A Way that Seems Right

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

Here is Prov 16:25--

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it are the ways of death."  

Here God, in His book, the Bible, is telling us that you can think that you're on the right road while actually being on the wrong road.  I believe it's quite a common occurrence.  

Look at all the people in the false religions that think they're on the right road, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Christian Science, Church of Religious Science, Buddhism, Islam, etc.  

And I know a man just like that, who thinks he's on the right road, but is actually on the wrong road.  

But in his youth, he started out on the right road.  That man went to the same church that I went to, and as a boy became a born again Christian, like I did.  

I wrote about that man in my book, "Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?"

And in the early days, the man had a giving heart.  

Unfortunately, he made a series of bad decisions.  

The Bible says, "Don't love the world, nor the things that are in the world."

Here is 1 John 2:15-17--

 15 Don't love the world, nor the things that are in the world.  If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
 17 And the world passes away and its lust, but he that does the will of God lives forever.

As a Christian, you can get tripped up by the things of the world.  

That man, while in high school, became a cheerleader.  There were female cheerleaders, and there were male cheerleaders.  

I'm not saying a Christian can't be a cheerleader.  You go to the high school sporting events, and you lead cheers for your high school team.  

I don't say that that's inherently wrong.  

But it's something of the world.  

And in doing that, you make friends with people of the world, the majority of whom don't have following Jesus as their number one priority.  

And the man had quite a few friends who were Jewish.  

I don't say that Jewish people are automatically bad, and I've had some Jewish friends myself, but Jews are mostly not Christians, and don't have Christian values.  

Jews are people of the world, and have ideas of success like the people of the world.  

However, I met a man who was a Messianic Jew, a Christian, and my brother in Christ.  

But we Christians are not of the world.  Our citizenship is in heaven.  We're just passing through this world.  

From Heb chapt 11--

 11 Through faith also, Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and received deliverance from a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
 12 Therefore there sprang from one, and him as good as dead, as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and like the sand that is by the sea shore uncountable.
 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS on the earth.
 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country that they had come out of, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
 16 But now, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly, so then God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Look again at 1 John 2:15, above.  "Don't love the world, nor the things that are in the world..."

I don't say that Christians can't be prosperous.  

Psalm 1:3 tells us that we should prosper.  ("...Whatever he does shall PROSPER.")  

But there's a Christian approach to prosperity, and then there is the world's approach to prosperity.  

We are told in Phil 2:12 to work out our own salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING.

You see, it's so easy to get the world's values confused with Christian values.  

This man, that I've been referring to, surrounded himself with friends who were unbelievers, not Christians.

From Prov chapt 22--

 24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man you shall not go,
 25 So you don't learn his ways and entrap your soul.

If you hang out with an angry man, some of it will rub off on you.  

If you, as a Christian, hang out mostly with unbelievers, some of it will rub off on you, or perhaps a lot of it.   

This man chose for himself a girlfriend, for more than two decades, who was an unbeliever.

At the beginning, the man spoke of witnessing to her to win her for Jesus.

But it now seems that instead of his winning her to Jesus, instead, she has won him over to going to hell with her.  

What does he think, that in hell they'll be friends? 

There's no friendship in hell, only insanity, crying, gnashing of teeth, torment, pain, suffering, worms, and unquenchable fire.  

She'll be blaming him, and he'll be blaming her for their going to hell.  And they'll both be right.  But demons put them up to it.  

On earth, we have medications to get rid of worms.  But they don't have that in hell, because Jesus said that in hell, their worms don't die.  

And why do I think that the man, who had been a Christian, will go to hell?

Because he told me that he had quit being a Christian.  

Jesus said, "He that endures to the end shall be saved." (Matt 10:22)

If you're a Christian for half or two thirds of your life, and then quit being a Christian, it is as though you had never been a Christian, as explained in the early chapters of Ezekiel--

 Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel, therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
 Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; and you don't give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his sin, but I will require his blood at your hand.
 Eze 3:19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his sin, but you have delivered your soul.
 Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits sin, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die, because you haven't given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness that he has done shall not be remembered, but I will require his blood at your hand.

