barnabas1953

Seems simple enough, Jesus said that if you love me then obey my commands. So just listening to what Jesus has to say isn't enough. We have to live out the words that Jesus says.

Q1. (1:18) In what sense are we given spiritual birth by the "word of truth"? What does spiritual life have to do with the Word? Jesus said, that when He would have to go back the Heavenly Father, He would not leave us alone on this earth to do battle with Satan by ourselves. Jesus said that He would send us a helper, the Holy Spirit of God. When we accepted the word of truth, that being Jesus ("the Word") we became reborn. Just like Jesus told Nicodemus, that he (Nicodemus) would have to be reborn of water and spirit. That happened at our baptism. The Spirit of God was sealed in us forever. Our spiritual life grows as we here God's word. And as the Holy Spirit in us helps us to understand God's word. The Holy Spirit will also guide us as we hear God's word to live by God's word. 1Peter 2:2-5 says this: "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone---rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him---you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." NIV Our spiritual life is being fed daily with God's word, through reading it, hearing it, and living it. We grow spiritually strong with each passing day until the day that Christ will return. Grace and peace to all.

Wisdom, is the promise we receive when we ask for it and God not only gives it generously to all who ask. But He also gives it without finding fault. The catch is you have to believe and not doubt that it is God who is the one who gives it. As we face many trials in our lives God helps us through them. We have a choice we can receive the wisdom that comes from God and grow in our faith through God's wisdom. Or we can refuse to believe that it is God's hand that delivers us from our trials and rely on our own wisdom. In which case we will not receive the gift of God's wisdom. I think what this is saying is this, we can't go around thinking that sometimes it's God's grace that gets us through the trials we face. Then turn around and say Wow! That was easy I got through that one. Or I did this to get through that. We have to always give the credit to God. The wisdom that God gives to us is what gets us through all the trials we face in this life. And only He deserves the credit. Not us. So thanks be to God for all He does for me.

God points out to us through James that our hearts need to believe in order to receive answers to our prayers. It's like when you pray for rain and you walk out of the house without an umbrella. Are expecting God to answer with rain or did you pray for rain because everyone else is praying for the same thing. God says if you ask Him for wisdom then you will get it abundantly as long as you believe. So when you pray expect God to answer the prayers. Don't be double minded. Believe in what you are praying for. At least that's what I get out of the text.

When it comes to the bad things that happen in this world a lot of people ask where is God in all of this? Because it's easy to lay the blame on God for all the bad stuff. But when it comes to the good things those same people will try to take all the credit. James 1:13-14 is pretty clear as to God's view on evil and sin itself. He is not tempted by it nor does he tempt others. It is only by our own evil desires that we allow temptation to come in. And if we are listening to the Holy Spirit within us then we will squash temptation right away before it festers into sin. That's why daily we need to pray the contents at least of the Lord's prayer. Lead us not into temptation. Asking God to keeps us away from those tempting moments in our life. Deliver us from evil. When we are tempted and sometimes take the bait and fall into the trap. Lord provide us a way out. And when we give birth to sin then Lord we ask in Jesus name that you will forgive us, restore us, and take us back. God does not tempt us it is the world that tempts us and all it's evil desires. God is the one who takes us away from it. That's why the first part of the chapter tells us to ask for wisdom. Godly wisdom to discern truth from fairy tale. And that my friends should be done on a daily basis as we continue to grow in our faith.

For me the trials in my life have brought me into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. I don't know that I could have gone through some of them without knowing Jesus. And I trust that with whatever time I have left in this life I will face many more trials. The good thing is this I know that I don't face them alone. And for that I thank God.

Hi there, I'm Bill from Baltimore, Md. area. This is my first online bible study. Thought I would check it out and see how it goes.