Are Treaties a Better Source of International Law?

Are Treaties a Better Source of International Law? International treaty obligations are founded upon the maxim pacta sunt servanda (â€Å"pacts must be respected†). This is expressly recognised in the Preamble to the Vienna Convention[1] which â€Å"notes† that the principles of free consent and good faith and the pacta sunt servanda rule are â€Å"universally recognisedâ€Å". However, it might be argued that such a Convention is more a recognition of the status quo than an innovative development in international law. Article 2(1)(a) of the Convention defines a treaty as â€Å"an international agreement concluded between States in written form and governed by international law, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its particular designation [emphasis supplied].† This immediately draws attention to the fact that the term â€Å"treaty† is more generic than specific and covers a range of international agreements which might equally be referred to by such terms as protocols, covenants or conventions. The impact of treaties upon domestic legislation varies according to jurisdiction. The contrast is frequently drawn between the position in the US and the UK. In the former, the treaty-making power is vested under the Constitution in the President but he requires the â€Å"advice and consent† of two-thirds of the members of the Senate present and voting. In the United Kingdom it is argued that the making of treaties is an exercise of prerogative power. This is controversial: it might be suggested that prerogative power can only be exercised by the Crown. However, the preferred approach might be that of Dicey who suggests that a prerogative act is any act of government that is not authorised by statute. However, it should be noted that there is a degree of Parliamentary control. First, there exists the so-called â€Å"Ponsonby Rule† which applies to treaties which have been negotiated and signed but have not come into effect because they have not in terms of internationa l law been ratified by the parties. Under this rule, the government must notify Parliament of the treaty and must not ratify it save in cases of urgency until 21 parliamentary days have elapsed. Second, Parliament may restrict the power of the executive to enter into treaties by expressly providing that they require parliamentary consent. Finally, the making of a treaty does not automatically ensure its application in domestic law. It was held in A-G for Canada v A-G for Ontario[2] that â€Å"the making of a treaty s an executive act, while the performance of its obligations, if they entail alteration of the existing domestic law, requires legislative action.† Further, it was held in Rayner (Mincing Lane) Ltd v Department of Trade[3] that â€Å"except to the extent that a treaty becomes incorporated into the laws of the United Kingdom by statute, the courts†¦have no power to enforce treaty rights and obligations at the behest of a sovereign government or at the behest o f a private individual†. This analysis reveals treaties as having a somewhat uncertain foundation when it comes to their implementation in the states involved. This dilemma was illustrated in the controversial instance of the Maastricht Treaty on European Union and led to a challenge to the treaty-making power of the executive in R v Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs ex p Rees Mogg[4]. The treaty was to come into effect upon ratification by the Member States. In the UK there was substantial opposition to the treaty on all sides of the House and the issue raised in the litigation was whether the government had the power to ratify the treaty without such approval. The British government took the allegedly â€Å"safe† course of not referring the treaty under the Ponsonby Rules arguing instead that its ratification was an exercise of prerogative power. The Queen’s Bench Division held that this decision was not susceptible to judicial review. By contrast it might be argued that customary law is a far more amorphous concept. In international law, customary law refers to the legal norms that have developed through the regular exchanges which have occurred between states over time. Such norms gain their acceptance from agreement upon certain universal values. Two easily cited examples might be genocide or slavery which are generally held to be unacceptable behaviour by civilised nations. However, Alder[5] is sceptical: â€Å"The influence of customary values is not necessarily benevolent and custom may become dead wood but still inhibit legal change.† He cites as an example the fact that although an extension of the franchise took place during the late nineteenth century, the advance of female suffrage was inhibited by the fact that the courts refused to interpret the legislative use of the word â€Å"person† as including women. It is therefore submitted that the attempt to determine whether treaties are a better source of international law than custom is misguided. As might be observed from the above argument, treaties while possessing a high-sounding title are often little more than an attempt to formalise customary obligations that already exist between states. The division is further blurred if one pauses to consider the manner in which treaties are interpreted. Article 31 of the Vienna Convention is framed in extraordinarily wide terms: â€Å"1. A treaty shall be interpreted in good faith in accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given to the terms of the treaty in their context and in the light of its object and purpose.