Family Study Guide for James 1

Family Study Guide for February 9 – February 15, 2006
(Read James 1 Online)

Reflections on James 1 by Dagney Pitts, Youth Missions Adventures

James, the book full of surprises and seemingly unattainable goals! If you ever think that you know the Bible and got it down, read James.
What am I talking about? Consider these thoughts from chapter 1:

• When you have a bad day, be very glad for such a bad day, in your heart!
• Don’t doubt God, or He won’t provide what you ask.
• If you have money and are well cared for, don’t depend on it, it fades away.
• We are expected to stand up through tests and trials.
• Don’t blame God for your mistakes, it is your own mind that causes you trouble and could even lead to your death.
• Don’t talk much, but listen more and never get angry!
• When you read the Bible, do what it says; because if you don’t, you are deceiving yourself.
• Don’t pollute yourself with the things of this world.
• If you can’t control your tongue, your religion is worthless!

Discouraged yet?

Don’t be. I’ve left out the blessings, the Whys, the purpose of it all. What I left out makes all the difference! When you read this book of Dos and Don'ts, keep yourself from getting discouraged by remembering that GOD wrote it! Read James in context of WHO wants you to be this way.

Check out the good stuff:

• v.3-4 "because the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete NOT LACKING ANYTHING!"
• v.5 "if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, and it will be given him"
• v.12b “because when he (a man or woman) has stood the test, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised to those who love him."
• v.13-15 God doesn’t tempt us!!!
• v.17 "EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE…..from the Father…..who does not change like shifting shadows!!!"
• v.18 "He chose to give us birth (spiritual birth)…..that we might be a kind of firstfruits (His choicest picks) of ALL HE CREATED"
• v.25 "the perfect law, which gives FREEDOM…doing it-he will be BLESSED in what he does"

Feeling better?

Be encouraged. God does not expect anything of us that He Himself does not do also. Nahum 1:3 "the Lord is slow to anger and great in power"; Psalm 145:8 "the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger…" This is not a God who is simply demanding, for the sake of watching us fail. He helps us in our weakness (Rom.8:26) and remains our constant companion and counselor (John 14:16). We will learn to obey the truth written in James because we have already become His, and because we love Him and therefore strive to please Him! Pleasing Him is not only reading the truth, but James chapter 1 is all about making that faith of yours real. Living it out. So, "do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says!"

Questions to Consider:

• How can you balance the hard things God asks of us?
• Is James only focussed on actions, or also on what goes on in our hearts and minds?
• How does God's character influence who He wants us to be?

Chapter Outline:

I. Salutation (1:1)

II. Enduring Trials (1:2-18)

A. Summary/Main Theme: The Testing of Faith (1:2-6)

1. Faith in God’s Sovereignty (1:2)

2. Faith and Perseverance (1:3-4)

3. Faith and God’s Gifts (1:5)

4. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:6)

B. Specifics (1:9-18)

1. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:7-8)

2. Faith and Finances (1:9-11)

3. Faith and Perseverance (1:12)

4. Faith and Fatalism (1:13-18)

III. Applying the Word: Faith Within the Church (1:19–3:18)

A. Summary/Main Theme: The Obedience of Faith (1:19-27)

1. Anger Vs. Obedience (1:19-21)

2. Passivity Vs. Obedience (1:22-25)

3. Speech and Obedience (1:26)

4. The Impartiality of Obedience (1:27)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

Consider it // pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

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.
James 1:5

Blessed is // the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12

When tempted, // no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:13-15

Every // good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

My dear // brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
James 1:19-20

Do not merely // listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James 1:22

Anyone who // listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:23-24

But the man who looks // intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:25

If anyone // considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
James 1:26

Religion // that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. Man's anger does not bring about what?
2. 3 Part : No one should say, "God is TEMPTING me" why?
3. 2 Part : He who doubts is like a WAVE of the sea that is what?
4. Everyone should be QUICK to listen, SLOW to speak and SLOW to become angry why?
5. 2 Part : The SUN what?
6. What DEVELOPS perseverance?
7. The TESTING of what DEVELOPS perseverance?
8. 2 Part : JAMES, a servant of whom?
9. That man should not what?
10. Who will pass away like a wild FLOWER?
11. 2 Part : After LOOKING at himself, he what?
12. He will receive what?
13. He CHOSE to give us birth through the word of truth why?
14. Greetings to whom?
15. 2 Part : When he ASKS, he must what?
16. God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he what?
17. He will receive the CROWN of life when?
18. The man who PERSEVERES under TRIAL I what?
19. God desires what?
20. 2 Part : RELIGION that God our Father ACCEPTS as pure and FAULTLESS is what?

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