SC Lady

Q4. (1:5-8) What is the promise to claim in verse 5? What is the condition attached to this promise in verse 6? How do trials help us receive this wisdom? Wisdom is ours to claim if we will just ask for it. There must be no doubting or unbelief. There must be sincerity of intention and steadiness of mind. A wavering of faith and spirit cause a great unsteadiness in our conduct and actions. To be sometimes lifted up by faith and then thrown down again by distrust is fitly compared to a wave on the sea. We should not be so quick to pray for the removal of an affliction. Instead we should pray for wisdom to make right use of it. When we bear all that God appoints for as long as He appoints it, and allow Him to work in times of troubles - not only bearing our troubles, but rejoicing while in them - then the work of perseverance is complete and we become triumphant in and over our afflictions.

Q3. (1:5-8) How do trials help cure us of "doublemindedness"? How do trials help us grow in faith? I think this happens as we allow God to lead us through trial after trial. We go from wishing, hoping and thinking He would help us get through each test to knowing He will help us. We learn to trust in Him as our faith grows and our faith grows as we learn He is faithful and just. As our faith becomes stronger be become less shakable!

Q2. (1:13-15) Why do people blame God for evil? Does God tempt us with evil? Does he tempt sinful people with evil? Why does he allow people to sin? Why does he allow evil to exist at all? I blamed God because I did not unserstand why He was letting it happen. I know this is going to sound like I am trying to switch the blame , but hear me out first. I was not taught by my spiritual leaders that this Christian journey was an on going battle. I was under the impression that once you were saved it was all sunshine and roses; peace and prosperity. I now understand that God does not bring the the bad things into our lives and He does not tempt us. Although it would have been nice to have been better instructed by former Pastors, Sunday School Teachers and my Christian parents; I accept most of the blame for my disillusionment. As I can NOW see it is all plainly spelled out in God's Word what to expect on this journey from Earth to Heaven. I should have read the Word for myself and not depended so much on others to teach me and spiritually feed me. My current Pastor told me "Stop depending on others to feed you; feed yourself." Though I still enjoy spiritual food from the hands of others, I now also 'feed' myself from God's Word and things like this Bible Study. People are allowed to sin because of free will or choice. God will not force anyone to follow Him and live righteously. Evil still exists because Satan and his devils have not been bound yet. God has not set up the new Heaven and new Earth yet. Until that time there will still be a battle between good and evil. We must choose who we will follow and who we will serve.

Sad to say, but I have found very little value in trials in the past. I did not like the discomfort of the tests and whined amy complained most of the time"Why Me?" I see now that by doing that I caused myself to have to go through those tests over and over. When IF I had learned the lesson the first time and let God complete His work in me I could have saved myself the sorrow of going around and around the same mountains over and over again. Satan has not destroyed me, but I can only give God the credit for that. It could be nothing other than the grace and mercy of God protecting me from Satan's attempts to destroy my faith that I am still a believer today. As I said at the beginning...I did not allow God to use the trials and tests to refine me because I did not understand that is what they were for and why they had come into my life. I was under the false impression that the Christian life was to be one big garden of Eden experience minuse the cunning serpent. Now that I know differently I will strive to react differently and God willing this will be my last trip around those mountains. Lesson learned and able to move on!

Hi, You can call me Lynne. I live in South Carolina. I have just started the study of the Book of James. I look forward to it.