Can someone be a Christian if he lives in luxury and self-indulgence and does not care for the poor? I think not. “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” – James 5:5 A true Christian has fruit!

If we are suffering or being oppressed, we should remember that “the Lord’s coming is near”. (8) He will right all wrongs. “The Judge is standing at the door!”. (9) Job is our example of enduring in suffering. “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (11)

When should we pray? Ans: when we are in trouble, happy, and sick. (V13,14) (Basically, we should always pray!) How ironic… as I’m writing this blog, “Let us Pray” by Steven Curtis Chapman is on Klove.com radio. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (16) Elijah’s prayer is an example of a prayer of faith.

God disciplines those he loves. Hebrews 12. Sometimes this discipline comes from other Christians. The motive is to save the person from wrath! “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (19,20)

This chapter can be summarized by the call to humility and submission. As we can see, submission is not a bad word! Jesus was submissive to His Father’s will. We are called to submit to God, government, and proper authority figures.

Why is there pride in the church?
There is a real spiritual war going on. The question is, who will we give God’s glory to. The devil tries to take God’s glory away. (V7)

How do we protect from pride?
- Submit to God and resist the devil. (V7)
- Draw near to God. Pray. Repent. (V8)
(In order to repent, we need to be in God’s holy law regularly.)
- Humble ourselves before God. (V10) (Eph 3:12)
(Point of application: I learned from FCC and Dr. Kennedy’s Character and Destiny workbook that commending the character of others is both Godly and humbling.)
- Realize that our lives “are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (V14)

How do we pray?
- Pray with a desire for God’s glory, not my own. (V3)
- Pray for God’s will to be done. (V15) (1 John 5:14, John 14:13,14)

Who is this God?
- He gives grace (V6). (Hebrews 4:16)
- He is loving – he gives us a promise. (V10) “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

C.J. Mahaney has a great sermon on James 4:1-2 entitled “Cravings and Conflict”:
Download Here (14.5 MB) / Stream Here

Lenny and I will memorize v3,4,6,7,8,10,14,15,17

Talks about the tongue being very important. V5- The tongue can be a spark to start a fire. The tongue reveals the heart.

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. – Matthew 12:34
Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? (v11)

Put off: earthly wisdom, which exhibits bitter envy, selfish ambition (v14)–> boasting (v15), disorder, evil practice (v16)
Put on: Godly wisdom, which is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (v17-18)

The unity and peace within the body of Christ has God’s glory at stake! We should not be hypocritical and “prase our Lord and Father” and “curse men, who have been made in GOd’s likeness” at the same time.

V17 “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” This reminds me of a tree and its fruit. Matthew 7:20 says, “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

V19 Faith is not just head knowledge. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder.”

V20-25 Two models of faith:
- Abraham was considered righteous for his obedience to God. His faith allowed him to offer his Son on the altar.
- Rahab was “considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction.” V25

As the NIV study bible says…. “Faith that saves produces good deeds.”

V1-4 Don’t show favoritism. Don’t favor the rich.
Because:
- V5 Humility in Christ. Christ chose us when we did not deserve it.
- V8 The royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself”
- V12-13 We will be judged by the law.
“Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.”

We are guilty of breaking the law in V8. V10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”…. but V13 “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” for those who repent. (See 1 John 1:9)

V19-20 Watch our anger – be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (See also Eph 4:26)

V22 Do the word – “do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

V23-25 The law of God is like a mirror that shows us as we are. We can see our blemishes. After conviction of sin and repentance, this law gives freedom and blessings by inciting us to obey God’s law and do the word.

(V27 Examples of doing the word include looking after orphans and widows and being transformed and unpolluted by the world.)

How can we be different from the world? –> See 1 John 2:15-17, Romans 12:2. Renewing our mind takes work!

V26 Reign on tongue is important. Someone who does not control his tongue, “his religion is worthless.”

I am studying James with Lenny. In China, he studied 1 Peter with James. Now he is studying James with Peter.

V1-4 Testing of our faith –> perseverance –> mature, complete, not lacking anything…. crown of life at the end. V12

V5- A promise to us from God! If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Sounds like the promise, ask and you will receive. This is so practical, I should pray to God and ask God for wisdom!

Condition for this promise:
V6- We must have faith.
– It must be for God’s glory.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
- John 14:13

V9-11- Warning! Watch for pride! (Ps 8:4) Riches will pass away. Don’t brag about riches.

V13 – God does not tempt us. He is not the origin of evil. (See 1 Corinthians 10:13)

V15- Warning! desire –> sin –> death. Our desires may not be evil in themselves, but are we using our desires for God’s glory? We need to examine our desires.

V17- God does not change like “shifting shadows.” How comforting! I change my mind all the time. The world is always changing.

V18- He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we may be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (See also Psalm 65:4)