† Article 32 which deals with â€Å"supplementary means of interpretation† broadens the scope of interpretation still further: â€Å"Recourse may be had to supplementary means of interpretation, including the preparatory work of the treaty and the circumstances of its conclusion, in order to confirm the meaning resulting from the application of Article 31, or to determine the meaning when the interpretation according to Article 31: (a) leaves the meaning ambiguous or obscure; or (b) leads to a result which is manifestly absurd or unreasonable.† This blurs the distinction between treaties and custom still further since it leads to a situation in which a treaty can be interpreted so widely as to allow almost any meaning to be placed upon it thus further undermining its status as a definitive document. Finally, a further respect in which the status of treaties as an authoritative source of international law is undermined stems from the manner in which treaty obligations can be ended. Obligations in international law are regarded as arising from the consent of the contracting parties rather than from externally established norms that can be held to be permanently binding. Part IV of the Convention regulates the â€Å"Amendment and Modification of Treaties† and makes it clear that consensus is required for a treaty to remain in force. However, Article 43 is, it is submitted, highly significant: â€Å"The invalidity, termination or denunciation of a treaty, the withdrawal of a party from it, or the suspension of its operation, as a result of the application of the present Convention or of the provisions of the treaty, shall not in any way impair the duty of any State to fulfil any obligation embodied in the treaty to which it would be subject under international law independently of the treaty [emphasis supplied].† It may be argued that this provision fatally undermines the status of treaties: in effect, while treaties might rise and fall effectively at the will of the participating states, international legal obligations remain. It may be questioned, therefore, whether treaties should enjoy any real legal status or whether they should more accurately be regarded as a species of diplomacy and little more than a temporary statement of intent within the prevailing foreign policy of the parties. In conclusion, therefore, it may be suggested that while treaties have become a commonplace within international law, they should not be accorded the status with which domestic legislation, for example, is regarded. If this premise is accepted, the role of custom in international law becomes more prominent. As has been seen, it is custom that truly informs international law. Indeed, it is possible to argue that so-called â€Å"international law† is no more than the recognition of established norms between sovereign and independent states. International law cannot be regarded as stemming from any recognisable international legislature and is enforceable only as a result of the acquiescence of the states involved. In the final analysis, it might be better to dispense with the concept of â€Å"international legislation† and concentrate instead upon the agreed rules of behaviour between states. In this regard, custom becomes far more influential in determining international obligations and treaties for all their written formality and supposed authority should be regarded as little more than a written record of customary rules. Bibliography Alder, J., General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law, (4th Ed., 2002) Allen, M. Thompson, B., Cases and Materials on Constitutional and Administrative Law, (7th Ed., 2003) Barnett, H., Constitutional and Administrative Law, (5th Ed., 2004) Bradley, A. Ewing, K., Constitutional and Administrative Law, (13th Ed., 2003) International and Comparative Law Quarterly Merrills, J., International Dispute Settlement, (4th Ed., 2005) United Nations, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, (1969) Westlaw Footnotes [1] United Nations, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, (1969) [2] [1937] AC 326 at 347 [3] [1990] 2 AC 418 at 477 [4] [1994] QB 552 [5] Alder, J., General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law, (4th Ed., 2002), p.42 What Is Public Health Health? What Is Public Health Health? Wanless (2004, p.27 [online]) defines public health as the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, communities and individuals. From this definition we can establish that the main focus of public health is to reduce health inequalities with the key concepts being to protect the public from transmissible diseases, improving service provision and to promote the health of the population (Naidoo and Wills, 2005, p.8). Health promotion and public health are intricately linked as the idea behind health promotion is to encourage individuals to have greater control over the decisions that affect their overall health. Health is a difficult term to define as people have different perceptions of what being healthy means and it is linked to the way people live their lives. The most common definition of health was set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948, which suggests that health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2003 [online]). This definition suggests that health is the achievement and maintenance of physical fitness and mental stability however, each individual is unique so the term health varies from person to person and can therefore be a number of ideas that people have in their minds at different times of their lives (Pearson, 2002, p.45). Discuss the following key concepts in public health: Health inequalities The particular challenges that clients living in poverty face in relation to improving their health. Health inequalities can be described as the variation in the health status or the health gap between the socio-economic classes. Evidence suggests that there is a link between health and wealth, where people in the upper socio-economic classes have more chance of avoiding illness and living longer than those in the lower