All we need is faith in Jesus Christ and we must choose to follow him. (James 1-5)

1:2-4

What makes us complete? In an eternal perspective, this mortal life was essential. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (many afflictions); Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." We needed a life full of many afflictions. Not one of us makes it through this life without affliction in one form or another. Affliction's ubiquity points towards it being necessary. c

Affliction builds strength. James is saying that it also builds patience. Another word here is endurance. How does endurance "worketh patience?" If we patiently endure every trial with an eye of faith, what is the limit of our progression?

If a professional basketball player is able to endure an endless variety of developmental practice, how good will he get? How much more will he progress above what someone who isn't willing to endure more than an easy weekly workout?

It is the same with us. If we can build our endurance towards all affliction, how well-rounded will our progression be? The more thorough the affliction, the more we will be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." We are being polished by affliction.

1:5-7

All of us know this scripture very well. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." This is the verse that inspired Joseph Smith to ask God which church was true. I've found this scripture to be correct. Liberally receiving wisdom directly from God has happened to me. I would say that the most that this happens is when I'm reading the scriptures. I often feel information being inserted in my brain as I ponder the meaning of scripture. It's the closest thing to direct revelation that I experience in my life.

But, I struggle outside of scripture study. I have a hard time discerning whether wisdom is coming from heaven. I can think of many times that I pray to know something and it seems I get nothing. I have often prayed to know if a decision is right and I generally am not receiving an obvious answer.

Receiving and identifying wisdom from God is a skill that I haven't developed. I'll keep working on it. The key is to truly have faith that I can receive wisdom. "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." The challenge with me is my lack of faith. I have let myself get discouraged to where I am comfortable not receiving an answer. My faith is wavering. Without faith, I am guaranteed to not receive. James said this clearly.

1:8

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." This is about being hypocritical. This is about being inconsistent. This is about being fake. This is about not being true to your own beliefs. This is about continually second guessing our position. This is about chasing the things of this world while also wanting the kingdom of God. It is better to be simple-minded and true.

What makes God so godlike is his consistency. He does exactly what he says he will do. He is not influenced by current events. We can count on his unchanging nature. He doesn't ever have second-thoughts. This is what makes him stable in all his ways.

1:9-11

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways." The rich should rejoice if they lose it all? Why?

The problem with being rich is that we equate wealth with stability and wisdom and even righteousness. Wealth can mask wickedness and laziness. A rich person can appear to have it all together but could be a mess...and not even see it. There is no spiritual strength connected to wealth!

Wealth does not develop spiritual strength in any way. Money does not make someone more righteous. Wealth certainly doesn't provide endurance needed to handle the trials and tribulations of life. When difficult times come, the wealthy are often unprepared because their strength and endurance has not been developed. They haven't needed to build patience because they haven't faced the kind of difficulty that would strengthen them. The wealthy can be spiritual weaklings who wear very nice clothes. Worst of all, wealth builds pride which creates an illusion of wisdom, talent or ability.

If the purpose of life is to struggle, become selfless and humble, wealth doesn't help.

1:13-14

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." So many of us blame God for our problems. I've actually heard someone say, "God made me with this weakness so it's his fault." Weird thinking.

God doesn't tempt us. It is our weaknesses and lusts that tempt us. We must take responsibility for the bad choices that we make. That is the first step to repenting. If our weaknesses are God's fault, what ability do we have to change? This is blame avoidance and it's dangerous stuff.

1:19-20, 26

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." This is a very good verse for me to read. Often, I am the exact opposite of this verse. I am often slow to hear, quick to speak and fast to wrath. Currently, that would be a pretty good epitaph on my gravestone.

This is an area for me to work on every day. I should be better at hearing and speak less. I should be more interested and ask more questions. I should never be thinking about how I'm going to respond when someone is speaking.

Often, depending on my mood, I am very quick to wrath. It's usually about something stupid and meaningless - like driving or long lines. I know that no righteousness springs from wrath and I experience wrath far too often.

"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain." I must work on this. I'm getting better. Marci will tell you that I am improving in holding my tongue. There have been times that someone says or does something and I know Marci is just waiting for me to overreact and, I'm happy to say, I've been surprising her. I am slowly become more temperate. I don't want my "religion to be in vain."

1:22-25

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." Anyone can hear the word of God. Not everyone can be doers. Many can speak the word of God but still not do.

