C Riv

God tells us that He has spoken to us thru His Son, that He appointed His Son heir to all things, that His inheritance is universal dominion. Thru His power and glory He shines, upholding everthing by His word. Jesus gets to sit down at the right hand of God, or as Hebrews says, "Majesty on high." The express image of His person is showing us exactly who He is, the brightness of His glory comes from being truly devine. According to these verses Jesus was there in the beginning of all, that He would be sent to us to speak the truth to us, that He had by Himself purged our sins, that He is worthy of all praise and glory, HE did the FATHERS` will.

I believe that the word Son is being used in a biological sense. In vs 5 God says " You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. The Son is from God, is God, has always been but yet was sent to us, so in that sense it would be a metaphor. The prophets were people chosen by God to speak to us, but they were human and also fell short of the glory of Christ.

I was blessed to share in this study with others, to learn from them as well. This study has truly taught me about faith in action, taming the tongue, the perfect and royal law, and I found many questions were very deep which took much thought and time. I liked that. The study I felt brought me even closer to God. This study was put together well. I thought that some questions were simple when I first read them, but then I realized they required deep thought, which was great! I found the study all that it should be. I think each study has its own uniqueness. I would like to know if each reply is read over. Thank you Pastor Ralph for your time and effort God bless you.

It is important for we as christians are here to do the work of the Lord. As James has said, faith without works is dead, so whatever gift it is that we are blessed with whether it be a prayer warrior a teacher a healer a listener etc. we need to use that gift, letting the Holy Spirit work thru us. We all fall short of the Lord Jesus but we who have been saved are at least on the correct path so that we can be used to bring others to Christ. Thru out the scriptures from beginning to end it shows Gods` patience and unending love. He doen`t want to loose anyone of us , we are all His children. What a joyous time when someone that I have known comes to the Lord, IMAGINE how EXCITED God gets then! Glory and praise all belongs to the Lord Amen.

In ancient times oil and perfumes or fragrances were found good for healing, and was used for cleansing before soaps were discovered. In Exodus 30 vs 20 -32 God instructed Moses on which ingredients to use and how much of each and that was to be the Holy healing anointed oil and administered by the high priest only.The role of the oil is to heal, thru the Holy Spirit. I think that the prayer of faith shows that you believe in the Lord, even though you can`t see Him, you can see the medicine but your hope is in the Lord for it is Him who heals whether by miracle or by medicine. The role of faith is to give us hope, which will give us strength ,and also bring us peace and understanding. Confession of sin reconsiles us with the one or ones we have trespassed against. We need do to that to set ourselves straight so that the Holy Spirit can work in us.

The elders role is to pray over the sick person and anoint h/she with oil. This is a Holy Oil. They would have to be true followers of Christ living a life as holy as possible, living in faith believing that all is possible thru prayer.

The person ill is to call for the elders of the church so that they may pray over them anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. This is important because the more that pray for you I believe the better it is. It will not be just your own faith at work but the faith of others also. Jesus said that if two or three were gathered together and pray, that their prayers would be heard. Have you ever been to a christian reunion or convention where there are thousands gathered and they start to pray and worship? You can feel the Holy Spirit it moves you in ways I cannot explain but the Holy Spirit is powerful and that is why I believe it is important. Let us praise the Lord, Amen!

It says that we are discontent dissatisfied perhaps unsure of what is happening. It shows that things are not happening the way we want them to.Chances are that if we are complaining we have stepped away from our faith, we are trying to live life our own way by ourselves, wanting to be in command. If we are like that then our faith is weak and has been put behind us. Without faith our patience disappears for they work together. To have faith we need patience but to achieve patience we need faith.

If we lack patience we could loose our faith, trust, belief start to wander away from the truth. Still call ourselves christians but actually would be living a life for ourselves. Patience is vital for our walk with the Lord. In patience we establish our hearts so that we can stand up to what is given us. In Matthew 5 vs 1-12 Jesus teaches of the beatitudes, I think to be any one of them you would have to be patient. In Proverbs 14 vs 14 the bible says: The faithless will be fully repaid for thier ways, and the good man rewarded for his. So if we stand fast we will reap our rewards when Christ comes .

