James 5

Today I'm finishing the book of James.  

This what the "Bare Bones Bible Handbook for Teens" says about this last chapter in James:

 Chapter 5:7-20     Forbearance of Faith

James ends by asking his readers to be patient as they endure suffering.  They can take comfort in knowing that someday the Lord will return.  They are to follow the examples of the prophets and men like Job, who suffered with patience.  In all such cases, the Lord, was merciful.  Therefore, James's readers are to pray in the midst of their suffering.  and sickness. They could be confident that prayer makes a difference.  James closes by urging his readers to reach out to those who stray form the truth. and stop living God's way.  He states that their souls are in danger of eternal separation from God.  

Putting Meat on the Bones:

Christians often hurt their witness to others by their actions.  They say they trust God and are His people, yet they continue to live in a worldly way.   Claiming to have true faith and giving all the right answers while still pursuing worldly goals can have a bad effect on how unbelievers view the gospel.  

Fleshing It Out in Your Life:

James reminds you that genuine faith changes lives.  You must put your faith in Christ into action.  It's easy to say you have faith, but true faith produces loving actions toward others.  Your faith must not be head knowledge only, but it must be lived out by heart actions.  The proof that your faith is genuine is a changed life shown by practical Christian living.  James 1:19 says believers are to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."  You can't get much more practical than that!

When has your tongue gotten you in trouble?  How can you use your words for righteous purposes?

It someone who just met you were to spend a couple hours with you, would he or she know you are a Christian? Why or why not?

What is your biggest temptation to be worldly?  How can you counter that temptation with God's wisdom?

Life Lessons from James:

- Genuine faith will produce real changes in your life

- Temptation is not sun, but if it's not dealt with, it can lead to sin

- Being wealthy is not a sin, but selfishness is.  God gives you money to help meet the needs of others

- Prayer plays a key role in the ministry of the local church

- God does not favor some people more than others, and you shouldn't either

Where to Find It in James:

The benefits of trials ....................................James 1:2-4

The solution to a lack of wisdom ...................James 1:5-8

The nature of temptation ...............................James 1:12-15

The fact that faith without works is dead .........James 2:17

The untamable tongue ....................................James 3:1-12

The patience of Job ........................................James 5:11

The Divine Nature of God: God is...

The giver of wisdom (1:5)

Not tempted by evil (1:13)

The giver of every good gift (1:17)

Unchanging (1:17)

The Faith of Lights--the creator (1:17-18)

The Righteous One (1:20)

Our Father (3:9)

The giver of grace to the humble (4:6)

The lawgiver (4:12)

The sovereign Lord (4:15)

Alright, well I hope that that information was helpful if you have any questions about James.  Now, back to talking about chapter 5.  Here is the passage:

James 5

Warning to Rich Oppressors

 ¹ Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴ Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.^[a] 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

 ⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. ⁹ Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

 ¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

 ¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned.

The Prayer of Faith

 ¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

 ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

 ¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

I like verse 7.  It says that the farmer waits patiently for rain.  We actually went through this passage in our small group at youth group last week.  I like this because it kind of is saying that we have to go through the hard time (waiting for the rain) to get to the good (when the rains come).  The passage title is "Patience in Suffering."  When something hard comes up, do you immediately go to God and expect Him to fix it?  I do.  This is basically telling us to be patient when we are suffering.  God will get us through it, but maybe not right away.  Maybe He wants to teach us something along the way.  

Be patient, my friends, and let God work.

-Mallory

James 4

Today's reading is James 4.  My commentary says this about this chapter:

Conflicts of faith

"Worldliness is putting physical pleasures and things before God.  It is harmful to faith, and it produces greed, envy, fighting, and pride.  The only thing that overcomes worldliness is submitting to God with a humble heart."

James 4

Submit Yourselves to God

 ¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

 ⁴ You adulterous people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

   “God opposes the proud
   but shows favor to the humble.”^[c]

 ⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[d] or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹²There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Boasting About Tomorrow

 ¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

I really like verses 13-17.  In verse 14 it says:

 "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. "

That really makes me think.  It is true, our lives are so short. Now think about this.  Our lives are so short, but yet God cares enough about us that He sent His ONE and ONLY son, to die for nations of people whose lives are soooo short.  This is how much God loves us. And in John 3:16 notice what it says.

"For God so loved the World that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God loves the WHOLE WORLD.  He loves me, you, your neighbor, your mom, your dad, your grandpa and grandma, your friend, your friend's neighbor, your friend's parents. . . I think you get the point :).  Many of you probably know these passages already, but its nice to be reminded that you are loved, itsn't it? :D

So, if you ever feel like no one in the whole world loves you, your wrong.  There's God, and His everlasting love is inexpressible.  

- Mallory