James/Week One

More Than Enough: 

Living a Life Worth Living

Lessons from James

by

Leanna Lindsey Hollis M.D.

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(C) 2017 by Leanna Lindsey Hollis M.D.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, photocopying, or recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
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Published by Pinion Press
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Hollis, Leanna Lindsey
More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living /Leanna Lindsey Hollis M.D.
All Scripture, except otherwise noted, was taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (R), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Pinion Press

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INTRODUCTION:

James has only five chapters. In comparison to some of the other books in the Bible, it’s relatively short. The paucity of words, however, belies great truth hidden in these few pages. This is designed to be a six-weeks-long study, but, as all the Lessons in Discipleship studies, participants progress at their own pace.

Instead of going verse by verse, we will take the big themes of James and address each one. As usual, we’ll pull in Scripture from throughout the Bible. Some days, there’ll be less from James than from other sources, so that we can more thoroughly cover the current theme.

I haven’t made use of as many commentaries as usual. In Matthew Henry’s commentary1 on
James, he opens with these words. “The word of God should be made our chief study...” Indeed, it should. This study compares Scripture with Scripture more than any I’ve previously written.
We’ll follow links, use an online website or a smartphone app, and search out answers for ourselves. The goal in using this format is to equip us, as learners, to dig in the gold mine of Scripture for ourselves. To allow God to speak directly to us. 

With that said, let's get started...

James is as simple as cornbread. As tough as shoe leather. This is a “where the rubber meets the road” primer on living the Christian life. James paints one word picture after another of the life of a disciple, based on a lifetime spent watching his older brother’s life. It’s not a series of suggestions. It’s truth. It’s what we’re to do. It’s how we’re to live.

The life James describes IS how the Christian life looks. If this is not how our own life looks, how we respond to trials, how we exhibit humility, control our tongues, do good works, then we need to take a close look at our faith. Do we have saving faith or not?

This is an invitation to a deeper, highly introspective journey. I hope you’ll come along with us.
There are no detailed history lessons. No kings to sort out. No connections to unravel. James is pure truth, stated so simply that even a child can understand. These five chapters require us to take a careful look at our hearts and lives, compare them to truth, and make a decision.

Will we obey or not?

There’s a closed Facebook Group (Lessons in Discipleship) where you can ask questions, share insights, and connect with like-minded Bible students. If you’re not already a member, friend me on Facebook (Leanna Lindsey Hollis), and ask to be added. I’ll also post corrections there, and clarifications, if needed.

I’m grateful to have you as part of this group of learners. This study has changed my life. I pray it does the same for you. If you dig in and invite God to do His work in you, He will transform you in ways you can’t begin to imagine. It will be worth it.

Welcome to the journey. Dive deep and enjoy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 
HOW TO USE THIS STUDY: 6 
WEEK ONE - TRIALS 7 
WEEK TWO - THE TROUBLESOME TONGUE 26

WEEK THREE: SIN AND SMARTS 47
WEEK FOUR: HUMILITY 72
WEEK FIVE: DOING AND BEING 93
WEEK SIX: POWERFUL PRAYER114

HOW TO USE THIS STUDY:

This is an in-your-place, at-your-pace, digital study. It’s designed so that you can save it to your computer or to a jump drive and work from that copy. You can print it out, but you’ll lose the benefit of the digital links if you do. You can download it if you want, but it's not necessary. There's a link to the next week's work at the end of every chapter. There are also links in the text. You definitely want to use these, as they're designed to help you learn more. (See below)

How to download it:
Go to the website, www.lessonsindiscipleship.com, and open Part One of the James study. Right click on the page (two-finger click for a MAC). Click on SAVE PAGE AS, then either save to downloads or to wherever you want to save it. You should be able to go back to downloads to find your study again. Be sure to correct the title in downloads if it doesn’t have the James identifier on your file.

