if you cry unto Him, He will be pleased to instruct you and bring you out into a safe way."
No doubt many other persons lack wisdom because the are not instructed in gospel doctrine.
The window of the understanding is blacked up with ignorance; if we could but clean away the cobwebs and filth, then might the light of knowledge of Christ come streaming in, and they might rejoice in His salvation.
If you are be-mired and be puzzled with difficult doctrine; the text comes to you and says, IF ANY MAN LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
Ignorance also of Christian experience is another cause for the lack of wisdom. The way of life is a new road to you, poor seeking soul, and therefore you lack wisdom in it and make many mistakes about it. The text lovingly advice, ASK OF GOD.
Very likely, in addition to all this, which may well enough make you lack wisdom, there are certain singularities in the action of providence toward you which fill you with dismay. It is not at all an uncommon thing for the Lord to add to the inward scourgings of conscience the outward lashing of affliction. Then it is that eternal mercy will take advantage of your dire extremity, and your deep distress shall bring you to Christ, who never would have been brought by any other means.
Many lack wisdom because, in addition to all their fears and their ignorance, they are fiercely attacked by Satan. If any of you--- that must means you— IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT....
II. THE PROPER PLACE OF A SEEKER’S RESORT.---- LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
Now you perceiver that the man is directed at once to God without any intermediated object of ceremony or person.
When a man can honestly say, "I have bowed the knee unto the Lord God of Israel, and asked Him, for Jesus’s sake, to guide me by His spirit, and then I turned to the book of God, asking to be my guide into the book," I cannot believe but what such a man will soon obtain saving wisdom.
III. THE RIGHT MODE IN WHICH TO GO TO GOD.
The text says, LET HIM ASK, which is a method implying that ignorance is confessed. No man will ask wisdom till he know that he is ignorant.
Asking has also in it the fact that God is believed in— we cannot ask of a person of whose existence we have any doubt, and we will not ask of a person of whose hearing us we have serious suspicious.
There is in this method of approaching God by asking also a clear sight that salvation is by grace. LET HIM ASK..
Observe here what an acknowledgment of dependence there is, man sees that he cannot find wisdom anywhere else.
IV. THE TEXT HAS IN IT ABUNDANT ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SUCH A SEEKERS.
There are four encouragements here.
LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVETH TO ALL MEN.
The next comfort is, He gives to all men liberally. He bestows His wealth by handfuls.
The third comfort, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT....Sweet words.
Then comes the fourth encouragement. IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM.
LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHICH GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT.
Now, if the Lord gives to all men, He will certainly give to the seeker.
V. LOVING ADVICE FOR ANXIOUS SEEKERS.
He who is convinced that he knows nothing of himself, as he ought to know, gives up steering his ship, and lets God put His hand on the rudder.
James 1:5 has a special reference to person in trouble. There is much tempted and severly tried saints today.
Whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma, this text consoles us. You need a greater wisdom than our own. Tongue shall drop with words of wisdom, thou shalt be made wise to win souls.
In nine cases out of ten a proud heart is at the root of all difficulty about the sinners coming to Christ.
A man seem so much like a maniac as the loss of hope. No doubt many other persons lack wisdom because they are not instructed in gospel doctrine.
Ignorance also of Christian experience is another cause for the lack of wisdom.
Many lack wisdom because in addition to all their fears and their ignorance, they are fiercely attacked by Satan.
The proper place of a seeker’s resort. LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
The right mode in which to go to God. LET HIM ASK, without doubting.
The text has in it abundant encouragement for such a seekers.
IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM.
What encouragement.
Now, if the Lord gives to all, He will certainly give to the seeker.
JAMES 1:5
I have heard of a young man who went to college; and, when he had been there one year, his parent said to him, "what do you know?" "Do you know more than when you went?" "I do." Then he went the second year, and was asked the same question. "Do you know more than when you went?" "Oh, no." said he; "I know a great deal less," "well," said the father, "your getting on." Then he went the third year and was asked the same question, "what do you know now?" "Oh" said he, "I don’t think I know anything." "That is right" said the father, "you have now learned to profit, since you say you know nothing."
He who is convinced that he knows nothing of himself, as he ought to know, gives up steering
his ship, and lets God put His hand on the rudder, He lays aside his own wisdom and crises. "Oh God, my little wisdom is cast at thy feet; my little judgment is given to thee."
James 1:5...has a special reference to persons in trouble.
Much tempted and severely tried saints are frequently at their wits end, and though they may be persuaded that in the end good will come out of their afflictions, yet for the present they may be so distracted as not to know what to do.
Whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma, this text consoles us.
This text might be peculiarly comforting to some of you who are working for God.
You cannot work long for your heavenly Lord without perceiving that you need a greater wisdom than our own.
