Count it all Joy! (Video Review: James 4:11-5:6)

Count it all Joy! (James 5:1-6)

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted , and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 Behold , the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud , crieth : and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What is the Lord instructing the wealthy to do (v.1)? 
2) What has become of their riches (v. 2)?
3) What will witness, or testify, against the wealthy (v.3)?
4) What has reached the ears of the Lord (v.4)?
5) How have the wealthy lived, while others were in lack (v.5)?
6) What have the wealthy done against the innocent (v.6)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) What have you done with all that the Lord has blessed you with? 
2) How have you treated those who are not as blessed as you are?
3) How is the Lord leading you to right wrongs that you may have committed?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) Believers are wealthy with time, talent, spiritual and/or material wealth).
2) God blesses His children to bless others.
3) God will right every wrong committed against those who have been unjustly oppressed and/or neglected by those whom He has blessed.

Count it all Joy! (James 4:11-17)

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy : who art thou that judgest another? 13 Go to now, ye that say , To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell , and get gain : 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away . 15 For that ye ought to say , If the Lord will , we shall live , and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) When we slander a fellow believer what are doing (v.11)? 
2) What is God able to do that we cannot (v.12)?
3) Why shouldn’t we boast about what we will do in the future (v.13-14)?
4) What should we say instead (v.15)?
5) What is boasting about our plans for the future (v.16)?
6) When we know what we should do and don’t do it, what is it (v.17)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever gossiped or spoken against a fellow believer? 
2) What were the ramifications, if any, of your behavior?
3) How likely are you to boast about your plans to others?
4) Why is all such boasting wrong?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God is the only Righteous Judge.
2) When we speak against another we are disobeying God’s command to love them.
3) Pride is the root of boasting about our plans without acknowledging God.
4) Willful sin disobeys God even when we know His will for us.

Count it all Joy! (Video Review - Week #4)

Count it all Joy! (James 4:1-10)

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust , and have not: ye kill , and desire to have , and cannot obtain : ye fight and war , yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask , and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith , God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted , and mourn , and weep : let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up . 

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What is the source of wars and fights (v.1)? 
2) Why does mankind kill or quarrel and fight (v.2)?
3) Why don’t we have what we want, and if we ask God for what we want why don’t we receive what we want (v.2-3)?
4) How do we become enemies of God (v.4)?
5) What is God jealously longing for (v.5)?
6) How does God respond to the humble (v.6)?
7) What must the believer do to demonstrate humility before God (v.7-10)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Consider the last argument that you may have witnessed or been a party to, what may have been the root cause of for the strife, according to James? 
2) How do you resist the lures of the world and the devil?
3) How do you maintain humility before the Lord?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The believer who values what the world values is an enemy of God.
2) The Lord will never grant us what we want if our motive is self-serving.
3) God resists worldly believers because they are prideful.
4) The grace of God is always available to the humble.

Count it all Joy! (James 3:13-18)

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure , then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) How do the “wise and understanding” demonstrate wisdom (v.13)? 
2) What are believers not to boast about or deny (v.14)?
3) What is earthly or demonic wisdom (v.14-16)?
4) What are the qualities of divine wisdom (v.17)?
5) What does one sow to reap righteousness (v.18)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Within the last 24 hours, were most of your decisions made in divine or demonic wisdom? 
2) What were the results of most of the decisions you made within the last 24 hours (i.e., confusion or peace, self-serving or merciful)?
3) Within the last 24 hours, how willing were you to do whatever it took to maintain peaceful relations with family, friends and/or co-workers? 

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The wise and understanding are peace loving people.
2) Those who are righteous seek and demonstrate divine wisdom in their relations with others.
3) Believers with divine wisdom are not self-seeking, boastful, envious, rude or proud.

Count it all Joy! (Video Review - James 2:14-3:12)

Count it all Joy! (James 2:14-26)

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone . 18 Yea, a man may say , Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe , and tremble . 20 But wilt thou know , O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect ? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith , Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified , and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What is the proof of our faith (v.14)? 
2) What example of “dead” faith does James write about (v.15-17)?
3) What is one way that a believer may demonstrate their faith (v.18)?
4) Is belief sufficient to prove one’s faith in God? Why or why not? (v.19)
5) Why were Abraham and Ruth righteous? (v.21-25)
6) What makes faith useless or dead (v. 26)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How do you demonstrate your faith in God?
2) What motivates you to do good deeds?
3) What makes you righteous in the eyes of the Lord? 

LIFE LESSONS:
1) Good works do not prove that one has faith.
2) Simply believing in Jesus does not prove that one trusts in the Lord.
3) When one truly has faith in God, their faith will be demonstrated by what they do as a result of their faith.
4) Righteousness can never be earned by performing good works. Performing good works is proof of one’s righteousness.