How to use the links:
There are multiple links embedded in the text. They should all be in blue text, so just click on the link and it will take you to the online resource you are to use. If you’ve downloaded the study, your document will still be open. If you’re using the online document, you can click “open in new window” and still have both resource windows open.

Reading aloud:
You will be asked to read through numerous passages, then read through again, reading aloud. This may seem strange to some, but using multiple senses (seeing and hearing) helps us to learn better. Give it a try. I think it will be helpful.

WEEK ONE - TRIALS 

DAY ONE: READ THROUGH
First things first. Read through the book of James in one sitting. This will give you a birds-eye view of the entire work. Make one pass through rapidly, then go back and read it again, slowly.
On the second pass, you’re not reading to study, but to savor. Take a few notes on the things that call to you. (Just one or two things; not the entire book.)

DAY TWO: IDENTITY

It’s not easy to stand in the shadow of a larger-than-life family member. Both my mother and my grandmother loved to have people around them and to, in a sense, be the center of attention. They loved telling jokes and entertaining.

I didn’t. I preferred study and solitude. I liked to climb into the crook of a tree, book in hand, and escape to a different time. A different life.

I didn’t dislike having people around particularly, but I needed a greater amount of quiet time. People in town would meet me and ask, “You’re Mrs. Thaxton’s granddaughter, aren’t you?”
I’d nod in affirmation and they’d launch into a story of something wonderful she’d done. I was grateful to have a well-respected grandmother, of course, but there were times when I wished someone would notice me for, well, me.

I suspect JAMES, the author of this epistle, felt the same way, too. He was the half-brother of Jesus. As a younger brother, he’d have been compared to His older, sin-free brother all his growing-up years.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, James was not a disciple. He’s always mentioned in the company of their mother, Mary, before the resurrection. I’ve often wondered how he felt when, at the crucifixion, Jesus assigned the care of His mother to John. (John 19:26,27) From that day forward, Mary lived with “the disciple Jesus loved” instead of her other children.

Something changed after Jesus’ resurrection. James was no longer an onlooker. He was a disciple, and became a leader in the early church. He died a martyr’s death in 62 AD.

1) How did things change for James when Jesus rose from the dead? See 1 Corinthians 15:7.
James 1:1 is the introductory statement of the letter and identifies both the writer and the intended recipient.


2) How did James describe himself and his credentials of faith? Compare this with Paul’s introduction in Titus 1:1.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, James was always identified as the brother of Jesus. Note the dramatic change in introduction here. There’s no mention of his biologic relationship now.
Matthew Henry (a 17th century theologian) notes that James was a “prime minister” in the early church, yet his description of himself gives no hint of his high rank. The only status he claims is as bondservant. (You can access Henry’s commentary on James at https:// www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jam/Jam_001.cfm)


3) We would be remiss if we fail to take note of the humility evidenced in James’ introduction. How might we introduce ourselves? What do we consider our own “credentials of faith?”


3) To whom is James writing?


Although James addresses his letter to “the twelve tribes,” he is writing specifically to those of the twelve tribes who have embraced the Christian faith and were scattered because of persecution.2


4) Follow the link to Blue Letter Bible and scroll down to the Thayer Greek Lexicon, #3. What surname was given to James by the church?


James has an interesting style of writing. He begins a topic by giving an instruction on the subject, then elaborating on it. See James 1:2

5) What topic does he introduce in this verse?


6) What instruction does James give concerning our response to trials? (James 1:2)

7) Using your BLB app (Blue Letter Bible app or go to www.blueletterbible.org), look at the interlinear/concordance tab and scroll down to “all”. There is an important truth in this little word that’s worth learning.

The Greek word here is pas. Click on it in the Greek Reverse Interlinear tab. Review the outline of Biblical usage (1) and Strong’s definition. What does this tell you about how much of your trial you are to count as joy?


