This is a small group that was following the plan to read through the Bible one chapter at a time with Good Morning Girls. Good Morning Girls is on an indefinite break. But will we continue reading through the Bible.
Each Monday go to the Weekly Reading Plan or the Bible Study Thread for our current book to see the introductory post for the week and the weekly reading passages, discussion questions, and memory verse.
Be sure to come here each day to see what the members of the group are sharing. Try to participate in the discussion with a post at least once each week to share with us what God is teaching you. Posting on the forum helps motivate all of us to keep reading by seeing the others persevering and it provides additional insight and learning.
Each Friday we will attempt to share a Friday Devotional that addresses some of the topics we have read that week.
Please also take time to read the Group Overview post that provides some ideas on how to get the most out of your study here! You can find this post in the the "Bible Study" section of the board.
1 - TBG
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James
(The links were broken. I just corrected them. They should now work. Sorry)
Week of August 1
This Week’s Reading Assignment
Reply Below for Group Discussion
S.O.A.K. any verse of your choosing.
Monday
Reading: James 1:1-18
Good Morning Girls: Introduction to the Week
Verse of the Day: James 1:2-3
Optional GMG Discussion Question: Are you in the midst of a trial today? What is the trial and how can you find joy in the middle of the testing of your faith?
Tuesday
Reading: James 1:19-27
Verse of the Day: James 1:22
Optional 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?
Wednesday
Reading: James 2:1-13
Verse of the Day: James 2:8
Optional GMG Discussion Question: Christians are to not show favoritism based on someone's wealth or nice clothing. In what ways do you struggle with showing favoritism and loving everyone as God would have you love them?
Thursday
Reading: James 2:14-26
Verse of the Day: James 2:26
Optional GMG Discussion Question: We are reminded that we must show both faith and works throughout all our Christian walk. In what ways can we do this today?
Friday
Reading: James 3:1-12
Verse of the Day: James 3:8
Good Morning Girls: Devotional Video
Optional GMG Discussion Question: The tongue is capable of both blessing God and cursing people. James says this should not be so. Has your tongue grown out of control? In what areas do you need to confess your sin to God and make changes?
Last edited by TBG (8/09/2016 7:58 am)
- gracefullyovercoming
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Re: James
Ohhh, I love your message board. I also wanted to thank you for posting the link on GMG. I am excited to join in. I am still learning to navigate the message board. Thanks so much for including the verse of the day and discussion questions. Writing them out, for me to look over this coming week.
- TBG
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gracefullyovercoming wrote:
Ohhh, I love your message board. I also wanted to thank you for posting the link on GMG. I am excited to join in. I am still learning to navigate the message board. Thanks so much for including the verse of the day and discussion questions. Writing them out, for me to look over this coming week.
I am glad you like it. While I do use FaceBook, I did not prefer to share this much of my private thought and life on FaceBook even in a private group since I have concerns about FaceBook data mining and online privacy. And the email groups just did not allow enough back and forth and interaction and were inefficient. So, I just thought that a discussion board was better.
Thanks for your kind words. I look forward to interacting with you over the book of James.
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Thread Starter- TBG
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Re: James
James 1:1-18
Wow, wow, wow. There is so much in here and so profound. I almost feel like we should have spent a week on just chapter 1 alone. I’m glad I started early because it has taken me three days to just study this portion.
Scripture
1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)
Observation
I looked up the words in a concordance. I used a hardcopy, but there is an online concordance that I sometimes use.
Trials – putting to proof (by experiment)
Testing – tried, tested out, measured, trial
Steadfastness – endurance, hopeful endurance, continuance
Perfect – mature, complete in growth and mental and moral character
Complete – perfectly sound, complete in every aspect, whole
And then from John MacArthur notes I read
Joy – consider it as if it is a gift, this will be to our benefit
Trials – to put to the test for the purpose of discovering a person’s nature or character, to prove and increase strength and quality of faith (if we respond wrongly to the test then it become a temptation)
Test – proving or validating
Application
When you do something over a long period of time, it creates a habit and character. And so, when we continue to trust God and endure in our faith and walk in obedience through trials it will strengthen our character and change our nature. We will become more spiritually mature and be transformed more into the image of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says that we are in the process of being transformed into the image of Christ.
But, this is easier typed than done. It is hard when we face difficulties to endure the physical, emotional or mental pain. But ultimately we just have to want spiritual intimacy with God more than we want comfort in this world. It almost goes back to our study in Ecclesiastes about valuing things “under the sun” more than the eternal.
So, I guess we have to take a hard look at ourselves and ask, what is really more important to us.
Scripture
1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (NKJV)
Observation
We see the word approved: acceptable, be of a reputation, set character. So it is a further discussion of the previous verses. Since it is speaking of enduring the test to obtain eternal life, it seems as if here the test is life itself. It also says this is given to those who love God. So, those who endure will be those who love God.
Application
Life is the test and those who remain steadfast throughout the trials and temptations will be proven to have the character of Christ and will receive the eternal life God has promised. But we will only endure and remain steadfast if we love God more than ourselves. Our love for God will help us remain steadfast in faith and work in the face of challenges.
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Thread Starter- TBG
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James 1:1-18, Part 2
I normally would not have time for this much in one day, but I started looking at this last week. Good thing because this is so pithy!
Scripture
1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
I really had to ponder this. Because I don’t think God is saying here that you have to have “enough” faith or that if you still feel uncertain or anxious you lack faith. The reason I say this is looking at a few verses.
Matthew 17:20 says we only need to have the faith of a mustard seed which was the smallest seed that people in that region were commonly exposed to. So He was saying we only need a very small amount of faith, the smallest.
