Genuine Faith, Good Works

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Program 1

Theologians and historians tell us that the book of James is one of the earliest books written to the New Church of Jesus Christ, perhaps around AD48. The prevailing thought seems to be - it's written by James who is identified as a brother of Jesus the carpenter, in ⁠Mark 6:3 ⁠- another of the children of Mary.

James has quite a history - he was in the Upper Room at Pentecost, he took over the leadership of the Jerusalem Church and presided at the Jerusalem Council where the church leaders reached an agreement for the basis of Christian Fellowship. You see that is ⁠Acts 15.⁠

In this book of James, whilst the importance of faith is acknowledged, just as importantly is the acknowledgement of, and the need for a genuine faith in God and Jesus Christ to outwardly produce good works!

James discusses, I believe in great detail:

• the basic, real and invariable nature of Christianity; 
• many of the significant individual features of Christianity
• the intrinsic and indispensable qualities that characterise Christianity

In short - James provides us with a check list for the living of our Christian lives.

Remember ⁠2 Corinthians 5:10 Amplified Bible⁠ - For we believers will be called to account and must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities.

If we break down, scrutinise and put into practice the information contained in the book of James, I think we will do an enormous amount of good not only for ourselves and those whom we love, but also for those others around us in the world in which we live. 

Let's start together in Chapter 1,

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)!

James - self identification - ownership of what comes next in this letter that he is writing...no anonymous comments here. Speak the truth and own it - be responsible and with that comes some accountability.

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 1 - understand and develop ownership, truth, responsibility, accountability. It's important we learn to replace blame and even possibly a victim mentality with responsibility.

A servant - Decide who you are going to serve and why. Be a representative willingly. ⁠2 Corinthians 5:17-21⁠ - Ambassadors for Christ

There is only so much of you to go around and there is only so much productive time that you have. Make a decision to serve and stick to it - through serving others we learn so much: sacrifice, humility, process, compassion, creates greater impact, builds stronger relationships, develops selflessness - the list goes on and on.

A servant of God - so powerful  - true acknowledgement of God's existence, power and authority and a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ - to me that means to obey the Word of God. Jesus said in ⁠John 14:15⁠ - "If you love me keep my commandments". As we obey the Word we follow Jesus, obey Jesus and serve Jesus.

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 2 - serving, obedience to the Word of God and the service of others is a fundamental Christian requirement.

Genuine Faith, Good Works – A study in The Book of James

Program 2

"...to the twelve tribes scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion".

This is really important - this tells me that you are always called to some one, some where. Let the Lord direct your steps this way. As you adopt a position of responsibility for your life, ownership of your life, truth in your life, accountability for your life, the correct submission to God the Father as Almighty God, as you submit to the instruction of the Word of God and willingly, selflessly serve others you are positioning yourself for the Lord to expand your influence to others out there amongst the world. Some of these people quite likely, will be in all kind of difficulties or problems  - the **Dispersion** - that came from the historical and traumatic ongoing scattering away from their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel, to various parts of the world.

These people have faced serious difficulties and problems and James is trying to minister to these people with a letter that's telling them to have faith and work hard at doing good!

Sometimes that which you are called to do may just be hard enough for you let alone the recipient of your message!

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 3 - you are called to serve and assist some one, some where. It may not be easy and they may be facing all kinds of difficulties!** 

And then James tells them **Rejoice** ! Why - Nehemiah 8:10b - "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice - Philippians 4:4.

Joy is not a happy feeling - it may produce a happy feeling but joy is a powerful spiritual force, one of the fruits of the spirit and when exercised and released it strengthens you.

Strength is very important - if you have dedicated yourself to living a responsible, accountable, truthful, compassionate, impactfully serving, called and directed, obedient life that is submitted to the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. WHY IS STRENGTH SO IMPORTANT....

**2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

Because trails and temptations are going to be a relatively common occurrence that you will be subject to. Take the revelation from verse 1 where the Jews were scattered through the Gentiles lands. Us Christians are going to be exposed to the full force of the world around us which is a fallen, sinful world. We can be either called to it or attacked by it, or more accurately, a combination of both. Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Take the obvious hint that spiritual warfare is real. It comes straight at you in the forms of trials and temptations. Your flesh, your mind, your marriage, your money, your children, your family, your church or home group, your friend groups - literally spirit, soul, body, financially, socially and multi-generationally are the areas that you can face trials or various temptations.

There has to be a consideration to this. TO CONSIDER - means to think carefully about (something), especially before making a decision.

This means that our interactions with the world around us, ESPECIALLY SO WHEN IT COMES TO TRIALS OR TEMPTATIONS need to be thought through carefully BEFORE we make decisions.

Strategic Planning, regarding spiritual solutions being worked out in a natural world, is a necessary, real and powerful thing. As you travel down this pathway, operating in this thought through way it's going to be tiring and it will test your strength, hence the need to be strong, to stay strong and if you start to weaken, then to regroup and get strong again - how  - rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice! The joy of the Lord is your strength!

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 4 - learn to cultivate the joy of the Lord in your life through, praise worship and the study of God's Word.

Program 3

James 1:2

However, there is a remarkable outcome from working through the trials, temptations and the trying of your faith - this is truly an outstanding result, making the entire scenario not only exciting and challenging but a necessary part of growth, development and maturing. This is something that James wants us to be assured in and understand thoroughly:

**3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

Endurance, steadfastness and patience - three powerful forces, three very powerful attributes to have flowing in your heart, mind, speech and character.

