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Help! What Do I Do?

Help! What Do I Do?. James 1:5-8. Help! What Do I Do?. We are rolling through a series of sermons launched from the book of James James is a book full of wisdom for Christian living today Tonight we continue to look at the first chapter of this particular book

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Help! What Do I Do?

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  1. Help! What Do I Do? James 1:5-8

  2. Help! What Do I Do? • We are rolling through a series of sermons launched from the book of James • James is a book full of wisdom for Christian living today • Tonight we continue to look at the first chapter of this particular book • Last week we studied the topic of “Trials”

  3. Help! What Do I Do? • Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a problem and not known what to do? • It could be a minor issue, or perhaps one that is very complex • Many of us have had at least one point in our lives where we simply did not know what to do

  4. Help! What Do I Do? • It’s nothing to be ashamed of…no one has all the answers all the time • The question we might ask is, “What do I do when I don’t know what to do?” • Sounds a bit confusing, but James answers that question immediately following his words on the trials of life

  5. Help! What Do I Do? • 1. Wisdom is the key (v. 5) • “If any of you lacks wisdom…” • What exactly is wisdom? • Wisdom is using the knowledge we have, properly, to make good decisions • Wisdom is understanding, insight, ability to discern

  6. Help! What Do I Do? • 1. Wisdom is the key (v. 5) • There are a couple of different kinds of wisdom as well (Js. 3:13-18) • There is the wisdom of the world or earthly wisdom • This wisdom is envious and self-seeking and will lead to confusion and evil

  7. Help! What Do I Do? • 1. Wisdom is the key (v. 5) • There is a heavenly wisdom as well • This wisdom is shown by good conduct in meekness • It’s a wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality & hypocrisy

  8. Help! What Do I Do? • 1. Wisdom is the key (v. 5) • The problem is we do not always possess this type of wisdom • That is why James begins by saying, “If any of you lacks wisdom…” • So what do we do when we lack decision making power?

  9. Help! What Do I Do? • 2. Ask God for wisdom (v. 5) • God is the supreme source of wisdom • James speaks in chapter 3 of “the wisdom that is from above” • We do not get godly wisdom simply from our own “smarts”; we must recognize the true source

  10. Help! What Do I Do? • 2. Ask God for wisdom (v. 5) • Before I read books written by man, seek advice from friends, family, elders, etc., I must first petition God • James says we should “ask of God” • God should be our first source, not our lastresort

  11. Help! What Do I Do? • 2. Ask God for wisdom (v. 5) • We ask God for wisdom, not just because He is the true source, but because He “gives to all liberally and without reproach” • Liberally = freely, bountifully • Reproach = not chide or taunt or find fault

  12. Help! What Do I Do? • 3. Ask God in faith (v. 6-7) • We always want to know what the catch is on some deal offered to us • The only catch here is that you believe that God is going to give you wisdom • That sounds easy, but can be very difficult when we tend to trust in ourselves

  13. Help! What Do I Do? • 3. Ask God in faith (v. 6-7) • Do you believe that God answers prayers? • Matthew 7:7-8 – Ask, Seek, Knock • I John 5:14-15 – We must ask for things that are according to His will (wisdom is one of those things)

  14. Help! What Do I Do? • 3. Ask God in faith (v. 6-7) • Matt. 21:22 – “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” • Heb. 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” • If we ask without faith, then we might as well not ask

  15. Help! What Do I Do? • 3. Ask God in faith (v. 6-7) • “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” • God blesses those who have faith in Him and His promises • Where is your trust when problems arise and you turn to prayer? (Heb. 4:16)

  16. Help! What Do I Do? • 4. Symptom of the greater problem (v. 8) • A lack of wisdom seems to be the initial problem (in light of trials) • However, there seems to be a deeper issue at stake here • “he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways”

  17. Help! What Do I Do? • 4. Symptom of the greater problem (v. 8) • A double-minded man is one who wavers or is inconsistent • He has no real principles but is influenced by popularfeeling • This isn’t just a prayer problem or a faith problem

  18. Help! What Do I Do? • 4. Symptom of the greater problem (v. 8) • It’s a life issue; he’s unstable in all his ways • Quote from Albert Barnes… • We need to stand firm in the promises of God and put our faith in Him and His word!

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