8) The NASB version that I use translates this verse as “when you encounter” but KJV translates it as “when ye fall into...” Using your BLB app, look at the meaning of “fall into”. How is the encounter to which James refers described?


Also note hotan the word translated as “when”? How long is the duration during which we are to count our trial as joy?


9) Now let’s look at the word translated as temptation or trials. In the BLB app, click on the interlinear tab. Find the Greek word peirasmos and click on it. Click on the root word, then click on the root word again. We find a beautiful word picture by tracing back the meaning of temptations or trials. Write the base word here.


This truth is a profound game-changer for going through trials. There’s a tendency to resent the trial, rebuke the trial, and try to avoid the trial. Instead, James says, when we encounter the various trials that come our way, we are to consider it all joy. Every single part of the trial.

We are to recognize that the trial is, in a way, a piercing that will have a good result in our lives. I believe God uses the piercing of trials in our lives as a kind of divine sieve, so that those things that are not like Jesus can trickle out. After the piercing is done, that which remains is more like Christ than before.

PRAYER PAUSE:

Take a moment to consider the trials you’ve encountered, especially the ones that have encompassed you on all sides. How did they work as “piercings”? How did God use them to filter out the ungodly and make you more like Christ?

What trials are you currently encountering? How might God be using them in your life?


How have you embraced the entirety of your trial?


How have you resisted the trial?

What might God be trying to teach you through it?


Before we leave this topic today, let’s pause to remember that James addressed his letter to the people of the diaspora (those dispersed abroad). They had fled their homeland because of the persecution they encountered as a result of their faith in Christ.

Consider what a blessing his words must have been to them. Their trials would not be wasted. They would be more like Christ afterward than they had been before. No matter how hard their circumstances, God would keep His promises to them.

Those early martyrs are not the only ones who have been persecuted for their faith. People are being persecuted for their faith around the world, in ways we, in this country, can’t begin to imagine.
One organization that does a good job of providing support and encouragement to the persecuted church around the world is Voice of the Martyrs. Take time to look at Voice of the Martyrs’ website and consider signing up for their newsletter. Click on the tool bar at the top and explore “about VOM” and “Get involved.” You, too, can send hope and encouragement to those who suffer because of their faith. You, too, can join in praying for them.

Why not choose a persecuted believer or an area of the world that’s hostile to the cause of Christ as a personal prayer project?

DAY THREE: TRIALS

I’ve encountered quite a few trials in my life. They’ve never been easy or comfortable, but they’ve always been worth it. I didn’t realize it, of course, until much later, but God used those trials to refine me. To burn out the dross of my life and purify my heart.

When I closed my very busy medical clinic at the end of 2003, I felt I’d heard a clear direction from God. I imagined a God-adventure that would somehow be exciting and easy at the same time.
My imagination had nothing at all to do with my coming reality.

I thought I was to write. And I was. And I did. I also had to make a living. I wonder now that I had the audacity to do this after a single series of pottery lessons, but I hung out my shingle as a potter and went to work in the mud. Truthfully, I was terrible. I find it hard to believe people bought my early work, but they did.

Eventually, I became a fair potter, specializing in hand-thrown items and mold-cast work. It put food on my table and helped keep the lights on, but it was a very slim living.

Two short months after I left medicine to write (supposedly) and do pottery (in actuality), my farm manger had a medical emergency that propelled me from overseer to hands-on-farmer. I scooped a mountain of manure, learned to drive a tractor, loaded hay bales by hand in the field, fed cattle and horses in the snow.

It was backbreaking work, and God used it to burn out the sense of entitlement that was so deeply entrenched in my heart. It took years. Long, hard, years.

We had very little money, so we stretched the little we had as far as we could, and God helped us. We did without many of the things we wanted, but we always had what we absolutely needed. I learned the truth that God will provide for His own. I could have returned to the practice of medicine and ended my lean times, of course, but I’d have been disobedient to the call of God in my life. I’d also have missed some vital life lessons that, in the end, radically changed my life for the better.