What's Endurance: 

The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship or stress

The state or fact of persevering

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "a state or condition of persevering"

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "the act or ability, the quality or the power to withstand hardship of stress".

THAT'S A VERY GOOD CHARACTER TRAIT - THATS A VERY GOOD OUTCOME FROM SOMETHING THAT WAS DESIGNED TO POTENTIALLY WEAR YOU DOWN AND EVEN BREAK YOU.

What's Steadfastness:

Firmness; strength.

Stability and firmness; fixedness in place or position.

Stability of mind or purpose; resolution; constancy; faithfulness; endurance.

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "firmness, stability and strength".

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "fixedness in place or position" - in my mind that to me speaks of being rock solid. One of the character traits of being rock solid, I believe, is dependable and dependability.

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you" stability of mind or purpose".

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "resolution, constancy, faithfulness and endurance".

What's Patience:

the ability to wait or to continue doing something despite difficulties or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "the ability to wait or to continue to do something despite difficulties".

**So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations creates for you "a capacity to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed".

These are truly remarkable character traits to build into your life - however they come through So the trying and proving of your faith through trials and temptations.

That tells me that what was intended for bad, God turns around and reworks it, redesigns the outcomes for good. A genuine faith producing good works.

BUT WE MUST REMEBER TO FOCUS ON THE SPIRITUAL CLIMATE AND POSITIONING OF ALL OF THIS AND NOT JUST ON THE TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS IN THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US. 

Program 4

**2 Corinthians 4:18 - Amplified Bible - Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

Always looking to the spiritual side of life FIRST. 

Thinking about Acts 1:8 - a witness of and for Jesus

Thinking about 2 Corinthians 5:20 - being an ambassador for Christ

Thinking about John 1:12  - given power, capacity and ability to become a child of God

All of this means that your life has MEANING - AND BEACUSE YOUR LIFE HAS MEANING, THEN, EVERYTHING MATTERS! EVERYTHING YOU DO, SAY, THINK, BELIEVE - AND BECAUSE YOU MATTER, EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU MATTERS THEN YOUR IMPACT IS ETERNAL FIRST AND WORDLY AND NATURAL SECOND. WHY BECAUSE THE NATURAL WORLD IS FLEETING BUT THE INVISIBLE SPIRIT WORLD IS DEATHLESS AND EVERLASTING. 

YOU MATTER, EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU MATTERS AND EVERYHTING ABOUT YOU THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH HAS AN UNSEEN, ETERNAL COMPONENT TO IT.

AND THIS IS WHY THAT GOD'S TAKES TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS AND TURNS THEM INTO ENDURANCE, STEADFASTNESS AND PATIENCE. WHY, SO YOU CAN GO THE DISTANCE IN JOY WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

A TRUE CO-LABOURER TOGETHER WITH THE LORD.

If you have these attributes and can live out these character traits, that's an enormously powerful skillset that you have built into your life. There is no limit to how incredibly stable, and as a consequence, reliable, impactful and probably sought after by others, you would be, in the world around you.

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 5 - Choose to become the difference in many other people's lives. At the same time you constantly, exponentially and automatically raise the bar on your own life and that is a powerfully good thing - for everyone!

**4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be (people) perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.

How does endurance, steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work - by you not avoiding the trials and temptations, but embracing them, managing them, investigating them and converting them from a trail or a temptation to something you have faced and conquered. I think this is why so many of the same situation comes round again and again in peoples lives - because they obviously haven't learned to deal with it last time it came round.

An interesting quote from Dr Mike Murdock - "Patience is the weapon that causes deception to reveal itself".

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 6 - deliberately choose to embrace the process that involves trails and temptations - and choose the pathway and direction of becoming perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.

Program 5

**James 1:5

**5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him.

I find this verse remarkable - of course we are deficient in wisdom - we are constantly deficient in wisdom and we offer up our often-feeble view and opinion based on an extremely small piece of the total information - we don't know what was in the other persons heart or mind when they said or did that! So, we have AT BEST very limited information, but the safety net for us is "ask the giving God". This is God's default position – permanently listening, gracious and generous to the teachable - when you reach, God responds.

Because we PERMANENTLY lack wisdom at some degree and at some level in everything we think, do and say we need to stay permanently teachable, we need to stay developing a righteousness consciousness and a God-within-me consciousness, and we need to stay gracious to everyone around us. 

This is very important : Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

This also tells me to look for God in everything - from the very small to the overwhelmingly gigantic. SO great is the lack of wisdom in each of us, at every level of life - we need to look for God IN every level of life. 

You say Joe, that's very harsh - I am actually smarter than that - I don't disagree with you, however, even the things we KNOW, there are still levels and layer to them that we don't know.

My point being, develop the habit of looking for Jesus, looking for His creative and energising power in everything around you.

For example - the God that created the iron ore we discover in the earth, who released the wisdom to mine the iron ore, and refine the iron ore, is the same God that allowed humankind to develop the scalpel that I have used to remove the hardwood wooden splinters out of my hand on many occasions. The same God created the iron ore and the hardwood tree. Now none of us know every minute component of the earth, the iron ore, mining, forestry, manufacturing, sales, marketing, packaging, surgical processes - you get the idea. We all lack wisdom and are information lacking along the way of the very things that we know and take for granted daily - so look for God in the very tiny and non-obvious places and I believe you'll more easily be able to identify Him in the more obvious daily life situations.

