“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Stuff happens to everybody

Have you ever found yourself with an unexpected problem, or maybe you’ve simply gotten over-your-head in some situation and not been sure what to do? This is a description of what it means to lead a normal life in the world we live in. Stuff just happens from time to time to everybody. As a frequent traveler, for instance, it seems to happen to me all the time in one way or another. I have found myself stuck at airports, had my luggage lost, and arrived at a hotel at midnight only to find that they had given away my room (and were sold out). And as always, these things usually come out of the blue and are disruptive. And always, I need wisdom to figure them out.

God promises generous wisdom

The good news is that wisdom is generously available! But you must understand some important requirements.

In order to get wisdom from God you must do the following

·      You must ask! The verse at top tells you what to do when you need wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.” Another verse reminds us what happens when you fail to ask: “You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2)

·      You must believe and not doubt! The rest of the passage at top explains further what to do: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” (James 1:6-8)

Therefore

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10 ESV)

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

Both “Yes” and “No”

Throughout the years, I’ve heard lots of people say this verse above is their favorite Bible promise and is the key to getting the desires of your heart sent directly to you by God, Himself. To them, you only have to do what it says: “delight yourself in the LORD,” and, voilà, that thing that you “desire with all your heart” will be on its way.

My answer to someone saying this is both “Yes” and “No.” Let me explain. This promise isn’t a magic formula to get you that new “whatever thing,” such as a new car, boat, or beautiful person, that you desire. Instead, it’s a call to action to make God the delight of your heart, and the very act of doing that will change your heart’s desires so that you want things that are in line with God’s best for you. The more you delight yourself in God, the more you will desire what He wants for you! Yes, you will in fact end up with “the desires of your heart,” but they will be different desires that God created in you as a result of your delighting yourself in Him.

How to delight yourself in God

Delight defined:

·      Websters Dictionary: Joy, a source of great satisfaction.

·      The Bible Dictionary: Hebrew term for delight is hepes, which means “to bend towards, to be inclined towards [an object or person].”

Therefore, according to the above definition, to delight yourself in God means you would find joy in Him. He would be your source of great satisfaction. You would “bend towards Him”, and you would “be inclined towards Him.”  

So, how do you do that?

·      Work to know Him better

The better you know someone the better you know what delights them. It’s the same with God. Search the Bible to to know His likes and dislikes, His preferences, His habits, His character, His nature.

“‘Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD” (Jer. 9:24).

·      Seek Him First

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 ESV)

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (2 Chron. 16:11 ESV)

·      Spend quality time with Him

The more time you spend with someone, the better you get to know them. To spend quality time with God is to get to know Him more intimately, and to know Him that way is to enjoy Him.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (Jam. 4:8 ESV)

·      Think about Him:

“When I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalms 63:6-8 ESV)

·      Talk to Him

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt. 6:6 ESV)

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 ESV)

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” (Prov. 3:27-28)

Help immediately when you are able

When I was a young man, brand new in ministry, with a wife and small children, and living from hand-to-mouth, we often seemed to have a lot of month at the end of our money. One time, because of some kind of emergency, we had a shortfall of $500, and I didn’t know how we could possibly come up with such a huge amount. I did have some prayer warriors, a small group of older church ladies who were always ready and willing to pray about things, so I decided to call them. The first one I spoke to said she and her husband would immediately pray about our need. About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on our door. It was that lady with a check for $500! I told her that I certainly didn’t call her to give money, only to pray. And she said she and her husband, a retired businessman, did pray. And then it occurred to them that they were asking God to do what they were already able to do, which was to write a check themselves to take care of the need. It was because they knew the Bible verse, “If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, ‘Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you’.” And they were obedient to it.

 God wants to use you to help others

“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. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6-17-19 ESV)

Proverb with a warning and a promise

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:24 ESV)

Therefore

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb. 13:16 ESV)

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7 NKJV)

Probably one of the most interesting and powerful passages in the Bible is this one, which says you are what you think. The reason this is so powerful is because you can change the way you think, and by doing so, you can change who you are!  

How to change how you think

·      Set your mind on things of the Spirit

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 7:5-6 ESV) 

·      Capture your thoughts to obey Christ

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Cor. 10:5 ESV) 

·      Think about praiseworthy things

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8 ESV)

·      Transform your mind to conform to the good, acceptable, and perfect, will of God

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

Therefore

“Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” (1 Tim. 4:15 ESV)

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm. 19:14 ESV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matt. 28:19 ESV)

St. Patrick’s shamrock illustration

A popular story about St. Patrick, is that he used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, three persons in one God, to an unbeliever by showing him the three-leaved plant with one stalk. Traditionally, Irishmen have worn shamrocks, the national flower of Ireland, in their lapels on St. Patrick’s Day.

Who was St. Patrick?

