September 18, 2011
MP3 Audio
Youtube video
A Double-minded Person James 1 (1:1-8)
A. About the book of James (1)
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (1)
B. Living a stable life
1) Trials → perseverance → not lacking anything (2-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (2) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (3) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (4)
2) A faith that seeks wisdom (5-8)
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. (5) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (6) hat man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; (7) he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (8)
Summary
When our faith is tested we have an opportunity to practice perseverance. Through perseverance we can become complete, not lacking anything. If we lack wisdom, we can ask God. God is pleased with our desire for wisdom--we can ask for wisdom with confidence. If we doubt that God can give us wisdom, it is unlikely that it will be given. God gives to those who believe that he is the source of all wisdom. If we live without wisdom, we become unstable and our lives are incomplete.
For Discussion
1) Why should we rejoice about our trials?
2) What is wisdom?
A. About the book of James (1)
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (1)
B. Living a stable life
1) Trials → perseverance → not lacking anything (2-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (2) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (3) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (4)
2) A faith that seeks wisdom (5-8)
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. (5) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (6) hat man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; (7) he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (8)
Summary
When our faith is tested we have an opportunity to practice perseverance. Through perseverance we can become complete, not lacking anything. If we lack wisdom, we can ask God. God is pleased with our desire for wisdom--we can ask for wisdom with confidence. If we doubt that God can give us wisdom, it is unlikely that it will be given. God gives to those who believe that he is the source of all wisdom. If we live without wisdom, we become unstable and our lives are incomplete.
For Discussion
1) Why should we rejoice about our trials?
2) What is wisdom?