It is not possible to be a believer without being a righteous doer. A Christian will not be dishonest but truthful and a conscientious worker. The right belief will be followed by the right actions. Abel proved his faith by offering a lamb. Noah built an ark. And Moses left Egypt revealing his faith. It is sinful to do wrong and it is also displeasing to God to lose an opportunity to do good. God wants us not only to be harmless but also to be useful. He wants us to be free of transgressions but also to be followers of that which is good. James insists that true faith will be accompanied by works. A faith that produces no good works is not enough to save anyone. The acid test of our faith, James points out, is the way we treat our fellowman. The faith that God requires is not self-centered, cold and unresponsive to human need. In his writings James is concerned over the apparent contradiction he sees between certain individuals profession of faith and their daily lives. For example he sees someone asking God for something, but doubting the truth of God's promise. He saw such a person like a wave on th4e sea driven with the wind and tossed. He expressed as a useless procedure and dishonoring to the Lord. Read James 1:16, He sees people listening piously to God's Word without putting it into practice. What a shame was a cry from James. Let the contradiction cease, let us live consistent Christian lives. Read James 1:22 to 25

God summons us to wholesome self-examination of our use of faith in our reactions of daily life situations. In times of testing we need to develop steadfastness. Read James 1: 2 to 4. We need to look to God for the expectantly of the wisdom we need. Read James 1:5 to 7 and James 3:17. We need to be content with humble circumstances. The need of the hour is for evidences of faith which can be seen in the daily lives of believers, to let the faith be strong enough with evidences to convince a skeptical group of searching souls of our genuineness. In all lands where the Bible circulates there is little outright atheism. Most people believe that God exists as a personal being. Yet the majority go right on living in sin. Their belief is merely in their heads, not in their hearts. Even demons have that sort of faith. Read James 2:19. Saving faith involves the will. It is a matter of repentance, of surrender to God, of accepting Christ as Savior. It produces good works "The only thing that counts, is faith expressing itself through love. Read Galatians 5:6. Works are rightly said to justify a man by evidencing his faith, but this is not all-works are a direct evidence of faith before God. By faith alone, a person is reconciled with God and justified before God. His personal works are as fifthy rags for salvation. It is submission, faith, and obedience that bring the victory. But the continuance of the state of justification is not by faith alone but by works that correspond to that faith which justifies. Faith does not exist in a vacuum, we really have no right to profess faith in Jesus unless we consciously allow him to work through us and live his life in us. Real faith creates a vital union between believers and God so that he can reach out to mankind through us. We are his arm extended. Some people may believe they are Christians because they believe in God. That is a good thing to do, but this is a superficial idea that is shared with demons. Such belief will not save, it may make one tremble, but this isn't even repentance. The word tremble used in the New Testament means rough on the surface or to bristle. It is used to express fields with ears of corn or a battle line with shields and spears. In its context it means a horror which makes the hair stand on end and contracts the skin into a gooseflesh appearance. The obedience of Abraham narrated in Genesis 22 is not surpassed for its simplicity and vividness, It was faith that moved him to action and both faith and works cooperating together resulted in his true justification, his faith showed itself in true obedience, as it always must, to please God. It was because Abraham believed God that he traveled three days to the place where he was to offer Issac his son as a sacrifice. Because he believed and obeyed, he was justified. Abraham was made complete by what he did. His faith came into perfection or completion by acting on the basis of God's command. Faith cannot exist without active works of righteousness. Genuine faith involves knowing, committing and trusting. As we go through trials, rightly understood and faced, one's faith and character grows, just as proper exercise causes the body to grow. Trials and tests may take many different forms and may involve positive values as well as negative limitations. Men of great wealth and success may find as great a test and trial in possessions as do those who have nothing but failure, defeat, sickness and poverty. The testing of your faith develops perseverance. The dynamics of faith in the Christians life is a greatly needed emphasis for those who are steadfastly persevering. The man who stands firm in unswerving persistance when tested, gives out proof that his faith is sound. Only that whcih is pure and genuine in one's faith will stand when testing occurs. Perserverance must finish its work. The possibility of losing heart may be implied, in which care would be saying something was lacking or incomplete, one is not grown and complete until he has attained his calling of God in Christ Jesus. If one is to lack nothing, he must not give up in the conflict and struggle nor fail to reach the goal of Christian wholeness. The emphasis is upon progressive sanctification, there is indeed a crisis, but there is also a corresponding process which must not be neglected. Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so it is there is no true faith apart from deeds. There can never be a human body, alive and well without a spirit. If one is to stay alive, the spirit and body must stay together. Faith and deeds must also stay together. One of the common ways that faith is tested is through temptation. If we yield to temptation, it often involves a certain measure of doubting God and of believing Satan. This is how Eve fell in the very beginning. Jesus knowing that Peter was about to put self-protection before his loyalty to Christ, and informed him. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Read Luke 28:32 and Luke 22:62. Peter's momentary wavering from Christ was followed by quick restoration. Our surest protection in the hour of temptation is implicit faith, accompanied by habitual obedience. We need to put on the gospel armor of God's Word, put our complete belief and trust in his love. Never neglect to take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all evil. The believer should not be surprised when his faith is tested and tested severely. Read 1 Peter 4:12. It is the method by which faith is strengthened. Financial reverses, disappointed hopes, illnesses, loss of loved ones all are challenges to faith. If encounted with impatience they can overwhelm the sufferer and if met with grace divine, they can be means of spiritual growth. For every victory of a trial, we are rewarded greatly by the joy of achievement through Christ. We experience a fresh realization of how adequate the grace of God is. There is the feeling of satisfaction within you, that only faithfulness can bring and there is also the added anticipation of eternal reward. For all who remain steadfast under trial and pass the test, they surely will receive their prize, the gift of life promised to those who love God. The worst type of excuse a person could give for his state or condition when tempted, is God is tempting me. God does not tempt anyone, nor can he be tempted by evil. God isn't trying to make us or put us in situations to see if we will sin. God has no evil intent in permitting us to be tried and tested. He simply provides the free environment that is necessary for true growth. Faith is our anchor, the solification of believing. If a man is not thoroughly convinced that he will receive wisdom when he asks God. He will find his mind divided and in a state of agitation and will not be in a condition to receive what God would like to give. Being double-minded does not imply deceit. It means dubious and undecided. One big guideline to functioning faith is complete dependence on God. Read James 4:7. "Submit yourselves therefore to God." All our planning, all our doing, must be brought to the test of God's will. Another guideline to productive faith is to avoid sins of omission. God has made it clear in his word what we should do. Read James 4:17. Therefore to him to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him is sin. An enduring faith is nourished by the spirit of praise and by a readiness to confess. For anyone to assume, that because he had once been cleansed from sin, he will never need to make anymore confessions, is to make a serious error. James 3:2 states in it "For in many things we offend all." And a modern way to say it is that we stumble in many ways, but it's known that quick confession keeps the channel open between ourselves and God. An enduring faith works wonders for the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Our faith begins to rise as we confess our needs and pray for one another. When compassion and humility in prayer are exercised, a genuine fellowship of reconciliation will be a reality, And enduring faith will maintain that working body until Jesus comes.