BeReconciled.com » James

Chapter 5 (End)

Peter — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 14:53:14 +0000

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. –

5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. (ESV)

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If we are suffering or being oppressed, we should remember that the Lords 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 Im 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.

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (ESV)

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James 4 – Submission/Humility

Peter — Thu, 24 Jun 2004 03:38:57 +0000

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) (

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (ESV)

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(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) (

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (ESV)

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13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:14
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:14

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (ESV)

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Who is this God?
- He gives grace (V6). (

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

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- 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

4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. (ESV)

', 'James 4:1-2', 'http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=James+4%3A1-2');" onmouseout="domTip_clearTip('false')" href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=James+4%3A1-2" >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

James 3 – Taming the Tongue

Peter — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 03:55:46 +0000

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. –
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (ESV)
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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.

James 2:14-26 – Faith and Deeds

Peter — Thu, 10 Jun 2004 02:30:24 +0000

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.

20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (ESV)

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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.”

James 2:1-13- Favoritism Forbidden

Peter — Sat, 05 Jun 2004 18:58:51 +0000

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

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)

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James 1:19-27- Listening and Doing

Peter — Sat, 29 May 2004 18:02:46 +0000

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

26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, (ESV)

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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

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (ESV)

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2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)

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

James 1:1-18 – Trials and Temptations

Peter — Sat, 22 May 2004 17:30:33 +0000

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.
-

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (ESV)

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V9-11- Warning! Watch for pride! (

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him? (ESV)

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V13 – God does not tempt us. He is not the origin of evil. (See

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)

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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

4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple! (ESV)

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