HOWARD N.

WEST

UNDER HIS UMBRELLA

FACING THE STORMS OF LIFE WITH HIM

Library of Congress

Cataloging-in Publication Data

Howard N. West 2009TRY ME NOW/ Howard N West p. cm. References contained in chapters of book. ISBN 0 8082 Copyright 2009 by Howard N. West All rights reserved

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE Understanding the Trial
The True Us The Three Diamonds Moving On Up

CHAPTER TWO Using Wisdom in Trials

Pray For Wisdom Upper and Lower Wisdom No Doubting Having Peace in Trials

CHAPTER THREE Having Knowledge of Trials

What is a Trial? The Worlds First Trial The Second Adam Tested Trials are Common to Humanity

CHAPTER FOUR Jonahs Calling CHAPTER FIVE Jonahs Disobedience exposed CHAPTER SIX Jonahs Near Death Experience CHAPTER SEVEN Jonah Called Again CHAPTER EIGHT A National Repentance CHAPTER NINE

Jonahs Anger CHAPTER TEN Plant of Provision Memorandum One The Prophecy Seen Today Answer Sheets The Bibles book of Jonah

CHAPTER ONE Understanding the Trial

Have you ever heard the saying, Looks can be deceiving? There was a beautiful mansion that everyone in town envied. Although the house was beautiful in appearance, on the inside, the family of the household was torn apart, unbelievably divided and fighting against one another constantly. On the same block down the street, there was another house; a very little house that people didnt pay too much attention too. It needed a serious paint job and could have used a new roof. Although in appearance it wasnt as attractive as the house up the block; on the inside of this home dwelt a family bond that was rooted and grounded in unity and love. We should never judge a book by its cover.

The True Us A mother and her four year old daughter are out grocery shopping. The mother runs into her old schoolteacher. After chatting about what has been going on since schooldays, the elderly teacher asks, And who is this beautiful little girl? The mother replies; This beautiful little girl is

my daughter, Kimberly. The teacher then fully turning to the little girl, kneels down and says, Hi Kimberly; you are a beautiful little girl. The little girls response was; Thank you and you are old. Taken back, the old schoolteacher laughed and said, Theres nothing like the truth of a child.
OUR HEARTS

Unlike children, grownups are not known for telling people and showing people what is really on their hearts. We give a phony faade, an illusory portrait of what we would like for people to think about us. Similar to the house in the above illustration, we like to dress up the outward appearance of ourselves while hiding the true us far from the scrutiny of the publics eye. Nothing brings the real us to the surface like the heat of a trial. A wicked man can seem good when everything in life is going well. But when the heat of the trials of life are turned up, what really dwells in that persons heart is revealed. During his earthly ministry, Jesus speaking about humanitys terrible heart condition said,
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Mathew 15:19

The word heart comes from the Greek word kardia, and is defined as thoughts of feelings; (mind). This Greek word kardia is where we get our English word cardiac and English term cardiac arrest, which means heart stop. Humanity has a terrible heart condition that is resulting from our first parents actions in the Garden of Eden. As will be mentioned in chapter three, because Adam and Eve leaned towards disobedience during their trial of obedience, all humanity is born leaning towards disobedience. It has much to do with our DNA pastedown from the mindset of our first parents. With the exception of Noah and his family, in biblical times, God destroyed the human race because of this heart condition. The book of Genesis speaking about humanitys heart condition in the days of Noah states:

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5
THE TRIAL OF DISPLAY

Although humanity doesnt like to recognize it, and would rather keep it concealed from the publics eye, we as a whole have a serious heart problem. God uses what I term the trial of display to bring the blemishes found in the heart of believers to the surface. The trials of display are trials that come into your life to reveal to you the blemishes in your heart. God uses the same procedure found in the refining process of gold to purify the heart. The gold refiner melts the gold down and adds a substance called flux that will draw the impurities from the gold when both are heated together. Because the gold is a heavy metal, during the heating process, the gold will remain at the bottom while the impurities found in the gold will rise to the top; clinging to the flux. In the same way, the trial of displays purpose is to bring the blemishes found in the heart of believers to the surface. Some trials are exclusively in our lives to transmit to us our heart-flaws in hopes that we would recognize the flaws and work on them. The word of God proclaims;
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord tries the heart. Proverb 17:3

