I’ve just finished reading James and, as always, it’s chock full of nuggets. I’d like to explore an alliterative collection of important lessons with you over the next few days:

• 1: Wisdom – ask God!
• 2: Works – what we do matters!
• 3: Words – what we say matters!
• 4: Wars – “Where do wars and fights come from among you?”
• 5: Waiting – things aren’t all that good now? Wait.

Let’s get started:

If anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! (James 1.5, TPT)

That’s clear. Step one: pray! ASK!

ASK stands for Ask, Seek, Knock from Matthew 7.7. Elsewhere, James is clear:

Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (James 4.2, NKJV)

Step two: fear God

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111.10, NIV)

Proverbs 2 combines these two concepts: ASK God; fear God:

¹  My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
²  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
³  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
⁵  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
⁶  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
⁷  he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
⁸  guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
⁹  Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;
¹⁰  for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. (Proverbs 2.1 – 10, ESV)

It’s hard to improve on God’s words so let’s just meditate on these. Tomorrow I want to add one more step: subtract. Subtract? Yes, subtract. More tomorrow.

²⁰  Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;
²¹  at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
²²  “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
²³  If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. (Proverbs 1.20 – 23, ESV)