Jolly Bean

People blame God for evil, because they lack of trust and faith in Him. When God allows certain bad event to happen in our life sometimes these are part of His bigger plan which we cant see with our little eyes or finite brain. Think about the Tsunami that take thousands of life can people blame God for that. Yes, maybe some might and some might not but certainly that was part of His bigger plan for something big. No, God does not tempt us with evil, it is sometime our weak nature that makes us playing with fire, and ended up getting ourself burnt. No, God does not tempt sinful people with evil, these sinful people are already living in their own nature of sin so how can God tempt sinful people with evil. God allow people to sin so that through it, they can realised and come back to our senses how much all the more we need to depend on Him and by demonstration our love for Him we should try to stay clear from sin by relying on His strength then on our own. He allow evil to exist so that through it, it can show how mighty and powerful is our God, even before evil can do anything they have to seek God permission (Job is a good example and the temptation of Jesus Chris is also another good example, all this happen because God gave the permission for evil to do so)

The value of trials in my life have made me a stronger Christian, by learning to rely on God strength just like a child and at the end of it I will become mature spiritually and complete with God. Well, sometimes because of our fallen nature and lack of faith we do at times allow Satan to destroy us with those trials, because simply we find it very difficult to trust God when something adverse is happening against us. A good typical Biblical example character is Job. But unfortunately how many of us can be like Job. But I am sure at the end of the road, it is God desire and intent that many of us can be shape like Job, otherwise why would He being such a loving and gracious Father allow us to be trial, His purpose is that we can become mature spiritually from this trial and be perfect in Him through this trials. I have not being completely changed but the changing is still an ongoing process sometimes there are hard knocks and some time there are sweet success, but whatever it is the main point is we must learn to trust God even in our most difficult times. Remember the story of Jesus and His disciples out at the sea, there was a storm all the disciples were so worried but Jesus was sleeping soundly until the disciples wake Him up ,then it was where when He reprimand them 'O, Ye of little faith'

The 'perfect law' James mentioned refers to the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity including the ten commandments of the Old Testament. The 'royal law' refers to love, which is the greatest commandment of all. It is the supereme law which even Jesus Christ himself emphasized. And it is this royal law that break us free from the chains of our sin, the joyous freedom to break free from being slave to sin.

Listening to Bible teaching does not means or equal to righteous lives. It is the practising and application part that is living out the righteous lives. To illustrate when we learn maths in school, the knowledge we gain are just head knowledge not unless if we apply it. So how do we apply it? For example if we go to a departmental stores and there is a discount promotion, by applying the simple maths that we learn we'll know how much we need to pay for the item. Self deception means lying to oneself, if we claim that we know something but in actual fact we don't know, this is self deception.

The "word of truth' here means Jesus Christ, by accepting Jesus Christ"word of truth' into our live we are going through a spiritual birth. Spiritual Life has a lot to do with the Word, just like the food we take and the nutrients that we take for our physical body growth, the Word is the spiritual nourishment for our spiritual growth whether we take it as solid food or as liquid (daily devotion or serious biblestudy in groups or individual) will digest the food for our spiritual growth.

Wisdom is the promise that we can claim in V5 and the condition is to ask God. By asking it may sound very simple but in V6 the attitude towards asking is what we must practise, when we ask God we should not hold back our believe, we must not doubt Him even though the route ahead of us may seem bleak and though. By believing in His strong loving care. We can learn to rely on God and expecting that He will hear and dependance on Him when He answer our prayer align with His purpose and plan. This is how when we are undergoing trials help us receive this wisdom.

Trials help to cure us of doubelmindedness - it is because when trials come our way, we know our human fallen nature and in faith we know it is only God that can help us, it is precisely in this perspective that God allows trials on us to help us to grow in faith and our dependance and reliance on Him. "Thank You, Lord, for the trials that come my way In the way I can grow each day, as I let You lead. And I thank You, Lord, for the patience those trials bring In the process of growing, I can learn to care." [Lyrics from Thank You Lord]

Why do people blame God for evil? Because in our finite and limited mind we want what is best for us, but in God bigger plan what may seems to be best for us may not necessary be the best. Does God tempt us with evil? No, throughout the Bible never was it mentioned that God tempt us with evil, take the case of Job including Jesus. God never tempy us with evil, God only test our faith. It is us being human and in the form of fallen nature open our thoughts and mind to evil. Why does he allow people to sin? No, God never allow people to sin. It is by the freedom of choice that people choose to sin. Why does he allow evil to exist at all? If it had not been so that our faith are false, it is through evil that exist makes us all the more that we need Him. We need Jesus to come into our life to mend that broken relationship and bridge us across to God. If it had not being so this wouldnt be part of God's plan. Since day one when Adam and Eve have disobey God instruction and sin, evil begin to exist from then onwards because we are able to differentiate right from wrong, good from evil.

Q1. (1:2-4) What value have trials had in your life? Have you let Satan destroy you with those trials? Or allowed God to refine you? How have you changed? Trials in my life are meant to shape us spiritually sometimes through this trials our faith in God is strengthen, sometimes we fall short and fell into the hands of satan doubting God works. To sum up this spiritual journey is tough we can let God refine us through these trails and gain spiritual maturity or we remain as spiritual babes or infant. As for me i hope by God grace I can grow spiritualy through this trails by looking up and towards Him.