Notice vs 20.  "When a righteous man turns to sin, his righteousness shall not be remembered."

Jesus said, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life." (Rev 2:10)

If you go for half or two thirds of your life as a Christian, and then quit being a Christian, you haven't been faithful until death.  

Your righteousness that you had will be forgotten.  

I think the man became afflicted by a disease called, "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13)

I believe the man is a Heb chapt 6 person--

 4 For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
 6 If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God again, and put him to an open shame.

And that is why we must work out our own salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING. (Phil 2:12)

The Bible says, "The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead." (Prov 21:16)  The congregation of the dead means the people in hell.  

Chapter 2

I recently met an Amish man on an Amtrak train trip.  I was surprised to hear him say that they don't use electricity in their house.  

I asked, "How do you light the house?"

He said, "We use lanterns."  

Yes, lanterns provide light, but they also put fumes into the air that people will have to breathe.  

He said that to heat the house, they chop wood and burn it.  

Well yes, that will heat the house, but it's a lot more work than is necessary. Why would you want to do things the hard way?

I appreciate the fact that the Amish are trying to not be too worldly.  It is important not to be too worldly, but I think they are carrying it too far.  

I've used electricity all my life, and I'm sure that using electricity will not send me to hell.  

However, it is possible to misuse electricity, such as by using it to go on the Internet, and then visiting a pornographic website.  Please see my book, "Pornography Kills..."

Christians must stay away from pornography, or they could easily wind up in a fiery hell.  

The Bible says, "Much increase is by the strength of the ox." (Prov 14:4)  Electricity is a modern day ox.  Do you have something against increase and prosperity?

Kenneth E. Hagin used to say something like, "I don't want any of this world's goods," and it helped to keep him poor.  

After a lot of prayer, the Lord finally showed him his error, and gave him a plan that brought him into prosperity.  Please see Hagin's book, "How God Taught Me About Prosperity," available at Rhema.org

Charles Capps was also poor until he learned the importance of talking right.  Read about it in his book, "God's Creative Power Will Work for You," available at Charlescapps.com, and at Christian book stores.  Very reasonably priced.   

Dr. Norvel Hayes teaches on that also, see the website nhm.cc

Don't any of the Amish farmers have tractors?

If you insist on using horses or oxen to pull your plow, OK.  But I believe you'll plow more acres of land per day if you'll use a tractor.  

"Much increase is by the strength of the ox." (Prov 14:4)

A tractor is a modern day ox.  

And if you're using a tractor, you are using electricity, my friend, in the ignition, in the starter motor and battery and alternator, and in your dashboard panel indicators and gauges.  

Another way to heat the house is by burning coal or fuel oil.  

And neither of those will send you to hell.  

You can cut up your wood and make furniture to sell, and buy your coal or fuel oil, and be more profitable financially.  

I gave the Amish man my card.

He said, "There's no phone number."

I answered that the card has my email address.  

He said, "I don't have email."

I said, "You can have free email accounts at several places on the Internet.  And if you don't have a computer, you can go to the public library and use their computers.  The librarians there will show you how."

How is it my fault that this man has chosen to be backward?

It isn't.

The using of electricity doesn't send people to hell.  

But if they believe that television is wrong, they can use electricity while not having TV's.  

TV is wrong if you watch the wrong TV shows.  Don't watch the wrong shows.  

There is pornography on the Internet, but you can use the Internet, and just not go to the pornographic websites.  

There is a lot of information available on the Internet, such as at Wikipedia.org, an online encyclopedia.

"Every prudent man deals with knowledge." (Prov 13:16)

You can watch Joel Osteen online.  

I've ordered merchandise on the Internet, paid by credit card, and had it delivered to my residence.  

So what is it then with the Amish?  Electricity is wrong, computers are wrong, email is wrong, but telephones are OK?

There is no such thing as a telephone without electricity, whether it's a landline phone, a cell phone, a pay phone, a satellite phone, or a walkie-talkie.  All of them use electricity.  

So if electricity is wrong, then telephones are wrong, and why would the Amish man care about my telephone number?