**James 1:5

**5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him.

Lets expand this verse a little more:

The overwhelming, vast majority of people would want to make wise decisions, one would hope. I believe that the Lord and our Holy Spirit wants to lead us into decisions that we LOVE to remember. I have been previously plagued with some decisions that I’d love to forget and I suspect most people have some kind of a filing cabinet in their hearts and minds of terrible decisions that they’d rather forget, as well – we’d like to lock that thing up and throw away the key! However, it can be very helpful to unpack some of those decisions at strategic times and especially with genuine help, for example, from a doctor or clinical psychologist or an appropriate professional in that field (which ever field it is) – and really get to the bottom of how that decision happened.

Decisions emanate from a place of options or choices. If there wasn’t a choice or an option or another possible pathway, you wouldn’t need to make that decision. 

Confusion comes when there are too many choices or options available to you for consideration. All of these options have to be considered, or thought through – especially so with regard to more important decisions, life altering ones, financial, relational, vocational – these sorts of things.

Think about James – should he completely change his entire belief system the way he knew it and the way he had been raised in it, with all of its practices and it’s traditions - and follow this new thing which happens to be his half-brothers kind of religion that he’s started? These are real questions that these people were faced with. Other people in other religions, practising other belief systems today, can even have their lives endangered should they move to Christianity. 

Decisions are a daily occurrence for most people and often we don’t think about them and their consequences. Some people think it’s ok to eat half a block of chocolate after dinner every night. They should ask their doctor or dietician and see what they say!

Confusion comes from too many choices and perhaps not enough information accompanying those choices.

Wisdom is the solution that cuts through the confusion and progressively eliminates the choices, so we can move forward, one would hope, in a safe and productive manner that is well pleasing to our Heavenly father.

Part 6

Again, lets look at the context surrounding this verse a little more:

Verse 2

**2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

 – be joyful when you are dealing with, navigating through a vast array of different and difficult problems of ANY sort or you fall into various temptations.

Now what could some of that vast array of trials or temptations be to individuals or families that have been driven from their lands? All of these produce steadfastness, patience and endurance and then in all of this, if the way forward is still not super clear – then ask God for Wisdom. Some of this could be day-day survival matters, food, shelter, clothing, safe places – re-establishing their family in a new area, cropping, starting a business, trading – there’s so much going on in these peoples lives and all of this pressure and uncertainty James says – “ask God to give you wisdom, from your position of endurance and patience and He will give that to you generously and help you to understand your current lot in life”!

WOW! We tend to so look at life often through the eyes of our very safe largely middle class, very well catered for western world. We have running water, sanitation, endless public and private transport, heath facilities – hospitals doctors, medical centres, dentists – all of our western world extravagances and comfort…yet in so many ways, we are facing life completely bogged down with our first world problems!

Hence the incredible wisdom and instruction packed into future verses about widows, orphans, a genuine Christian faith that systematically produces good works, the rich helping create ways to care for those less fortunate, or less wise. 

There is so much we can learn from the book of James.

**James 1:5

**5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him.

Let’s contextualise this verse a touch more – James a Jewish Christian (hence the reference to God and the Lord Jesus Christ) – think with me on the options and choices he’s made there. A born and raised Jewish man, possibly in the prime of his life stepping from his Jewish faith into this new Christian faith. His reference as a servant compliments his position as a significant leader in the early Church, quite likely the leader of the first church in Jerusalem.

In all of that which is happening in the man’s life, and as a half-brother of Jesus – I mean, he saw Jesus’ ministry happening in real life – the crowds, the miracles, the distraught mother at the horrific butchering of her son – if no one else ever believed Mary, at least she knew that Joseph was NOT Jesus’ biological father.  James was faced with a variety of options and a multitude of responses to the ever-evolving situations as the new church of Jesus Christ was being born, formed and grew? Look at Pauls writings just to the Corinthians – all kinds of things going on all over the place. James’ own letter to the twelve tribes scattered in the dispersion – displaced people, forcibly removed or driven from their homes and lands. There is lots happening and a great deal of it is not good – as best it’s certainly challenging to say the least!

Our New Testament is graphic and most pointed when it comes to “don’t live or speak or think like that – live or speak or think like this!! Serious amounts of correction right throughout our New Testament. There’s a lot going on in just a few short decades! 30 or 40 years – wow – such transformations!

I suspect that James’ invitation and encouragement to reach out to God for Wisdom, comes from personal experience. That man, that Minister had to navigate a ferociously changing world – and help others navigate it as well. A bit like ours now, so nothing has changed.

**Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Why - because our own insight, our own understanding is only a part of the picture - we have very little truthful idea of what the other persons motive, agenda, position, background life code, work ethic, reasonings. financial position is - this list can just go on and on. 

It’s only the Lord, The Holy Spirit that has the access to all of this information and can accurately assemble all parts of the jigsaw.

**6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

The Amplified Bible reads: In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,  

And He will make your paths straight and smooth removing obstacles that block your way.

Hence, my point about seeing God and Jesus in absolutely everything. When you drive to work thank the Lord for rubber trees and excellent tyre making technology that gives you and your wife and your children safety on the roads when in your vehicle. It's all part of developing and attitude of gratitude and helps us stay connected with:

**5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him.

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 7 – God’s Word is His wisdom and His Wisdom is His Word.