Some years later, after I had returned to the practice of medicine and it’s relative prosperity, I realized a startling truth.

I missed the lean times.

I missed the utter reliance on God. The clarity that every bit of provision came straight from God, and not from my own abilities. It took a little longer to realize that I needed the lean times again.

I didn’t want the leanness of pocketbook, but I hated the leanness of spirit that prosperity gave me. One day, still crystal-clear in my mind, I confessed my need and asked God to give me what I knew would help. And He did.

When I left medicine the second time, there was no doubt in my mind that some of the times would be hard, that my pocketbook would be light, and that I’d have to rely on Christ to meet every need.
The refining of the first fire prepared me for this time in my life. 

Being a missionary isn’t a trial, of course. It’s a privilege, but, every day, there are opportunities for improvement in my heart. I have daily mini-piercings. Repentance. Change. I’m being made into the image of Christ. I still have a long way to go, and a lot of refinements to make, but God is steadily at work in me.

Trials and tests are a normal part of the Christian life. We’re either in a time of testing, just completing a testing, or heading in to one. Testing will come to us all. Our response to those tests will determine how effective they are in making us more like Christ.

Read through James 1:2-4.

1) These verses give three specific things we are to do:
a) 
b) 
c)

2) When James writes, “Consider it all joy,” he is writing to people who have encountered a variety of very difficult trials. Sorrow and sadness over their circumstances might be the expected emotions, but joy is the choice they were to make instead. We, too, are to choose joy in every situation, no matter how difficult. Follow the link and scroll down to Strong’s definition. How does it describe the joy we should have?

3) Use your BLB app (or blueletterbible.org) to look at the meaning for the word translated as “knowing”. What did you learn about the depth of the knowledge we are to have about the results of our trials?


4) Do the same BLB evaluation for the word translated as “testing” . What did you learn?


5) The word translated as “testing” is a reference to a crucible. See Proverbs 27:21 and 17:3. What is the purpose of the crucible?


6) Here’s a link to a dictionary definition of crucible (Merriam Webster online dictionary) What is a crucible?


7) Compare the “piercing” from verse 2 with the crucible testing of verse 3.


8) Look at the BLB lexicon for the word translated as “endurance”. What other characteristics are also indicated by this word?


9) How are those characteristics evident in your life?


10) What changes might God be making through your testing and refinement?

PRAYER PAUSE:

In the trials of life, joy is not an optional response. “Consider it all joy” means to make joy our mindset, our attitude. How well are you doing? What changes are needed to embrace joy as a lifestyle?

Take a few moments to consider the purpose of the crucible testing in your life. What did God refine? What did He replace?

These next questions are hard. I know they are, but answer them anyway. Do I need another refining fire? Another crucible? Another piercing?

DAY FOUR: ENDURANCE

When trials come our way, we have a choice. Endure or step away. Walking away from a trial may provide momentary relief, but the blessing of endurance is worth the endurance. As I look back on the trials of my life, there’s not one I regret enduring. The outcome was worth the price. Every single time.

JAMES 1:4
We’ll divide this verse into four sections of study: endurance, perfect result, perfect and complete, and lacking in nothing.

ENDURANCE:

1) First, consider the endurance our trials are designed to produce. Look at the BLB “Greek Reverse Interlinear” Bible and click on “patience” (the word also translated as endurance). Take note of the “outline of Biblical usage” to understand the concept of endurance.


Matthew Henry comments on this topic with surprising words. “‘Tribulation worketh patience.’ (Rom.5:8) Let it work. It is not a stupid, but an active thing.”3

God knows what He’s doing. He hasn’t made a mistake. We haven’t encountered a trial by some sort of cosmic accident or divine confusion. God has a plan. We’re to let it do its work in us.