Your lips shall overflow with knowledge, and your tongue shall drop with words of wisdom, if you wilt but wait on God and hear Him before you speakest to your fellow men.
Thou shalt be made wise to win soul if you wilt learn to sit at the masters feet.
I. THE GREAT LACK OF MANY SEEKERS, NAMELY, WISDOM.
This lack occurs from divers reasons.
Sometimes it is their pride which makes them fools. Like Naaman, they would do some great thing if the prophet had bidden them, but the will not wash and be clean.
If this be your difficulty—and I believe in nine cases out of ten a proud heart is at the root of all difficulty about the sinners coming to Christ–then go to God about it, and seek wisdom from Him.
He will show you the folly of this pride of ours, and teach you that simply to trust in Jesus is at once the safest and most suitable way of salvation.
Many persons also are made foolish, so that they lack wisdom through their despair. Probably nothing makes a man seem so much like a maniac as the loss of hope. When you see the blackness of sin, I do not wonder that you art driven to despair. You lack wisdom because you are in such a worry and turmoil.
As John Bunyon used to say, "You are much troubled up and down in your thoughts, I pray you, then, ask wisdom of God, and even out of the depths, if you cry unto Him, He will be pleased to instruct you and bring you out into a safe way."
No doubt many other persons lack wisdom because the are not instructed in gospel doctrine.
The window of the understanding is blacked up with ignorance; if we could but clean away the cobwebs and filth, then might the light of knowledge of Christ come streaming in, and they might rejoice in His salvation.
If you are be-mired and be puzzled with difficult doctrine; the text comes to you and says, IF ANY MAN LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
Ignorance also of Christian experience is another cause for the lack of wisdom. The way of life is a new road to you, poor seeking soul, and therefore you lack wisdom in it and make many mistakes about it. The text lovingly advice, ASK OF GOD.
Very likely, in addition to all this, which may well enough make you lack wisdom, there are certain singularities in the action of providence toward you which fill you with dismay. It is not at all an uncommon thing for the Lord to add to the inward scourgings of conscience the outward lashing of affliction. Then it is that eternal mercy will take advantage of your dire extremity, and your deep distress shall bring you to Christ, who never would have been brought by any other means.
Many lack wisdom because, in addition to all their fears and their ignorance, they are fiercely attacked by Satan. If any of you--- that must means you— IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT....
II. THE PROPER PLACE OF A SEEKER’S RESORT.---- LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
Now you perceiver that the man is directed at once to God without any intermediated object of ceremony or person.
When a man can honestly say, "I have bowed the knee unto the Lord God of Israel, and asked Him, for Jesus’s sake, to guide me by His spirit, and then I turned to the book of God, asking to be my guide into the book," I cannot believe but what such a man will soon obtain saving wisdom.
III. THE RIGHT MODE IN WHICH TO GO TO GOD.
The text says, LET HIM ASK, which is a method implying that ignorance is confessed. No man will ask wisdom till he know that he is ignorant.
Asking has also in it the fact that God is believed in— we cannot ask of a person of whose existence we have any doubt, and we will not ask of a person of whose hearing us we have serious suspicious.
There is in this method of approaching God by asking also a clear sight that salvation is by grace. LET HIM ASK..
Observe here what an acknowledgment of dependence there is, man sees that he cannot find wisdom anywhere else.
IV. THE TEXT HAS IN IT ABUNDANT ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SUCH A SEEKERS.
There are four encouragements here.
LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVETH TO ALL MEN.
The next comfort is, He gives to all men liberally. He bestows His wealth by handfuls.
The third comfort, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT....Sweet words.
Then comes the fourth encouragement. IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM.
LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHICH GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT.
Now, if the Lord gives to all men, He will certainly give to the seeker.
V. LOVING ADVICE FOR ANXIOUS SEEKERS.
He who is convinced that he knows nothing of himself, as he ought to know, gives up steering his ship, and lets God put His hand on the rudder.
James 1:5 has a special reference to person in trouble. There is much tempted and severly tried saints today.
Whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma, this text consoles us. You need a greater wisdom than our own. Tongue shall drop with words of wisdom, thou shalt be made wise to win souls.
In nine cases out of ten a proud heart is at the root of all difficulty about the sinners coming to Christ.
A man seem so much like a maniac as the loss of hope. No doubt many other persons lack wisdom because they are not instructed in gospel doctrine.
Ignorance also of Christian experience is another cause for the lack of wisdom.
Many lack wisdom because in addition to all their fears and their ignorance, they are fiercely attacked by Satan.
The proper place of a seeker’s resort. LET HIM ASK OF GOD.
The right mode in which to go to God. LET HIM ASK, without doubting.
The text has in it abundant encouragement for such a seekers.
IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM.
What encouragement.
Now, if the Lord gives to all, He will certainly give to the seeker.
