Wednesday January 25, 2017 James 1:5 

Nick-

What does it mean to live without reproach? The dictionary says that reproach is condemnation, disgrace, to criticize or rebuke. So to be without reproach would mean that i would be living a life in tune with gods word and order of things. To be above criticism or rebuke, not in a prideful way but in a way of putting behind and not falling into. So according to God in this verse, if we are to expect any wisdom, we first need to be in a right relationship with him and his people. I don’t think our god will give us wisdom if we are trespassing against him and stirring up strife with his people. But if we confess and repent of these things, God will cleanse us and bring us back into communion with him. Once I have repented from my reproaches, we can then come to god, who is faithful to uphold his word. Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jesus is saying in the first part of this verse for us to ask him, come to him, to seek his wisdom and understanding. Then Jesus goes on to say “for everyone who asks receives.” We see it all throughout scripture, how god wants bless us with these things. He wants to give us the things we need to run the race. He wants us to walk in the will that he has for our lives. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it, he just wants us to ask him for it. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans i have for you, declares the lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God already knows what is ahead of us. God wants to fulfill his plans that he has for us. If we live a life above reproach, he will generously give us the wisdom we need to run the race he has set before us.

Julie-

         To read this verse and interperate it, we must first know the context of it.  Verses 2-4 talk about the testing of our faith and how it produces steadfastness.  The "testing of faith" is our spiritual work out.  The "steadfastness" is the spiritual muscle.  Now verse 5 gives us "wisdom", which is our work out plan.  We are always going through tests of faith, but we are not always building steadfastness in our life.  It's as if we are incorrectly working out.  Wisdom helps us to not get hurt or burned out or even obsessed with our tests of faith.  Now verse 5 is where it gets praiseworthy.  If we lack wisdom, God will give it to us generously.  And we don't even have to be above reproach.  That means we can be spiritual gluttons or sloths, envious or greedy and as long as we simplly ask for wisdom, he will give it to us abundantly.  The Lord is our free spititual personal trainer, if we just humble ourselves and admit that our spiritual work out plan is not working.  He freely gives us His wisdom to help us through our tests of faith so we can gain true steadfast faith.  Now verse 6 adds a twist.  "...let him ask in faith, with no doubting...".  So here we are in a catch 22.  How do we ask in faith for wisdom to help us through our tests of faith? That is the test.  The test of faith for wisdom is reaching out in prayer and humility and asking God for it.  From there he will show himself starting to build that spiritual steadfastness muscle.  This reminds me of the woman in Mark 5 who touched Jesus' cloak saying "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well" (Mk 5:28).  After the touch of faith stops Jesus in tracks, he turns to the woman and says "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." (Mk 5:34).  Our "disease" is lack of faith, and when the enemy has us in that choke hold, it makes asking God difficult to ask for wisdom.  Tonight I will pray for faith to ask and believe that the God from Genesis 1:1 would give me wisdom to endure all tests of faith and produce a steadfastness that could never be broken.