socio-economic classes and as a result, mortality rates are greater for the lower social classes than for the higher social classes (Marmot, 2010, p.16 [online] ; Acheson, 1998 [online]). Mortality rates are a useful indicator when assessing health inequalities because of its sensitivity to social conditions and even though the life expectancy years of individuals have increased, the life expectancy gap between the social classes has continued to exist (Marmot, 2010, p.45 [online]). The contributing factors to this life expectancy gap includes issues such as poor diet, obesity, smoking and higher drug and alcohol consumption (Marmot, 2010, p.37 [online]) and despite the reduction measures previously taken, this health gap between the wealthiest and the poorest continues to increase (Triggle, 2010 [online]). Access to health care services have also been reported as uneven (Acheson, 1998 [online]) however, an individuals health can be adversely affected by more factors than just the availability of healthcare and these other factors include gender, ethnic groups, religion, age, geographical location, residential deprivation, education, occupation and economic conditions (Marmot, 2010, p.39 [online]). Many of these factors can independently affect health however, those in the lower socio-economic classes tend to be disadvantaged by most, if not all, of them and the combination of these factors can lead to a significantly higher health burden for those who are living in poverty (DoH, 2010, p.15). Poverty is when individuals, families and groups do not have the income needed for the minimum standard of living and poverty can be measured as relative or absolute (Alcock, 2006, p.64). Relative poverty is when the income received is less than the average income for the country, where access to goods and services are limited compared to the rest of society and absolute poverty is where the level of income is below the required amount to afford a decent living or be able to sustain human life and as a result, only the bare minimum levels of food, clothing and shelter can be afforded (Alcock, 2006, p.64). Without sufficient money, people are less able to provide themselves and their families with adequate housing, nutrition, clothing and heating. People who live in poverty are also less likely to have the means to travel to specialist clinics and hospitals which may mean that they are less likely to attend appointments or take advantage of health screening opportunities (Kozier, 2008 , p.133). Identify a contemporary public health issue and describe its health consequences. Obesity is a term which is used to describe a condition where an individual is carrying excess body fat (WHO, 2011 [online]). It is a complex modern health problem facing society today which has both personal and economic consequences. In the UK alone the economic cost of obesity prevention, management and its consequences such as, premature death and employment absence is estimated at up to  £4.2billion per annum and is continuing to rise (DoH, 2010, p.20). As such, obesity prevention has become a public health priority, with significant focus being given to childhood obesity (DoH, 2008, p.27). Children who are obese are likely to suffer both short term and long term adverse health effects, such as increased blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia (NOF, 2011 [online]). They are also at greater risk of developing diabetes, coronary heart disease or even metabolic syndrome prematurely (WHO, 2011 [online]) and as a result, they tend to have a shorter life expectancy (DoH, 2008, p.2). Obese and overweight children also have a tendency to suffer poor psychosocial health and are therefore particularly susceptible to emotional stress, stigmatisation, discrimination and prejudice (NOF, 2011 [online]), which also increases the chances of children suffering with low self-esteem, depression and eating disorders (BMA, 2005, p.8 [online]). One of the biggest concerns of childhood obesity is that it is likely to continue on into adulthood (Coleman, 2007, p.71). Select a health promotion model and discuss how it applies to your chosen public health issue. The prevention of obesity is easier than the treatment and prevention relies heavily on education, therefore for this issue the education model will be used. The aim of this approach is to give information to ensure that each individual has the knowledge and a basic understanding about obesity, which allows the individuals to make informed choices about their own lifestyles (Ewles and Simnett, 2003, p.44). A good example of this approach is the school health education programmes, which not only increases the childs knowledge but also helps the child to the learn skills of healthy living (Ewles and Simnett, 2003, p.44). Educational programmes could also be targeted at the parents and could involve the promotion of breastfeeding, the delaying of weaning onto solid foods to infants and building an awareness of the types of foods that are available within home. Parental education could also focus around building the self-esteem of the child and an understanding of how to address the childs psychological issues. Education in early childhood could also include information about healthy diets, workshops (which could include food tasting) and physical activity (NICE, 2006, p.75 [online]). Identify public health strategies relating to this public health issue at the following levels: Local National and Global The rise in obesity combined with the increased public awareness has prompted new public health initiatives. The white paper Healthy weight, healthy lives, in conjunction with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance, sets out guidelines for action on obesity (DoH, 2008 ; NICE, 2006 [online]). Policies and strategies were introduced following the