Learning From the Book of James
What I Learned From James 1 & 2
When the tough times do come, we are to have a sense of gladness, because it is an opportunity to take our faith to the next level. Being patient and enduring (remaining steadfast in what God has said, no matter what it feels like or looks like) will result in our faith becoming reality. And when our faith becomes reality, we are maturing on a Godly level, allowing us to live complete lives and we will not need for anything.
Wisdom will be a key to attaining this success. And we can ask God for wisdom and He will give us wisdom.
People who do not remain patient and endure, will succumb to doubt and uncertainty. And the one who becomes doubtful and uncertain has no expectations of God moving on his/her behalf and will not receive reward. An uncertain person or doubtful person mediates between hope and despair and their minds remain unfixed or without destination.
People who are made rich by this world and worldly ways, will not see the 'fall' coming. But those that know God, will know when to lay their faith on the line and remain fixed on what God has promised and they will receive a reward rather than a loss. God does not tempt anyone to fail. Just as God Himself cannot fail. The failure comes when a person refuses to deal with their own fleshly lusts and wicked desires. When undealt with, these lusts and desires will grow in influence and strength and eventually sin will be the end result, because they will be acted upon. God does not place fleshly lusts and wicked desires within a heart, but instead He does place the Godly desires within a heart. And these desires will lead to life and truth and success. Unrighteous anger does not bring about lasting results. God puts it within our hearts, as to what we should think .. What we should say .. What we should expect. And when we practice thinking, saying, and doing what He has told us, we can only succeed.
When we fail to become intensely familiar with God's Word, we will not remember what He has told us when the heat is on and we will turn to our flesh for answers and our flesh will lead us astray, every time.
True Christians will watch what they say. They become lord's over their own tongues and only speak what God has said is truth. A true Christian will be giving and caring and completely uninfluenced by the things of this world.
We are to treat every person we meet, with the same respect and favorable attention. We are not to be influenced by what the person wears .. Such as fine clothing or jewelry or such. When we treat people favorable according to their impressive appearance and disfavorable according to their shabby appearance, God considers this discriminatory, as these are corrupt standards with which we measure a person by. Poor people have just as much rights to God's Kingdom as the rich person. Rich people might appear to look good but that does not necessarily mean they are good. We are to love everyone equally. When we favor the better dressed and better looking individual, and disfavor the shabbily dressed and plain looking individual, we are in sin and disobedience. We cannot pick and choose which of God's commands we choose to obey and which we choose not to obey. If we disobey even one of His laws and keep all others, we are still being disobedient. God will, in the end, judge us for how we have judged others. But, His mercy comes before His judgement, so that we can find our way back to complete obedience. Disobedience is an act of faithlessness. Just as obedience is an act of faithfulness. And faith requires action and not merely belief. Without good works, faith is dead. Good works does not produce faith. Instead, faith produces good works. Just believing in God is not enough. Even demons believe. Abraham became God's friend because he believed and trusted whatever God said to him. Rahab was a prostitute, yet God revered her as His friend. She acted in faith on behalf of the Israelites and helped them to escape. Faith cannot remain alive and thriving if belief is not acted upon.