When the trial of display falls upon us, our reaction to the trial tells it all; and the true motives of our heart is displayed. Nothing defines a person like hard times. In rough times we will find out how weak or strong we really are, and what kind of person we really are. Theres an ancient oriental proverb, You dont know a man until you fight a man.
CLOSED HEART SURGERY

Concerning our heart condition, as mentioned above in so many words, God didnt create us with this sinful heart; that it became when our first parents thrust us into the world of sin. It is through Christ Spirit dwelling in us that brings about a change in the heart (mind). It is through Gods grace, Gods favor, what God has done for us through His Son, and

belief in this great act of kindness that teaches us to do right (be righteous) from the hea.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness, worldly lust, we should live soberly and righteously, and godly in this present world; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a special people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-13

The reason God bestowed His grace upon us is because this grace of His, when truly received wholeheartedly, produce a new creature whos heart begins a process of being purified from iniquity; a new creature who denies ungodliness, and is zealous of good works.
Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2Corinthians 5:17

This new creature God fashions is a portrait of His Son Jesus. And the surgery performed on your heart to bring about Christ in you is found in the variety of trials you go through.
DISPLAYING FRUIT

The character and disposition God is looking for every believing heart to display is found in His Son Jesus. Thus, the trial of display is to show the believer how he or she measures up to the character of Christ. The character of Christ is given to the believers in nine fruit called the fruit of the Spirit found in the book of Galatians.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control, against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

I heard it said; the nine fruit of the Spirit should be used as a measuring rod for the soul as becoming a Christian. The Christian who wants to know how they are to act, react and feel in and out of a trial have these fruit to measure themselves by.

The Three Diamonds While God attempts to pull out of your heart the character of Jesus through the trial of display, there are three things God is trying to instill in your heart through various trials. These three things I term the three diamonds of God, without, you can never become what the book of James states as, perfect and entire, wanting nothing or as the NIV Bible puts it, mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4b). One of the main goals of Christianity is maturity in the believer. Maturity is established through the three diamonds of God. Your growth and maturity is vital being a Christian. Have you ever observed a baby toddler just learning how to walk? The toddler falls on occasions and holds to things to keep itself from falling. Its a precious sight to behold. The same can be said about a new born believer who we spiritually encourage when they slip and fall. On the other hand, it is a sad and pitiful sight to behold a toddler who has fully grown into adulthood and have not learned to walk. The same can be said about Christians, who are no longer babes in Christ, for they have known Christ for years, yet they still cannot walk, slipping and stumbling over the exact same things they stumbled over when they were babes in Christ. As mentioned above, one of the main goals of Christianity is maturity.
But let endurance have her perfect work, that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:4
THE 1 DIAMOND (ENDURANCE)
ST

The first diamond is found in the Bibles book of James where it states:
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing this that the trying of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3

Here, in the above verse, we find the first of the three diamonds is endurance. We learn from the above verse that the various trials we encounter in life produces endurance. In the NIV Bible, endurance is

translated as perseverance. Both endurance and perseverance is defined as a steady determination to continue on when everything in us wants to give up or slowdown. A boxer needs endurance to make it through the rounds of the boxing match. Runners need endurance to finish the race set before them. And in the case you didnt know, in the Bible, the believers life is compared to a race. But the Christians race is not like a race of the world where we compete against one another to finish first. The Christians race is more like a marathon where we compete to finish the race. The book of Hebrews states;
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which do so easily beset us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1t
THE CHRISTIAN RACE

Every Christian has a race set before them. The word race in the above verse comes from the Greek word agone. This is where we get our English word agony. And anyone who has run in a race knows that it can be an agonizing experience. God uses trials to instill endurance in believers that they might finish the race set before them. Without endurance, the believer wont finish the race set before them. Thus, endurance is critical to the believer. Therefore, trials must be critical to believers as well, for they produce this much needed endurance. The story is told of a young runner in college who was very fast. So the coach put him on the one hundred yard dash. He breezed by everyone with no problem winning the race. So the coach decided to put the young man on the quarter mile. When the gun sounded to start the race, he breezed by everyone jumping far ahead. But about halfway through the race, the runner began to get short of breath and cottonmouth. His legs began to become weak as all the other runners breezed by him. This runner finished the race dead last barely finishing. The runner broke down in the middle of the race because of a lack of endurance. And it is sad to say, many of our churches today are known for producing sprinters for Christ of this caliber: runners who start the race set before them with enormous speed running for Christ. But not knowing anything about this first jewel, endurance, which is desperately

needed, after a while they run out of wind falling out of the race. God doesnt want His children to fall out of the race, so He allows trials in the believers life because it builds endurance.
THE 2 AND 3 DIAMONDS (EXPERIENCE & HOPE)
ND RD

