Lesson 11: Let's Get Real

James 5:7-20

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
12Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by
heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No,"
no, or you will be condemned.

13Is any one of you in trouble? He should
pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick?
He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil
in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick
person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,
and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed,
and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if
one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him
from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

The circumstances in which James’ hearers were living were difficult. There were all types of factions against them: Palestinian Jews, Sadducees, the Romans, etc. He is writing to Christians who have paid a great price to profess faith – they’re called “The Dispersion.”

He exhorts his readers/hearers to be not just hearers, but also doers. A judgment will be coming when all wrongs will be made right, but for now we should wait patiently for that day and place our hope in that which we know by faith to be true. This is our hope deferred.

We wait patiently as when a farmer who patiently waits for his crops to grow. Does the farmer do nothing? Of course not. He has done much in preparation and he must be on guard against the weeds and the intruders. He must prune and maintain the crops and keep watch for birds and insects that seek to destroy and steal his crops. The effective farmer is actively waiting. (Click here for a whole list of Farm Sermons by C.H. Spurgeon)

In discussing this patient waiting, notice how James inserts a thought that seems so incongruous with the rest of the verses about grumbling again¬st one another in Verse 5:9. Let’s not skip past this. Idle minds of those who lack in faith and trust are very prone to grumbling against their brothers and sisters, and especially those in authority over them. This is a great caution to pay attention to.

Salvation attributed to the grace of God has been planted in us. But the law of God just exposes us to be law breakers. Having been justified by faith in Christ, the law now becomes a life-giving toward holiness and Godliness. We do desire to do those good works, because of our faith, but our remaining sin battles against us.

James talks about specific actions that depict our faith such as: taming of tongues, care for widows and orphans, and treating of rich and poor with equal respect. James warns us about sinful passions at war within us, against God’s Holy Spirit and he focuses on how short our lives are and how we must not boast in tomorrow.


James discusses fervently that we should confess our sins to each other in Verse 16. Do we confess our sin openly to one another, to the elders and pastors of our church? Are we even aware of the sinfulness of our sin and how much we still need our Savior every single day? When was the last time we were broken by the indwelling sin that still tries to rule our hearts and battles against God’s Spirit in us?

James goes on to emphasize how we should bring someone back to the faith in verses 19-20 through the ways that he’s mentioned. Let’s exhort each other to be authentic about our faith and our walk. Cast away your fear or man. Let’s get real!

Lesson 10: Pride (In the Name of Love)

James 4:6 "But he gives us more grace.
That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."

What is pride?

Elevating ourselves above God. Making more of ourselves than we ought. Placing ourselves on a higher level than other people. Sometimes, pride is elusive because we are convinced that we are "helping God" or helping other people, when in reality we are just trying to get our needs met, our way.

This verse tells us that God gives us plenty of grace to overcome our envy, craving for sinful pleasures, and the resulting quarreling that comes from it. He offers us abundant grace to respond in full devotion to Him.

Why does the verse say that we must be humle and never proud to receive God's Grace?

If we are proud, we are still putting ourselves above God and others.
It is impossible to see our sin if we are not humble.
I think that if we truly do receive or dare to comprehend grace from a Holy God, we must be humbled to our own littleness and pettyness in comparison with His majesty and awesomeness.

What does humility before God look like?

James: 7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands,
you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail.
Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves
before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Application:
When we are enmeshed in our own pridefulness, selfish desires, and self-seeking attitudes we will be unable to do this. However, as soon as we become WILLING to submit ourselves to God and His Word, the Holy Spirit will enable us to follow Him.

If you are struggling with this, pray for willingness, that God would change your heart about the matter of pride today.

More on the Outward Manifestation of Pride:

James tells us that there are three more ways that Pride and Arrogance show in our lives:
Slander, Boasting, and Oppression.

Slander and the Royal Law

11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Boasting About Tomorrow

13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Warning to Rich Oppressors

James 5:1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

For Thought and Discussion:

These passages really capture it all. I don't believe we could add a great deal to explaining what James is saying, because he does it so clearly. Perhaps a few application questions though:

Q- What do you think you should do if someone slanders another in your presence?

Q- Do you really believe that when you judge your neighbor you are breaking the Royal Law of God, to love Him with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself?