recommendations outlined in these papers and were developed with the main focus being to assist in the prevention and management of obesity and to encourage healthy eating and physical activity (NICE, 2006 [online]). These strategies include school based educational and physical activity programmes and public health messages through the media such as, television, radio, poster campaigns and leaflet distribution. Local authorities have developed strategies which tackle obesity from a local level. A great example of a local initiative within the northeast is Medal Motion, which encourages children to walk or cycle to school whilst also working towards preventing obesity (Local Motion, 2011 [online]). Each locality has different needs and local strategies that are in place have been developed in conjunction with government initiatives and influenced by national policy such as, healthy schools. National interventions include the five a day scheme which encourages people to eat more fruit and vegetables, extended from this is the school fruit and vegetable scheme which helps increase the childs awareness of the importance of eating fruit and vegetables (NHS, 2011 [online]). Change4life is another example of a nationwide initiative which was launched to improve childrens diets, increase their physical activity and which, in turn, improves their chances of living longer, healthier lives (NHS Northeast, 2011 [online]). The national child measurement programme is a national strategy which requires school nurses to weigh and measure all four to five year olds and ten to eleven year olds annually, this monitors prevalence and evaluates obesity reduction strategies (DoH, 2011 [online]). Other national initiatives include Sure Start, school sports programmes, simplified food package labelling and the regulation of television advertising on childrens channels. The WHO has launched a major consultation into the diet-related disease and stated that their global strategy would focus on diet, physical activity and health (WHO, 2004 [online]). This global preventative strategy includes reducing the childs energy intake and improving their intake of nutritional foods, increasing physical activity and reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour, such as watching television (WHO, 2004 [online]). The WHO developed a framework and implementation toolkit which is used to monitor and evaluate their Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (WHO, 2008 [online]). Following on from this framework, the WHO called on governments to take action against food marketing to children and to regulate marketing messages that promote unhealthy dietary practices (WHO, 2007, p.9 [online]). Give an example of how nurses can improve health for this issue The recent white paper called Healthy Lives, Healthy People (DoH, 2010) sets out guidelines for healthcare professionals to support individuals to make their own decisions and choices about their health. Nurses can optimise their role by offering health promotion to individuals who seek help and support in relation to obesity, whilst acting as an advocate for healthy lifestyles and ensuring the clinical environment supports and encourages children to make healthy choices. Healthcare professionals, especially school nurses, are ideally placed to identify if a child is overweight and screening, parental support and health promotion activities should be routinely addressed where possible. Children and families should be offered support to manage weight sensibly, by discussing small incremental changes in family behaviours, and by making any necessary referrals for specialist investigation, psychological help or specific dietician advice (NICE, 2006, p.49 [online]). It is vitally important that the nurse possesses the necessary skills and adequate knowledge on healthy eating in order to educate children and their families (NICE, 2006, p.44 p.101 [online]). Additionally, the necessary resources should be readily available such as advice leaflets, to pass on to parents to aid in the communication and teaching process. Evidence suggests that when talking to children and families about obesity and food behaviours, that problem-solving techniques can have some success (Ewles, 2005, p.95) and as such, nurses can interpret when and where eating patterns become an issue and can therefore offer advice and guidance on how to manage in difficult situations (NICE, 2006, p.148 [online]). Why do people find it difficult to engage in health improvement interventions? A number of factors can inhibit access to healthcare such as language, age, attitudes to healthcare, disabled access, financial barriers and geographical location (Kozier, 2008, p.133). A geographical barrier can be that some patients may have to travel long distances for certain services or to receive specific treatments. The travel costs for these services may be relatively high and access to transport may also be limited. There is also the issue of the postcode lottery of healthcare services where some treatments are only available in certain parts of the country and not in others, such as the Herceptin postcode lottery (Kozier, 2008, p.133). Cost also affects most individuals as some services are not free, such as dental treatment and eye tests and some individuals also have to pay prescription charges which can lead to illnesses being left untreated, as some people afford to pay for their prescriptions. Additionally, due to limited income, some individuals may not have access to the internet and therefore may not be able to access certain services such as Choose and Book, which is primarily an internet based appointment booking service. Other issues that can inhibit access to healthcare include the cost of health insurance, lack of knowledge and awareness and lack of a support network.