But let the reader know that endurance is only the beginning. God is trying to instill three jewels in the believers. Endurance is only the first of the three. The other two diamonds are found in the book of Romans.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also; knowing tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, experience; and experience, hope. Romans 5:3-5

Experience and hope are the other two jewels God is trying to instill in every believer. Experience refers not only to reading about experiences of people found in Bible (text book experience), but also to a hands on experience that can only come from experiencing God for yourself. Hands-on experience with God is needed in the growth process of the three jewels. Note: a person can read books on everything about cars and how to become an auto mechanic, but until that person gets under the hood of that car and get his hands dirty, he can never truly be an auto mechanic. Reading about Moses splitting the Red Sea for the Children of Israels safe passage and reading about Daniel being delivered from the lions den is good and needed; but until God split seas for my safe passage and deliver me from my lion den, I havent fully experienced God. The first diamond, endurance, is needed that the believer might last through their trial and experience the delivering hand of God and thus, develop hands-on experience with God. Once the believer possesses enough endurance, he or she will begin to make it through trial after trial after trial: And making it through trial after trial after trial builds up hands-on experience with God. Possessing enough hands-on experience with God instills the third diamond in the believer which is hope. The hope in the Bible verse above isnt conveying any kind of hope, but speaks of an expectation kind of hope. It is not to say, I hope I get something to eat. It is a hope that expects to get something to eat. This expectancy hope can

be seen in the little boy who is told by his dad, Once I get home from work, we are going to the carnival. And the little boy waits at the window, wide eyed with a hope that fills his whole being, knowing when his dad gets home; he will be going to the carnival. Im sure we have all seen those elderly Christian ladys who might fall into a trial like coming short with the rent? And they dont know how it is going to get paid, but they dont fret, because they know the Lord will see them through. Well that expectancy hope they possess comes from hands on experience with God. In other words, they have been there and done that before. They have seen God at work in trials and expect Him to move on their behalf as He has done before. When the believer get to this level of faith in God; this third diamond of hope, the devil is in serious trouble. Why? It is because the believer is no longer ashamed of the trial. As the verse below states;
And hope makes you not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us. Romans 5:5

Some translations state, And hope wont let us down. At this level of Christian maturity, the believer knows and understands the trial in their life has only come to pass; has only come that God may move them up the ladder. Moving On Up Oftentimes, trials like "the trial of obedience" and "the trial of display" enters the believer life to move them ahead in life. God presents to believers many promises through the Bible. Oftentimes trials are testing grounds to prove the believer is worthy to receive the promises of God. Case and example; Abraham was declared righteous in Genesis 15:6, but his righteousness wasn't proven until years later through "the trial of obedience" (Genesis 22:1-18; James 2:21). And once he passed his test (the trial of obedience), all the promises God had made in Abrahams

younger double-mindedness years, God confirmed that it is because he passed the test, the promises would now be fulfilled (see Genesis 22:1618). The Book of James explains;
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? James 2:21
A PROOF OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The word "justified" in the above verse comes from the Greek word, "dikaio." Its literal meaning is "to render righteous (right standing)." It sometimes refers to a declaration or announcement of someone being right with God (through faith) as in the case of Abraham in Genesis 15:6. At other times, this Greek word dikaio refers to a proving or vindication of being right with God as is the case of Abraham in James 2:21 and in 1 Timothy 3:16. Abraham had faith and believed God in his early years but did a lot of doubting as well (double-mindedness). In his later years, his virus of doubting God vanished. Developing so much experience with God over the years made Abrahams faith and hope in God impeccable. The righteous stamp God placed on Abraham in his early years, God tested in his later years through the trial of obedience in an attempt to prove that Abraham was righteous in action as well; and not faith alone. God proved Abraham was righteous through the test set before him in Genesis 22. His obedient actions in the midst of this trial of obedience perfected his faith and brought about a confirmation of the promises of God. After Abraham put forth action to do the will of God,
.... the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:15-18
PASSING THE TEST

