PRAY FOR EACH OTHER

JAMES 5: 17

"Confess your sins to each other and PRAY FOR EACH OTHER, so that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

What is the first thing you should do when you or someone you love has a problem?  Who should you turn to every time for help in a time of need?  What is the essence of the first commandment of God?  The obvious answer to all these questions is that we are to put the Lord first in our lives and that we are to confess our sins to Him and pray to Him for the answers.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body and soul.  Keep the Lord first in everything.  If you have a problem, sickness or concern you should bring it to the Lord first.  Do not be tempted to seek answers from fallible sources or substitutes for God's wisdom.  We must however keep in mind the One Truth Today that the prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.  We are to PRAY FOR EACH OTHER!

Before you can make righteous prayers for yourself or others you must confess your sins to God.  It is helpful to hold yourself accountable to other righteous persons who are your brothers and sisters in the Lord.  You can join with them in prayer.  Where two or three of you are gathered, the Lord is in your midst.   Your prayers will be heard when they are done in earnest and have the will of God and His righteousness in mind.  There is power in prayer and the Lord wants you to worship and pray to Him.  PRAY FOR EACH OTHER!

No man is an island unto himself.  By joining with other believer's and righteous Christians we see a dynamic, synergistic power that can increase the results of our prayers.  We are not to neglect the gathering together of the brethren for a purpose such as this.  This is an example of why it is important to join with others and invoke the Word of the Lord.  The earnest prayers of a righteous person, or group or persons, has great power and will produce wonderful results.  God honors those who honor Him and His advise is to PRAY FOR EACH OTHER!

IF THE LORD IS WILLING!

JAMES 4: 13-14-15

"Look here, you who say today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year.  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog, it is here for a little while and then it is gone.  What you ought to say is, IF THE LORD IS WILLING, we will do this or that."

Have you planned out your whole life?  Do you know who you will marry, how many children you will have and the year of your death?  Are you certain of what kind of job or profession you will enter?  Have you decided what kind of home you will have and where it will be located? Have you planned for a trip or vacation taken on a regular basis.  You may have plans or goals for your life or future but they are just that, a plan.  Whenever you talk about the future you had better include the One Truth Today.  You had better include the fact that whatever your desire, it will only become a reality, IF THE LORD IS WILLING!

Only God knows the end from the beginning.  No man knows what will happen tomorrow.  How many times have you been surprised by the events that dramatically changed your own life?  If you look back you will see and be certain that you are not in control of your world.  Life is like a vapor or fog, a puff of smoke that is visible for a time and then disappears in to thin air.  In God's timing we are here for only an instant.  Life, fame and fortune are fleeting, here for a little while and then gone.  You may control your thoughts and actions one at time, while you are alive, but you certainly do not control your universe and what happens in it.  Better that you do not say with certainty that you will do this or that, because you do not control destiny!

What we ought to say about tomorrow or any future plan is that I will do this or that thing only

IF THE LORD IS WILLING!  This is a simple and necessary acknowledgement that God is control of this world and everything in it.  Our plans will succeed only if they are in concert or within the will of God.  Not my will, is what will occur, but His will is what will be done.  That is why no one can truly predict the future.  We may attempt at rationalization based on prior facts, but that is not knowledge and forethought, it is a guess at what God will do.  It is presumptuous and conceited to boast about what our future will be when in fact we do not control it.  So when you are making future plans be sure to always say, IF THE LORD IS WILLING OR GOD WILLING!

TAME THE TONGUE!

JAMES 3: 7-8

"People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and fish, but no one can TAME THE TONGUE!  The tongue is restless and evil and full of deadly poison."

Can you hold and control your tongue?  Your tongue is like a sharp sword, capable of doing great damage to yourself and others.  You can use you tongue to bless or to curse and the choice is yours.  Have you been able to stop swearing and using the Lord's name in vain?  Have you said things that you wish you could erase and reverse from your life, because of the harm they have done?  Have you killed anyone with your tongue as the weapon of choice?  You can do great bodily harm to others by what you say about them.   Just as a great forest fire begins with a single spark have you started any fires with your tongue?  The tongue is restless and evil and full of deadly poison, unless you learn to TAME YOUR TONGUE.  