Trials and Tribulations in James 1:12-18

Trials and Tribulations in James 1:2-18 The Epistle of James is one of the books of the New Testament that deals with the Christian character and how to deal with daily Christian life. The author of James identifies himself in the opening verse as â€Å"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ†. Many speculated that the author was the attributed to the apostle James, brother of John and the son of Zebedee. The text refers to present persecutions and the time of writing is consistent with the persecution in Jerusalem during which the apostle James was martyred and put to death by Herod (Acts 12). There seems to be evidence that the author was the other James, the son of Alpheus and the half-brother of Christ. He was also one of the twelve apostles. I will in this paper attempt to expound on the trials and tribulations in James 1: 2-18. After research and study, I have found that in the first eighteen verses James is teaching Christians how to conduct themselves when under the cross. He is giving comfort to Christians who are under the oppression of temptation and trials. He pronounces that blessings and rewards are assured to those who endure their trials and afflictions as the walk throughout this Christian life. James also points out that all of those sins that bring sufferings and the temptations that men endure are not created by God. God cannot be the author of sin; he is the author of all that is good. James is allowing us to understand in these verses that we will endure trials and we will endure tribulations. As Christians our trials and tribulations works for a purpose and not just as a punishment in our life. This concept should help us even today to know that our suffering is purposeful and that God rewards us for bearing our own cross as Christ bears his cross. As we break down these verses let us look at who James was writing to. This will give us an understanding of the message. In the first verse James mentions the condition of those to whom he writes: The twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. The greatest part of, ten of the twelve tribes, were lost in captivity; but yet some of every tribe were preserved and they are still honored with the ancient style of twelve tribes. These however were scattered and dispersed. They were dispersed in mercy. Having the scriptures of the Old Testament, the providence of God so ordered it that they were scattered in several countries for the diffusing of the light of divine revelation. They began now to be scattered in wrath. The Jewish nation was crumbling into parties and factions, and many were forced to leave their own country. Even good people among them shared in the common calamity. These Jews of the dispersion were those who had embraced the Christian faith. They were persecuted and forced to seek for shelter in other countries, the Gentiles being more merciful to Christians than the Jews were. Now let us breakdown each verse from verse 2 through 18. The overall breakdown of verse 2 through 12 shows us the suffering of the Christians in this world is that of an instructive manner. As we can see from the original Greek language, that James uses imperative commands that is illustrated through this Epistle. James is implying that troubles and afflictions may be the result of being mature Christians, even those Christians who have been serving well and being faithful unto the Lord. The devil embodies faithful Christians in trials and tribulations in order to cause separation between Christians and God. The devil expects that temptations and trials will result in sin which will cause further separation from God. It is the duty of Satan to cause doubt in the mind of the Christian so that they will believe that God is incapable of delivering us from those situations. James is instructing us not to look at our trials and tribulations as hopeless but hopeful because we know that we are fulfilling a greater purpose by enduring those trials and tribulations in our life. As we, as Christians, go through our storms in our life it causes us to understand and gain a greater trust in the Lord because we are yet spared by his grace and we are made advocates of his mercy. The twelve tribes that James is writing to have been dispersed from their land and are going through difficult hardships and persecution. James is reassuring them not to give up but to rejoice because their persecutions and hardships are working a greater purpose in their lives. These temptations, as James points out, are â€Å"divers† temptations. The word â€Å"divers†, in the Greek, means that it is varied or of different kinds. James lets us know that the temptations that you may endure, the afflictions you may endure, will be of different nature, stature, size and makeup. They may be more than one or more of the same. Since our trials may be of many and different kinds we have to put on the Armor of God as Paul states in Galatians. In the second verse of James he tells us to â€Å"Count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations†. In order for us to count in all joy we must not fall into a pitiful state of mind which would make us vulnerable while we are in our trials. The world would have you to believe that you should just throw in the towel when you have endured pain and suffering. The world is not set up as a vehicle for grace. When is despair, the world presses down even further in order that hope is a mere distant idea. The world would have you to believe that weakness is a disease that should be cured. But God lets us know that we should not be conformed to the world or that of the world but we should live knowing that He is there for us. In the third verse, James says that when you endure your trials and tribulations you must know that the testing of your faith produces patience. In other translations it mentions that the testing of your faith produces endurance or perseverance. The word produces lets us know that it is brought forth or manufactured. James is saying that every time your faith is tested – it will cause you to increase your patience, endurance or perseverance. The faith that is spoken of here as tried by afflictions consists in a belief of the power, and word, and promise of God. Many readers of the New Testament feel as though Paul and James contradict each