Jan 26 - James 1:5

 

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.

James 1:5

 

God offers us two ways to make a better life. One is through wisdom. The other is through power.

 

Wait! There’s actually three ways. The third way is by “crossing the streams” – and living with wisdom and power.

 

When God created, he established concepts like wisdom and logic. And generally speaking, if we live the way God intended, our life will be better than if we didn’t. The Book of Proverbs and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are two examples of the ways in which God conveys his truth.

 

People don’t have even have to know Jesus or have read God’s Word to live wisely – to be moral, to be kind, to not gossip, to refuse to cheat, to word hard instead of steal, to help our neighbors, to bless our children, etc. Therefore, we see lots of successful people – who don’t know God – who live wisely anyway. They’re living according to God’s plan whether they know it or not.

 

The second stream is living by God’s power. When we believe, God comes to us in supernatural ways. The fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5 – are a perfect example.

 

·         What allows us to LOVE and forgive those who’ve hurt and betrayed us? A power from God!  

·         What helps us find JOY even in the face of trials? A presence of God that points us higher.

·         What helps us discover a PEACE that passes all understanding? A God who transcends circumstances.

·         Who helps us impatient, self-centered souls learn PATIENCE? God.

·         Have you noticed anyone with a supernatural KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, FAITHFULNESS, or GENTLENESS? Chances are that it came from God!

·         And how about SELF –CONTROL? Do you want more of it? Go to God!

 

Now, he’s the problem. Too many people live with one or the other.

 

·         Too many (honorable non-believers) live wisely but without God’s power. (Which works well … until there’s a major crisis – like a major illness and death – and they have no hope but themselves.)

·         Too many others (messy Christians) talk a lot about God’s power and provision, but constantly undermine their lives by living unwisely and often sinfully.

 

The power comes when we cross the streams.

 

And it’s at this point that I often use a Ghostbusters metaphor. These ghost hunters operated under the consensus that crossing the streams (as they shot proton ray guns at ghosts) was bad. But at their key showdown in life, their only hope was to cross the streams.

 

God wants you to cross the streams. To live wisely … and to live with power (which includes the life-transforming blessing of discovering the fruits that come from the Spirit, putting on the full armor of God, etc.). And for today, here’s this day’s scriptural advice: 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 (James 1:5).

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who watched

Ghostbusters too many

times as a young man