Even though the tongue is a small member of the body, it is like the ruder of a large ship, or the bridle in the mouth of a powerful animal.  You can control your direction and destination by the use of this small instrument.  One of the tests of a small child is to learn to be obedient and demonstrate discipline by controlling your tongue.  It is the fear of the parent and punishment that teaches a good child.  It is the fear of God that should control our tongue and the harm it can do to others.  If we do not TAME THE TONGUE  all kinds of evil and harm will come to you and your life.  You can start a fire that can not be put out.  If it is possible for man to tame all kinds of animals, reptiles, birds and fish, it is also possible to tame our tongue.  

We should not send out sweet, fresh, heavenly thoughts in one breath and in another send out evil, poisonous, vitriol from the same mouth and the same tongue.  If we are wise and learn the Truth For Today, and listen to God and His Word, we can learn to control our tongue and our lives.  The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God and as our Heavenly Father teaches us we must learn to be obedient and under control.  It may be difficult and it may require time and effort but we can learn and tame our tongues.  It is not impossible, for others have done it and the Lord requires it.   Make it a habit and conditioned reflex to control yourself and TAME THE TONGUE!

IS YOUR FAITH DEAD OR ALIVE?

JAMES 2: 17

"So you see,  faith by itself is not enough.  Unless your faith produces good deeds,  it is dead and useless."

Have you seen the wanted posters from the old west?  They offer a reward and state that you can claim it whether the fugitive is brought in DEAD OR ALIVE!  If God had a poster for His children it would read ALIVE AND NOT DEAD!  Faith that is not alive is dead and not useful to produce good fruit in the Kingdom of God.  We would look at a fruit tree in the garden and the important question is, "Got Fruit"?  What is the answer you would give if we ask you the same question, "Got Fruit"?  When you came to the Lord you became a new person with a new spirit.  You were filled with the Holy Spirit and with new faith and Hope.  As a new man you abandoned your old sinful ways and demonstrated with your new faith a life filled with goodness and righteousness.  You did good deeds unto others as God had done for you.  

Have you continued to demonstrate your faith by doing good deeds?  Are your actions such that God and others know of your faith?  If your faith does not produce good deeds it is inoperative and useless.  Is your faith dead and useless?  How can God or others know that you are still alive in Christ Jesus?  You will be known by your fruit and you will be known by your good deeds!  Faith that is unproductive and spiritually deficient is inactive, ineffective and worthless! IS YOUR FAITH DEAD OR ALIVE?

You will be shown to be justified and acceptable in God's sight by your actions and your works and deeds.  You are not Saved by any works that you do, and all the glory belongs to God, but because of your Salvation you will as a consequence do good deeds.  It is natural to be more like God because you belong to God.  An example is that Abraham brought his son Isaac to the alter in obedience to God and that action spoke volumes about his Faith in God.  Abraham's actions were done in co operation with God's plan and request.  This is a true expression and exhibits full belief in God.  A man is justified and pronounced righteous by God through what he does and not alone by his belief or faith in God.  We to must do works of obedience as well as believe and have faith in God.  Have you produced good deeds lately?  IS YOUR FAITH DEAD OF ALIVE?

DO WHAT GOD SAYS!

JAMES 1: 22

"Do not just listen to God's Word.  You must DO WHAT GOD SAYS!  Otherwise you are only fooling yourself."

Are you an obedient person?  As a child did you do what you were told to do?  As an adult when you are told to do something by someone in authority, do you do it?  As a pupil when a teacher tells you about a concept or idea, do you integrate that into your thoughts and actions?  When your parents told you to do something to protect you from harm, did you just listen or did you in fact do what you were told?  If you fail to obey and do not listen to wise counsel then you are living an illusion and the results are predictable.  When you look in a mirror you see an illusion, not reality and when you fail to listen and then apply what you hear and are told, you are living an illusion and not reality.  Are you just fooling yourself by not applying what you hear?

God does not want us to just hear His Word.  We must put His Words into action.  Be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer only!  If we do not obey God then we are just fooling ourselves and others, but we can never fool God!  When we refuse to listen and then obey the Word of God we are only punishing ourselves.  The result of disobeying our earthly father and our Heavenly Father are predictable and never good.  We make the choice to obey or not and we must suffer the consequences of our actions.  Bad choices lead to bad results and disobeying God is the worst choice of all.  It means you are separating yourself from your Heavenly Father and that condemns you.  