other on the issue of faith. They have differences in the emphasis on faith but the fundamentals are the same. Both Paul and James agree that both faith and works are essential parts of the Christian life. They each have different roles. They also agree that salvation comes from God and it is not based on works. We cannot do anything to earn salvation. The difference is that Paul and James are writing to different audiences so their letters have different interpretations. Paul needed to deal with the fact that people thought that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and adhere to other works of the law in order to be converted to Christianity. James on the other hand had to deal with the fact that people thought the faith in God is enough for salvation and he wanted to stress that we have to put that aith into action. As Christians, we have to possess patience, endurance and perseverance. Too often we believe that those adjectives are not popular in our daily lives. Once again, as Christians, subscribe to the concept that we have to humble ourselves and not allow pride to be visible in our lives. When we are tried, we are tried of our grace but that trying of our grace produces another gr ace that we give. Christian patience is an active process in the life of the believer. That patience should outweigh our passion. We should not allow the indulging of our passions to hinder the operation and effects of patience. When we allow patience, endurance and perseverance to have its perfect work, we train ourselves to increase our handling of future situations. As a football player I can remember in practice running plays over and over again. My coach said that we will run the play until it is perfect. As the coach, his job was to prepare us for the battle, team vs. team. He was perfecting us so that when we get into the battle we can execute without having to think about the fundamentals. When we go through the testing of our faith, it is allowing us to mature and grow our faith so that the more we are tested; the better we should be able to handle the situation. When we bear all that God appoints, and as long as he appoints, and with a humble obedient eye to him, and when we not only bear troubles, but rejoice in them, then patience hath its perfect work. After the work of patience is complete is will allow the Christian to want for nothing. The Christian will be endure and possess all that is needed to get through and persevere through the end. In verse 5 James tells us that if we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask God and He will give it to us liberally and generously. When the child of God has to endure trials and tribulations they do not have to endure it alone or confused. James imperatively tells us that we can ask God for the wisdom to understand what we are going through and why we are going through it. Like the Christians in James’ time they had the opportunity to ask God for the wisdom that they lacked. This was different because before Christ they did not have direct access unto God. Because of Christ we now have direct access unto the father and now we can go to God and ask Him for the things that we lack. The key is that we ask for the understanding and not ask for the removal. Like Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, he had a thorn in the flesh and he did ask God to remove it but God’s answer to him was that he wasn’t going to remove it but He will supply Paul with enough grace to see him through his thorn. In this way we don’t have to solely desire to be delivered, we can embrace our presence in the trial and tribulation which gives us a greater understanding of the purpose of God in our lives. I believe that going through the storms and coming out of the storms gives us a better advantage in our Christian walk than if we just went in our storms and was pulled out immediately. God does not want to keep anything from us. He will reveal to us the â€Å"Mystery of the Kingdom of God†. This word mystery is not our human interpretation of the word but divinely it is what is not known but will be revealed. If you ask God for understanding he will give it to you without reproach. God doesn’t get tired of us asking nor does he limit us to our asking. I can see how we as humans can get irritated at children who continuously ask over and over for things. God is the opposite. He wants us to ask and be totally dependent on Him. As we look at verse 6, James lets us know that there is a requirement to us asking God for wisdom. He states that we have to ask God in faith and not waver. This is critical in our approach to God for wisdom. The children of Israel went back and forth with God, in one instance they believe after God has done something for them, in the next instance they are doubting God and worshipping other idols. The children of Israel exemplified a wavering attitude. This is critical for us today. James is once again imperatively telling us that when you approach God you must have faith in God and have faith in the wisdom that God will provide through the trials and tribulations. James is telling us that as a Christian when we approach and pray to God for wisdom we have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has the power to do whatever He wants to do and we must not waver in God’s word. The additional idea of that verse is that a man that wavereth is like a wave of the sea that the wind will toss to and fro. As Christians we cannot be like a wave from the sea that depending on which way the wind blows that is the way we go. James gives us more insight on the path of the man who is wavering in his faith unto the Lord. James lets us know that the man that wavereth will receive nothing from the Lord because a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. This is crucial because the proclamation is that the man is unstable in all aspects of his life. If you are not strong in your faith unto the Lord, He will not give unto you the wisdom that you need to live a strong Christian life. Such a distrustful, shifting, unsettled person is not likely to value favour from God as he should do, and therefore cannot expect to receive it. In asking for divine and heavenly wisdom we are never likely to prevail if we have not a heart to prize it above rubies, and the greatest things in this world. As we journey into