S: James 1:3-4 and 12 the word endurance.  

O: I believe trials are God's way to reaching out to us but in the middle of them, I panic.  It takes me a bit to talk to God and realize this is joyful because he is with me and reaching out to me.  Asking me to stretch my faith muscles.  

A: I fear and doubt I have the endurance but I find that my walk with God I must look for one step instead of focusing on too far down the road.  Apply this to today and the next step are what I need to do and listen at every step.  I know he is with me and holding my hand.  I want to build up endurance so I might receive the crown.  

K: Father I reach out to hold your hand.  Please remind me of the joy of trials so that I might open my mind and heart to what you are telling me.  I pray for endurance to walk with you and your will.  Amen. 

James 1:19-27

1:19-20 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
 
Ok, this is where it gets fun, right? I have gotten much better at this, but this has sadly been a memory verse for me to remind myself not to revile when I am reviled but to entrust myself to the One who rightly judges. (1 Peter 2:23)
 
God gave us our emotions; we are made in His image. So anger is an appropriate emotion. Ephesians 4:26 says be angry and do not sin. This implies that one can be angry without it being sinful.
 
I notice that Jesus did not get angry when people offended and disrespected Him. He only got angry when the Father was disrespected. Jesus is our model.
 
But too often our anger is focused on us; we are angry because our rights were violated, we did not get what was right, or we were mistreated. In other words, we get angry when we are offended.
 
We also should not get angry when we are disrespected. It may be appropriate to speak up and say something, but anger will not lead us to getting closer to righteousness, it will not accomplish God’s goals and purposes. It just leads to more strive and division.
 
Application
Our anger is not going to accomplish the right goals. I see this currently in the US election on all sides. People’s anger is not leading us to make righteous choices. In our anger we move further away from God’s desires.
 
Scripture
1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
 
It says that the Word was implanted in us. This is consistent with Hebrews 10:16 “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” God puts His Word into our hearts and we need to receive what He has given us. That was a very influential verse for me when I was struggling with really submitting my life to Christ.
 
But what I found to be really interesting in this verse is that we must receive the Word with humility and meekness. We must submit ourselves, our desires, our will, our goals to His Word.
 
Application
Probably the first barrier to salvation is to accept that we are not good, we have no ability to do anything to gain salvation, and we have not ability to do good. That is hard. That takes humility.
 
I was reading a book that pointed out that when we get upset about sin we are often more upset that we were not good enough, or upset because it is hard to accept that we are bad people. We like to think that we are better people than to sin in that way.
 
We should have the humility and meekness to understand how bad we are and to instead feel bad that we dishonored a Holy God.
 
Scripture
1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
 
One can go to church and give intellectual consent to the gospel, but if there is no evidence of the Holy Spirit working in you with the fruits of the spirit and if one is not working to further God’s kingdom you may be deceiving yourself. You may not be regenerated.
 
The works do not save your but they are evidence that we are saved. It is like if a tree is living and growing, it will produce fruit. Now sometimes it takes years to produce fruit when a tree is first planted, but eventually one should see some evidence of fruit. If godly, Biblical fruit never surfaces in someone’s life, are they really alive in Christ?
 
Scripture
1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
 
I love this verse because it reminds us that we are not under the law and that God has now given us the perfect law that is the lay of liberty.
 
The law of liberty has freed us from the power and penalty of sin. It is not a law of burdensome regulations. But we must not use our liberty as an excuse for vice, but use it to glorify God because we no longer have to sin and we have the power and ability to live a life that honors God. (1 Peter 2:16, Galatians 5:13)
 
Scripture
1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
 
An uncontrolled tongue reveals impurity in the heart (John MacArthur). It is worthless to do religious activities if the reality is that one has sin in the heart – pride, anger, bitterness, envy, covetousness, lust, etc. That is what ultimately comes out of our mouth.
 
Scripture
1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
 
We often hear the first part of this verse quoted, to help the widows and orphans. But then think it is OK to live like the world and to embrace the things of the world that dishonor God. No, we must keep ourselves unstained from the world. We are to be set apart to be used by God.
 