Count it all Joy! (James 3:1-12)

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold , we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth . 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things . Behold , how great a matter a little fire kindleth ! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed , and hath been tamed of mankind : 8 But the tongue can no man tame ; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be . 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Who receives stricter judgment in the body of Christ (v.1)?
2) How might one stumble as a member of Christ’s body (v.2)?
3) What illustrations are used to show the necessity of bridling one’s tongue (v.3-4)?
4) Though it is little, what can the tongue do (v.5)?
5) What is the tongue? What can it do to the body? What can it set ablaze? What sets it ablaze? (v.6)
6) What has been tamed by humankind (v. 7)?
7) Who has tamed the tongue (v.8)?
8) How can the tongue be used? Why is this so confusing? (v.9-12)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How do you most often use your tongue?
2) Are you always able to control what you say? Recall a time when you could not. What happened?
3) Have you ever used your words to praise God and later gossiped about a brother or sister in Christ?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The Lord expects His children to weigh our words carefully.
2) Words can be used to build up and to destroy.
3) Our words glorify God or the enemy.
4) We do not have to allow our words to be controlled by our feelings

Count it all Joy! (Week #2 Video Review)

Count it all Joy! (James 2:1-13)

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken , my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called ? 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons , ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said , Do not commit adultery , said also, Do not kill . Now if thou commit no adultery , yet if thou kill , thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye , and so do , as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What are we not to do as believers (v.1)?
2) What two examples of religious hypocrisy does James write about (v.2-4)?
3) Whom has God chosen to be “rich in faith” (v.5)?
4) Who oppresses others and blasphemes the name of our Lord (v.6-7)?
5) What law(s) have we transgressed when we show favoritism (v.8-11)?
6) How are we, who are under the law of liberty, to treat others? Why? (v.12-13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How do you treat those who can do nothing for you?
2) Have you ever found yourself responding more favorably toward a particular group of people than to other groups of people?
3) What do you do when faced with personal prejudice against, or favoritism toward, an individual or group?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God has no “favorites” and does not expect His children to have any either.
2) The blessings and favor of God are not measured by one’s material wealth.
3) The Lord expects His children to love the people He loves. God loves everyone.
4) Our love for others is measured by the mercy we show to all people.

Count it all Joy! (James 1:19-27)

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear , slow to speak , slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way , and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was . 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What three character traits must we possess to endure life’s trials (v.19)? 
2) What does not produce the righteousness of God (v.20)
3) What must we to lay aside and receive to save our souls when tempted (v.21)?
4) How do we deceive ourselves into believing that we are in the faith (v.22)? 
5) When we do not apply God’s word in our lives, what are we like (v.23-24)?
6) Who is blessed in what they do by faith (v.25)?
7) What makes one’s professed faith in God useless (v. 26)?
8) What two activities prove the genuineness of our faith before God (v.27)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you talk about your faith in God or do you act upon your faith in God?
2) How do you react when faced with situations that are unfair or unjust?
3) What do you do to hide the Word of God in your heart? 
4) What do you do that demonstrates your faith in God?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God is not impressed with what you say, but with what you do.
2) Our actions reveal more about our faith than our professions of faith.
3) The blessings and favor of God are for those who act upon their faith in Him.
4) Faith in God is evident in our demonstration of love for the least among us.
5) Genuine faith in God only seeks approval from God, not man.

Count it all Joy! (Review Video)

HAVE A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND!!!

Count it all Joy! (James 1:9-18)

NEW LIFE LESSONS BSFBP: James 1:9-18

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away . 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth , and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth : so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried , he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted , I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed . 15 Then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished , bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err , my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) What is the “lowly brother” to glory in (v.9)?
2) What is the “rich” man to glory in? Why? (v.10-11)
3) What is the proof of, and reward for, our love for God (v.12)?
4) What must we refrain from saying when we are tempted (v.13)?
5) What causes us to be tempted (v.14)?
6) What is the three-step progression to death (v.14-15)?
7) Where does “every good and perfect gift” come from (v. 17)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you focus more on the blessings and favor of God or on your character? Why?
2) In what areas of your life do you need the Lord to work on you most?
3) How do you typically respond to temptation?
4) What must you do to overcome your areas of weakness, in the future?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) God blesses those who are not prideful (the humble).
2) Temptation always results from our inner desire for what God doesn’t want us to have.
3) Sin leads to spiritual and/or physical death.
4) We demonstrate our love for God by denying ourselves when we are tempted to do otherwise.
5) God only gives us what is best for us.

Count it all Joy! (James 1:2-8)

NEW LIFE LESSONS BSFBP: James 1:2-8

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing . 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering . For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed . 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) How are believers to respond when we “fall into various trials”? (v.2)?
2) What does this “testing of your faith” produce (v.3)?
3) What are the three benefits if we “let patience have its perfect work” (v.4)?
4) What are believers to do if we lack wisdom during a test or trial (v.5)?
5) What must believers demonstrate, without doubting (v.6)?
6) What is likely to happen if we doubt (v.7)?
7) What becomes of the double minded man (v. 8)?

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) How should you handle trials and tests when they happen to you? Why?
2) What have been the blessings of the tests and/or trials that you have endured? Why?
3) Have you ever lacked wisdom concerning a trial or test?
4) What have you done to get the wisdom you need to overcome a trial or test?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) The Lord allows us to fall into various trials or tests to produce godly character in us.
2) The Lord expects us to ask Him for His wisdom when we're being tested or tried.