Deuteronomy 4:4-6

⁴ But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. ⁵ See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

**Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 7 – God’s Word is His wisdom and His Wisdom is His Word.

Part 7

James 1:5, Verse 6

 **5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him.

**6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Asking God for Wisdom, but asking IN FAITH without wavering – I was always perplexed by this wondering if ‘I had enough faith’; ‘was I doubting’, ‘did I have enough faith for a solution’; ‘was I wavering’ – all of these sorts of questions. How do I actually ask God for wisdom WITHOUT wavering - until I realised all I had to do was have faith enough IN God, IN Jesus to ask them for wisdom – wisdom only! That’s all this is – a simple request for wisdom – I’m not asking for the plans for a rocket ship or something complicated – it’s a simple request for wisdom. Don’t overthink this - it’s simply a request for wisdom. 

Can I possibly believe that an all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, all-generous God does actually want me wiser? Obviously the answer to that is YES – emphatically YES.  Hence, it’s so easy to actually believe that God will answer the request and at some point in time, as I continue in prayer and study of His word, keep going about my daily responsibilities, that solutions find their way to me.

How do you test those possible solutions – that’s a great question and the answer is very simple:

**Colossians 3:12-17 – Amplified Bible

¹² So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; ¹³ bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. ¹⁴ Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. ¹⁶ Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

We must approach God simply trusting in who He is – look around at Creation itself – the stars in the sky. Remind yourself of who God is. Also remind yourself that what God did in Jesus was so much more powerful than what satan did in Adam. Death entered through that satan/Adam interaction. Read Romans 4, 5 and 6.

Think about death for a moment – may I submit to you that virtually every person has probably killed something, in the course of their life – even if it’s a mosquito or a fly or another insect. Maybe even a larger animal or bird. Those of us with motor vehicles have perhaps hit a bird or a small animal – in Australia there is always a constant amount of wildlife that sadly have been hit by vehicles and are dead on the side of the road. Some people hunt or fish and bring home fish or game they have caught or hunted. 

Point being: - frankly it’s not that hard to kill something – even if it’s a mosquito or a fly – BUT have you EVER created life or put life back into that death thing!

You get the point. The creation or instigation of life is a MUCH more complex situation that the instigation of death. What satan did in Adam is nothing compared to What God did in Jesus. 

Please, trust who God is and what He has done – of course He will grant you wisdom to navigate through life and life’s challenges and opportunities – and every challenge is an opportunity – never forget that. Every challenge is an opportunity – verses 2 and 3 – consider it joy when you encounter trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, endurance and patience.

The other aspect to this is Romans 10:17 - **¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ. 

The more we hear the Word of God preached and taught in a particular area, the more our faith will grow in that area.

James 1:7-8

**⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Anyone that is going to slip in and out of their Christian belief system and positioning is going to struggle to connect with God – but more importantly if and when God provides answers, opportunities and solutions and the individual has departed from relationship or expectation, those answers, opportunities and solutions are going to be lost as the person is no longer available to connect with them. It was them that left – not God that failed to show up. 

Read with me Hebrews 11:6:

**⁶ But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

The principle being, as we reach out to God – HE RESPONDS!

Genuine Faith Good Works life key no. 8 – “We reach out to God, He responds, we ask, He answers, we commit and He connects.”

PART 8

^**9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

The Amplified Bible expands this a little for us and reads this way:

⁹ Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God];

This is a fascinating verse – the perspectives that we hold MUST be based in truth. A person in very humble circumstances may consider themselves to be a lessor person than someone who is, for example, wealthier. In fact James brings this comparison to the forefront with verse 10:

¹⁰ and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 

I love the passages in Isaiah 40 that James is quoting here – again from the Amplified Bible:

Isaiah 40:6-8

⁶ A voice says, Cry [prophesy]! And I said, What shall I cry? [The voice answered, Proclaim:] All flesh is as frail as grass, and all that makes it attractive [its kindness, its goodwill, its mercy from God, its glory and comeliness, however good] is transitory, like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely [all] the people are like grass.

⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

We need to have an accurate picture of who we really are – our value as people before a Holy God is not about being poor or rich – yes those things impact our natural worlds but the most important perspective is God’s Word and what the Word of the Lord says about people, how to treat them, how to interact with them and most importantly how to consider them.

Both poverty and riches bring circumstantial pressures. Both poverty and riches possess within them, a proclivity, or a tendency to often, somewhat effectively, redirect the persons focus away from God and more toward their own circumstances in the natural.

The person in lower circumstances needs to consider themselves in the light of God’s Word, then take God’s Word, renew their mind to the Scriptures and speak faith, act in faith trusting the Lord will honour that, support that and help them in that. I guarantee their circumstances will change. 

The rich person must stay humble – profoundly grateful for that which the Lord has given them. They must understand that no one makes it out of this life alive, to strongly develop a reverential respect and fear of God, that they are “a fleshly version of grass” – very little longevity and desperately needing to focus on what they are about whilst the season is there. When it’s growing season the grass really get’s on with it – we have lots of hay farms here in Tasmania. The wealthy or materially rich person must realise that their wealth does not place them in a strategically advantageous position before God. That’s like saying to a billionaire “you need to be impressed with my $100”. No, the person that own the universe is not impressed with our worldly riches and the Lord is certainly NOT impressed when we place our faith and trust in those transient earthly, worldly riches. 

Riches have predominantly four main purposes – 

1. To alleviate or remove personal shortage – pay your own way
2. To bless and help others and alleviate suffering
3. To support the work of the Kingdom of God
4. To create positive, effective progress and blessings, multi-generationally

We are only here for such a short time – “All flesh is as frail as grass, and all that makes it attractive [its kindness, its goodwill, its mercy from God, its glory and comeliness, however good] is transitory, like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely [all] the people are like grass.