GMG Discussion Question: How do you not only hear and read God's Word, but also put it into action in your day to day life?

You know, I was a Philosophy minor and so I love to study scripture. I grew up with a lot of scripture teaching as well. So I find it fascinating and love to dig in and study the profound truths. However, this can make it an academic practice. I do need to make sure it is not head knowledge, but that I stop and ponder it and pray it into my heart and let it touch and convict my heart.

To do that I have to take a notebook and write out some of the key points that speak to me and just stop and talk to God about it and let Him show me my heart and correct my heart.

I also like to keep whatever I think I need to grow in on a piece of paper or index card with me and when I catch myself struggling, I will pull that out and remind myself of God's truth in that area. 1 Peter 5:8 says to be self controlled, sober minded and watchful because the Devil is seeking to destroy us. So I try to be aware of the thought and correct them with scripture.

S:  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. V 22

O: Sometimes we feel if we read the word and don't let it soak into our life. I am guilty of this myself.

A: Being a newer believer I have a hard time trying to decide if I really hear GOD speaking to me when I read his word. I also don't know if I'm trying to do too much (getting several email devotionals, doing this study, and reading in additional to the above). I feel I am not absorbing GOD'S true direction for me. I do however TRY to think if I'm hurting GOD in any way by my words and or actions.

K: Dear LORD open my eyes and show me what I need to focus on in order to always do your will. Lead me and guide me in your way so I will be a doer instead of just a hearer of your word. I pray that others can see my love for you through my actions and words. In Jesus name AMEN

James 2:1-13

Scripture
2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
 
This is the verse that really stood out to me. It is easy to fall into the trap that we are better than others, or not as “bad” as others because we don’t commit the “big” external sins: sexual sin, stealing, meaningful lies, cheating, physically hurting people, etc.
 
It is easy to excuse our “small” heart sins of selfishness, impure thoughts, unkind thoughts, pride, materialism, gossip, hate or even being just unloving to or feeling unloving towards anyone.
 
This verse says that if we break one part of the law, we are guilty of all of it. And we know verse 8-9 make it clear that to love is part of the law, Jesus made it clear that heart attitudes are the same as action, and Paul laid out a lot of these other “small” sins.
 
We always criticize the sexual sins in Romans 1, but look at which sins are lumped right in there in verse 29-31 with sexual sins:

• unrighteousness
• greed
• envy
• strife
• deceit
• malice
• gossips
• slanderers
• insolent (disrespectful)
• arrogant
• boastful
• disobedient to parents
• untrustworthy
• unloving
• unmerciful

 
Galatians 5:20-21 says that those who practice these things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• hatred
• discord
• jealousy
• fits of rage
• selfish ambition
• dissensions
• factions
• envy

 
Wow, Ok does that pretty much cover everyone now?
 
So, we are just as guilty as anyone else. Therefore, instead of looking down on others or talking about how evil they are, we should have compassion for those who engage in the “big” sins we can be so critical of.
 
Our hearts should break like Jesus in Luke 13:34 said that He longed to gather Israel to Him to take them away from their sin. His heart broke for their lostness. Likewise our hearts should break for the lost. We should tear our clothes and sit in sackcloth and ashes and weep for them because such were we, we were just like them.
 
But, we are washed, we are sanctified, we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11) so that there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1). But this was not out of our goodness, or anything good in us, but a gift from God so we have no cause to boast in our goodness, but our boasting should be in God’s goodness and mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9).
 
Scripture
2:12-13 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
 
This ties into the previous verse I think. Because we said last chapter that God has given us the law of liberty to be free from sin and freed to serve and love Him. He does not judge us harshly, but give us liberty from sin by His grace. He has shown us mercy.
 
So we must also have an attitude of mercy towards others and judge them with same mercy with which God has judged us.

I am a bit behind today. I will get my discussion question up later and repond to some of your excellent posts!

Last edited by TBG (8/03/2016 9:28 am)

I try to pray and ask GOD to help me forgive and love others no matter what has been done. I know we are command to love each other as GOD loves us. I do have to love some from a far. I fail GOD daily and pray for his guidance in all I do and say.