Old Jerry

God feeding Elijah using the ravens tells us that God can use anything to protect and guide us. Elijah eating the food sent by the ravens tells us that Elijah trusted God and was dependent on Him. We learned that God does provide provisions when we obey Him.

The courage was God’s courage that Elijah had in him. Elijah knew that there was going to be an uproar when he made the pronouncement that there would be not rain, but he knew that God was with him. Elijah also knew the danger that this was going to bring and ran away. “Speaking the truth to power” is difficult because we know that the power can do away with us even though they are corrupt.

I like to think of the parable of the lost sheep. Where the shepherd was so delighted in finding the lost sheep. This is telling us that God is excited to have one of his sheep returned to him. That is why it so important to bring the wandering sheep back to God.

In the healing prayer the role of the oil is a symbolic act. The role of the prayer of faith is to have that faith that the prayer is going to be answered. The role of the faith is to comfort the person that is being prayed over. The role of the confession of sins is that it relieves you of carrying that sin around.

The elders’ are to pray for the sick with confidence that God is going to heal them. The elders’ are supposed to be mature Christians and have the faith that the Lord will heal those that they are praying for.

The person that is supposed to initiate the prayer for the healing is the person that needs healing. This is important because only the sick person knows that he is sick. It is also important because of the faith of the person praying will be asking God to heal them.

Our grumbling and complaining says that we don’t have our trust in God. We are always complaining about everything. We are all God’s creatures so if we are grumbling against each other we are grumbling against God. As a rule with patience things will work out.

If we Christians lack the patience to eagerly expect Christ’s return, we will start conforming to this world. This is the reason that patience is so vital. We have got to keep our eye on the prize and be ready for Jesus’ return.

The spiritual danger of our demand for comfort and luxury is that it is exploding the poor. They are working for nothing to provide our wishes. Low-priced goods and services up cut down on the wages of those that are providing the goods or services. If we are patience and save our money to pay for the goods and not demand it right now that would make thing more available.

James is warning us about not including God in our plans. He is telling us that we may not have full control over our lives. We are to give our lives over to God and get guidance from Him.

When we criticize a neighbor we don’t know all the facts because we don’t know what they are facing. The law tells us not to judge others so when we do we are judging the law. I think that we are tempted to criticize other because it make us feel above them.

These actions are vital because I will be turning from my sins and turning to God. I will be taking my relationship to God more serious. I will be able to follow him more closely. The command that is most difficult to me is the “double-minded” one. I seem to be double-minded all the time.

James refers to the church members as “adulteresses” because we are going to be the bride of God. We are adulteresses because we are becoming part of this world. The world does not love God and is always trying to work against Him. They would get rid of him if they could.

God is not against pleasure. He will always give you pleasure when you are doing what He asks of you. There is more pleasure in doing God’s work than anything else that I can think of.

The peacemakers sow peace with love which includes such things as pure Peace-loving and considerate. These produces loves which ripens the crop of righteousness. This will grow in us.

“Bitter envy” and “selfish ambition” are things that try to put us above the other person and in order to do that we have to lose our “humility”. When we deny that we have “bitter envy” or “selfish ambition” then there is no way to correct what we don’t see therefore it prevents us from healing. If we are boasting about these things then we are proud of them that means that there is no way of healing.

The tongue in untamable because it speaks of what is in the heart. It is what really makes people know what we are like. In order to tame the tongue we have to change our attitude.

The reason that James discourages people from aspiring to be teachers of the Word is that they will be held to a higher account. Greater strictness is appropriate because they will know better and can’t say that they didn’t know. I know that my pastor and his wife has a higher standard than I do, but I didn’t set that standard, he and God did.

I think that they are both saying that it is faith that saves us not works. But the natural outcome of faith is works. We are saved to do works.

The difference between the “belief” of a demon and the “belief” of a practicing Christian is the demon beliefs there is a God but doesn’t know him as his savior. A Christian beliefs in God and knows that Jesus is their savior. Even a non-practicing Christian knows that there is a God they just don’t show their belief.

We are responsible for the poor and needy to help them with their needs. The problem is that we have let the welfare system take this over. We are to help those outside the church when we can.

If we don’t do the things that God is wanting us to do then our faith is dead. And the thing that God wants us to do is to show people that He is the only way of life by showing then the actions of us Christians.

By way of showing regard toward the wealthy is denial of mercy is that we are trying to show favoritism toward them and therefore we rejecting those that are poorer. God wants us to show that we love His people and if that takes not sacrificing things to him that is better than not showing mercy but we should be doing both.

James refers to the Great Commandment as the “Royal Law” because it includes all the other commandments. The “Royal Law” is the law of love and it included the Mosaic Law. If we show favoritism it is braking the “Royal Law” because we are not loving others as ourselves.

Favoritism makes on a judge because he has judged one person over another. Favoritism could make one a judge with “evil thought” is he doing it for evil reasons. When I favor one child over another I don’t do it for evil thoughts. It is that they please me more. I’m not saying it is right it is just what it is.