Think about your life as simply a season – you’re alive, able to work, communicate, think, be diligent, plan, strategise, execute those plans – your life whilst you are alive on the earth is just a season to make the very most of whilst you can!

Hear the urgency and resolve in Isaiah 40:

⁶ A voice says, Cry [prophesy]! And I said, What shall I cry? [The voice answered, Proclaim:] All flesh is as frail as grass, and all that makes it attractive [its kindness, its goodwill, its mercy from God, its glory and comeliness, however good] is transitory, like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely [all] the people are like grass.

⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

The cry of the heart – Cry, Prophesy, Proclaim…. If you have flesh, your days are numbered.  You’re like the grass, you are on your way out – a change of season – a few hot days and its over for you – maybe 80 or 90 years if you are very fortunate and it’s over for you!!!

Go all in on learning God’s Word – that’s the only that stands for ever – if it’s embedded in your heart and mind then does that mean you stand forever as well?

Go all in on obeying God’s Word – we will be judged for everything we do and say whilst in this body. If you’ve been acting on and living out His Word does that mean your life and your acts will stand for something long term?

Go all in on sharing God’s Word – explaining the importance and the urgency of scripture to others. Time is critical and our lives are ticking away – everyday, everday, everyday we are all one day closer to death. 

REMEMBER T, I, M, E :  Time, Influence, Money and Energy

Value and focus your time, value and focus your Influence, value and focus your money, value and focus your energy – there is only so much of you to go around.

Friends, there is always going to be social conflict of some kind between the poor and the rich. There is always going to be conflict of some kind in the Church – remember James is writing to Christians.  Someone is going to disagree with something! I know it well, Lynda and I have been involved in Ministry for just on 40 years – we pastored for something like 20 years ourselves.

James urges people to seek Divine Wisdom and focus on the Word of God – that’s where our correct perspectives are stored and housed for us to learn, embrace and propagate – especially multi-generationally!

A correct perspective precedes correct prioritising.

Correct prioritising precedes correct routines.

Correct routines precede worthwhile, valuable results.

Part 9   

¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

If we understand that we are like the grass, temporary and subject to the seasonal dictates of a short life of less than say 100 years then we also should easily understand the second part of this verse:  “So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits”. What does that tells us:

1. No one, absolutely no one will be able to subvert the system,
2. No one, absolutely no one will make it out of this life alive.

That being the case, you may as well go all in and devote yourself to reading, learning and living God’s Word as you go about your daily life.

It’s absolutely critical we read our Bibles daily. Get a paper Bible that you can write it. Don’t rely on your phone or tablet or device. Get a quality Bible – an ESV is a great Bible  - I use an ESV study bible as well as a large print, red letters ESV as that easier to read when I’m preaching.

Get a good quality Bible and read it every day. If you can’t afford one, go to a local Christian Church and ask them if they have one that you can have. They’ll give you one for sure.

Genuine Faith Good Works life key no.9  – “Be fully aware, no one, but no one beats the system – no one makes it out of this life alive. Your days really are numbered – make each one of them count.”

James 1:12

¹² Blessed is the man (the person, the individual) who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

This is a really interesting verse and is a second reference to trials and being steadfast – first being in verse 2. James 1: 2 -  

Blessed is “to be envied, empowered to increase, empowered to prosper”… think about it this way – to be envied and empowered to increased is the person who remains steadfast under trial. 

Think about that next time things aren’t going well! It’s when we stand up to these tests and trials that the benefits start to accumulate – we become better at solving problems, we meet others that also solve problems, we are encouraged by seeing people under stress or pressure actually succeed and come out from it all – we get stronger as we go. It really is true that with a correct attitude and approach, that which does not kill you makes you stronger! 

For the Christian, this carries an extra reward of getting God’s attention across the process. When we truly understand that our fleshly bodies are nothing but grass, our lives a mere vapour, then and only then I believe, are we able to truly craft out the correct perspectives and formulate more God-aligned priorities.

Psalm 39:4-5

⁴ Lord, make me to know my end and [to appreciate] the measure of my days—what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].

⁵ Behold, You have made my days as [short as] handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight. Truly every man at his best is merely a  breath! Selah [pause, and think calmly of that]!

Hence again, the need to be truly conscious of where we fit in the Divine planning and processes that are unfolded everyday here on earth.

Part 10

James 1:12

¹² Blessed is the man (the person, the individual) who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

(Those that have developed a level of steadfastness, remain there and hopefully increase in character from that level. This is a truly excellent example of a Good Work emanating out from a genuine faith in Jesus).

Trials, difficulties, problems – they are all going to come:

• Some from the Lord as a test of character
• Some, self-induced, from our own bad decisions
• Some, self-induced, from our own flawed character
• Others, again self-induced, from our own incorrect attitudes
• Even more difficulties and trials, self-induced from our own wrong speech
• Some from incorrect expectations – our own and from others – this list just goes on… 
• And let’s not forget satan attacks – the spiritual warfare that goes on around us. Often that’s at a minimum as we do a better job of upsetting ourselves and creating problems for ourselves through our own failings at learning and obeying God’s Word – we are more effective at attacking ourselves than the devil is.

Psalm 39:4-5

⁴ Lord, make me to know my end and [to appreciate] the measure of my days—what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].

⁵ Behold, You have made my days as [short as] handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight. Truly every man at his best is merely a  breath! Selah [pause, and think calmly of that]!

Hence again, the need to be truly conscious of where we fit in the Divine planning and processes that are unfolded everyday here on earth.

