Family Study Guide for James 5

Family Study Guide for March 9 – March 15, 2006
(Read James 5 Online)

Reflections on James 5 by Matt Chesner, Coach

Anyone who has played competitive sports knows that there are some players that can not be contained for a whole game. In basketball, this is the player who can score 10 points in 3 minutes. In baseball, this is the player who can strikeout 3 times and then hit the game winning grand slam in the 9th inning. Great players are great, because you know that no matter how quiet they have been this point, you know they are just moments away from acting and showing their true prowess.

James chapter 5 addresses God as this great player in the Universe who is about to act. We must be patient until his power is shown. We are encouraged to persevere like the prophets of old (verses 10-11) in sufferings. We are also told to be careful not to judge as “the Judge is standing at the door.” (Verse 9) This judge is ready to act. And we want to be found faultless before him. Lastly, we are called to pray, praise, and consult with our elders as God is ready to act when we seek him and confess our sins.

When the God of all acts his power is great. He is able to do things that defy human logic or science. (“it did not rain for three and a half years…” verse 17) What are we missing out on because we do not wait for God show his power? No matter how quiet God seems to have been in your life lately, remember that his is just outside the door, and is ready to act.

Questions to Consider:

• When, in your life, has God suddenly acted and shown His great power?
• Why does it sometimes seem like God waits until the final moments to act?
• When have you acted instead of waiting on God, and things did not work out so well?

Chapter Outline:

IV. Witnessing to Divine Providence (4:1–5:20)

B. Specifics (4:11–5:20)

c. Warning to Wealthy Oppressors (5:1-6)

2. The Patience of Faith (5:7-12)

3. The Prayer of Faith (5:13-20)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

Above all, my brothers, // do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.
James 5:12

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.
James 5:16

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.
James 5:19-20

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. What if any one of you is sick?
2. The Lord will raise him up why?
3. The cries of whom have REACHED the ears of the Lord Almighty?
4. Take whom as an example of patience in the face of suffering?
5. The Judge is what?
6. Whoever TURNS a sinner from what?
7. The wages you failed to pay the WORKMEN who MOWED your FIELDS are what?
8. In the last DAYS you have what?
9. Whoever TURNS a sinner from the ERROR of his way will save him from what?
10. We consider blessed whom?
11. 2 Part : Again he prayed and what?
12. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other why?
13. If one of you should WANDER from what?
14. 2 Part : Because the Lord's coming is near, do what?
15. What gave rain?
16. What have REACHED the ears of the Lord Almighty?
17. What has ROTTED?
18. 2 Part : You rich people do what?
19. Don't GRUMBLE against each other why?
20. It did not rain on the land for how long?

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Family Study Guide for James 4

Family Study Guide for March 2 – March 8, 2006
(Read James 4 Online)

Reflections on James 4 by Mark Chesner, Coach

Our church has been spending a lot of time recently on prayer, and when we think about the "action oriented" book of James, we might think he has nothing much to say on the subject. After all, sometimes prayer feels like something we do when there is nothing else to do. But in Chapter 4, James speaks to prayer... in his usual direct and no-nonsense way.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:1-3

In our church, we love to talk about prayer. We have concerts of prayer, prayer meetings, prayer at small groups, prayer before quiz meets... and there is nothing wrong with that. But sometimes this constant presence of prayer causes us to trivialize it. We remember to ask for the little things in life: food, sleep, grades, fun, etc. And we ask for things without thinking of why we are asking for it. And yet we forget to ask for the most important things: the salvation of non-Christian family, comfort for those who are suffering, etc. We get so wrapped up in the habit of prayer that we forget we are coming into the throne room of the King of All Creation.

And James reminds us that the results of these problems with prayer are not just academic. They lead us to fight with each other, because we allow what we want to become more important than what He wants. Proper prayer focusses us on God, and keeps our attention on the things we need rather than the things we want. Improper prayer comes about when we let our attention fall upon our own desires.

Questions to Consider:

• When recently have you allowed your prayers to lose their focus on God?
• What kinds of prayers are effective? How do we make sure our prayers are effective?
• Why do problem prayers lead to quarrels between believers?

Chapter Outline:

IV. Witnessing to Divine Providence (4:1–5:20)

A. Summary/Main Theme: The Reward of Faith (4:1-10)

1. The Prayer of Faith (4:1-3)

2. Friendship with the World (4:4-6)

3. The Humility of Faith (4:7-10)

B. Specifics (4:11–5:20)

1. Avoiding Worldly Influences (4:11–5:6)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

What causes fights and quarrels // among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?
James 4:1

When you ask, you do not receive, // because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:3

You adulterous people, don't you know // that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4

Submit yourselves, then, // to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded
James 4:7-8

Grieve, mourn and wail. // Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:9-10

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. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
James 4:14-15

Anyone, then, who knows // the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 4:17

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. Reference : According to James 4:12, there is only one what?
2. What is evil?
3. Anyone who knows WHAT and DOESN'T do it, sins?
4. You ought to say what?
5. 3 Part : We will go to this or that CITY why?
6. What BATTLE within you?
7. (God) gives grace to whom?
8. Do not SLANDER one another, WHO?
9. FRIENDSHIP with the world is what?
10. You do not receive when?
11. Reference : According to James 4:4, don't you know WHAT?
12. Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and DOESN'T do it, does what?
13. You want something but what?
14. PURIFY what?
15. You kill and covet, but what?
16. Because you do not ask God, you what?
17. Humble yourselves where?
18. Who sins?
19. Who is able to save and destroy?
20. 2 Part : Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him does what?

Any questions about quizzing? Email the coaches at coaches@quizpad.com
* PDF Files may be read and printed by Adobe Acrobat
** RTF Files may be read by Microsoft Word or OpenOffice