Because Abraham obeyed the voice of God during his trial of obedience, those promises God gave to Abraham in his younger years, promises found in Genesis 12, 15 etc. God confirmed He would bring to pass because Abraham obeyed His voice. We receive many of the promises God has made in the Bible when we obey God in the midst of our trials. There are many biblical examples of those that walked upright before God in the midst of trials and were greatly blessed moving ahead in life, being aligned with Gods perfect plan. Take Joseph whose life was full of trials and turmoil until God brought him through. And God made him co-ruler of Egypt, the same nation that held him as a slave and prisoner. The same example can be seen in modern times in the face of Nelson Mandela, who resided in prison for a period of 24 years during which he became a Christian. He got out of prison and became president of South Africa, the same nation that imprisoned him. Another example can be seen in the Jewish prophet Daniel who became the Prime minister of the Persian Empire. It was through Daniel's obedience to God in the midst of his mind-boggling trials that he received such power in Babylon and Persia (Daniel 2:48-49 and 6:1-3). But no greater example can be found than that of our Lord and Savior who as the book of Hebrews states;
.... for the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:3

Jesus, who knew the will of God, anticipated the joy that was set before him; the joy of becoming the heir to the throne of the Father along with the joy of saving many souls from the grip Satan and hell. This for seeing to the end of a trial allowed Jesus and allows us to retain joy in our hearts in the midst of the trial, looking ahead to the wonderful outcome God has in store. Because Jesus was subservient in the midst of his trials of obedience, he now sits "at the right hand of the throne of God." Yes, because of his perfect obedience in enduring the cross, the book of Philippians states;
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee

should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Because the trial Jesus endured with obedience was so severe, his blessing at the end of the trial is enormous. If you have giant blessings that you are waiting for God to manifest in your life, you may have to go through a major test (trial) to prove youre worthy to receive those blessings. Dont be afraid of the storms of life. Look towards that sunny day with optimism. As the old saying goes, I would not have known I had a leaky roof unless the storm came? The Bible states, for the joy that was set before him [Jesus] endured the cross. Christians are already righteous through what God has done through Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21). Many of the trials we go through are test to prove our righteousness, and thus receive from God the many promises of his holy word. Let the reader understand, the promises of God are not without conditions (John 15:7). The fulfillments of many of Gods promises are found at the end of your trials.

CHAPTER TWO Using Wisdom in Trials

I remember the horrific trials me and my wife underwent. I often refer to them as our winter season of life. If the trials of life were to be compared to the four seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter, I would say the spring season would be the times of life when everything seems to be coming together and flourishing. The summer season would be the fulfillment of the spring. The fall season on the other hand would be the times of life when everything seems to be falling apart and dying. The winter season would be the fulfillment of the fall. History tells us many of the first English settlers that came to this country didnt make it through the winter months for lack of wisdom. They had never experienced a country such as America and its callous winter months. They lacked the wisdom (know-how) to survive in such a harsh climate. When we are going through what seems to be harsh trials, many times all we need is wisdom to make it through.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all people liberally and rebukes not, and it shall be given to you. James 1:5

Pray For Wisdom In the book of James 1:2-5, the word of God tells us to ask for wisdom when we are going through various trials. Someone once asked me, Why do we have to ask (pray) for wisdom? Why cant we just look in the Bible and find the wisdom we need? My response to her question was a question; Have you ever heard the saying, there are eight million stories in a naked city? I continued by explaining, There are too many situations in the world that you can encounter for one book to contain every wisdom filled solution too. I continued, As the years pass bye there are new situation, new types of trials we are faced with. I believe to detain an answer for every situation life could through at you; you would need libraries of books, maybe thousands. So to alleviate this problem of having so many books, God tells believers to ask for the wisdom needed to maneuver through a trial.
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

Many people get knowledge and wisdom confused with one another. As was discussed in the introduction, Knowledge is taken from the Greek word Gnosis meaning to know in the form of information. It refers to the factual, the observable. Wisdom on the other hand comes from the Greek word Sophia and is defined as applied knowledge (know-how). The story is told of a brain surgeon who gets a call and rushes off to the hospital to perform surgery. This doctor has one of the most respected minds in the state. The people of his home town knew he was going to be nothing less than great. When he was in high school and college, he produced excellent grades throughout his school years. He was book smart brilliant. As the story goes, on his way to the hospital, his tire catches a flat. The doctor became frustrated and pulls over in the front of an insane asylum. As the doctor took the bolts off the wheel and placed them in the hubcap sitting on the curb, a patient from the asylum ventured to the locked front gate and observed the doctors every move. Now sweaty and agitated, the doctor swipes the flat tire with the spare in his trunk; and while reaching for the bolts in the hubcap, he mistakenly