Again, this reiterates our need to develop correct perspectives that are scripture based, formulate those into correct priorities to live out, that are scripture based and convert all of that into effective good works, bringing value to others, from God’s perspective.

All of this will come with it’s fair share of problems and difficulties – face that fact. Life is hard, people are harder! However as we endure, are steadfast and persevere through the trials a reward is accumulating in heaven for us – not actually based only on WHAT we have achieved but HOW we have achieved – ultimately coming from our deep love for Jesus and our Heavenly Father as led and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s remind ourselves of 2 Corinthians 5:10 

¹⁰ For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] (his reward – JA) according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering ^[a]what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has ^[b]achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

James 1:12 –¹² Blessed is the man (the person, the individual) who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

Part of our reward is the crown of life to those who love God – remember Jesus added some clarification to this idea of Loving God/Loving Jesus that and said “if you love me, keep my commandments”- in short OBEY the Word of God.

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

God, being unreservedly good does not tempt people with evil. We understand clearly that it was satan who tempted Jesus, not God. Matthew Chapter 4 this is laid out. Jesus defeated every one of those temptations with the Word of God, strategically used to overcome the devil.

There’s a big difference between trails and temptations. Trials can come from different sources, perhaps from God Himself to strengthen individuals, to change someone’s direction – think of Jonah and his set of issues, - trials can come from other people, from our own self imposed errors and mistakes – yes trails can come from a variety of sources.

However temptations  - James 1:13

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one (with evil). 

¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

This is not a God-inspired situation as God does not want people to sin. That is something He is fundamentally opposed to. Therefore – the kicker in these two verses is when we sin, it’s on ourselves, not God!

There is a process to sin – initial attraction, effective luring and enticing based on the desires of the individual. I grew up trout fishing in New Zealand as a young boy and continued that through my teens and into my twenties. I caught literally thousands of trout with lures – I became very skilled at that over some 20 years and have trout fished some of the finest trout waters in the world, that NZ has. 

There is an art in luring out a trout so it takes the lure. The devil is good at it too – not because he is smart, but because he is experienced, been around a long time and he and his staff have been watching you all your life. They know very well just what lure to toss your way. If that doesn’t work then they have others in their tackle box to entice you with… just the same as I did to many trout across all those years. In the pristine waters that I grew up on in NZ, it was common to catch 20 or 30 or more a week.

It came back to knowing my target, providing something enticing that was inclined in the direction that they liked – for trout it was food or territory!

Think through what your desires are, what is enticing to you – then take your Bible and read up on that topic – The scripture alone have the power to renew our minds, correct our thinking and bring us into right relationship with the Lord. Rely on the scriptures, not what well meaning people explain as “that’s just your cross you have to bear” or “that’s your problem” – if you want to call that something else than sin, then you will have to come up with a different method than the cross of Jesus to deal with it for you. 

Romans 6:6

⁶ We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.

Remember Romans 6:23 – “the wages/payment/reward of sin is death”- that shows us that sin has the ability to take you further than where you wanted to go.

Be aware of the process of sin – attract attention, entice, lure,  - based around what you have as your desires in your heart and mind. 

Genuine Faith Good Works life key no.10  – Sin has the ability to take you further than where you wanted to go.

Hearing and Doing the Word

Part 11

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 

Right in the midst of James’ explanation and warning of the process of our own desires, that have not obviously been renewed and refocused  to love and desire what it is that God approves of and wants in the believers lives, James inserts this blatant warning about deception.

This plays out in my mind this way – “You are making good progress, don’t let yourself be derailed by a fleshy desire getting in the way of powerful spiritual forward momentum”. Any lost time is a real tragedy and something we must be so conscious of avoiding. Sinful practices equate to wastage of life itself. So much time and energy lost pursuing wrong things.

It's critical to think of sin participation as a form of a deception. And James is saying “don’t be deceived”!

He then follows that up with:

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

When good things happen, we aren’t “lucky”! 

Absolutely not – it’s either a blessing of God and our Lord Jesus Christ or it’s a harvest from our worthwhile seed sown. Remember Colossians 3:16-17

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one 

another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with 

thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And swhatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father 

through him.

Colossians 3:23-25

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Mark 4: ²⁶ And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. ²⁸ The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹ But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Ephesians 6:8 - ⁸ knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Friends, we will never escape the process and system of seed/plant/harvest.

There is no such thing as “lucky” it’s either a blessing of God and our Lord Jesus Christ or it’s a harvest from our worthwhile seed sown.

Once again, a genuine faith is Christ Jesus helps us understand these processes well, for not only our own benefit but also to ensure we definitely bring benefit and value to other peoples lives. That is the Christian way. 

Amidst all of the problems, trials and the enticing of sin – BE REMINDED that good things are God engineered.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

The Father of Lights  - the God that created all light – light be and light was! – the Father of lights is unchanging in his character – Jesus Christ, the same yesterday today and forever – God doesn’t change like the transition from day to night back to day – God doesn’t change like a moving shadow – be grounded in the truth that our Good God wants good things for His people!

Many people have a problem with that – you need good, useful things – so you can do good works – James goes on and in verse 27, mentions visiting widows and orphans in their affliction – why – in their affliction? So that when you arrive they are not afflicted any more – you are there to practically help not visit and chat!!

There’s a fascinating truth I’ve been meditating on in Genesis 1:26-28

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

²⁷ So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

²⁸ And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Verse 28 – the very first two words ever heard by a human ear:

BE and FRUITFUL

To BE or BECOME the person that does and achieves all these things in V28 and do it from a fruitful and useful perspective.

