Asking for Wisdom and the Goodness of God

Hope for Healing, Faith for Living Podcast

Today we will look at a passage found in James Chapter one where we will see that we can ask of God for wisdom and believe him for it. We will also see the goodness and generosity of God.

James 1 (ESV)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

We can are invited to ask God for wisdom. James 1:5 says If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask…..

How good is our God to invite us to ask for wisdom!

Now the wisdom we can ask for here is not limited to any one particular area of life. We can ask for wisdom for any area of life we so desire. It can be wisdom for our marriage, in parenting, in paying off bills, in dealing with relationships, in walking in health.

Every area of our lives can benefit from having access to godly wisdom.

Now let’s go back to the second part of verse 5 to see the goodness of God.

Vs 5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

We are shown here and are to believe that God gives generously.

Let’s look at more scripture showing the goodness and generosity of God.

1 Timothy 6:17 English Standard Version

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Matthew 7:7-11 English Standard Version

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

God is a good, a giving, and a generous God. Our Heavenly Father wants us to know this and believe this about him.

The next part of James 1:5 says he gives without reproach. That means fault finding.

When we come to our Heavenly Father to ask for wisdom, he’s not going to respond by saying how bad we are and by pointing out our faults.

Now our own hearts may be heavy because of how we have been living and we need to be honest with God about that.

Let’s look at another promise real quick and then come back to James Chapter 1.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If we confess, agree with God that what we did was a sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse! Amen!

Now back to James 1:5. He gives without reproach. I’m so glad when I come to God in prayer that he doesn’t respond with, “What about this sin? What about that sin?” He’s not looking to point out my sin. God in fact promised to forgive, cleanse and forget about them.

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

When I come to God in prayer asking for wisdom, I’m coming to my Heavenly Father who loves me, who sees me as righteous because of the redemptive work of Christ. He’s not looking to find fault with me. He’s looking to show himself as giving and generous to me. And, he’s invited me to come and ask.

Amen! God is good! He is giving and he is generous!!

Blessings,
Tim Dumas
www.hopeforhealingfaithforliving.com