Q-Is it always wrong to make plans for the future? What kinds of planning are wrong? Are you always careful not to boast about these plans?

Q- Have you ever had a position of power and influence that you have wielded over someone else, in order to have your own desires met (for prestige, recognition, honor, etc.)?

Q - Is there anyone to whom you need to be reconciled based on these lessons?

Lesson Nine: Why don't we have peace? Pt.2

Adulterous people:

4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God.

In the Old Testament, God often describes Himself as the husband of His people. And the New Testament calls the Church the Bride of Christ. (see below for specific scripture references.)

Thus, to pursue the world's pleasure is to commit adultery against our true husband. When we do, we place our focus on things that are seen, rather than what is unseen, which is lacking faith. We love our stuff more than God. But we cannot serve both God and Mammon. Therefore, James calls this spiritual adultery, or having an adulterous heart.

But Remember -- the big point is -- He is Our Husband
(Even Though We Have Adulterous Hearts)
Surely, to be prone to spiritual adultery is very Bad News. In our culture, a husband would most likely start divorce proceedings on the spot if his wife committed adultery. In the ancient Hebrew culture of the Old Testament world, an adulterous wife would be put to death by stoning.

However, the good news is that our spiritual Husband is Jesus Christ! If we trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He is our "jealous husband." He continues to pursue our love even though we have very unfaithful hearts.

The Holy Spirit enables us to do battle with the sinful desires that rage within us against our grace-driven desire to love our Lord and Savior. God's grace through Christ ABOUNDS to us when we are willing to humble ourselves and submit to God's law and rule over our lives. When we do, this is when we are most satisfied and our Godly desires or pleasures are met in Him.

5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Supporting Scriptures:
OLD TESTAMENT-

Hosea 3:1

1 The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods."

Isaiah 62

Ezekiel 16

Jeremiah 31:32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them, "
declares the LORD.

NEW TESTAMENT

Eph 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27a nd to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Rev 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready."

Rev 21:2 "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband."


For More Help on How to Have Peace with God, Peace with Others, and Peace Within, Visit Peacemaker Ministries:
Getting to the Heart of the Conflict
Peacemaking Principles

Lesson 8: Part 1 - Wisdom Sermons from Pastor B

If you are interested in learning about what the Bible says about Wisdom, I'm recommending Pastor Betters' series from Proverbs, Chapters 1-9 that he has been going through. Here is a list:
10/19/08
Are Your Kids in Love with the Bride?
Watch
Listen

10/12/08
Do Your Kids Love the Church?
Watch
Listen

10/05/08
The 8-Fold Gospel Your Kids Need to Learn
Watch
Listen


8/31/08
Standing Alone
Watch
Listen

8/24/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 3
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/17/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 2
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/10/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 1
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/3/08
The 2nd Most Important Decision Your Child Will Ever Make
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/27/08
The Slippery Slope to Moral Failure-Part 2
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/20/08
The Slippery Slope to Moral Failure-Part 1
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/13/08
Marks of a God Fearing Person
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/6/08
What Children Need to Learn Before the Age of 12
Watch
Listen
Notes

Adoption to the Glory of God on ESPN

Lesson Six, Part 2: Dilemma? -- James 2:25

So, last night in our study, we looked at two examples of faith. One was the example of Abraham who showed faith by holding nothing back from God, not even his most valued treasure - the very promise of God - his son Isaac. He trusted that God would keep his promises.

The second illustration is from Joshua chapter 2, the story of Rahab the Canaanite prostitute who showed faith by deciding to turn from the idols of Canaan to the God of Israel. She risked her life to protect two strangers. Two foreigners. Mortal enemies even. She risked everything to protect two Israelites from the king of Jericho. (Joshua 2:1-24)

The fact that she was a Canaanite AND a prostitue would have been scandalousness enough. However, what several women from our study really wanted to know is: Given the fact that she LIED, how could God 1) bless Rahab and her family for her faith and 2) show her as a positive example in two New Testament passages -- the hall of faith (Hebrews 11:31), and in the call to faith that works (James 2:25)-- and 3) name her in the Messiah's geneology (Matthew 1:5). Isn't lying sin? How can this be? Are we to understand the Bible as a case of “situation ethics?" (e.g., lying under certain conditions is acceptable?).