Hypomone comes from two root words that mean “under” and “to tarry”. The idea here is that we choose to continue in the midst of a trial. The implication is that we have a choice to persist or to remove ourselves from the trial. By persisting, we have the opportunity to gain the desired result. By removing ourselves, we miss the lesson the trial would have taught us.

2)  Think back on the trials you’ve experienced. How have you persevered? 


3)  How have you removed yourself from trials? 

4) What was the end result of your decision?


PERFECT RESULT:

1) The word translated as “perfect” is used twice in this verse. Take a moment now to look at BLB for the meaning. Also look at Thayer’s Greek Lexicon for additional insight and write what you learn here:


2) The word translated as “result” is ergon and has an interesting meaning. Use your BLB resources to find the meaning and record it here.


If trials come our way with a pre-determined “perfect result” (or complete work), and, according to James, they do, then those trials are not a temptation from the enemy. Instead, from whom do our trials come?


PERFECT AND COMPLETE:

We’ve already looked at the word translated as “perfect”. In this instance, it indicates a level of complete maturity. Use your lexicon to find the meaning of the word translated as “complete”.


LACKING IN NOTHING:

This phrase adds emphasis to the previous “perfect and complete” and stresses that nothing needed is omitted.

Putting all you’ve learned together, what is the expected end result of a trial in our lives?


PRAYER PAUSE:

How have the trials through which you’ve persevered changed you?


How have they caused you to mature as a believer?


How have they equipped you as a disciple?

DAY FIVE: PERSEVERANCE

JAMES 1:12

James 1:2-4 encourages us to endure the trials of life until they have completed their work in our lives. This verse describes the trials of life as a kind of test which we must pass.

1)  What is to be our motivation for persevering under trial? (See the end of the verse) 


2)  What is promised to those who “pass the test” of their trials? 


3)  Compare and contrast this verse with Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27. 


4) What did Paul write in 1 Corinthians 2:9 about the blessings awaiting those who love the Lord?



PRAYER PAUSE:

Consider for a moment the concept that trials (different from temptations) are designed by God to produce a deeper maturity in our lives and that our motivation to endure is our love for our Savior.
How has your love for Christ changed because of your response to trials?

How have you seen the blessings of God in your life after the completion of a trial?


Have you ever failed to persevere through a trial? What happened?


Take a few minutes to thank God for the trials you’ve experienced, for what He taught you, for how He’s used those lessons in your life.

DAY SIX: LESSONS FROM THE PROPHETS

JAMES 5:10 - James commends us to take encouragement from the endurance and patience of the prophets before us, so let’s do that very thing. Before we do, let’s look a little closer at this word, “example”. Follow the link to learn more. Click on Vine’s Expository Dictionary and scroll down to (b).

In James 5:10, how is this word (translated as example) intended? What are we to do with the examples given us by the prophets?


With the understanding that the example of these prophets are not just for our information, but also our emulation, let’s look at Elijah, Hosea, and Jeremiah.

1)  ELIJAH: 1 Kings 17-19

a) What did Elijah endure? 


b) What blessing did he receive after his endurance? 


2)  HOSEA: Hosea 1-3

a) What did Hosea endure? 


b) What blessing did Hosea receive after his endurance? 


3)  JEREMIAH: Jeremiah 11:21, 20, 27:1-3, 28:10, 38 

a) What did Jeremiah endure?


b) What blessing did Jeremiah receive after his endurance?


PRAYER PAUSE:

1)  What can we learn from the lives of the prophets about endurance? 


2)  What can we learn about the blessings received after the trial is ended? 


3)  In what ways should I emulate (copy, imitate) the example of Elijah? 


4)  In what ways should I emulate (copy, imitate) the example of Hosea? 


5)  In what ways should I emulate (copy, imitate) the example of Jeremiah? 


6)  Once we know a change is needed, we must make it. (James 4:17) Let’s stop now and confess our need for change and ask God to help us become the kind of enduring disciple He intended us to be. Write your prayer below.

