However, we all need a huge dose of what James said in chapter one V6-9.“But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord,  being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].”

So if you want wisdom – ASK – and don’t take no for an answer…INSIST! Pretend you are 5 years old and NAG! This kind of asking shows Him we believe He said it, we know He heard us, and HE WILL ANSWER US. At the same time, the state of our mind matters, that’s why it needs daily renewal. We don’t have to read twenty chapters from the bible every single day— we just need to pray, pause, and wait for Him to reveal what He wants to say to us for today. That’s ‘our daily bread!’ 

What James is talking about here – is faith in action, not theoretical faith. This kind of surety in God’s goodness can’t be borrowed. It must come from inside us. But it can be learned, from our personal, hard-fought knowledge of Who HE is. Action is how you go from theory to experience. We have to cultivate our relationship with Him by listening and doing.

Personally, I also encourage myself in the Lord so I can access my faith — just like David did. David looked at Goliath and remembered the God Who sent him there to that battlefield. That God helped David kill a lion and a bear. His courage for doing the next thing, came from his previous experiences with God. This is what builds faith into our lives – not how we feel but what He did yesterday or last week.

Actually, last week we gave away bookmarks etc in our various trips to doctors and physiotherapists. The Lord told me to give a bookmark with a ballet dancer on it to an older lady. My thought bubble was: ‘That’s just nuts! Way to be instantly wrong!’ The nice lady had a smile all over her face: ‘My mother was a ballet dancer and I run a ballet school’ she said. 😶

Faith is not about getting it right or even understanding it — it comes from obedience. We have a huge book full of things to do! Our faith grows from our personal understanding and knowledge of His ways AS we obey and trust Him. Common sense is overrated – it will talk you out of trying. 

Here is another one: I made a keychain for the lovely public librarian who takes care of my library needs. The Holy Spirit said: “Give her the one with that large cross on it.” I argued with Him, because she had specifically, previously, politely told me she is an atheist. Do you know what He said when I queried it? “You never know what people will cling to, when life falls apart. It’s a reminder for her.” So far she has thanked me three times, in capital letters. 

Sometimes we don’t have a testimony because we won’t take a risk. Faith does stuff – it is not an observer. It steps out and acts. However there are times that it shuts up instead of being equally as rude as the other person is … in an argument. Faith gives a soft answer instead … and that is still doing something!  

Our Faith is not in our ability to access God. He is always accessible to us because of what Jesus Christ did. Our faith is in Who He says He is and what He said He did — in the book! We don’t go to Him just to find things we want to to fix, or even the things that we think we want. We go there to find Him, because His Presence is our prize. Not just what He will or won’t do for us. This means our faith is in Who He is … His character.  

We need to take the time to read the Bible, and prayerfully think about it, that’s how we learn His Ways. After that we ACT on it. So when I read: “do good to those who despitefully use you,” I don’t think – ‘I don’t have that problem with anyone GOD…” and dismiss that scripture….Instead I immediately ask Him: ‘Who is that in my life Lord?” I assume His word is right and I AM WRONG. I don’t excuse myself. Faith needs action, otherwise it is just tumbleweed blowing about in your brain! 👋🏻