Every Good Gift    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  (James 1:17-18)   Let us examine the good gifts that God, our Creator, gives us; those that we receive automatically, and those that we can obtain by being obedient.    The first is the gift of life:  This creation of a living body is usually as a result of a decision of our parents and we have no choice in the matter. However, God is the One who gives us life on this world; a body, a soul and a spirit. Therefore, our parents might have decided that they would like a child to rear, but the ultimate decision lies with God.  Life itself is probably part of the soul (Genesis 2:7) because at death the body is discarded like an old motor car that has broken down; as we get out, close the door and depart.   The second is environmental:  In which country? Under what circumstances? What religious system?  The result of the decisions that we make while shackled by these circumstances (Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7.) depends on the reaction of our Creator to us and the gifts that we each receive, such as bodily protection, happiness, long life, sufficiency:  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. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 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. 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. 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.  (James 1:19-27) *A Psalm of David.* The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  (Psalms 23:1-6) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.  (Psalms 91:1-16)   The third is spiritual:   While the gifts of this life continue and become more apparent when we become reborn of the Spirit of God and our faith in God steadily increases, the nature of the gifts of God change as we each endeavour to be faithful and obedient citizens of our King.  These gifts tend to be more spiritual, firstly, such as God's providence, which also becomes more apparent, strengthening our faith: and secondly, those gifts which are required by soldiers of our Spiritual King - for His purposes and glory.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 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. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.  (James 2:20-26)   Living in faith of the word and the Holy Spirit of God, we understand that on that day we shall be amply rewarded according to our work for the King:  Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.  (Psalms 62:12) For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  (Matthew 16:27) 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.  (James 1:25) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.  (Revelation 21:6-7)     Part Two      In rereading the book "What The Bible Teaches" by R A Torrey, the following came to the fore at this time, by the Master's providence:    God sustains, governs, and cares for the world He has created. He shapes the whole history of the world.    God made everything on and in this world, most of it for man to enjoy. Water, sunlight, plants and trees, fire, iron ore, oil, electricity, etc.  Moreover, many were placed in specific places and discovered at specific times according to His eternal spiritual foreknowledge and purpose.  I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.  (Isaiah 45:12)  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:  (Isaiah 45:5)   Also, God created both good and evil: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.  (Isaiah 45:7)   Although our holy and righteous God created evil, He allows Satan to wield it. This makes mankind aware of both good and evil and God leaves the choices up to us to make:  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  (Romans 8:5-6) From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 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. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  (James 4:1-8)   So, the good gifts are appreciated by the righteous in heart and eventually some will choose to submit their wills to the only true God and be reborn of the Spirit:  O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.  (Psalms 66:8-12) Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.  (Psalms 66:16-20)   The good gifts are therefore recognised as such by God's people, and appreciated, and God is thanked with praise, singing and a joyful noise  *To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.  (Psalms 66:1-3)   Our Covenant Representative, who fulfilled the promise of the passover lamb and became our High Priest said:    I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  (John 14:6)