DAY SEVEN: LESSONS FROM JOB

James commends the example of Job to us as one who suffered under a great trial but was rewarded after it’s completion. Begin your study today by reading James 5:11 and reviewing Job 1:1 — 2:13 and Job 42:10 - 17 

1) What did Job endure? (The word translated as “endurance” is hypomone, which we looked
at on Day 4 this week, so you can review if needed.)



2) Let’s turn to Blue Letter Bible to learn more about the word translated as “outcome”. (follow the link)  

In the midst of a trial, it may seem as if it will never end. I’ve been to the point of desperation in a trial before. A wise friend once told me there would be a point at which everything would turn and things would begin to get better. “You’ll only recognize it when you look back.” She was right. There is a point of termination, at which a trial “ceases to be”.

No trial lasts forever, as Job reminds us. On the other side of the trial is a God-designed outcome that will make us more like Him than we were before.


3)  What blessing, or outcome, did Job receive after his endurance?


4)  What lesson can we learn from the life of Job? 

PRAYER PAUSE:

Look back over the trials of your life.

1)  Where do you see clear evidence of a “termination point” of your trial, when things began to turn around? 


2)  What did you learn from the trials? 


3)  Thanking God for my trials is not my “default mode”, nor is it the default mode for most of us. We don’t come to gratitude naturally. It’s a choice we make. If we are to give thanks “in all things,” we must also give thanks both in and for the trials God allows. Pause now to thank God for allowing your trials and make a list of the blessings that came after the trial was completed. 

MESSAGE IN THE MARGIN:

When trials come, I am to consider, known, allow, and ask. My main objective in the trial is to endure and look for what God is doing. 

Here's a link to Week Two: The Troublesome Tongue

James/Week 2

WEEK TWO - THE TROUBLESOME TONGUE
“That may be popular, but it’s not attractive.” My mama must’ve spoken those words to me hundreds of times as I was growing up.
She wasn’t referring to my clothing. She was talking about my manner of speech. Sarcasm was in style, and I quickly become a master at it. It didn’t take long for it to become a habit that was difficult to stop.
The problem, of course, was not my physical tongue. It was the words in my head that flowed out my mouth. Those words didn’t just jump inside while I was stopped for a traffic light. They took up residence in my mind because I ignored a few basic truths.
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 nasdb
“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Matthew 15:18 nasb
I wasn’t careful about the books I read, the movies I watched, the music to which I listened. I didn’t realize it, but the words of those books, movies, and songs quickly made their way into my head, where they affected my own words and, eventually, my actions.
We can bless God and our fellow men with our tongues or we can spread curses and destruction. The choice is up to us.
This week, we’re studying what God has to say about the tongue, our words, and how we use them. We’ll move from worthless religion, to teachers, to bits and rudders, to fire and flames, but it is all centers on controlling our tongue.
DAY ONE: WORTHLESS RELIGION
In our culture of entitlement, the freedom to say whatever we please, to whomever we want, in any manner we choose, is indulged as if a prize could be gained for the worst, most hate-filled, spiteful words.
I’ve heard Christians justify this kind of rhetoric because “Jesus said hard things to the Pharisees”. He said that they were like “whitewashed tombs, full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” because of the sin in their lives. He did not use the pejorative speech so rampant today. (Matthew 23:27)

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Jesus is God and He spoke truth. He is truth.
If we truly want to speak TRUTH, we need to speak Jesus, for He is the way, the TRUTH, and
the life. (John 14:6)
Our words matter. They need to be pleasing to God, for we will one day give an accounting of them. I have to remind myself of this far too often. Every word is a choice we make. As disciples of Christ, we are called to choose wisely.

1. 1)  Read James 1:26 and copy the verse here:
   
2. 2)  Using your Bible app, copy the verse in another translation. (NOTE: The Message is a paraphrase. It is not a translation. It’s fine for general reading, and I enjoy it, but it’s not a study Bible. If we want to know and handle truth appropriately, we need to use a quality translation of the Bible for study.)
   

