Lesson on James 1 of the Bible

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We need to remember that testing of our faith will give us patience..and we should always ask and seek Gods answers when seeking wisdom. We must as in faith...and not doubt, if we doubt we are to wishy-washy. We will not recieve things from the Lord if we are not stable and know the path that is right and what to do with those things we ask for. We have to know Gods will before asking and know to DO Gods will with those things...wether they be of physical or spiritual or whatever...all things that are good from from God.

James 1:12-15

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

We will be blessed if we do not fall into temptation, wether it be at school, home or just out in society where temptation and satan loooove to lurk. God WILL NOT tempt and DOES NOT tempt. We are led astray by our own fleshy desires. And sin brings forth death...however here is where a question was raised....

Is this sin...or unrepented sin? The scripture tells us that Jesus paid the price for our sins...so I assume this means UN-repented sins.

James 1:19-20

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

This just says it all...we need to think before we speak, when we fly off the handle (like I do ALL the time) it does not produce the righteousness of God..in ANY way!! This is the moment we need to take a deep breath and shoot up a prayer to God and wait....then react, even if it is minutes, seconds, days, or even years...be slow to respond. Be listeners...listen to everything anyone tells you and all that goes on around you, you would be surprised by what you witness and learn.

James 1:21-27

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this ones religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Okay verse 21 I could make a really long thing on this, but I won't, just remember this...your soul is what people see, keep it from wickedness cause that is what it will show if that is what you are following...listen in spirit..and your soul will shine with the light of God! Basically we need to get our of the boat and do what Gods word says to do...we cannot just hear the word and not act on it. We have to ACT!!! plain and simple...

I am looking for ideas of things that we could do within our small town to get out and ACT on Gods word...any ideas? Please comment and let me know your ideas, or leave me a message.

Blessings to you and yours