"Be Ye Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only"

In James' general epistle to the Twelve Tribes of Israel he calls men to rejoice in temptation, look to God for direction and be doers of his word.

The fifth verse of the first chapter is a call to all those who are seeking answers, Paul entreats, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him". I love the simplicity in the invitation, just "ask of God". In the church we all know the story of a fourteen year old boy who took this verse to heart and upon entering a quiet grove of trees he asked the Lord for wisdom. If we can all follow the humble example of Joseph Smith and kneel in prayer to our Heavenly Father and ask for his direction he truly will answer our prayers. I have a testimony of this and I know that the Lord hears each of our prayers, and all though we may not be blessed with visions or prophecies or even a direct answer right away, he will answer our prayers. He cares deeply for each of us, he knows us and knows what we need in our life in order for us to become all he wants us to be.

In the Institute Manual the commentary on verse five in a statement from Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985). He states,

" . .. this single verse of scripture has had a greater impact
and a more far reaching effect upon mankind than any
other single sentence ever recorded by any prophet in any
age. It might well be said that the crowning act of the
ministry of James was not his martyrdom for the testimony
of Jesus, but his recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of
these simple words which led to the opening of the heavens
in modern times.
"And it might well be added that every investigator of revealed
truth stands, at some time in the course of his
search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He must
turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God by revelation
if he is to gain a place on that strait and narrow path
which leads to eternal life." (McConkie, DNTC, 3:246-47.) "

James further defines what it means to "ask in faith" in the following verse when he says, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed". In this verse he teaches the importance of asking with pure intent and with faith that the Lord truly hears and answers prayers; if we doubt the Lord's goodness or even his existence then how can we expect him to provide us with the answers we seek. For me these lines of scripture also remind me that much of the Lord's work is done on the earth by our fellowmen and if we are looking for answers to prayers only coming directly from God we can miss those people he has placed in our path that could help us find our own answer. In verse eight James warns the people against the dangers of being "double minded" or torn between two masters. Matthew 6:24 and 1 Kings 18:21 share the same message. The footnotes for this verse send us to the Topical Guide under integrity and integrity is honesty, righteousness and sincerity in our belief. We must be fully committed to serving our Lord and not be distracted, or be "double minded" in also worshiping those things of the world that will grant us nothing in the eternities. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have done so much for each of us. They have sacrificed son and life so that we may return to live with them again. They deserve our true and dedicated devotion in all things.

Later in the chapter James lists numerous things that all saints should do in order to fully live the gospel of Christ. First he teaches that God does not tempt men, temptation comes from the devil and from giving in to the "natural mans" lusts,  and he calls for all men not to err. Next he asks for all men to be "swift to hear and slow to speak, slow to anger", to put away "all filthiness" and be humble in all things (1:19-21). He calls for us to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [our] own selves" (1:22). Finally he teaches that "pure religion is "undefiled before God and the Father" and that it is to "visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep [ourselves] unspotted from the world"( 1:27). Verse twenty-two and twenty-seven especially are calls for us to be servants who can do the Lords work on the earth for him. We should be humble and submissive in all things we do that our days may be full of service for those less fortunate than ourselves. The footnotes for twenty-seven list the divine attributes of charity, benevolence, good works and welfare. A modern day example of people seeking to help those in need is the church's Helping Hands humanitarian service. These members actively seek to bring relief to those in need and by doing so are truly living their religion. In all the pain that follows devastating natural disasters I always take comfort int he fact that our Latter-Day Saint volunteers are often the first on the scene to help provide humanitarian efforts.

Below I've attached a link to the LDS Newsroom on Helping Hands.
 http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/helping-hands