"...to the twelve tribes scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion".

This tells me that you are always called to some one, some where. Let the Lord direct your steps this way. As you adopt a position of responsibility for your life, ownership of your life, truth in your life, accountability for your life, the correct submission to God the Father as Almighty God, as you submit to the instruction of the Word of God and willingly, selflessly serve others you are positioning yourself for the Lord to expand your influence to others out there amongst the world. Some of these people quite likely, will be in all kind of difficulties or problems - the Dispersion - that came from the historical and traumatic ongoing scattering away from their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel, to various parts of the world.

These people have faced serious difficulties and problems and James is trying to minister to these people with a letter that's telling them to have faith and work hard at doing good!

Sometimes that which you are called to do may just be hard enough for you let alone the recipient of your message!

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 3 - you are called to serve and assist some one, some where. It may not be easy and they may be facing all kinds of difficulties!**

And then James tells them **Rejoice** ! Why - Nehemiah 8:10b - "And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice - Philippians 4:4.

Joy is not a happy feeling - it may produce a happy feeling but joy is a powerful spiritual force, one of the fruits of the spirit and when exercised and released it strengthens you.

Strength is very important - if you have dedicated yourself to living a responsible, accountable, truthful, compassionate, impactfully serving, called and directed, obedient life that is submitted to the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. WHY IS STRENGTH SO IMPORTANT....

**2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

Because trails and temptations are going to be a relatively common occurrence that you will be subject to. Take the revelation from verse 1, where the Jews were scattered through the Gentiles lands. Us Christians are going to be exposed to the full force of the world around us which is a fallen, sinful world. We can be either called to it or attacked by it, or more accurately, a combination of both. Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Take the obvious hint that spiritual warfare is real. It comes straight at you in the forms of trials and temptations. Your flesh, your mind, your marriage, your money, your children, your family, your church or home group, your friend groups - literally spirit, soul, body, financially, socially and multi-generationally are the areas that you can face trials or various temptations.

There has to be a consideration to this. TO CONSIDER - means to think carefully about (something), especially before making a decision.

This means that our interactions with the world around us, ESPECIALLY SO WHEN IT COMES TO TRIALS OR TEMPTATIONS need to be thought through carefully BEFORE we make decisions.

Strategic Planning, regarding spiritual solutions being worked out in a natural world, is a necessary, real and powerful thing. As you travel down this pathway, operating in this thought through way it's going to be tiring and it will test your strength, hence the need to be strong, to stay strong and if you start to weaken, then to regroup and get strong again - how - rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice! The joy of the Lord is your strength!

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 4 - learn to cultivate the joy of the Lord in your life through, praise worship and the study of God's Word.

Theologians and historians tell us that the book of James is one of the earliest books written to the New Church of Jesus Christ, perhaps around AD48. The prevailing thought seems to be - it's written by James who is identified as a brother of Jesus the carpenter, in Mark 6:3 - another of the children of Mary.

James has quite a history - he was in the Upper Room at Pentecost, he took over the leadership of the Jerusalem Church and presided at the Jerusalem Council where the church leaders reached an agreement for the basis of Christian Fellowship. You see that is Acts 15.

In this book of James, whilst the importance of faith is acknowledged, just as importantly is the acknowledgement of, and the need for a genuine faith in God and Jesus Christ to outwardly produce good works!

James discusses, I believe in great detail:

• the basic, real and invariable nature of Christianity;
• many of the significant individual features of Christianity
• the intrinsic and indispensable qualities that characterise Christianity

In short - James provides us with a check list for the living of our Christian lives.

Remember 2 Corinthians 5:10 Amplified Bible - For we believers will be called to account and must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities.

If we break down, scrutinise and put into practice the information contained in the book of James, I think we will do an enormous amount of good not only for ourselves and those whom we love, but also for those others around us in the world in which we live.

Let's start together in Chapter 1.

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)!

James - self identification - ownership of what comes next in this letter that he is writing...no anonymous comments here. Speak the truth and own it - be responsible and with that comes some accountability.

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 1 - understand and develop ownership, truth, responsibility, accountability. It's important we learn to replace blame and even possibly a victim mentality with responsibility.

A servant - Decide who you are going to serve and why. Be a representative willingly. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - Ambassadors for Christ

There is only so much of you to go around and there is only so much productive time that you have. Make a decision to serve and stick to it - through serving others we learn so much: sacrifice, humility, process, compassion, creates greater impact, builds stronger relationships, develops selflessness - the list goes on and on.

A servant of God - so powerful - true acknowledgement of God's existence, power and authority and a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ - to me that means to obey the Word of God. Jesus said in John 14:15 - "If you love me keep my commandments". As we obey the Word we follow Jesus, obey Jesus and serve Jesus.

Genuine Faith, Good Works Life Key 2 - serving, obedience to the Word of God and the service of others is a fundamental Christian requirement.

"He who plants and he who waters are equal, one in aim of the same importance and esteem, yet each shall receive his own reward, his own wages, according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen, joint promoters, labourers together, with and for God."

"He who plants and he who waters are equal, one in aim of the same importance and esteem, yet each shall receive his own reward, his own wages, according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen, joint promoters, labourers together, with and for God."

"He who plants and he who waters are equal, one in aim of the same importance and esteem, yet each shall receive his own reward, his own wages, according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen, joint promoters, labourers together, with and for God."

"He who plants and he who waters are equal, one in aim of the same importance and esteem, yet each shall receive his own reward, his own wages, according to his own labor. For we are fellow workmen, joint promoters, labourers together, with and for God."

Sin ultimately has its expression and then At some point, it works its way out, and it's exposed for what it is, yes?

And you see that in people's lives.

You might have children that, you know, or a person might be stealing something, stealing something, stealing, and then they get caught, and it comes out, yes?

So there is nothing hidden that will not be manifested

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Probably the most important thing following that is a really solid understanding of righteousness.

What is righteousness. It's not some religious word.

Righteousness and its importance in our lives.

So the understanding of righteousness.

So I've called this series. So what's next? Understanding righteousness. That's what's next.