At first, this seemed like one of those questions that when you hear it, you're like, uh oh. This is going to be a stumper. Of course, I'm the kind of person who takes it as a mission. As it turns, this is not as complicated as I had originally thought.

Let's take the simple facts:

1- yes lying is a sin and is condemned by God as a sin.
2 - Rahab lied to save the spies in Joshua 2.
3- Rahab is commended for her faith in the New Testament by James and the author of Hebrews.

Now, let's dig into the details - what does God's Word specifically say was she commended for:

"because she welcomed the spies" Hebrews 11:31

and "even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" James 2:25

No where is she commended for lying. Her act of lying is not to be misconstrued as justified or justifiable, because that is not why she is called out in scripture.

She is, however, commended for welcoming and giving lodging to the spies and sending them off in safety. Keep in mind, these spies were children of the holy God of Israel. In Joshua 2 we see the whole basis for her kindness to the spies:

Joshua 2:11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

It was out of awe and reverence for the holy God of Israel.

Finally, we know that all of Old Testament heroes in the Hebrews hall of fame, including Abraham, who James mentions also, all lived lives that were not honoring to God and did not always obey or trust God perfectly. The point is not to justify sinful behavior in these figures, but rather to show that sinners just like us can be changed so that by faith we do great things for God. God does this even while we were dead in our transpasses and sins. Especially while we were dead in them.

Just like Rahab, while she was breaking God's law by sinning, God saved her and she turned away from her past. With man this is a great dilemma. With Christ, the dilemma is put to death on the cross when he died for our Rahab lies and all of our Canaanite evil deeds. When we received Him in faith, and put our trust in Him alone as our Lord and our Savior, the dilemma ended!! We were raised from dead works and total depravity to life. And each day we are being made more like Him and our faith that works grows as we remain in His Word and in His love.

I think Ephesians 2 explains it best:

Eph 2:3 "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

Just like Rahab.

(by the way, Pastor Betters' sermon series that he gave last Christmas on the five women who shaped Christmas includes some of THE most awesome OT gospel preaching that you will ever hear. If you have a chance to get it, I would highly recommend it!)

Lesson Six, Part 1: Genuine Faith, according to Paul, John, Matthew, and James

Cross-references to Question #2 for tomorrow night's lesson

Paul: Galatians 5:6b

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
The kind of faith that "counts" as genuine saving faith is the faith that is shown in and through our love toward others.

1 John 3:10, 17-19

10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the
devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is
anyone who does not love his brother.

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.

The crucial piece of evidence that we "belong to the truth" and are children of
God is by giving to those in need, doing what is right, and loving our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Matthew 7:15-23

A Tree and Its Fruit
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Jesus tells us that there must be a direct link between faith and deeds. We should look at the fruit of those who say they love Christ to see whether there is fruit. Do they do what the Word says? Do they love the church? Do they have a heart for the poor?

James 1:27, 2:14-17

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and
to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James, Matthew, Jesus, John and Paul all show agreement, along with the Westminster Confession of Faith:

Chapter XI Of Justification
II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is
the alone instrument of justification:[4] yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by
love.[5]

Lesson Three: Dealing With Temptation: James 1:9-18

Notice the two alternate progressions of life that James is describing:

Faith - Trials that test our faith - Perseverence - Maturity (1:2-4)

James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not
lacking anything."

Desire - Temptation - Sin - Death (1:14-15)

14 "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

We can go from tested faith to maturity, or from indulged desire to death. Each process can be slow or quick, but takes place based on daily choices with seemingly inperceptible consequences at the time. Choices lead to habits, and habits set our character either toward God or against God.

Let's Get the Facts Straight
God is NEVER the source of temptation to evil. He is the source of every good and perfect gift.

James 1:13 "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ... 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

God is the author of truth and light - never darkness.

1 John 1:5 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."

(Remember: temptations and trials are different. trails are hardships or difficulties that by faith lead to our perseverence. temptations are when we turn away from God and turn to sin by entertaining our sinful desires, which is the opposite of faith.)

The real source of temptations to sin - evil desires from our own hearts.

