James – pt. 21

Prayer is powerful. It is our direct line of communication through Christ and the Spirit to our almighty God. We should pray for ourselves. Pray for each other. Pray when things are good, and pray when things are bad. Pray to thank and honor God. Pray to ask Him for help. Pray to ask for… Continue reading James – pt. 21

James – pt. 20

Patience. Courage. In the previous verses, James has rebuked the oppressive rich. Now he turns to the oppressed to give encouragement. He reminds them of the returning of the Lord, and that if they will be patient and have courage, the rewarding harvest will come. Just as Jesus’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus… Continue reading James – pt. 20

James – pt. 19

James is issuing a warning. Keeping with the theme of the rest of the letter, he isn’t calling them out for being wealthy – he’s calling them out for for they are using their wealth and treating others. They used their money for fine clothes. They hoarded their wealth. They cheated their workers to line… Continue reading James – pt. 19

James – pt. 18

Looking at vs. 13-16: These verses aren’t telling us not to make plans and preparation for the future. It’s reminding us that we don’t know what the future holds, God does. That we should listen to Him and work to keep our plans in line with His will. We don’t know what He has in… Continue reading James – pt. 18

James – pt. 17

“Don’t speak evil against each other.” What is it God wants us to do for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ? Edify. Encourage. Lift up. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul says use our gifts to build each other up.In Hebrews 10:25, the Christians are told to come together to encourage one another.Romans 12:10 says… Continue reading James – pt. 17

James – pt. 16

I just realized I skipped posting these verses, so forgive me for having this part out of order! In James 4:1-3, it talked about them being uncontent with what God had given them. They weren’t pleased with God, and had quit asking Him to provide for and take care of them. Just as an adulterous… Continue reading James – pt. 16

James – pt. 14

James tells us that the people were quarreling and fighting, waging war with one another. Why were they doing that? They wanted things they didn’t have. Notice it doesn’t say they didn’t have what they needed. They were jealous of what others had. They wanted things they thought would bring them pleasure, not necessarily the… Continue reading James – pt. 14

James – pt. 13

This passage is not the easiest. Just listen. “Wisdom from above is pure.” Will we always listen to and act with that wisdom? No. But if it’s from God, it’s pure. “It is also peace loving.” How many people do you know who like to keep things stirred up? Is it ever wise? “Gentle at… Continue reading James – pt. 13

James – pt.10

Again, my mind goes to Isaiah. In Isaiah 3:12, the leaders have led the people astray. If we think we know something so well we can explain it to others, we are responsible for helping them understand it. Luke 12:48 says that to those who are given much, much will be required in return, and… Continue reading James – pt.10

James – pt. 9

Oh wow. It’s funny how when you are studying multiple passages at once, you see how it all ties together. How it isn’t just stand-alone pieces, but all parts of a whole. A puzzle. Or a painting, without which one part we couldn’t see the whole picture. This passage is talking about showing our faith… Continue reading James – pt. 9

Isaiah – pt. 2

Due to some outside forces (such as people out of town, sickness, and a new baby!), our Isaiah group has had trouble getting together. But here are some of the thoughts that were shared on chapters 2-5 at our last meeting. Chapter 2:1-4: The Lord’s kingdom would be so wonderful and mighty, other nations would… Continue reading Isaiah – pt. 2

Isaiah – pt. 1

There’s a group of us who have started a study on Isaiah on Wednesdays at our local coffee shop. I thought I would share some of what we discuss. It may be scattered, rambly, and definitely incomplete (not like the study of James I’m sharing), but maybe it will at least give you a starting… Continue reading Isaiah – pt. 1

James – pt. 7

How can we show God’s love? By taking care of those who are unable to take care of themselves. Like widows and orphans. How can we look at those who are helpless and turn a blind eye? Is this the example we are taught? No. James also says we should refuse to let the world… Continue reading James – pt. 7

James – pt. 6

You ever get a splinter? They are so small, but hurt so much. They just get under your skin and sit there. Sometimes you don’t even know where they came from. You can get something sharp and dig it out. You can get a salve and draw it out. But even after it’s gone, it’s… Continue reading James – pt. 6

James – pt. 4

In James 1:16-18, we find that God gives us good things. He gives us love, faith, courage, strength, wisdom. He is steady and ever-present. A solid foundation holding us up. A steady anchor, keeping us from drifting. Rich ground for us to sink our roots into and draw nourishment from. He created light because He… Continue reading James – pt. 4

James – pt. 3

In James 1:9-11, we learn that it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor – you will have trials and temptations. The poor may be tempted to “take matters into their own hands,” but they must trust in God to provide. Then they can share what He has done for them. The rich may be… Continue reading James – pt. 3

James and Wisdom

Before moving on, I wanted to add a thought from yesterday’s verses: A related passage is 1 Peter 1:6-7. The trials refine our faith, as gold in fire, releasing our impurities and leaving behind the precious faith that is being strengthened as we draw near to God. Then, through that faith and our love for… Continue reading James and Wisdom

James

I started this morning going through the book of James. I’m not on any kind of timeline, or following any kind of plan, just whatever I happen to get through that day along with my thoughts. I just looked at the first handful of verses this morning, and wanted to share my thoughts with you.… Continue reading James