![]() ![]() James is a letter most likely written by James, the brother of Jesus, to Jewish Christians. Sometimes, we don’t know all that information, but whatever we can know is helpful as we interpret and apply the passage to our own lives. But when we’re looking at Scripture, it’s helpful to understand some background first, such as the genre, author (if that is given to us), original audience, and date written (if possible). Okay, James 1:1 might not sound like the most exciting verse to study. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” Author, Date, and Audience So with all that said, let’s dig in! James 1:1 Week 12: James 5:13-20, Putting it All Together If you’re starting with me when this series launches, this study will take us three months, from August 10 through October 26. I’ll be posting every Monday, and each post can function as a stand-alone read, but I’d also love for you to join me as we walk through the whole book. I don’t want to serve a finite god.įinally, for those of you who are planners and schedulers, here’s the layout of what the next few months will look like. But if we think we can comprehend every single thing about him, we’ve then formed him in our image and reduced the infinite to fit into our finite minds. God has made himself known to us and has given us resources like the Bible to know him better. We can (and should!) spend our lives diving into Scripture, but even after a lifetime, we won’t plumb the depths of all that there is to learn. For the sake of clarity and word count, I’m going to zero in on certain themes and verses. Secondly, there is so much in these passages that I’m not going to cover. Reading what others have to say about Scripture can be immensely helpful (and I hope you find that to be true here), but nothing can ever replace reading the living and active Word of God. Like the Bereans in Acts 17, we must constantly test what others are saying against the Word of God, “examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Read, pray, and study for yourself-don’t just take my word for it. I am working through these passages alongside you, and I am not the final authority on the text. Grab your Bible and dig into the pages of Scripture on your own. Laying the GroundworkĪs we get started on this series, I want to lay some groundwork.įirst, this series isn’t necessarily intended to replace any of your own personal study or Bible reading. We need all of that in 2020-and every year, for that matter. He pushes us out of our complacency, helps us put our faith into action, and brings us to our knees before God. But while James writes hard truths that may be painful to hear at times, he writes words we all need to listen to, understand, and put into practice. In 2020, we may feel like a punch in the gut is the last thing we need. ![]() ![]() Tim Mackie called it, “a beautifully crafted punch in the gut.” I think that’s pretty accurate. It’s only five chapters long, but it’s such a beautiful, practical book. So, I’m excited to be launching a blog post series on the book of James.īack in January, I started studying James, and now eight months later I’m still in it. Typically, I post stand-alone blog posts, stories, or recipes, but sometimes there are topics I want to look at more thoroughly, but they can’t be covered in one post. Click on Pastor Rick's picture to purchase the hard copy book.I’m starting something new on the blog this week. Click on the book cover to purchase the e-book. People can learn from each other because God is at work in all of our lives but at different stages and levels. The third purpose is to build positive relationships among the participants. The Holy Spirit can work more effectively in open hearts. The second purpose is to apply the texts of Scriptures to the participants’ live so that a life transformation process can take place. There are so many things today that people think are in the bible, that are not there in the actual texts of Scripture. The first purpose is to get the participants to study the word of God and learn what it actually teaches. The bible studies have been designed with three specific purposes. The lesson topics are 1) Victorious In Trials, 2) Battling Back Temptation, 3) True Religion: More Than Just Talk-Listen Then Do, 4) Getting A Grip On Prejudice And Discrimination, 5) Going Further Than The Demons, 6) Grabbing Hold Of Your Tongue, 7) Two Kinds Of Wisdom, 8) Submit To God And Find What You Need, 9) Boasting About Tomorrow, 10) Bad Employers And Getting Rich, 11) Patience In Suffering, and 12) The Power Of The Prayer Of Faith These twelve bible studies are designed for small group discussion groups, yet they can also be used by individuals in their own personal growth. The twelve bible study lessons follow the outline breakup commonly found in the NIV bible. ![]()
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