God's Answer in Economic Distress

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
-KJV-

Economic storms often catch people by surprise.

You may not know it, but there is an entire epistle in the Bible that was written for almost this same reason: the epistle of James.

James was the pastor of the church at Jerusalem. Persecution scattered his flock away from Jerusalem. They were in dire economic straights. To put it in today's terms, they had lost their jobs, they had been dispossessed of their houses, and they had people hunting them down, demanding blood. Like any good under-shepherd, James helped them. He gave them God's answer.

Allow me to paraphrase:
"Count it all joy when you fall into whatever trouble ails you, for the trying of your faith works patience. Let patience have her way so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. If any of you do not know what to do, let him inquire of God - who gives to all men liberally, without criticizing - and he will show you what to do. But ask in faith, without wavering. You waver, he won't answer."

That is not a 100% accurate translation, and I don't mean for it to be. But it does give you the gist of what he is saying. These people were in dire straights. Not only was there no light at the end of the tunnel, there wasn't even a tunnel. They needed answers, and they needed them last week. So God answered through their pastor: "If you need to know what to do, ask me. But ask in faith. I can't help you if you give up before I answer."

And that's what we're going to look at now: How to receive economic wisdom from God.

(But first, why the joy? Why did James speak of it before all else? It's because joy protects your faith. Joy keeps it strong, and defends it from doubt. Joy keeps you from wavering while you wait with patience.)

So, if you ask God for wisdom, how does he give it to you? This verse flat-out says that prayer is a two way street. We can expect for God to give us insight and direction. But how does he do this? Visions? Angels? Voices in your head? (Hello looney-bin!)

This scripture tells us in general how God talks to us.

Matthew 5:
23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Do you see how Jesus said God talks to you? You remember.

When God talks to you , it has very much to do with context. What are you doing at the moment? The context of these verses are you bringing your gift to the altar, you coming to worship. In today's terms, we would say you are at church, worshiping. So, you are in church trying to sing the worship songs, but some fight you had earlier in the week keeps distracting you. You try to push it from your mind, but it just keeps boiling up within you.

Jesus said that is God talking to you. He can't accept your offering because a damaged relationship stands between you and him. You are coming into God's presence, and he says, "No. Go fix this first."

This is a primary way in which God talks to you. Remembering.

Remembering things you never knew.

Let's look at where Jesus operated in this same manner. Remember where Jesus said he did nothing unless he saw his Father do it? (St. John 5:19) Exactly what did he mean by that?

St John 5:
4. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7. The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
... 12. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13. And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

This man had been sick longer than Jesus had been alive. This man did not know Jesus, and Jesus did not know him. Yet, Jesus knew he had been that way a long time, and went and healed him. Jesus knew the Father wanted this stranger healed, because Jesus suddenly knew that man had been sick a long time. Jesus didn't heal any of the other people laying around the pool hoping to get healed. Only this man. Because he knew. Jesus looked on him, and he knew.

Context: he looked upon. God speaks: he knew. He remember something he did not know. You can see this same dynamic in the miracle of loaves and fishes (John 6: 5-15).

Let's look at another verse.
St. John 14:
22. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
... 16: 12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Once again we see that the Holy Ghost will call things to your remembrance. Judas (the good Judas) asked, "Lord how will you manifest yourself to us?" Jesus said, "I say these things standing right in front of you. But in the future, I'll talk to you by the Holy Ghost." The Holy Ghost is here in Jesus' name, as a full agent of Jesus. He says what Jesus says.

Notice, all that is necessary for the Holy Spirit to cause you to remember something is for Jesus to have said it. It is not necessary for you to have heard him say it. Jesus can speak it in heaven, and you can remember it here, on the earth.

So, when you ask for economic wisdom, and do not waver in your faith, believing you have received it, you will receive insight from the throne on what you must do. You will suddenly remember what it is you must do.

Often, these are subtle and quite. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. When wisdom comes from God, you will have peace about it.

Get into and stay in a humble position of prayer (faith) before the Lord. If you are looking for a job, you might be driving past a business, when you suddenly remember to apply there. Now, since you have done your homework, and are not lazy, you have your resume up to date, and everything you need to apply. So you do.

One day, I was driving home from work, and I suddenly remembered to take my wife to a movie. Say what? It was a weekday. I had other things to do. And a movie? She hadn't said anything about a movie. But I obeyed. And when we walked up to the concession stand to get drinks, the man behind the counter offered my wife a job. On the spot, right out of the clear blue. And it was perfect for her in that time and place. She had been looking, and had been unable to find anything suitable for her. For what we needed at the time, it was perfect. All because I "remembered" to take my wife to a movie. All because God is full of grace and mercy.

Remember, these things are context specific. You may ask for wisdom now, and God may not answer until later, when you are driving past a place of business, for example. Why didn't he answer right when you asked? Because you weren't looking at the business right then. It's like he waits until you see something that "jogs your memory." It was when Jesus "saw" the man by the pool that he knew he had been that way for a long time, and therefore that God wanted to heal him. It wasn't silly-willy-nilly Jesus wanted to heal somebody, but rather, when Jesus looked upon him, the Father directed him.

Remembrance is not the only way the Spirit operates, but it is a common way. It may take some time for you to become practiced in it, but it is how God operates.

If you do not know what to do in your troubles, ask God in faith unwavering, and God will tell you what to do. You will know to do it.

Go in grace, and in the power of the Lord, Jesus Christ, to whom is adoration beyond expression.

Copyright © 2008, Burley Ward