For every truth presented in Scripture, there will be corroborating passages to confirm and, sometimes, expand upon it. It’s important to recognize that doctrine presented in the New Testament is, generally speaking, a continuation or expansion of that found in the Old Testament. Our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His truths are, as well. (Hebrews 13:8)

3. 3)  It’s easy, when we speak amiss, to use the excuse that we “couldn’t help it” or “it just slipped out.” What does Psalm 39:1 say about that excuse?
   
4. 4)  If we have difficulty keeping control of our tongue, what should we do? See Psalm 141:3.
   

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5. 5)  We turn now to a study of the original language for further clarity. Open your Blue Letter Bible app to James 1:26. Look first at the word translated as “religious”. Write the word and anything you learn about it here:
   
6. 6)  Look at the word translated as “religion”. Write the word and anything you learn about it here:
   
7. 7)  Compare and contrast the two definitions in terms of the religion we think we have versus the religion we actually have.
   

8) The word translated as “deceives” can also mean “cheats”. In a very real way, when we see our faith as something it is not, we cheat ourselves.
Use BLB to find the word translated as “worthless”. What did you learn?

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PRAYER PAUSE:
Let’s take a few minutes to consider our own speech. Does it reflect the Savior we say we serve or not?
Ask yourself these questions:

1. a)  How is the truth of my religion revealed in my speech?
   
2. b)  What does my speech say about my faith?
   

c) What assumptions would a lost person make about Jesus if he/she were judging Him strictly by the words you’ve said this week?

d) Take a moment to repent of any words that are unpleasing to God and ask Him to make the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart acceptable to Him. (Psalm 19:14 would be a good verse to memorize this week.)

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DAY TWO: CAUTIOUS TEACHERS
“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.” James 3:1
This is a frightening verse for someone who teaches as much as I. Despite the sheer volume of teaching and writing I do, it’s done with a sense of trepidation. The very idea of a “stricter judgment” chills me.
Because of that high standard, I’m careful about what I teach.

• -  It’s why I spend so much time studying Scripture before I attempt to teach.
  
• -  It’s why I read commentaries only after I’ve thoroughly examined the Word.
  
• -  It’s why I look to well-respected commentators whose work has stood the test of time.
  
• -  It’s why I have a trustworthy minister review every word of Bible study I write.
  You’ve probably heard the expression, “You may be the only Bible some people ever read.” If that’s true, and it is, we all live in the unenviable position of teacher to someone. Family. Friends. Acquaintances. Strangers. People can’t help but notice how we behave in public and, if they know we are believers, they judge Christ by what they see in us.
  In a very real sense, we’re all leaders. We’re all teachers. What we say with our mouths speaks volumes, often teaching more than we wish we had. What we say with our lives is a testimony that speaks louder than the godliest words. We teach with our words and deeds, whether we intend to or not.
  With that in mind, let’s look a little closer at what Scripture has to say about how we teach and lead.
  1) Open Blue Letter Bible to James 3:1 and click on the entry for the word “teacher” under the Strong’s column. The word translated as teacher is didaskalos. Scroll down to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, where you’ll find the meaning of the word as used in this verse. (It’s #6)
  With what help do teachers do the work of teaching?
  We cannot effectively teach in our own strength. All effective and godly teaching is done with a sense of the seriousness of the work and with the empowering of the Holy Spirit. When we teach, whether it be to pre-schoolers in a choir class or adults in an in-depth Bible study, we must approach our work with the godly dread of one speaking on behalf of Our Lord.
  2) Jesus had a bit to say about teachers, as well. Read Matthew 23:1-12. a) What was the motivation of the scribes and Pharisees when they
  taught?
  

