When you submit yourself to God, He builds an hedge about you and He gives you power over all your enemies, including Satan!

What a great book this Book of James is!

We now know who the peacemakers are.

They are called the children of God and they possess the heavenly wisdom which comes from above, from the Word of God, and they are doers of it.

So in contrast to the fruit of righteousness which they sow in peace, why is it that we have conflicts and struggles and bickerings among us! Our Father gives us the straight forward answer through the apostle James, the brother of Jesus Christ.

Here it is.

He simply asks a rhetorical question about the root causes of conflicts and fightings and quarrels among the children of God, those dispersed tribes of Israel to whom this letter is addressed?

Remember, James has written this letter to the tribes of Israel who were scattered and migrated over the Caucasus mountains and into Europe and later over into the Americas, etc.

It was prophesied long ago that the house of Israel, the northern 10 tribes, would lose their identity as Jacob's descendents, Israelites, and that they would be called by a new name, His name.

And so it is that the prophecy has come to pass and they are now called by His name, they are called Christians!

So James says that the feuds and struggles among us are a manifestation even of the worldly lusts that war (to contend with carnal inclinations) in our members.

In other words it is that desire to "get" and "have" which certainly seems to be the focus of many of our brothers and sisters in these last days.

Yes, with all that struggle and contending, you continue to come up short.

Why?

Did you say you were a Christian?

If so, then it is because you didn't ask your Father.

Oh, ok!

You'll try that approach.

So Sunday morning you turn on preacher I. M. Conningu and he tells you that all you have to do is "believe" and "have faith" and God will automatically give you your "healing" or your "financial miracle" if you will just sow (call the 800# on your screen) a "seed of faith" (with your VISA card).

"After all", says the preacher from the Church of the Unbridled Tongue, "God says 'Ask and it shall be given unto you'!"

What's going on here?

It's as if God were a genie in a bottle.

You don't have to do anything, no works, no following of God's health laws, and no studying to show yourself approved are required (2 Tim. 2:15).

The only difference is that instead of rubbing the traditional bottle you just rub your AmEx Card or place your hands on the TV screen and pray along with mitch and "poof" your wishes are granted.

Gimme, gimme, Father! Gimme, gimme!

This example might be a little extreme but it certainly happens to untold thousands and worse yet, millions of people think its Christian, merely because of a label.

Never mind that it doesn't align with the Book of James or any of the rest of God's Word.

But even though it is an extreme example, it is really representative of the attitude many of our brothers and sisters have of "Asking to Get for Themselves".

Where is wisdom?

They will be added unto you.

So although you call yourself a Christian, if you are consumed with earthly desires, you do err (sin) even while you pray to God for Him to grant your wants and fill the desires of your lusts.

Do you really think He hears your prayers or might there be some conditions, some things you must "do" before He hears?

But the reality of it is that most of them are Biblically illiterate and they have been sorely deceived by the MANY preachers who have come in the name of Christ in this generation and have already deceived MANY.

Jesus Christ does not make false prophecies!

He said it WOULD HAPPEN and it HAS HAPPENED.
Matthew 24:5 "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

Take heed, Christian.

James now gets right down where the rubber meets the road of reality.

(The word "adulterers" is not in the original manuscripts (see note in the Companion Bible), only the feminine word "adulteresses".)

This is important because James is talking to the scattered tribes, most of whom call themselves Christians, who are to be virgin brides and remain so unto the coming of the Lord, who alone is the true bridegroom.

James calls them adulteresses, spiritual whores, for they are already friends with the world which is headed by the prince of this world, Satan.

He will soon come in power and glory with his angels (Rev. 12:7-9) at the 6th Trump, performing miracles in the sight of men and claiming that He is Jesus Christ (2 Thes. 2)

. Those who are deceived will believe he is the true bridegroom and jump right in bed with him, spiritually speaking,instead of remaining a virgin bride and waiting until the true Messiah comes at the sound of the 7th Trump.

So if you are spiritually seduced by the first bridegroom who appears and are doing his bidding (nursing) when the real husbandman comes, that means that you were unfaithful, you adulteress!

So the question which arises from the analogy is, "If you cheat on your husband to be, do you think He will be happy when He returns?"

James is saying that if you are a "friend" of the world now, the world being enmity with God, that means you are an enemy of God, for you see, you have already sided with the enemy.

Here is how you become friends with God.

It keeps coming up in God's Word.

Or you can continue to do things your way!

The choice is yours, so what do you think?

Are you ready to take some action?

So the root of the question is, "Does any of what is being said here really mean anything to you?"

Do you realize how much our Father desires and longs for His sons and daughters to turn to Him and because of His love for His children He is very patient with us, as Peter tells us, "He is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)."

Man's spirit is lustful and if a Christian allows his or her desires for worldly things to consume him, then guess what?

He or she cannot be a doer and serve God!

And you should know by now from James' instruction in chapter 2, that if one is not a doer, his faith is dead (James 2:20).

Paul writes in Galatians that you cannot be a doer, i.e. do the things you should, if you allow your earthly, fleshly lusts to take precedence over the Spirit.

You see, "ears to hear" have wisdom between them.

Perhaps we are teaching a little strong here, but the choice is solely yours and only you can make it.

As Shakespeare might be heard saying, "To do or not to do, that is the question."

Olympic champions who receive gold metals, Christian overcomers who receive gold crowns, and even Nike would answer back, "Just do it!"

So be a doer!

God doesn't like those who are prideful.

Pride was Satan's downfall.

But He loves and blesses those who are humble before Him and He showers them with grace and blessings.

In fact, He will exalt you if you are humble before Him (vs. 10).

Nothing!

But again, you must be a doer, and not a hearer only.

How do we "do it"?

That's simple!

Remember James told us to continue looking into the perfect Law of Liberty, i.e. God's Word?

We draw near to the Living Word through the Written Word, for they are one and the same.

To say one knows the Living Word and yet he or she is ignorant concerning the Written Word, is the saying of an unbridled tongue.

Of course you ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you and give you wisdom and understanding.

Only do so prayerfully with the Book open!

He has promised if you do, He will draw near to you.

After that, there is no problem in having more joy and more fun than a human being should be allowed to (that is according to those with socialist agendas).

How can you let your light shine with a gloomy countenance?

If therefore you are a happy Christian, don't forget to notify your face.

Remain prideful and friends with world, or humble yourself before Him.

The former is rewarded with cursing while the latter is rewarded with exaltation.

You shall then be exalted.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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