Being a hearer and not a doer is compared to looking at our own reflection and then forgetting what we are. It's an interesting metaphor. Perhaps they didn't have a lot of mirrors. When they looked into a mirror, they saw who they were perfectly. Everything was clear. The problem was, as soon as they walked away from the mirror, they forgot who they were.

I think that this is a good comparison. There have been times when I've sat in a church meeting and been inspired and everything appears very clear. My priorities are set. My perspective is good.

But, as time moves on, I lose that perspective a little. I don't see so clearly. I may forget who I am and what I am. All of that clarity can become cloudy. The natural man seeps back in.

I think being doers and not just hearers is about being truly converted. I also think that hearing more of the word of God, more often, helps us to be doers.

1:27

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." I often say that the purpose of life is to become selfless and fully submit to God's will. That's what this verse is about.

Everything in our religion is to help us be selfless and submissive to God's will. We are given opportunities to serve and restrictions and requirements to help us submit. Every scripture we read and prayer we say and hymn we sing is about helping us progress in these two areas. Of course, it is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we have any desire and hope for a heavenly future.

2:1

The JST of this reads: "My brethren, ye cannot have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, and yet have respect to persons." If we have faith in Jesus, we understand that he, like us, are children of the same Heavenly Father. Knowing that every person we'll ever meet is a beloved child of our Father in Heaven gives us a perspective that should make it impossible for us to think any one of them is greater or lesser than another.

2:2-4

"For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?" Do we do good to others based on their station? Do we respect only a certain type of person? Do we help only those who can help us in the future?

We cannot judge the value of a person other than to know that every man and woman on this planet is a child of God. With that in mind, how we treat each other will be affected. Every person has divine potential and should be treated as such.

2:10

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." To me, this verse is about us, not the law. Our progression isn't about how many laws we disobeyed. It's not about whether the laws we chose to obey are smaller or greater. The point of the law is to guide us. The point is that we are to submit fully. If we choose to not submit to some minor law, we're basically demonstrating that we aren't willing to submit fully. If we are intent on progressing forever, we'll need to submit completely. Having any reservation limits our progression - whether we break one law or every law.

2:14-17

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." This is the age-old question. Do we make it to heaven through faith or by our works?

It's such a loaded question. Of course we need both:

• Faith. It is Jesus Christ who saves us. It is only through him that we return to our Heavenly Father. If we don't have faith, we don't do anything. We cannot rely on ourselves alone to earn our way to heaven. That's not how this works. We must rely on Jesus Christ. He will save us in our imperfection.

• Works. But, God will not force us to live as he does. We will have to choose to become like him. No one will compel us. We are agents to act. It will always be our choice to live the law of God. This life is a "time to prepare to meet God." We are to grow and strengthen ourselves so we want to continue our progression throughout eternity. So, Jesus opens the doors to heaven but it is up to us to walk through them - no one is going to drag us.

Where it gets confusing is all of the different meanings we attach to this concept. Those who believe that works are essential may send the message that they are saving themselves through their obedience. For those who say that only faith in Christ is required ignore the principle that we still have to choose the right. Believing one extreme or the other is dangerous.

It requires faith in Jesus Christ and acting on that faith to develop into what God currently is.

2:18-20

James is making the argument about how important our works are in these verses. "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead." It is impossible to demonstrate true faith without works. It is meaningless to say that Jesus saves me regardless of my choices and then choose the wrong in every way. There is NO development happening there.

The development happens when we make good choices. As we work to control the natural man and live a higher law that is above our natural urges, we develop spiritual strength and are better prepared to progress forever. Belief isn't enough.

James's argument is good. He's basically saying, "What good is it if you believe? Even angels believe in and fear God." Having faith in Jesus Christ, by itself, doesn't transform us.

2:21-24

James further makes the argument by writing about Abraham. "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Does faith alone refine us? No. Faith is the catalyst of the action that refines us. Faith is what drives action.

Our faith means something when it is acted upon. Pent up, stored faith doesn't make us better. Abraham's faith made it possible for him to sacrifice his son. But, it was the act of sacrifice that was "imputed unto him for righteousness."

3:2-4

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things." What we say can control so much.

With our tongues, we can:

• Gossip.

• Criticize.

• Love.

• Praise.

• Abuse.

• Question.

• Teach.

• Worship.

• Testify.

We can affect so much of the world and people around us with what we say! But these verses are talking about how the tongue can control our whole selves. Our tongue can affect:

• How we see our role in the world.