The demand for comfort and luxury can put us in danger of stepping away from the spirit of God, putting God second putting us first. If it is the Lords will we may get the comfort and luxury but they may be at a different time or place in our lives, at the Lords decision. He wants to be a part of our lives but that means we have to be patient, trusting and believing on the Lord. In Matthew 6 vs 19-21 tells us about laying up treasures on earth, and in vs 25 -31 tells us not to worry. In the last year alone our food in Canada has jumped in price considerably. Farmers have had to raise thier prices to even stay close to operating. Fuel keeps rising, Do I like it, of course not, but I find that God delivers me thru this, because I have come to trust in the Lord. I do not worry as I once did. Tything from the heart, and I have always found that you cannot out give God. Demanding lower prices might cause companies to close down or move to other countries where the work will be done much cheaper or less cost, the companies themselves are not hurting lets not kid ourselves, they go to those countries for thier own prosperities for we still pay a high cost for those items. What would a seamstress make here in Canada, 9.50 an hour I am guessing at that, compared to some one in China? Why is Bell Express, now Bell Tv, run out of India? Do not these companies that go afar have an obligation to thier own country and employees?Instead of grossing multy millions ,gross a little less. I would have to ask where is God on their board of directors, or has He been shoved aside for thier luxury and wealth?, You do not see the farmers moving away, no they stick it out, they are patient and are probably trusting in the Lord. I do not believe that it is us people that push companies to close doors or to move to other countries, I believe it is thier greed to make more money, to be the richest company, for if they remained here in north america they would pay more in wages etc, but gross less. There are some companies that stay home based and stay afloat. Patience is is a virtue, very important, in Luke 8 vs 14 15 tells of the ones who go out and are choked with cares, riches and pleasures of life and brings no fruit to maturity, but those who having heard the word with a noble and good heart keep it and bear friut with patience.

James is warning us about assuming, taking our lives for granite predicting what we will do tomorrow or deeper into the future without the will of God. We can invite Christ into our lives and share with Him our ideas, actions and our desires and ask Him what He thinks and what His will is. Proverbs 16 vs 9 says-" A MANS HEART PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS," 19 VS 21- THERE ARE MANY PLANS IN A MANS HEART, NEVERTHELESS THE LORDS COUNSEL-THAT WILL STAND." Thanks be to God!

The tongue can be a nasty weapon if not controlled which could lead to earthly outbursts, satan getting the better of you so that you do not allow the Holy Spirit to work in you. You have to work on taming the tongue, not allowing satan a foothold, but allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you. In caring for the poor not only shows love and compassion to them, but shows that you love God and that you are obeying Him. In Deuteronomy 24 God tells us to take care of the widows and orphans, and how to do it and again in James 1 27 James reminds of of what God said of orphans and widows, so in doing these actions we then are living within the royal law. The quality of our quiet time and worship I believe is important, it gives us time to be near God to stop and to be still, to hear what He wants to say to us, to grow with Him and then we can move forward in doing His work. If it is all quiet time then I would think that it is not all that God would want.

The perfect law is to love. To love your neighbor as yourself. "AGAPE" One who loves rather than be loved, it is giving selfless, not expecting anything in return, and then we have the discription of "love" written by Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians 13. The royal law I believe is the law of love, seems almost the same as the perfect law of liberty, you are to love God and your nieghbors, but it is Jesus who sets us free from our sins to truly be able to love.

The scriptures tell us that we were chosen so when we open ourselves to Christ the word of truth is given to us and spiritual birth sprouts up in us. In Ephesians 1 vs13 it says, "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth,the gospel of your salvation,in whom also, having beleived, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." I believe that the "word" is Christ. Christ is the truth so living a spiritual life you have accepted the word of truth because He is living in you. Spiritual life has eveything to do with the "Word". John 1 vs 1 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Lets give our thanks to Him Amen.

The tool is wisdom which is from above. Wisdom from God is full of peace, love, hope, and is pure,full of mercy and good fruits. It being pure is free from defilement, bitterness, envy, and all selfish motives.This tool wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. that is Proverbs 8 vs 11. and God gave many pages of His word on wisdom especially in Proverbs. I find the answer to why does this produce a ripening crop of righteousness in Proverbs 2 vs 1-15. This crop grows in the upright, the followers of Christ those willing to listen to Him, to submit to God. Thanks be to God!

