Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Ways to Live Closer to Christ Taught From James


James 1. “Be Ye Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only”
​1.    Read James 1 and respond in writing to the following items:
·                     What words or phrases encourage you to look for direction from God?
o   Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation – the only way we can do that as he goes on it because of Christ and his patients with us and we need to be with ourselves as we try to grow on faith
o   If you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that Giveth to all men Liberally and upbraidith not – If we don’t know something we can ask God because he will give us and not reprimand or scold us.
o   God cannot be tempted with evil – we know that when we are tempted it is not of God
o   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above – that whole verse screams the love that God gives as he gives us all blessings in our lives.
·                     How did James further define the phrase to “ask in faith”?
o   Nothing wavering- if ask something but don’t have the faith to follow through with it then maybe God can’t give it to us because we are not yet ready to receive such direction.
·                     How do Matthew 6:24 and 1 Kings 18:21 add to your understanding of James 1:8?
o   We learn from here that if we do not choose who to serve then we really are not serving either. Or if we are we are serving one more than the other and this lead us to hate one or despise one over the other. This is like when people are doing wrong and then they try to also do right they either start feeling overwhelmed and hate God or their friends that they are doing this with and stop talking to them. Where we can stop from doing wrong and though our friends may reject us we have not rejected them but the practice that we do not follow.
·                     From James 1:13–15, 19–27, make an outline of how we can better live the gospel of Jesus Christ.
o   First we need to make sure not to blame God for sin
o   Another thing we need to do is not give into our enticings and lust because this leads to sin and death.
o   We need to listen and be slow to speak and slow to get angry
o   Replace filthiness and naughtiness with meekness the gospel
o   When we hear something we need to do it which will lead us along the path of Christ
o   We need to be careful and not defile the things that we say
·                     Give a few modern examples of how you have recently seen individuals exemplify James 1:22.
o   I have a friend who would go to church on Sunday and then participate in sacred ordinances even after breaking the law the night before.
o   People who say that they know the church is true but go out shopping on Sundays
o   A person changes their life for another person and then when they break up or get married go back to the lifestyle they had before
2.    Read the institute student manual commentary for James 1:5–6, “If Any of You Lack Wisdom” (p. 409). Make a list of reasons why Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said these verses have “had a greater impact ... upon mankind than any other” scripture.

This is the scripture that Joseph Smith Jr. read when he was trying to find which church was correct. He had been searching out the scriptures and all the churches around the area at age 14, just trying to pick God’s true church. Each had some truths but from what he had learned, he could not find one with all the truths. So he went and prayed and then miracles happened. Since that time missionaries are taught to do this same thing, go and ask the Lord is this is true. Hundreds of people have found out in very similar ways that the Church was true and that what has been taught is simply Christ original church on the earth today. Below is a link to a video that describes it even more in detail. Or if you have any questions I would go to: http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration and chat with some missionaries on there that can answer even more of the truths.

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