Tina

I believe that God wants us to be happy. I believe that as long as we have our priorities right, God will not be angry with us. "Seek ye firts the kingdom of God...." That should be our priority. God will bring pleasure into our lives. Living to increase one's pleasure is not the ideal way for a Christian to think and act. This is a selfish ambition because all we want to do is attend to our needs first. We should have a balanced mind in that we have pleasure, but also give pleasure to others as well. There are many who have needs, let alone pleasures.

Peacemakers sow with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, Love. Love produces this kind of ripening crop of righteousness because kind breeds kind. In other words, if you sow in contempt, you harvest nothing but contempt. If you sow in love and righteousness, you produce a crop full of love and righteousness. This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit becoming manifest in the believers' hearts and lives.

Bitter envy is a sign of spiritual disorder; a life ruled by the devil, a life with no self-control. Selfish ambition disregards the feelings of others. Where Christians are to put others first, ambition that is self centered will walk over anyone just to get what they want. Humility is a life that is purified, led by the HOLY SPIRIT AND WHERE SELF CONTROL IS PRACTISED. tO HAVE HUMILITY IS TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM OF THE WORD OF GOD. These prevent healing because the heart is not submissive to the will of God and where there is dissent, pride and arrogance, the Lord cannot move in that person's life. These selfish ambitions and bitter envy are obstacles in the will of the Lord for one's life and they feast and thrive on self.

The tongue is untameable because it is inhenretly evil and unstable. Words spoken come from the heart and are uttered by the tongue, so if there are evil intentions in one's heart or one is not making a concious effort to be more Christ like, then it is difficult yo tame. Living a sanctified life, led by and helped by the Holy Spirit, will help us to tame the tongue. Then our speech will reflect more about our growth in grace.

He discourages people to be teachers of the Word because they will be judged by the world more severly, as they expect pastors to be perfect. If they find imperfection, they soon use this agaisnt the Christian teacher of the Word and some may even use this as a reason/excuse not to become saved. The "church" gets a bad rap. Greater strictness is appropriate because teachers of the Word are taken at face value by what they say and do and how their lifestyles are reflected to the onlookers. God expects teachers to do as His Word instructs all the time. People also expect this. It is a great responsibility. Sometimes I think I should set higher standards for my pastor than for myself. This is because he knows more of the Word than I do and all people in authority should wear their badge with honour and pride. Yet, if I expect him to be betther than myself, I am being too lenient with myself and to critical of he, who is a human being; capable of mistakes as the rest of us.

James says that genuine faith produces good works which in turn will bless others and bring God's blessings upon our lives to enrich us as Christians. He emphasises having faith: this is what makes us God's children if we follow His precepts. Works follow as a result of faith, though the mark of a goopd Christian is having faith and works together. Paul reminds us that our good works do not save us. God's grace saved us. Good works is what is expected of God's followers.

Demons do believe in one God. Christiansdo as well, but the difference is that a true Christian follows and lives for Christ, trust in Him and accept Him into their hearts. Christians have this inytellectual belief, but also have a belief where it counts, in their hearts and minds as well. Demons, are the complete opposite. Non practising Christians rely ion their intellectual beliefs only. Their hearts and minds have no desire to focus on anyone else but themselves. They don't live by the precepts of the Word, e.g. have faith and works. They are spiritually dead because of this.

We are responsible to the poor and needy within the church because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all family and family should have a strong bond, stepping in and helping each other. We are commanded, not given a choice as to whether to help the poor or not. We are to help those outside the church as well because our faith and actions will be judged mby them. Faith...no action...they will not want to be a part of us. When we do things for them, God blesses them and in turn we are blessed.

We are responsible to the poor and needy within the church because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all family and family should have a strong bond, stepping in and helping each other. We are commanded, not given a choice as to whether to help the poor or not. We are to help those outside the church as well because our faith and actions will be judged mby them. Faith...no action...they will not want to be a part of us. When we do things for them, God blesses them and in turn we are blessed.

Faith without works is like a body without a spirit. Faith and works have a symbiotic relationship, thriving off each other. Faith is alive only when its host, the body, becomes active for the Lord.Action gives us the law of freedom in a deeper sense of the word.

Hi again Lizzie, I agree with you, I also find that I personally behave better in church than I would outside of it. I watch what I say, how I say it and try to come across as a lovely woman. Thank God, He is still moulding us and we get better every day. Tina

I tend to discriminate towards the rich and the young who start jobs and earn at least 3 times as much as I do, despiute the fact that I ama trained nurse with years of experience. I know it's wrong for me to do this and I have been praying and asking God's guidance. Since my sincere prayers, I find myself saying, "it doesn't matter that they are rich. Some people work extrememly hard for their money and I shouldn't be the green eyed monster spitting my feelings of injustice toward them. Good luck to them." I then proceed to thank the Lord for everything that He has given me and I always remember that I am exceedingly rich because I am His child and He has saved my soul. I also hear myself saying words of genuine praise and admiration for the younger people who earn so much more than I do. Good for them as they work just as hard, if not harder than I do. The bitterness leaves and my heart fill with peace because my thoughts are now more congratulatory and genuine. I used to try to make an impresison on just about everybody because I felt insecure. Thank God, I'm more at peace with myself now and I try to see myself through the eyes of Love, the unconditional love and acceptance of God. This really makes a big difference.

When I go through trials, I am forced to call out to God for help with more passion, more desperation and a mdeeper sense of hunger for Him to move in my life in a more powerful way than before. trials remind me that God is shaping me as a powerful weapon against the enemy, satan. If I put my complete trust and faith in God, he gives me the strength I need to resist the devil. As long as I allow God to test me, I become more mature in Him and a much more grounded and happy Christian. However, there are many times when I give up too soon. I do complain. But thank God, He is stilll working on me and with me.