• Our desire to praise or criticize, to lift up or put down.

• If we testify of or question truths.

• Share the gospel or live in a world of small talk.

• Discover how we can help someone or simply express pleasantries.

• Be sincere or fake.

• Tell the truth or lie.

• Boast or compliment.

• Add contention to a situation or be a peacemaker.

In all of these cases, it is the words we say that shapes who we are as a person.

3:5-6

"Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." The things that we say can have great effects! Our words can set in motion a chain of events that are much greater than the words we used.

A two minute conversation can change how someone feels about themselves. You can share a small piece of gossip and ruin someone's future. You can get someone fired from their job with what you say. A marriage can dissolve from a long chain of very small criticisms.

Satan convinced 1/3 of God's children to follow him with simple words. How many people did Korihor or Alma the younger seduce with their compelling speech?

This works in a positive way too. How many lives can we bless by what we say? Far too often, I think something nice about a person but rarely say it. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm afraid of sounding weird or making them uncomfortable or going out on some kind of social limb. I am working on this one - when I think of a compliment, I say it. I think I've raised some spirits.

We could all use a bit of self-control when it comes to what we say - me especially.

3:7-8

It's not easy to tame a tongue. "For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." It's interesting to consider all of the accomplishments of mankind - all that we've conquered or achieved or discovered - yet, we cannot seem to control our tongues. We just don't try very hard I think. If we focused on it like we focus on earning a living, we'd be very good at it.

3:10-12

"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh." This is what we all need to understand. We can't be a truly good person if we are filled with criticism. We must understand that the gossip we speak taints the very mouth we use to testify of Jesus Christ.

Just as we cannot serve God and mammon, a mouth cannot speak evil and good and be truly righteous. If we are yearning to progress to become like God, controlling our tongue is a good place to start.

I've often said that, if we want to know how much of a disciple of Christ we are, we should review what we do with our tongue, eyes and hands. If we kept a close inventory of what we do with those three organs, we could accurately assess our discipleship.

Our mouths cannot be good if sweet and bitter water come from the same. The bitter affects the sweet. If we consider ourselves a fig tree but our branches produce olives, guess what, we're not a fig tree. A fountain that supposedly provides drinking water cannot provide both salt water and fresh. The salty water taints the fresh. Our mouths do not have different "channels" that can be kept separate. All that we say combines to help form our character.

3:13-17

"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." This is a good litmus test these days. There are a lot of "smart" people talking talking talking. A good method for vetting where their wisdom is coming from is what effect their words have. If they are full of criticism and are attempting to stir contention - their wisdom is coming from the world.

If their words bring peace, are gentle, have good fruits, etc, then we know that wisdom comes from heaven. It's sometimes hard to discern what people's intention are. But, if we see the results of their words, we can safely guess what their true intentions were. By their fruits ye shall know them!

4:4

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." The world offers a lot that we enjoy as mortals. It's enticing. However, to receive all that the world has to offer often comes with a price.

What does it mean to be friends with the world? Friendship is about loyalty, support, time, energy, attention. Friendship is about unity. We all know that, if we surround ourselves with a certain type of friend, we become like them. This is true with the world. If we are dedicated to building a strong relationship with all aspects of this world, we cannot also build a relationship with God. We cannot serve God and mammon.

James calls them adulterers because they are not being true to their relationship with God. They are allowing themselves to be enticed by the attractive allurements of the world. There needs to be complete fidelity in our relationship with God.

4:7

I love the idea of the devil fleeing from me. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." If we truly submit our will to God's, there isn't an opportunity for Satan to influence us. Satan can only work with those who are following their own will. If I am submissive and humble, it won't occur to me to do something against the will of God. I become barren ground for the devil.

4:8

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." Nothing can separate ourselves from God, except US! As soon as we turn towards God, he is near.

How many sins are done with our hands? As I've said before, if we could control our eyes, tongue and hands, we'd overcome the natural man. Here's a thought, if you're feeling overwhelmed with eliminating sin from your life, pick one of those organs to focus on. Then, when you've mastered one, move onto the other.

It's interesting that he asks the double-minded to purify their hearts. I'd think it would be more about purifying our thoughts. But, I think being double-minded is about confusion about what we long for - not knowing what we want. We are still hoping for worldly pleasures. We are not fully committed. Living on the fence. Our heart's not fully in it. We're wanting to keep one foot in the world.