James 1: 14 "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged
away and enticed.

The Devil Made Me Do It?
Wait a minute... don't our temptations come from Satan? Satan is certainly a liar, a thief and a murder who wants to deceive God's children. He started doing it back in the very beginning - at the creation of the world (Genesis 3:6-22). His M.O. (modus operandi) is to use something that God originally created as a good desire and to twist it into an idol and abomination from what God said was good and right and noble. We are dragged away when we embrace the lie by following our sinful nature rather than believing what God said.

Father of heavenly lights
God is the father of light. It is fact that He created the sun, moon, stars, and planets. They are splendid works and symbols of His good and perfect nature and His truth and moral purity. "God is light; in Him there is no darkness." Yet, these glittering examples fall short of His perfection, as eclipses and clouds shade their light. But we know that in God "is no variation" and he does not "change like shifting shadows." Stars and moons do change, but the father of heavenly lights is perfect, true, and good -- and He never changes.

A kind of firstfruits
Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, was the true firstfruit of creation who gave Himself up for the forgiveness of our sins. Through Him, we have fellowship with God and are being restored to the image-bearers we were originally created to be - a kind of firstfruits of creation.

James 1:18 "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

We are born again when we believe the Word of God, and as a result of the belief, we are called to be firstfruits. We are being restored as original image-bearers of our Holy God.

For Thought:
Meditate on what this means to be a kind of firstfruits of all creation. What difference should it make in our daily lives each of us individually and that Chrsitians collectively, as the church, are called 'a kind of firstfruits of all he created?' Ask God to show you how He is leading you to be more like Christ.

Lesson Two: Facing Trials, pt1

Summary of Chapter 2 on Facing Trials, pt1:

James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 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. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

It is not easy being a Christian. For the Christian Jews during the days of James, being a convert to faith in Christ would have been harsh. It seemed scandalous to others that they claimed an executed criminal as the Messiah and many of them were killed and persecuted for their beliefs.

In every age, Christians have faced trials of all kinds for the sake of Christ.
But why would God allow such trials to come to His beloved children?

The Word tells us: because tested faith develops perseverence, which leads us to maturity - it makes us more like Christ.

[Matthew 5:11-12 -Great is our reward in Heaven; Romans 5:3-5 perseverence produces character, which produces hope; Hebrews 2:10 we are made perfect through suffering, etc..]

So... suffering is apparently the way in which God produces maturity in us and how we are made more like Christ.

Why do you think trials are so effective at making us mature and nothing else is so effective?

2 Cor 1:8-9 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." (emphasis added)

2 Cor 12: 7 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

And that is how James can start off by writing: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." He knew what Paul knew -- the reason for trials and suffering is to make us mature disciples and to bear witness to the glory of God. By removing our strength, our talents and abilities, and our performance from the equation, God's Grace and power becomes the focal point to us and to those around us.

Lesson Two: Facing Trials, pt2

By Doris G.

If you lack wisdom, ask God and He will give generously. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt. James 1:5&6
James wrote of the early Christians who were facing trials which tested their faith in God to meet their needs.

Key Words: Lack… Ask…Don’t Doubt….Wisdom….

Lacks – means to be destitute or fall short; a shortage of resources.


ASK – in this verse from James …it is in the present active imperative implying that we should “keep on asking”…persevere
We are to ask for wisdom as Solomon asked…….Prov. 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

Ask -
Ask for an inner calm to wait for the unfolding of perception from the problem …which would otherwise be a potential for doubt.

Doubt makes God our enemy rather than our friend.

Doubt is a sign that we need a deeper experience of who God is and how he works in our lives and what he is ready to teach us.

God is ready to turn our doubts into wisdom. Our doubt is our human response. God can take our struggle with doubt and give us faith to ask for wisdom and trust our situations to God
Trials of life….. wear us down…..sap our energy

_______PROBLEMS_____ _______Realization of God’s power____
VALLEY OF
DOUBT

THE CURE for doubt about God is the WISDOM OF GOD ..found in The Bible.

Wisdom is God’s intelligence entrusted to us, providing supernatural knowledge, discernment and insight………..Wisdom is an antidote to doubt.

We need to grow in our understanding of and reliance on God’s providential care.