WHY ARE THESE ACTIONS SO VITAL? If we don`t submiit to God then we will not be able to resist the devil, or will we be able to come close to God. How would one clense their hands or get purified?Without those actions we would not lament mourn or weep or turn from our laughter, and how would we humble ourselves? So it is very vital that these actions are comprehened and acted upon. IN WHAT WAY DO THEY GO AGAINST OUR NATURE? Most people that I have met including myself do not like submitting to someone, imagine submitting to God whom you have not seen! To resist the devil is turning away from some of the so called good things in life. To put away that type of music or those movies or to walk away from those parties or what ever there might be, for some that cleansing is hard, they think their life will be empty. WHICH OF THESE COMMANDS IS MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU? As I grow as a follower of Christ I find that submission becomes easier , resisting the devil is always there but I am confident because the Lord is with me, drawing close to God is exilerating, doing studies of His word bring great excitment and joy, but I beleive that submission to God was the hardest, for without that I do not think the rest would be reached. Yes to say all is yours oh Lord and I will wait upon your word, I surrender all to you was very hard.

The old saying is "If you can`t say anything nice then don`t say anything at all." The moment you start to bad-mouth someone 1) your tongue is out of control, 2) your spirit is of chriticism and fault finding, definently not the spirit from God, so you take it upon yourself beleiving that you are correct, but as Matthew says in 7 vs 1 "Judge not that you be not judged, for with what judgement you judge you will be judged,: as James 4 vs 12 says ' ther is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you to judge another?"it takes a little more effort to see the good then it does to see the bad. I think that it is tempting to bad-mouth others because of our sinful nature. Even as a follower of Christ we can still stumble on our path, so we think we know better and beleive that we are righteous thinking that we can correct them. Submission to the Lord and to become humble then the Lord can work thru you to reach or teach others, but not to bad -mouth or judge.

James refers to the church members as adulteresses for their attitude towards God. It is their quarrels fights wars their desires for pleasures their lusts, but they do not have. or get what they want, they are not satified. In John 15 vs 16 Jesus says " you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go out and bear fruit- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you what ever you ask in my name.' They have followed the desires of their own hearts, the worldly wants not Christ. Christ is the aggrieved husband. To be friends with the world is to be loved by the world also, but the world hates God, so if you are with Christ then the world will hate you also, but remember the world hated Christ first. John 15 vs 18 tells us that.

God is not against pleasure as long as it is good pleasure. Pleasure can be self seeking living for "pleasurable things which come from the world." These things do not satisfy so we long for more, but when we seek Christ first, He fills us with joy and all the pleasure that we need, we then are content. Unfortunately the pleasures of the world always look so inviting, like candy to a child, but the bible tells us that being friends with the world is showing hatred to God.

Bitter envy and selfish ambition come from the powers of the earth,greed all for me about me, here you will wallow around in disorder and the evil of the world.When you boast on these evil ways you are in denial,and they become like sores, they just keep on festering but never heal. Humility comes from surrendering to Christ, your works and ambitions are for Christ and what you do and where you go you want Christ with you. This is wisdom from above. When you accept Christ He will show you these mistakes and heal you. "[MY SOUL FINDS REST IN GOD ALONE; MY SALVATION COMES FROM HIM. HE ALONE IS MY ROCK AND MY SALVATION; HE IS MY FORTRESS, I WILL NEVER BE SHAKEN."PSALM 62 :

It is what is laying upon our hearts in which we speak, in these cases they are full of evil, so full that the heart is over flowing with evil. All that will be spoken is poision. One will have to come and humble oneself to the Lord. When one humbles one is submitting also which allows the holy spirit to rest within. Become still and listen to the Lord and let the holy spirit work in and thru you, He will control your tongue and only Him. Be patient be still and feel His peace!

The bible tells us that teachers of the word will be judged more strictly. I don`t know if James is discouraging people from becoming a teacher of the word as it is more of a warning I think. This is a great request from God, an honour, but the teacher will have to stay tuned in to God at all times so they don`t wander off on their own adgenda. We are human and we may stumble on the way but taking on that call the teacher is taking on the responsiblity of other souls, by what they teach them so greater strictness is appropriate. When I was younger I had high stanards for my ministers and pastors, but as I have matured and grown with God I put myself at the same standard as my pastor, sure he may have more knowledge and perhaps more understanding or even wisdom, but the word is there for me to learn, and all I have to do is ask of the Lord and submit myself, after all are my children not my responsibility to teach them and bring the word to them the best I can? The teaching is not just up to pastors.