There are times in life when we feel so deflated we just want to give up. Many people James wrote to - the poor and the persecuted - felt that way. Can I really go on? Jesus, where are you? Why haven't you come back yet? James opened his letter with the topic of suffering, and he closed his letter with a call for patience in suffering.

James challenges his readers: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (4:7-8). If we don’t pay careful attention, we miss the fact that this statement is sandwiched between verses encouraging the reader to choose humility as a way of life. This is a spiritual discipline that takes effort, but James knows it is the only way forward.

It is so strange that a tiny part of our bodies, our tongues, can make such a big difference in our pursuit of holiness. If we let ourselves, we can cause serious damage with our tongues. In Chapter 3, James helps us understand just how dangerous our words can be, and he encourages us to seek God's help in taming the tongue.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our proclamation of faith is validated in our demonstration of good works. When Jesus is acknowledged as the good King who sits on the throne over all of our desires, it changes the way we live out our faith.

James left no room in his letter for the idea of hearing the truth and not doing what it says. He didn't want his readers to deceive themselves into thinking they could be Christians merely by believing the right things about Jesus. Following Jesus requires action! As a disciple, you not only have to believe Christ is worth following, but you also have to take steps of faith to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him daily!