If we can purify our hearts, we will be single-minded. We will focus. We will see everything from the lens of righteous desires. It seems like it's a lot easier to not have to fight competing desires.

4:13-14

"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Control of our lives is an illusion in that what we plan is never guaranteed. We can have grand plans and goals that can distinegrate in a moment.

I remember when I was 35 and it was the day before I traveled up to Idaho for an Ironman triathlon. I went to the doctor for a rash. He took my blood pressure and then heard a heart murmur. I then discovered that my aorta was about to explode. An open heart surgery was scheduled in three days. My life changed in an afternoon. The day before, I was about to compete in an Ironman. Now, I might die in a very complicated surgery. It's a weird thought to consider that you might die on Tuesday.

Life changed radically. My plans didn't matter. I wasn't really in control. Suddenly, my life was a vapor that could vanish.

Of course, we should make plans and set goals. It is proven that writing down goals leads to achieving those goals. However, we should live with the understanding that this day may be our last. The key is living each day in submission to God's will. If I live in the present, choosing God's will, I will always be ready to move on to the next stage of the plan of salvation.

5:3

"Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." Riches can canker our souls. The riches that we have accumulated will stand as a witness against us if we do not use those riches to bless other people.

Riches are a devious condition. How many of us consider the sins connected to riches? How many consider the temptations that are inevitably connected to riches:

• Pride. We may think that we're better than others who don't have riches. We may see ourselves as refined and even righteous because we have money. There isn't a dependency on God. We see ourselves as the source of goodness. The urgency to progress might not be as evident.

• Self-centeredness. There is a world full of leisure and possessions that can be ours if we have money. Our lives can be about our comfort. Trips, cars, clothes can become our world.

• Unempathetic. We may see our needs as paramount. We are used to others serving us. From flight attendants in first class to bellman in luxury hotels, we see ourselves as special. We can't feel connection with the less fortunate. We assume that they have done something to bring poverty.

When the veil is removed and all of the worldly luxuries mean nothing, many of us will feel regret. It will feel like our flesh is on fire.

Many have acquired a pile of money for retirement. It can feel so comfortable to know that we're not going to worry about money. We've "heaped treasure together for the last days." Unfortunately, not one penny of that treasure will benefit us at the judgment. In fact, it's likely that those pennies, dollars, and gold will scream accusations at us.

The question will be WHAT DID WE DO WITH OUR RICHES? Did that money only bless ourselves or did it bless others. Did we see riches as opportunities to serve and help others? I'm not suggesting that all of us give away our retirement accounts - but I do think that we should be reasonable and charitable in how we use money to bless others.

If this life is about being faithful, humble and selfless, it's easy to see how a lot of money throws a wrench in that whole program. There's not going to be an accountant at the judgment bar but our character will be formed one way or another from our riches. We will be in a better position to work for others' salvation (like God does) or we will be ill prepared to serve and may be looking for the bellman or maid.

5:11

"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." For those who endure whatever this world throws at them, the ending is always happy. It doesn't matter what actually transpires over the course of his or her life, the ending is happy.

The scriptures contain many stories of faithful people who endure incredible trials. We "count them happy." Your story can be the same. Consider trials that you've endured. Looking back, it's easy to see how you benefited from that endurance. Because of Jesus Christ, the ending is beautiful and glorious for every one of us.

5:17

Often, I consider those who performed miracles in the scriptures as special people - different than you and I. We're regular people. This verse speaks of that. "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months." James is saying that Elijah was just a man with passions like us. He had strengths and weaknesses. Hey likely saw himself as very normal - just like us.

The point is that we shouldn't feel like we are excluded from some exclusive group. We are all children of our Heavenly Father. We can all experience miracles. We can all be heard by our Heavenly Father. If we demonstrate faith, we can move mountains. We don't have to be in the right family or know the right people.

5:20

"Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." If we are working to bring others to Christ, we possess a skill that will prove to be very useful in the eternities. Helping others to use their agency to draw near to God is the most heavenly thing we can do.

Consider Heavenly Father's position. He has sent us to this world and is letting the natural course happen in each of our lives. There are so many of his children who are lost. Consider how you would view someone who stepped up and brought one of your children back. How grateful would you be for that person? Their service would outweigh whatever weaknesses they have. Looking at if from God's perspective, I can see how saving one of his children would "hide a multitude of sins."