DO SOMETHING – USEFUL!

John1:11-12

¹¹ He came to his own,^[a] and his own people^[b] did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Genuine Faith Good Works life key no.11  – Become who you were designed to be in God and who you are allowed to be in Christ Jesus

Part 12

James 1:18

 ¹⁸ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James had grown up with his half brother Jesus. He saw him grow up, start a religion, perform miracles all around the place, expound the scripture like no other, die for it and then God Himself raised his half brother Jesus, back from the dead.

James knew they - these new believers – were at the forefront of Christianity. It was no longer JUST all about his half brother Jesus,- no it was about what Jesus now meant to them all as the Messiah, who Jesus is and how Jesus still functions in the earth today. James knew they (meaning “the brand new born again church”) were the pioneers, the forerunners of this new belief system. A new belief system so grounded in, and based on the fact that GOD and Jesus WANTED to do this – this is how unspeakably valuable, unbelievably priceless that every person is, that they went through with it all – what became the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, James’ very own half brother. 

James knew in his heart and mind that this was the greatest gift of all that could ever come from the Father of lights – but he didn’t dwell there, no, James went on the say (James 1:18b) - that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. This new body of Christians, this new body of believers, those who we call the very “early church” were the start of a global change, that would never stop, even if you died – eternity had arrived – the greatest gift of all that came down from the Father of Lights.

James knew that as a “firstfruit”, as a pioneer, as a forerunner of a new global distribution network of God’s own truth that the work had only just begun. It’s more than a movement, it’s more than a new religion,  - it’s the coming together of heaven and earth, the reconciling of humans back to God, the forever life-changing, eternal opportunity for the forgiveness of your own sin – literally a new creature in Christ Jesus – does this remind you of: 

 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Whilst the book of James doesn’t really speak much about salvation itself – he does touch on aspects of that most certainly in James 1:18.

 ¹⁸ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James knew that the real work – those good works that us believers are now called to, required to participate in, that help create trust towards Christians, that help to raise doubts in the minds of UN-believers when you do good to them and for them with no thought of gain for yourself – just the fact that you care about them…that’s why you help them… that we lay down our life for others as James saw his own half-brother Jesus do… please understand that just doesn’t mean to die for someone else – no, Jesus did that for us all already – our version of laying down our life is to invest TIME in someone else – that is time of your life that you can never get back – you could have spent it on you, but you spent it helping or caring for someone else – that’s a piece of your life that has been laid down for someone else – SELFLESSNESS – read Philippians 2

I think it was Theordore Roosevelt (26^th President of the United States) who said “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.

This leads us straight into James’ next thought and instruction of how this awesome obligation and accountability actually unfolds, day to day in our own lives -  

James 1:19-21

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

James knew that there were some simple “human” steps to manage this incredible responsibility, this enormous weight of connection with others, the sharing of the Gospel was to:

1. “Know this” - Firstly, become aware of it – you have to know this - truly know this – head knowledge AND HEART knowledge – this perspective is no longer what you think its who you have become – you change in line with the Word of Truth…verse 18.
2. “My beloved brothers” – be conscious that we are all family and love one another as deeply as family are meant to, love and value one another as truly as family are meant to.
3. “Let every person be quick to hear” - Then  - just listen to others – let them speak – let them be heard – everyone carries unseen pain that only Jesus can heal and remove. If you create the space for people to be heard that pain will start to be revealed… listening does not require a theological degree. James is keeping it real for everyday people.
4. “Slow to speak”- What does “slow to speak” actually look like – A) NOT interrupting someone else - letting other actually finish their thoughts and sentences, deliberately focusing on them stops your mind from racing off somewhere else and it helps build trust because the person feels like they are being heard – because they are. B)  It allows space for a more thoughtful and more measured response form you – which may even be something like a hug, not a sentence… remember – someone’s pain is very real to them – treat it with respect!
5. “Slow to Anger” – we clean up our own act,  - as we focus on walking, speaking and living as “beloved family”, focusing on the enormity of the good news of the Gospel into the lives of others, we start to progressively eliminate those things that God doesn’t like:

²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

Its very important to always be aware that our words are generally the most powerful way to open a conversation up or shut it down – not always words but more times than not. Jesus used words and sentences as tools for purpose and intent, not as playthings for conversational banter.

Part 13

James 1:19-27

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 

²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant 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 who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

These verses really do contain some powerful “Good Works” – remember – this series is Genuine Faith, Good Works and some of the most powerful good works that we as born-again believers can perform are contained in these verses. Verse 18 – we were brought forth by the will of God and by the Word of Truth.

The Word of Truth, this implanted Word, is the Word that we need to be hearing and doing. The more we hear, the stronger our faith comes (Romans 10:17) – we need to feed our faith every day. Read our Bibles, particularly our New Testaments, we need to play quality sermons from reputable ministers, play their podcasts, watch their video clips  - expose ourselves to the ministry of the Word of God. This is so important,

Please go to our website, livingsuccess.org and you can subscribe for FREE – make us of all of the resources there, podcasts, bible study notes, prayer cards – share the links with your friend – its there for free – use it, give it away – its our gift to you to help you grow your faith, trust and confidence in the Lord.

Very important to read your Bible every day!