We must be who we say we are.  We can not fake our lives forever or at all in God's sight.  If you are a fraud and foolish enough to listen to God's Words and yet never do what they say you are just fooling yourself.  Do you really think that you can fool God?  If you are a child of God then you must listen and be obedient to His Word.  After you listen and learn you have to implement and put into action what God has taught you.  If you fail to do this you are deceiving yourself and those who have taught you.  God is our heavenly parent and loves us as His child.  He wants the best for us.  We must trust Him and listen to Him and obey Him.  In short we should always DO WHAT GOD SAYS!

QUICK TO LISTEN!

JAMES 1: 19-20

"You must be QUICK TO LISTEN, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."

Do you have a quick temper?  Are people afraid of you because of your angry temper?  Does your dog cower and run from you when you yell at the television or others?  Are you a ready listener? Do you show a genuine interest in what others are saying?  Do you take offense easily at what others are saying?  Do  you try to dominate any conversation that you are engaged in? Do  you have trouble keeping your mouth shut?  These are common problems for many people and they all need to the learn the One Truth Today.  If you want to please God and have a better life then learn to be QUICK TO LISTEN, slow to speak and slow to get angry!

To be good at human relations it is vital and important to be a good listener.  We should be intent on understanding and grasping the points of the person that we are listening to.  People sense when you are paying attention to them and they also know whether you are involved and interested in them.  Your family and friends along with God want your undivided attention as you listen to them.  Always wait to hear what is being said before you interrupt and give your own position or opinion.  You need to understand their interpretation before you can give your own in contrast.  Do not engage your mouth until you have a complete understanding of the issue.  Never get angry or offensive for this will end any meaningful conversation.  In order to have a relationship you need to have discourse.  

God wants us all to be righteous.  Human anger does not produce righteousness.  You must control your temper and your anger.  To do this you should be  QUICK TO LISTEN, slow to speak and even slower to get angry.  If you have failed to learn this lesson, then stop right now and acknowledge your sin and ask the Lord for forgiveness.  Repent of your actions and choices and make a change Now!  Our goal is to be like the Lord and have more of His righteousness.     To achieve that desired result we must learn to control ourselves and our actions.  Many have formed a muscle or habit of being angry that can be hard to change, but it is possible as are all things with the help of God.  Are you listening?  Be QUICK TO LISTEN!

SO LET IT GROW!

JAMES 1: 2-3

"When trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.    

SO LET IT GROW!"

No one looks for trouble, but it can certainly come our way in this lifetime.  Have you ever experienced trouble and wondered why as a child of God your life is not just perfect?  How many times have we heard, "why do bad things happen to good people?"  Another favorite of a non believer is "why would a good God allow bad things to happen"?  Non believer's perspective on life is that what we have here on earth is all that there is.  They have no appreciation for the perfect eternal life in heaven that is promised to all who believe.  If this was all that life held for us then they would have a point.  God offers so much more to His children and they need the prospective that we are just passing through our time on earth and that our true destination is in Heaven for eternity!  When trouble comes your way on earth, consider it a great joy and an opportunity to test your faith.  Give your endurance a chance,     LET IT GROW!

Believer's are assured and understand that any trail here on earth allows us to prove our faith in God.  Trouble brings steadfastness, endurance and patience.  We are all developing Christians and although we may have defects of perfection in this lifetime we will have no defects and achieve perfection in our life to come in Heaven.  We can become fully developed spiritually but our bodies are subject to disease and death on earth.  There is and never will be any perfection on earth!  Our faith will be tested by many things, including illness, diseases of many kinds and include an imperfect body.  Consider these things an opportunity for great joy, for you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance as a child of God has an chance to grow.  SO LET IT GROW!

It is difficult to feel great joy if you are crippled or diseased.  In a time of trouble and change it may seem hard to rejoice in the Lord.  These are the very times that we need to stop and consider the One Truth Today.  We must think of these defects, illnesses and troubles as an opportunity to worship, praise and love our God, who will not allow this to remain and in fact will trade our imperfect body for a perfect one in Heaven.  The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the lame will jump for joy!   The dead will rise to new life and that eternally.  If you are His child, prove it to God and yourself by your actions and decisions.  Allow your faith to grow and endure.  The end result is worth all the problems and trouble of this life.  When it comes to faith, SO LET IT ENDURE!