Verses five-eight– Note again to whom James is writing–“you”–the globally scattered Israelites who, having become servants to the Lord Jesus Christ, today number in the hundreds of millions world-wide and who comprise the vast majority within God’s church. As a rule those in the Institutional Church (Catholicism/Protestantism) do not know that they are Israelites. Having lived among Gentiles for many generations they have accepted the Gentiles’ heathen spiritual ways, their gods, etc. The Biblical God, however, knows who and where they are. They were, are and always will be His chosen people. Many, if not most of you readers are Israelites who, if you will return to your God by obeying His Word, will by led by His Spirit through the strait gate and along the narrow way that will result in eternal life (Mat. 7:13,14). Speaking to those Israelites who know who and what they are, the Lord, through the apostle, says that if we lack wisdom (Gr. Sophia–mental skill, knowledge, understanding) we are to ask Him for it. Note: God does not state all of His Words relative to a doctrine with each mention of that doctrine. For example, in verse five He does not mention His formula for attaining wisdom found in Isaiah 28:9,10,13. Note the rigorous Bible study method required to learn what God wants us to learn. Because of Scriptural laziness and misplaced faith church people fail to attain God’s sophia and therefore  become easy targets for Satan’s tactics which he implements through his false prophets. See Bait and Switch.

That God’s Word is central to receiving anything from the Lord is brought out in verse six. Here we are told that whatever we ask of the Lord must be based on faith. Here is where many church people miss the mark. False prophets tell us repeatedly that faith involves belief in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross. This is only partially right. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing (reading) the Word of God. FAITH IS BELIEVING WHAT GOD SAID IN HIS HOLY SCRIPTURES. We are told that believing in Jesus is the faith necessary for salvation, answered prayer, etc. However, Satan believes in Jesus. SATAN HAS MORE FAITH THAN ANY OF US. He KNOWS God’s Word and KNOWS that it is true and KNOWS that every Word will come to pass. What separates him from eternal life is his lack of obedience to that Word. The same is true of the Institutional Church. In actuality, Satan is one up on the church–He KNOWS GOD’S WORD. The church, however, knows only church doctrine. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.

We must KNOW, BELIEVE and OBEY God’s Word in order to have that Word become a reality in our lives. We must not waver (doubt) relative to the Word of the Lord regardless of how incredible it may be. Recall that Peter walked on water until his faith wavered. He had walked out on the Sea of Galilee to within arm’s length of Jesus before his faith failed him. He had begun his nocturnal sea stroll based on one Word from Jesus: “come” (Mat. 14:24-31). Jesus tells us in verses six-eight that we must not, as did Peter, waver in our faith in HIS WORD, whether spoken or written. I have heard God’s “voice” with my spiritual ears (heart/mind) and have seen those Words come to pass. At times they were so incredible that I had to fight Satan to truly believe them. Satan need only plant a seed of doubt to keep God’s Word from becoming a reality in one’s life–Peter being a case in point. We have all in times past been “double minded” and have missed out on what God had in store for us. But, as His dealings with Peter show, He is forgiving and will help us if we will only repent and come to Him with the full force of faith. L.J.