James 1:1-8 Notes

Lets take a look at James chapter 1 I ask that you have Bible in hand.

This book is obviously written by James who was a Bishop at the church in Jersusalem which had a lot of Jewish converts.
This is the first epistle that is not written to a specific person or church, but is addressed to the twelve tribes.
I ask that you take a moment to look over James 1:1-8.
After James introduction he begins to tell us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials. That seems a bit difficult and definately not ordinary but this is something that only a follower of Christ can hope to do. The following verse tells us to rejoice in these trials knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience. This is the only way that we can rejoice through our trials, because we know that God is doing a great work in us As we see in verse 4, once patience is made perfect in us we are made complete, lacking nothing.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;4 and perseverence, character; and character, hope,5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

As we can see there is much going on in our life other than the trials that we are facing, God is working within us. He is refining us and helping us to learn to abide in Him. To be steadfast and have all of our hope in Him, knowing that even when seemingly bad things happen the Lord is in control and we have the ability to rejoice even in our trials because the Lord is using this to make you more effective for His purposes.

From here James goes on to say in 1:5-8 "If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways."

It is important to understand that when James says ask in faith here, this ask means to beg, crave. It does not simply mean to ask but it is to be something that we long for with all of our heart and pursue.

We see that in other verses like Mat 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will opened to you, For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

And in 1 John 5:14-15 That the Lord hears everything that we ask that is according to His will.

What we see here is that if we ask anything according to the will of God He will answer, only if we do not doubt. Not only must we know this but we must see the parallel that we are told to ask in faith but we also are to know that the testing of our faith produces patience which as we saw earlier ultimately produces other things and makes us complete.

This means that our answer may not come immediately, and our faith will very likely be tested. God is working in you as He works to complete what you ask according to His will. We also see that the ask that is used here means to beg, crave. It is a longing for what we ask for and if we doubt we should not expect to receive it.

I said all of this to say that when you ask something according to God's will, continually pray for it and expect for it to happen even if it looks like it will not and even if it takes a long time. Because your faith is being tested so that you can be made complete, God tells you not to doubt in this and He tells us that our faith will be tested. Keep both of those in mind.

Another segment of our studies in James will be up soon. Remember when you pray that you are to long for what you ask. It is not a prayer that you throw up into the air every once in a while but this is to be something that is on your heart. If it is in the will of God than it should constantly be on the forefront of our mind and focus because God's will is what we should be looking to complete and move toward.

God be with you.