5 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 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

I felt that this verse from James spoke to me earlier in the week. James makes clear that we serve a GENEROUS GOD, not a stingy God. Sadly, many of the God’s children are not blessed with the same trait as our Heavenly Father. Sometimes it may be the result of a spirit of poverty, perhaps from childhood. I remember the late Kenneth Hagin was struggling with financial matters and he earnestly sought God for an answer. (He said the church in his area had a saying something like, ‘You keep him (the preacher) humble and we (the congregation) will keep him poor’.) Kenneth Hagin had to learn to access God’s provision in his life and he did.

I was also impressed by the second part of the same verse, God gives to us WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, Hallelujah. The Holy Spirit does Convict of specific sin in our lives, but He does not Condemn. (Neither does a Holy God Condone sin)

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 1

Religion often finds fault and many times over trivial issues. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for, ‘straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel’. Matthew 23:24 Once again, sadly, there are many self-appointed judges in the Church, but we will all stand before the Lord someday to give an account. Our God is not a ‘fault finder’ and we must seek to extend Grace to those who are together with us in this life and in the Body of Christ.

¹¹ A word aptly spoken (A FITTING WORD)
    is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (VALUABLE!)
¹² Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
    is a wise rebuke (CORRECTION) to a listening ear. Proverbs 25

So long as we are in the body here on earth, we must be open to Godly and hopefully Gracious Correction. Others with wisdom may speak a blessing to us in different situations and we should be grateful for their input to us. The Church should be a safe place to receive Godly counsel and encouragement.

²² The Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6

Immanuel, God is surely with us.