hit the hubcap causing the bolts to fly up in the air and down a nearby sewer. Now, the doctor fearing he wont make his appointment jumps on his cell phone calling any and everybody he knows in search of a ride to the hospital. The patient at the front gate says, Excuse me sir, but I know what you can do. The doctor ignoring the patient continues with his phone calls, but to no avail. The patient at the front gate says again, Excuse me sir, but I know what you can do. The doctor now sits on the curb grieved that he wont be able to make his surgery. The patient at the front gate says once again, Excuse me sir, but I know what you can do. The doctor with nowhere else to turn turns to the patient and ask, What, what can be done? The patient replied, Take one bolt off each of the wheels that arent flat and use those three bolts for your spare wheel. The patient added, Three bolts on each wheel should get you safely where you need to go. Although the doctor possessed a great deal of knowledge, the wisdom that was needed could not be found by him.
TRIALS OF CONSEQUENCE

Wisdom is often needed in the type of trials I term the trials of consequence. A trial of consequence is a trial that is brought into our lives through wrong choice making. Sometimes we might sin and other times we may just make a bad choice from not weighing our options out and thinking things thoroughly through. How many times have you sat in a trial of consequence and said to yourself, Only if I would have done this instead of that? I wouldnt be in this mess I am in. God wants us to pray for the wisdom that will fix the fixable problems we bring in our lives. These trials of consequence we bring in our lives oftentimes just need some wisdom filled solutions.

Upper and Lower Wisdom Once we pray for wisdom, we must be sure that we are receiving and applying the correct wisdom. From the Bible we learn that there are two types of wisdoms; an upper and lower wisdom, a heavenly and earthly wisdom, a wisdom that comes from God, and a wisdom that is from man.

When seeking the wisdom of God, we must be sure not to get the two confused. The difference in the two is as different as night and day. The two types of wisdom are manifest in the book of James where it states,
But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:14-17

The way we are able to recognize the wisdom of God from the wisdom of man is as the above verse states; Gods wisdom is peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality and without hypocrisy. The wisdom that comes from God doesnt indulge in selfishness but selflessness. Lower wisdom or the wisdom from man, the Bible states as devilish. This is because it is formulated from behind the walls of the mind; making it carnal and diabolical. It was author John Bevere who compared our lives to the great cities of biblical times. He wrote in his book, Walls of Protection;
The strong cities had walls around them. These walls were the cities assurance of protection. They kept unwelcome inhabitance and invaders out.

Bevere continued by writing,

We construct walls when we are hurt to safeguard our hearts and prevent any future wounds. .originally erected for protection, they [the walls] become a source of. distortion. We filter everything through past hurts rejections and experiences.
DISTORTED WISDOM

We must be sure when receiving wisdom from God that it doesnt become distorted behind walls we havent allowed Jesus to knock down in our hearts and minds. Even Gods wisdom can become stagnant behind

the walls of a wounded heart and mind that is still holding on to past hurts and refusing to forgive. Having the mind of Christ is necessary in receiving and applying the wisdom of God appropriately. John Bevere writes;
The strongholds [walls] of the mind create set patterns of reasoning through which all incoming information is processed. Author John Bevere,
Walls of Protection emphasis added

The Bibles 2 Corinthians state:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down strong holds [walls]; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 emphases added

FOOLISHNESS OF GODS WISDOM

In writing about Gods wisdom as opposed to the wisdom of the world, the apostle Paul states,
For the preaching of the cross is to them that parish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy to wisdom of the wise. Have not God made foolishness the wisdom of the world? 1 Corinthian 1:18-20

Indeed God has destroyed the wisdom of those who claim to be wise with wisdom from above. The greatest thing a person can achieve in life is salvation. And God hasnt given salvation to us with a price tag attached to it as mans wisdom would have done. Nor has He given salvation to us with a list of works we must execute as mans wisdom would have done. No, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1 Cor. 1:21b). Gods wisdom doesnt line up with mans wisdom because He is not a man. He doesnt think like a man. I heard a preacher once say, If you want to know what God is like, just look at the world system; God is the exact opposite. God, speaking through the Old Testament prophet Isaiah said;

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

There are many biblical examples of Gods wisdom not being on one accord with mans wisdom. One example is found in the taking of the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-5). Cities arent normally taken this way, with priest, ram horns and loud shouts. But although it seemed contrary to the normal way of taking a city, the Children of Israel obeyed God and His wisdom prevailed. Sometimes God in His wisdom tells us to do things that may seem strange in comparison to the norm; like in James 1:2 where His word tells the Christian to count it all joy when you fall into various trials. When a person is going through a trial, the last thing he or she wants to do is count it all Joy. But when we obey him and His wisdom, we will find as the Children of Israel did, obeying always leads to success in trials.

