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