James 1:58 Push Comes to Shove

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James 15-8Push Comes to Shove
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James

• Review- James 1- Trials are external
  circumstances that test our faith. They are also
  evidence that God is working in our lives. Every
  trial carries with it the seed of a gift that we
  only get if we persevere (remain under it)
• Key Verse But be doers of the word, and not
  hearers only, deceiving yourselves- James 122
  (NKJ)

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James

• Every trial creates choices.
• How do I know which direction to take?
• 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- vs. 5

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James

• Wisdom- The right application of knowledge
• Ask God
• Wants to give
• Is waiting to be asked

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James

• Ask continually
• God is as interested in the process of making me
  like Christ as he is in the resolution of my
  situation
• God gives generously
• Without finding fault

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James

• The Key Ingredient- Trust in advance
• 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. That man should
  not think he will receive anything from the Lord
  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he
  does- vs. 6-8

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James

• Doubt- Going back and forth between trusting God
  and trusting self.
• Double-souled- cant settle down, trust God and
  persevere

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James

• Doubt When God gives me answer, then Ill make
  a choice that seems best to me
• Faith I commit in advance to follow the path
  you lay out for me, regardless of how I feel
  about it at that moment, Lord
• Doubt Im in control
• Faith God is in control
• Note Cant be both

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James

• Faith wont always make sense
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• Wisdom is a process. Some answers are direct,
  some are circumstantial

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James

• Doubt puts the circumstance between me and God
• Faith puts God between me and the circumstance