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Day 351, or December the 17th. Sorry, what did

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you say? Our thoughts today come from James chapter

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1, verse 19. My dear brothers and sisters, take

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note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen,

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slow to speak, and slow to become angry. And now the

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big picture surrounding this verse. The short

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letter of James is probably the earliest part

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of the New Testament. It almost certainly predates

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the Gospels in written form, and Paul's letters

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would certainly have been later, as James probably

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put pen to paper, around 45 AD, a mere 10 to

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15 years after the death and resurrection of

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Jesus. James was almost certainly one of the

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brothers of Jesus. Actually, acknowledging that

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your brother is God's own son is an amazing feat

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that James grasps with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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James' main emphasis is that we have to have

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faith that results in actions. No works means

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we have no faith, according to James. When we

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have faith, we obey the word of God. In addition,

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faith removes discrimination, controls our tongues,

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and produces wisdom in all believers. And now

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our action step for today. Wouldn't our world

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be a different place if we all took today's verse

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to heart? Just imagine a society where people

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always listen first, and only after listening

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then speak, and only after both of these actions

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become angry. and the text implies, only if necessary.

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Many years ago, a major celebrity was visiting

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London, followed by a mass of media reporters.

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A member of the public was asked his impression

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of his superstar, after a brief conversation

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with him. He made me feel I was the only one

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who mattered. He really listened to me, as though

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my opinion was important. I have a feeling that

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would have been said by many of those who met

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Jesus. Don't be like the man who said, My wife

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is always accusing me of not listening. At least

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I think that's what she says. I intend to try

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listening more and hope someone notices. If they

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don't, there's always tomorrow to try again.