Even though we happily celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and many of us wear green on this day, most don’t know much about who St. Patrick was.

The patron saint of Ireland

St. Patrick was credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and was probably responsible in part for the Christianization of the Picts and Anglo-Saxons. He is known only from two short works, the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Letter to Coroticus, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish Christians.

Before the end of the 7th century, Patrick had become a legendary figure, and the stories have continued to grow. One of these would have it that he drove the snakes of Ireland into the sea to their destruction. Patrick himself wrote that he raised people from the dead, and a 12th-century hagiography places this number at 33 men, some of whom are said to have been deceased for many years. He also reportedly prayed for the provision of food for hungry sailors traveling by land through a desolate area, and a herd of swine miraculously appeared.

Separating fact from fiction

While it can be challenging to distinguish fact from fiction in many instances, it has been asserted that his strong proclamation of the gospel and his efforts to serve God honestly were both totally factual.The following passage commands us to carry out that action. Perhaps we should focus on that when we think of St. Patrick’s Day.

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Col. 3:17 ESV)

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:28-31 ESV)

Four things we learn about God from the above passage

1)    God is everlasting.

2)    He is the Creator of the ends of the earth.

3)    He does not faint or grow weary.  

4)    His understanding is unsearchable.

Six promises for you in the above passage

1)    He gives power to the faint.

2)    He increases strength to him who has none.  

3)    He renews strength to those who wait on Him

4)    Those who wait on Him shall mount up with wings like eagles.

5)    Those who wait on Him shall run and not be weary.

6)    Those who wait on Him shall walk and not faint.

 Blessed are those who wait on him 

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isa. 30:18 ESV)

“So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” (Isa. 30:18 NLT)

“Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. (Isa. 55:6-7 NLT)

The passage above gives four commands, (things you must do), with a great promise at the end (what God will do in response to your obedience).

Four things you must do

1) Seek the Lord while you can find him. This is a warning to act immediately because this may be a time sensitive situation for you and may not last. Jesus tells a story about a wealthy man who had so much that he decided to build bigger storage barns to hold it all, then planned to live extravagantly in comfort. But he died that night without warning (Luke 12:16-21). The point is, we are going to die someday, usually without warning, so prepare ahead for it, while you still have time.

2) Call on Him now while He is near. This second line in the passage above is basically saying the same thing as the previous line with more urgency. Repetitiveness is not unusual in Scripture.Words and phrases are often repeated to emphasize importance. Jesus used this method when He repeated the word truly twice in John 3:3: “Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The point is, it’s critical to call on God immediately while you still can.

3) Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. This is about repentance in behavior and in thoughts. Jesus said repentance is absolutely necessary to be saved. “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:3 NIV) and the Apostle Paul said, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:5-6 ESV)

4) Let him return to the Lord. The forth command is a charge to return to the Lord. This command can be found sun many places throughout the Bible.  

“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.” (Zech. 1:3)

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,” (Job 22:23)

 Here’s the promise 

5) That he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

“I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” (Jer. 24:7)

Therefore

“Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.” (Joel 2:13)

“Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord.” (Lam. 3:40)

“Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually.” (Hos. 12:6)

“And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.” (ACTS 4:29-35 NLT) 

What does revival look like?

There has been a lot of discussion recently about what a revival should look like. And if what went on during the Jesus Movement during the 1970s and recently at places like Asbury University in Kentucky were movements of God’s revival, spiritual awakenings, or something else. The above passage tells what happened when a group prayed very specifically and the result: “After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” They preached the Word of God with boldness.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14 ESV) 

Therefore

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,” (Acts 3:19-20 ESV)

Awake, O Sleeper

“For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph. 5:14-21 ESV)

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;” (Psalm 19:7 ESV) 

The Jesus Revolution

Susan and I went to see the movie “The Jesus Revolution” as soon as it was released, and it brought back a lot of memories. Both of us were a part of what is now commonly called the Jesus Movement, which took place during the beginning of the 1970s. It was an amazing move of God, and many thousands of young people from coast to coast, especially hippies, turned to Christ spontaneously and seemingly without anyone in charge. It was obvious that it was something that God was doing everywhere at once and that no human could take credit for it. It was Billy Graham who publicly called it the “Jesus Revolution.” And it was.

Revivals spread

An interesting thing about revivals is that they cannot be contained and spread. They catch fire, and soon the coals of revival go to other places, catching fire there as well. At the time of my writing, the Asbury revival in Kentucky had spread to many other schools and institutions. And no one can predict how far and wide its influence will eventually reach. Only God knows the answer. 

“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.” (Psalm 22:27 ESV) 

God acts for those who wait for Him

“Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.” (Isa. 64:1-4 ESV)

He revives the spirit and the heart

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isa. 57:15 ESV)

God says, “If my people….”

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 ESV)

Therefore

“Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Psalm 80:19 ESV)