the latter verses of this passage we start to see similarities of language with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the sermon on the plain in Luke. In verse 9 James gives a comforting insight that the people who is of a low degree can rejoice in that he will be exalted. This is prophetic language in that James is assuring exaltation after being in a low degree. Once again James is giving assurance that those who are weak, those who are humble will be lifted up by God. It is not a hypothetical uplifting but a commanding promise that those who are low, are weak, and endure through their trials and tribulations will be lifted up by God. Not only does James point out the lifting of those who are humble but he also personalizes them by calling them our brothers. The term â€Å"our brothers† allows us to embrace those who are low and in despair and not to cast them away. As James speaks to the twelve tribes of Israel he is letting them know that all, even those who are not like them, are their brothers and that Christ will raise them up and exalt them. In comparison to the Sermon on the Mount, James gives us confidence and then warns of despair. In the 9th verse he tells those that are rich, in that they will be low, will pass away like the flower that is within the grass will pass away. Take a look at what reason rich people have, notwithstanding their riches, to be humble and low in their own eyes, because both they and their riches are passing away: As the flower of the grass he shall pass away, he and his wealth with him. Trials serve to remind the rich and the high that though they are comfortable in this life, it is still only this life, which fades as the grass grows brown and the flowers fade away. The riches of this world will certainly fade away – but James says that the rich man also will fade away. If we put our life and our dentity into things that fade away, we will fade away also. How much better to put our life and our identity into things that will never fade? If a man is only rich in this world, when he dies, he leaves his riches. But if a man is rich before God, when he dies he goes to his riches. In verse 12, James again resembles the Sermon on the Mount language and gives a blessing for those who endure temptation. In those great statement s of blessing, Jesus wasn’t finished telling us how we can be blessed. Here, we learn we can be blessed as we endure temptation. Temptation is one of the various trials (James 1:2) we face. As we persevere through temptation, we are approved, and will be rewarded as the work of God in us is evident through our resistance of temptation. The crown of life which the Lord has promised reminds us that it really is worth it to endure under the temptations we face. Our steadfastness will be rewarded as we demonstrate our love for Jesus, to those who love Him, by resisting temptation. At the end of the passage let’s look at verse 13 – 16. Temptation does not come from God. Though He allows it, He Himself does not entice us to evil, though God may test our faith without a solicitation to evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James knew that most people have an evil tendency to blame God when they find themselves in trials. By His very nature, God is unable to be tempted in the sense we are tempted, nor can He Himself tempt anyone. God doesn’t tempt us. Instead, temptation comes when we are drawn away by our own fleshly desires and enticed – with the world and the devil providing the enticement. James warns us that when the flesh begins to produce and give birth, it brings forth sin. That sin then will produce death. Springing forth from corrupt desire is sin. Springing forth from sin is death. This progression to death is an inevitable result that Satan always tries to hide from us, but we should never be deceived about. Satan’s great strategy in temptation is to convince us that the pursuit of our corrupt desires will somehow produce life and goodness for us. If we remember that Satan only comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10), then we would resist the deceptions of temptation more easily. James imperatively warns us not to make a mistake and err. In the last two verses in this passage, we see that every good and perfect gift comes from God. From our own fallen natures and from those who would entice us, we expect no true goodness. But every good and every perfect gift comes from God the Father in heaven. Let us also observe that God is the Father of the Lights. The visible light of the sun and the heavenly bodies is from him. He said, let there be light, and there was light. Thus God is at once represented as the Creator of the sun and in some respects compared to it. What the sun is in nature, God is in grace, providence, glory and infinitely more. Every good gift is from him. As the Father of lights, he gives the light of reason. God’s goodness is constant. There is no variation with Him. This means that God never changes. His word is the same yesterday, today and will be tomorrow. God never sways nor is he swayed. He is unlike the wavering man that James spoke of before. He will not change his word to justify our lives. God’s word is there for us. We can see God’s goodness in our salvation, as He initiated our salvation of His own will, and brought us forth to spiritual life by His word of truth, that we might be to His glory as firstfruits of His harvest. James may be speaking of his own generation of believers when he calls them firstfruits. Some have speculated on this even more, saying that James has in mind a wider redemption among unknown creatures of God, of which we are the firstfruits of that wider redemption. In brief summation, James has given us the recipe to deal and embrace the trials and tribulations that come in our life. We as Christians must realize that trials and tribulations will come and we must be ready to count it all joy and to be prepared for God to exalt us even from low places. Bibliography The Bible, King James Version Believer’s Bible Commentary. William MacDonald and Art Farstad. Nashville;Atlanta;London;Vancouver : Thomas Nelson Publishers. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Walter A. Elwell, Ph. D. and Philip W. Comfort, Ph. D. Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 10 Oct. 2006. Grace Online Library, 20 Nov. 2006.