There is something very much wrong with that logic.  That is illogical.  

Many of the American Amish also speak German.  

The Germans are known as people who are supposed to be very logical.  

So how did the Amish get to be illogical?  

This is a form of blindness.  

From 2 Cor chapt 4--

 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we don't faint,
 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by making the truth clear, recommending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
 3 But if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost,
 4 In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, won't shine for them.

Notice vs 4, "the god of this world has blinded..." minds.  

The god of this world is Satan.  The main way that he would like to blind us is to blind us about how to have salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Rom 10:9,10.

But if he can't blind us about salvation, then he would like to blind us in other ways, such as making us think that electricity is wrong.  And that automobiles are wrong.  

We have electricity because God created electricity.  But for centuries, they didn't know what to do with electricity.  

The Prophet Daniel was told that in the end times, knowledge would be increased.

We are now in those end times, and man has learned to use a powerful force, electricity.

___Daniel chapter 4

1 And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation until that same time, and at that time your people shall receive deliverance, everyone that shall be found written in the book.
 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and always.
 4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even until the time of the end, many shall run back and forth, and knowledge shall be increased."

notice vs 4, "knowledge shall be increased."

Another kind of knowledge that we have learned is about the steam engine.  

And so, when Abraham Lincoln was President, the nation worked on the transcontinental railroad, that greatly increased the productivity of the nation by its ability to move large quantities of goods and people around the nation.  

After steam locomotives, it was learned that diesel locomotives required a lot less maintenance, reducing the costs, and thus increasing the profitability for railroad companies.  

Then diesel electric locomotives came along, eliminating the need for a transmission.

It was the transmission that coupled the engine to the drive wheels on a diesel locomotive.  

And the early automobiles were all standard transmission, "stick shift."

Later, automatic transmissions were invented, making the task of driving a car easier.  

In a diesel electric locomotive, the diesel engines drive electrical power generators.  The electrical power is used for lighting passenger cars, and for air conditioning, but also the electrical power is controlled and sent to motors on the axles of the drive wheels of the locomotive.  

There are ways of electrically regulating the speed of the motors, and the electricity can also be used for "dynamic braking."  

Most likely, it was such a diesel electric locomotive that was pulling the Amtrak passenger train that the Amish man and I were having that conversation on.  

So then, if electricity is evil, and one ought not to use it to illuminate the house, why is it OK to ride on a train pulled by a diesel electric locomotive?  

Satan has blinded the minds of the Amish to some extent.  And then, I think there is probably also an element of being men-pleasers, rather than God pleasers.

Some man among the Amish forefathers decided not to use electricity, and modern day Amish don't want to go against his erroneous teachings, apparently.  

During World War 2, the Germans seemed to be taking over the world. 

After Einstein came out with E equals MC squared, people started working on atomic bombs.

We Americans were concerned that Hitler might get the A bomb before the allies did, and then rule the world.  

American scientists came up with a working A bomb.  

We dropped two of them on Japan, and ended the war with Japan.  

It has been said that dropping those A bombs on Japan saved a million American lives, because if not for the A bomb, we would have had to invade Japan with infantry.  

But by the Amish way of thinking, we would never have developed the A bomb.

Probably the majority of the American scientists that developed the A bomb were Jewish.

Jews also believe in God and fear God, but are not so hindered as the Amish in accepting new products from science.

Electricity is a gift from God.  But the Amish man won't use electricity to illuminate his house.  

"No thanks, God, I don't want your gift of electricity," while millions of others have better lives through the use of electricity.

Unfortunately for the Jews, they mostly don't have Jesus, who told us "You must be born again." (John chapt 3)

Without Jesus, you're not born again, so you don't go to heaven.  If you don't go to heaven, then you do go to a fiery hell, where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched, where there's crying and gnashing of teeth, says Jesus. (See Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)  

What a pity.  

"He came unto his own (the Jews), and they didn't receive him." (John 1:11)

And I've known some terrific Jewish people.  

But why do people gnash their teeth?

Because they're angry.