Also, one of my favorite verses is from Mark 9:24 where Jesus says He can heal a man’s son if the man believes. The man responds, “I believe; help my unbelief .” And, Jesus heals his son. I love that verse because it shows such sincerity and vulnerability. Jesus does not rebuke him, He heals his son.
And don’t we all feel like that sometimes when life closes in on us: Lord we believe that you are in control, help my unbelief because I am still anxious and confused and hurt but in the face of that I will hold tight to you.
So I wanted to get an grip on what this was speaking of.
Observation
It comes in the middle of a discussion about enduring trials so it logically would relate in some way. MacArthur indicated that this was not referring to philosophical wisdom like Solomon, but wisdom to know how to live for God. This would logically make sense that we are saying the wisdom to endure and persevere and follow God in the face of trials.
Secondly, it says that that man is tossed to and fro. Verse 8 says he is double-minded, the same word used in chapter 4:8 referring to those who are not walking with the Lord. John Mac says it is a lack of trust in God, an inner moral conflict or distrust. It is having a divided loyalty moving between trust in God and trust in other things. It is having a mind and soul divided between God and the world, when one says they believe God but then fail to trust Him with issues.
Application
So it seems that this is not an issue of if you sometimes still have fears and anxieties. The issue is doubting God’s power, ability or willingness.
We might be anxious because we don’t know how God will act and with uncertainty comes anxiety sometimes. But that is not doubting God, it is just some anxiety for not knowing. Now we do need to press into God with this anxiety and trust our future to Him. But that prick of anxiousness is not necessarily a lack of faith in God. We must not doubt His ultimate ability and authority.
God will give us the strength and wisdom to live for Him. But we need to trust and have faith in Him.
Confident in God, even if. Not moving between trusting God and trusting self or the world. Trusting God and being fully devoted to serving Him and being committed to going His way.
Scripture
1:14-17a: But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
Observation
Our desires lead to sin. We love ourselves more than God. Our love for ourselves and our desires take root in our hearts and minds then grow into sin in our lives. As we continue to walk in sin, the sin becomes stronger and will ultimately lead to death if we keep embracing it.
Do not be deceived – the temptation is deceptive to look like it is good or that it will make us happy, satisfy us, or meet our legitimate needs. That is a lie – it will bring death. The good things will always come from God.
Application
Desire God, love God not self, not the world, not experience, not comfort, not pleasure.
GMG Discussion Question:
Are you in the midst of a trial today? What is the trial and how can you find joy in the middle of the testing of your faith?
I am not. But it was difficult several years ago when my Dad was ill and I was worried about his care and about my Mom trying to provide the care without killing herself. But, my Mom did not want to take suggestions that I thought would better protect her and my Dad. So, there was nothing I could do but worry. I had to learn to trust God with my Mom and Dad and to know that God loved them even more than I did and that I could trust their care to a holy and good God.
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Thread Starter- melissa6887
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Re: James
I love your point of view and truly enjoyed reading.
Thank you so much for this message board.
- melissa6887
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Re: James
S: My brethren, count it all joy when yet fall into divers (various sorts) temptation. Know this, that the trying of your faith work ethic patience. James 1:2-3
O: GOD wants to give us a way to stand trials and tribulations we face. We will have attacks from time to time in our life and need to know GOD is always with us. GOD wants us to keep faith in him during all times of our life. Others will see how we handle trials and temptation and could base their decision of accepting Jesus as their savior by how we handle things. We may be the only Bible some will read. We have to keep our faith strong during all seasons of our life.
A: LORD i know I fall short in my faith. I need to keep my walk with you strong at all times in my life.
K: Dear LORD help me keep my faith and strength in you at all times of my life. I fail you so many times and you still love me. LORD open my eyes so I can see you with me at all times of my life. In Jesus name AMEN
Are you in the midst of a trial today? What is the trial and how can you find joy in the middle of the testing of your faith?
I am in the midst of a trial of sorts. I am trying to become much stronger in my faith and walk with GOD.
I find JOY in new Christian friends who can help me with this walk and time in my life.
- JRoberts73
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Re: James
I have always drawn strength from verse 17 which talks about the good and perfect gifts are from above given by the Father of Light , with whom there is no variation or shifting shadows. God is a CONSTANT. He is not like the shifting shadows or the surf that is driven and tossed by the wind. He can be trusted. He is generous. He is a giver of good things. He is not a tempter. He is the Father of Light. These are some truths I have a meditated on today.
Also when I am studying a song usually pops into my head. Today the song has been Constant by Francesca Battistelli.
Last edited by JRoberts73 (8/01/2016 3:41 pm)
- TBG
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Re: James
Others will see how we handle trials and temptation and could base their decision of accepting Jesus as their savior by how we handle things. We may be the only Bible some will read. We have to keep our faith strong during all seasons of our life.
This is so true. One of our purposes in life is to bring God glory and we certainly can bring Him glory in how we respond to trials.
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Thread Starter- TBG
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Re: James
Thank you for sharing this:
Application
So it seems that this is not an issue of if you sometimes still have fears and anxieties. The issue is doubting God’s power, ability or willingness.
I did not think about this when I read thru the verse and appreciate the point of view. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome, it was just so interesting, that I wanted to dig in a bit. And really that quote from the man speaking to Jesus has always been very comforting to me. Lord I believe You, Lord, I trust You, but help my unbelief. We have all been there during times of weakness and vulnerability. We need to rely on God's strength and the Holy Spirit to give us faith. Ephes 2:9 faith is not our own but a gift from God.
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