Reading Art Essay

The four main roles of an artist according to Henry M. Sayre are: Keeping a historical record much of the art that was created in the past and that is considered to be history was created at a time when most of the people in the world were considered to be illiterate, and it was better for the people to get a visual understanding because it was better for them to understand than a worded understanding. Another role is to be able to give form to intangibles when one thinks of the emotions of fear, love, or even adornment these emotions cannot be seen but are felt, an artist’s job is to create works that can make these feelings seen in their work. The next main role of an artist is being able to reveal the hidden, when an artist creates a piece through their own interpretation instead the actual event. Picasso was known for this type of works. The last main role of an artist is showing the world a new way when one is an artist they may see the same exact things as everyone else does, but when it come to them interpreting things the artists inspiration is beyond any other humans. When one is able to see the world through the eyes of any artist, they will be able to see it in a whole new way (Xaxx, 1999-2011). An example of a piece of art that is an explanation of symbolic significance would be Pablo Picasso’s â€Å"Guernica† this piece may not be a picture of the actual events of what happened at the Massacre of Guernica but this is how he portrayed them, or how the artist saw the victims of that massacre. Another example of a piece of art is Sara Atzmon’s â€Å"A Sealed Room at the Center of the World†. Atzmon was a Holocaust survivor who had seen many of her family members murdered during the Holocaust many of her pieces reflect the pain and horror that she saw during these events (Pelaia, 2011). Bibliography Pelaia, A. (2011). Jaduism. Retrieved from  https://www.dotdash.com/

A Brief Note On Gender Roles Of Communication - 1494 Words

Arisah Donovan February 18, 2015 Gender Roles in Communication Every person born into this world has been misunderstood at one point in time, or another. It can be frustrating at best, or cause major errors to occur in an industry at its worst. However, there are solutions to these types of miscommunications that people tend to have. For instance, if people took the time to understand the behaviors, dispositions, characters, and cultures of different individuals, everyone would have better success in communicating with one another. There are a variety of ways people tend to communicate, though primarily done through the use of speech and body language. Yet even without the use of language, people can easily tell if someone is angry,†¦show more content†¦Males on the other hand tend to talk about sports, hobbies and finances. While speaking women tend to use more pronouns and fillers whereas men tend to use fewer qualifiers. For example Female: This is a super cool shirt, I love it! Male: This shirt is cool. Transition: Next we will look at the patterns of behavior in both men and women I. Behavior is recognized by the way someone conducts themselves and reacts to situations. II. Behavior especially is tool of communication that people both consciously and unconsciously use in everyday life. i.e. Kendra Cherry writes about psychology of the conscious and unconscious mind according to Freud. The mind can be divided into two main parts: In quote 1. â€Å"The conscious mind includes everything that we are aware of. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think and talk about rationally. A part of this includes our memory, which is not always part of consciousness but can be retrieved easily at any time and brought into our awareness. Freud called this ordinary memory the preconscious.† 2. â€Å"The unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that is outside of our conscious awareness. Most of the contents of the unconscious are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict. According to Freud, the unconscious continues to