Why are people in hell angry?  Because they've been deceived, they've been cheated, they've been swindled out of going to heaven, they've been seduced, they've been "blinded by the god of this world."

The Amish drive horse and buggy, or horse and wagon, instead of driving cars.  

When the Greyhound or Burlington Trailways bus stops in Omaha, where I used to live, the passengers get about a half hour break.  

Not far from the bus station is a convenience store.  

I asked an Amish man at the convenience store, "If it's wrong to use an automobile, then how is it OK to ride a bus?"

He said, "Because I'm not driving."  

But if driving a motor vehicle is wrong, how is it OK to ride in a motor vehicle that is driven by someone else?  

Don't you become a partner, to some extent, with the person that you think is doing wrong by driving the bus, by riding in that bus? 

"Whatever is not of faith is sin." (Rom 14:23)

Many of the Amish are farmers.  I met an Amish man at a Greyhound bus station.  He was a farmer.  I asked him if the Amish observe the Biblical instruction to give the land a Sabbath of rest, as it says in the Old Testament. 

He said they don't.  

If you're going to be so careful about not being worldly, why are you not careful to give the land a Sabbath of rest, as instructed in the laws of Moses?

I remember seeing on TV about vineyard growers in California.  They were having a lot of problems with pests and plant diseases.

When I saw that, I thought that they're no doubt not giving the land a Sabbath of rest, as per the Mosaic law.  

Someone might say, "But we're not under the law, but under grace."   

Yes, but how does that change the nature of the land?

God ordained the Sabbath of rest because the land works better that way.  

And who is it that has a better idea than God?

But some of those Amish young women are certainly very attractive.  It almost tempts me to become Amish to get one of them for a wife.

Almost, but not quite.  Why should I become a backward Christian to get a wife?  

If the Lord wants me to have a wife, he will provide one that is more enlightened than an Amish woman.  

Anyway, as a senior citizen, I'm pretty sure that it's not the Lord's will for me to remarry.  

But I appreciate the idea that the Amish don't want to be too worldly.  

However, I'm pretty sure that the Amish don't have the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, as per Mark 16:17,18.

But I expect that many of the Amish will go to heaven.  

The purpose of my writing Theological books is to help people get to heaven.  

Whether you're Amish or some other kind of Christian, it's your duty to try to win souls for Jesus.  

"He that winneth souls is wise." (Prov 11:30)

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they'll see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (says Jesus in Matt 5:16)

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mrk 16:15)

My writing Theological books for people to read is done with computer and the Internet.  

If you refuse to use electricity and computers and the Internet, then you're not doing the best job of winning souls, you are restricting and limiting your ministry, whether you're clergy or laity, and you will therefore suffer loss on Judgment Day.

From 1 Cor chapt 3--

 11 For no man can lay any other foundation than what has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.
 12 Now if any man builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble,
 13 Every man's work shall be revealed, for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test every man's work to see what kind it is.
 14 If any man's work remains that he has built on it, he'll receive a reward.
 15 If any man's work is burned up, he'll SUFFER LOSS, but he himself will be saved, if he passes the fire test.

Let me ask you a question.

Would you rather follow the traditions of, and be a pleaser of men, or would you rather please the Lord Jesus Christ, the Judge of all the world?

The correct answer to that question would be, "I choose to please the Lord, not men."

But if you choose to please the Lord and not men, it may cost you some friends, and there might be some ostracism.  

But don't worry about that.  The Lord will reward you.  And you'll win more souls for Jesus.  Winning souls is wise.    

And those friends that you lose weren't very important.  

God will give you other friends.  

The Lord bless you.  

Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3)

To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10--

"That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved.  For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation."

Chapter 3

___Psalm 19
 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork.
 2 Day to day yields speech, and night to night shows knowledge.
 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun,
 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his room, and rejoices like a strong man to run a race.
 6 His going out is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it, and there is nothing hidden from the heat of it.
 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making the simple wise.
 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, illuminating the eyes.
 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous completely.
 10 They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
 11 Also your servant is warned by them, and there is great reward by keeping them.
 12 Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults.
 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins, don't let them have dominion over me.  Then I shall be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.


___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.