No Doubting When asking God to give us wisdom to make it through the trials of life, the word of God plainly tells us that we should ask in faith without doubting.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all people liberally and rebukes not, and it shall be given to you. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8

Asking in faith means; asking with assurance. The word faith comes from the Greek word pistis and is literally defined as assurance.

The phrase, nothing wavering means no doubting. The seeker of the wisdom of God must not doubt the wisdom of God upon receiving it. It is your faith that pleases God and will motivate him to move on your behalf (Heb. 11:6). The picture is drawn of a wavering Christian; he is like a corkscrew in the sea: Back and forth he goes with the wave and wind. This person can be mirrored in Peter who stayed afloat with the Lord for a moment, but when he took his focus off of Jesus and began to focus on the wind and waves, he began to sink. I believe, says the wavering Christian; then he says, I dont believe. Whichever way the wind is blowing, that is the way this Christian is going. The passage above states, the Christian must not think he shall receive anything of the Lord. You must know assuredly, with conviction that you will receive the wisdom you seek and His wisdom will be successful. The book of Hebrews tells us to
come boldly [with confidence or assurance] unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 emphasis added
DOUBLE MINDEDNESS

The double-minded man is the man who wavers by putting his focus on God, then on the situation. The double-minded man sees the troubles that are before him and shivers, deeming his troubles to large for God to handle. The double-minded man is in great need of growth. He is not mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4), but immature and incomplete, lacking much. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Having Peace in Trials The word of God has not left us without peace in the midst of the trials of life. Just like in the eye of a hurricane, inside of every trial we encounter, the peace of God can be found. To obtain this peace that can only come from God, the believer only need to follow four biblical principles found in the Bible. The steps are found in the book of Philippians.

Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
FOUR STEPS TO PEACE

The first step is found in Philippians 4:4 where it tells the believer to rejoice in the Lord. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, oftentimes, the wisdom of God calls the believer to do the opposite of what the norm calls him or her to do. When going through a trial, worldly people develop an inner frustration due to the trial. But the believers are called to develop within themselves the very opposite. Christians are called to rejoice. The word rejoice stems from the word joy found in James 1:2, which means to have a calm cheerfulness within. The second step to obtaining the peace of God is as verse 5 states, Let you gentleness be known unto all men. When going through a trial, people of the world tend to lash out at people in their perimeter because of inner frustrations. Again, the believers are called to do the very opposite. Instead of lashing out, Christians are called to be gentle towards those in their circumference. The first step in obtaining the peace of God deals with the inner person, the second step deals with the outer. The third step to obtaining the peace of God is found in verse 6 where it states, be anxious for nothing. Oftentimes, when people of the world go through trials, they want the trial to be over as quickly as possible. But God teaches His children to not be anxious. The believer must first understand that the trial will be over in its own time. Also, if you are rushing for the trial to be over, you might miss the whole point of the trial. One of the trials in life we go through, I term the trial of display. Trials of display come to display the flaws within the heart. The old proverb states: I did not know I had a leaky roof until the storm came. When we are anxious (in a rush) we can miss the whole point of the trial. The fourth step in obtaining the peace of God is prayer. After completing the first three steps, the fourth and final step comes through

letting your request be made known unto God. Prayer is defined as talking and listening to God. It is imperative. Talking in itself is a great stress reliever. Your prayer is to be companied with supplication and thanksgiving. Supplication refers to petitioning for special needs. Thanksgiving refers to thanking Him for what He has already done. When the believer follows these four steps found in verses 4 through 6, the very next verse states:
And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

The peace of God is often needed in times of trials. The four steps: rejoice, be gentle, dont be anxious and Pray leads to the peace that can only come from God. Jesus, during his earthly ministry said,
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

In order that we might remain in this peace throughout the remainder of the trial, the next verse tells the believer what to do:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

TO READ MORE OF THIS BOOK, PURCHASE THE PAPERBACK OR EBOOK