So, doing good works, based on the Word of Truth - We covered verse 19 last week…

Verses 20, 21 - ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

The more and more we lock into the Word of God, the Word of Truth, the less and less will we be prone to hasty, careless speech, outright wickedness and angry behaviour – none of which pleases God. The more we eradicate this behaviour from our life the more we please God and the further we grow in spiritual things. We learn what to say, how to say it, what to do, how to do it – all of this instruction is contained within our Bibles. The saving of our souls is a progressive cleansing process, a progressive renewing of our mind process,  a progressive sanctification process, ultimately all coming together in the completion of our Salvation as Gods saving work for us believers that try to honour the Lord with our lives.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

If we fail to put into practice that which we have heard and read, the whole exercise becomes self-deceptive. We think we know what we are doing yet the doing is not a part of us. That’s self-deceptive.

²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 

When you look into a mirror – you see your own self that is reflected back to you. I have a wife and four daughters that had to get ready for church every Sunday morning – five ladies to get out the door and into the car and only two bathrooms….

The mirror reflects back everything – all your good attractive parts and all of your flaws, your spots or pimples, your make-up smudged or your bad hair – whatever it is. Listening to Lynda and the girls getting ready all at once on a Sunday morning was an education in itself. I often thought of this verse. 

To look at an imperfection in your own self and then do nothing about it is foolishness, it’s folly and may even be reckless in some situations – wilful disobedience of God’s Word is reckless! Once you’ve read it and digested it, do your very best to try and live it.

²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

The Old Testament  law is perfected in the gospel of Christ and the OT law now becomes a law of liberty. John 8:36 – “If the Son sets you free you will be free indeed”. Plus we have the conviction of the Holy Spirit to convince people of their sins, of righteousness and of judgement” – John 16:8

Once again, we hear, we learn, we change and more good works are being worked out in us and through us because of our genuine faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

To flow in this is important – 

• not being self-deceived, but a hearer and doer of God’s word
• understanding the importance of the sharing of the Gospel
• working hard to keep a rein on our own tongue, conscious of the power of words and striving to be a good listener, thoughtful in response and someone that has strong control over anger
• religion that’s pure and undefiled is about mercy, helping those in affliction and not being tainted by the goings on of the world around us. We are in this world but not of it. We are just visitors to this planet, to do as much good for as many people as we can as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as He leads us and guides us into the truth of God’s Word.

Part 14

James Chapter 2:14-26

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Now that we have covered some foundational things in Chapter 1, I want to look at the main thrust of this idea that a Genuine Faith in Christ Jesus is accompanied by Good Works.

James cites three powerful examples of the correlation between a Genuine Faith and Good Works:

1. ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
2. ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
3. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Some people think that Paul is contradicting what James writes when we look at Ephesians 2:8-9:

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

That is definitely NOT the case – Paul and James are in agreement when it comes to salvation by grace through faith.

However, Paul goes on to then write is verse 10:

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

James speaks the same idea this way:

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

It’s really important to understand that a natural progression of our salvation in Christ is then the ongoing lifestyle of doing good to others. There is NO separation of salvation and value-adding to the lives of others because of your strong faith in Jesus.

There is no separation of a Genuine Faith and Good Works flowing out from that genuine faith. James is saying his genuine faith is shown, proven, demonstrated and revealed by his works.

Not only that – these good works are not of your own volition – these good works flowing out from your genuine faith are God ordained – He prepared them beforehand.

If we put together Ephesian 2:8-10

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Grace and faith coming together for part of the gift of God and has nothing to do with us. Salvation then is 100% God created, 100% God inspired, 100% God owned, 100% God provided - and has nothing to do with us at all – as scripture says: - it is the gift of God.

Therefore, the works that James discusses cannot provide salvation – in fact James himself states in 2:18 ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. The faith pre existed the works.

Friends, lets focus on value adding to other peoples lives, trusting the Father that He will, and does, provide the means to be able to work those pre-ordained good works out into the world around you – starting with your character improving and even further, more-aligning with His Word. Again – reiterated by James in Chapter 1 Verse 18 – we were brought forth by the will of God and by the Word of Truth.

The Word of Truth, this implanted Word, is the Word that we need to be hearing and doing. The more we hear, the stronger our faith comes (Romans 10:17) – we need to feed our faith every day. Read our Bibles, particularly our New Testaments, we need to play quality sermons from reputable ministers, play their podcasts, watch their video clips  - expose ourselves to the ministry of the Word of God. This is so important,

Please go to our website, livingsuccess.org and you can subscribe for FREE – make use of all of the resources there, podcasts, bible study notes, prayer cards – share the links with your friend – its there for free – use it, give it away – its our gift to you to help you grow your faith, trust and confidence in the Lord.

Very important to read your Bible every day!

A couple of really important points to finish this study on:

1. Who we are in Christ Jesus is NOT subjective – our identity in Christ as a follower of Jesus is not based on how we feel or what other think or feel about us. It’s based on what the Word of God says about us and who we are in Jesus. That’s why its SO important to learn the In Him, In Whom, In Christ scriptures. There is an In Him pdf of them all in the resources section of our website. It’s a free download for you to use. These verses reveal to us our true identity in Christ.
2. The good works that we do – the effort that we expend adding value to the lives of others is never wasted. Even if no one else sees or knows – God sees and God knows and that is why 2 Corinthians 5:10 Amplified Bible is so very important and is to be memorised – it’s a great aid to helping us with our perspectives:

¹⁰ For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].

Lynda and I, and our Living Success Team, pray this study in James about Genuine Faith Good Works has been a blessing to you. Please go to our website, www.livingsuccess.org and subscribe – it’s completely free and share the links with your friends – it’s our gift to help you become…