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1.Not only hearing but also doing God’s Word (James 1: 22-25)

A person who believes is not only a listener of FT, but at the same time he is a doer of the Word he has heard. Unlike other religions which teach that a person can already be rewarded if he reads his holy book (even though he doesn’t understand what he is reading), Christianity emphasizes not on knowledge (obtained from hearing or reading), but on application (or doing). FT has a stronger faith than those who just listen. Jesus calls those who hear and do his Word a wise man who builds his house on a rock. There are 3 tests that come, but the building of the faith of a wise person remains firm: (a) The first to be tested by the rain is of course the roof. Whether the roof is leaking or not ? That is the first test. Maybe there is rain of trouble or rain of problems, we are tested as to what our strength is to face the rain.

(b) The second test, the wind came to hit the walls around us. This speaks of our protections. Often we fall not by big stones, not by big winds, but by small breezes. Be careful, both against strong and slow winds, must be careful.
(c) The third test, the flood comes to hit the foundation. The flood also speaks of the flood of blessings that tests our lives. There are Christians who have a hard time, are so loyal to God. However, after being successful, blessed abundantly by God, they could not even stand the test of success.

2.Control the Tongue (James 1:26).

The second characteristic of a believer is that he has the ability to control his tongue. The tongue is one of the most difficult parts of the body to control. Here are some notes about the tongue: (a) Many mistakes the tongue makes. In other words, one of the greatest struggles in life is the struggle to curb the tongue. The greatest guilt is not in the sin of not saying, but in saying what should not be said. One who can control the tongue is likened to the bridle of a horse’s mouth and the rudder of a ship sailing in a strong wind. In short, the struggle for the tongue is like the struggle for the horse and for the storm on the sea. What a struggle!
(b) The consequences of using the unfettered tongue are so powerful that they are described as like a great forest fire and deadly poison. Irresponsible speech can do great damage. Many relationships are damaged by the tongue; a lot of trust is lost also by the tongue, a lot of respect is waned, also because of the tongue.
(c) In the end we have to admit that more often than not we fail to master the tongue, like a wild animal that cannot be completely tamed. More often than not we regret our failure but once a word comes out, we cannot take it back.
(d) But the most important thing is that we have to clean the liver so that clean water will come out. In other words, restraint of the tongue begins with the cleansing of the liver. If we are full of anger then anger will come out of the mouth; if we are full of bitterness, then bitterness will come out of the mouth. On the other hand, when the heart is filled with God’s love, love will come out of the mouth. If a heart full of faith believes in God, then hope and confidence will come out of the mouth.
Then what are the practical steps in stroking the tongue? Dr. Paul Gunadi (SAAT Malang counselor and lecturer) gave 4 prescriptions: (1) Before speaking, make sure the truth is first. Don’t let us spread rumors that can destroy people’s lives.
(2) Before speaking, think about the impact and ask if we are ready to endure it.
(3) Before you say anything emotional, hold back and walk away. Calm your heart until the turmoil subsides, then weigh again whether you really need to say it.
(4) Finally, before speaking, test first whether there is sin in it. If there is, stop, don’t carry on.

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3. Serving those who are struggling (James 1:27)

Believers have high social sensitivity. He always longs to serve those who are in need and in distress. James suggests there are 2 things that can be done for those who are struggling:

(a) First, visit those who are without hope

Visiting those without hope (widows and orphans) is an act of caring and empathy. Man feels that he is valuable if he is cared for with sincerity. James probably used the expression ‘widow and orphan’ to represent a group of people who are often exploited and without hope (cf. Deut. 10: 16-19; Isa. 1: 10-17; Mark 12:40;), thus the expression widows and orphans. should not be taken literally, but the expression represents another group who is hopeless (for example: homeless people, abandoned children, street children, etc.)

(b) Second, act of real help

The Greek word for visit (episkeptomai) does not simply refer to the act of seeing or visiting, but rather the act of caring for one’s needs (Matt. 25:36, 43; Acts 15:14, 36).

This word is also used of God’s coming to help His people (Lk 1:68). This meaning is further emphasized through the use of the clause “in their distress”.

What is emphasized in this clause is not the act of paying attention formally or externally, but essentially (helping them from distress).

4.Protecting oneself from being polluted by the world (Jas. 1; 27b)

The believer will guard himself from being contaminated by the lusts of the world. Worldly lusts can be: (1) The desire of the flesh The desires of the flesh are things that please our flesh, such as good food, leisure, glamorous life, etc. Eve trapped Satan with the words that make the flesh desires appear: “What she sees is good to eat.” The lust of the flesh also exists in immoral actions such as corruption, being lame, drunkenness, etc. (2) The desire of the eyes The desire of the eyes is anything that makes lust appear visible to the eye, such as pornography, indecent images etc. (3) Pride lives The pride of life is the arrogance of humans who do not want to acknowledge God’s sovereignty. Adam and Eve sinned because of their pride in wanting to be like God.

I Wish We Can Do What The Bibie Verses Say. Amen.

God Bless You.