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b) How effectively did their lives model the principles they taught?
c) Who is to be our leader? According to whose teaching are we to live? (verse10)
d) Instead of seeking the position of leader, which position are we to seek?
PRAYER PAUSE:
Take a few moments to consider all the ways in which you serve as a teacher and list them here.
Ask yourself:
How seriously do I take the responsibility of teacher?
In what ways have I consciously chosen to exalt myself?
In what ways have I consciously chosen to humble myself?
What changes do I need to make to align my life with the standard of teachers described here?

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The Lesson in the Margin:
In the margin of my Bible, next to the passage in Matthew 23, is this notation/prayer:
“Oh, God, may I continually remember who I am in relation to who You are: A sinner saved by grace.” Let’s make this our prayer today, as well.

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DAY THREE: BITS AND RUDDERS
I had wanted to adopt a wild mustang for years. My son, Ryan, and I were at a horse show when we saw a display about adopting mustangs. Instantly, my ill-formed desire transformed into determination. It took Ryan a little longer to embrace the idea, but he was soon on board with my plan. We read about mustangs for months. Scoured the Bureau of Land Management website for information. Constructed a sturdy shelter. Listened to wise counsel and rejected it all.
I wanted a mustang, and I was determined to have one.
Ryan and I drove to a regional mustang holding facility for an adoption. “You can only have a yearling. It will be easier to gentle and train,” I told Ryan, drawing on my non-existent expertise. “Look for the horse that comes up to you at the fence and lets you pet her.”
A skinny filly that looked more like a baby buffalo than a horse nuzzled him through the wire. He’d found his mustang. I’m ashamed to admit it, because it was so foolish, but we also adopted a five-year old stallion that had been passed over in multiple adoptions. He’d never been touched. He’d never been handled. He’d never been ridden.
Despite my years of unrelenting effort, he never was.
We went to work immediately. Ryan was great at gentling the filly. He attached a lead rope to her halter and led her around the barn a few hours after we returned home. We fed her and played with her. Ryan eventually learned to ride her.
There was a problem, though. She still had just enough “wild” in her to resent doing what he asked. An experienced horseman might have had more success, but, with Ryan, her problems only worsened. The more she grew, the worse it became. Ryan used his reins to direct her, but she refused to obey.
We changed her headgear. We changed bits. Everything helped. Briefly. We bought a bit with a harsh mouthpiece. No change. The problem wasn’t in her headgear or bit. The problem was in her heart. She didn’t want to be tamed.
She loved to run and she was fast. If you asked for a gallop, she would give it. If you asked for a walk, she might buck you off, instead. Eventually, we bought Ryan another horse and found the mustang another home.
I kept the mustang much longer than I should have for one reason. I saw too much of myself in her. I spent years refusing to be tamed. God allowed some harsh things into my life. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t quick, but, eventually, I was tamed. Gentled. Broken. I thought she’d break, too. I eventually learned that, for both stubborn women and recalcitrant mustangs, being tamed comes only with surrender.

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Read James 3:2-4. These verse make mention of the difficulty of controlling our tongues.

1. 1)  What does Scripture tell us about those who are able to control their tongues? (vs 2)
   
2. 2)  Dynatos is the word translated as “able”. Follow the link to learn about this ability. To what degree is this ability given?
   

James 3:3 makes reference to directing a horse by using a “bit” in their mouth. If you don’t have experience with horses, the significance of this terminology may not be immediately apparent.
In order to control a horse, a rider generally uses a kind of headgear with a mouthpiece, or bit. The best bits are made of metal because of its durability. Copper, which causes salivation, may be a component of the bit. The saliva it produces acts as a lubricant for the metal in the mouth.
One misconception is that a “soft” bit is less harsh. These bits are easy on the mouth, but may teach the horse to pull against the pressure and become less responsive to the cues of its rider.
Different styles of bits are chosen with control of the horse in mind. Riders usually choose the bit to which the horse responds with the least amount of pressure. The pressure applied by the bit tells the horse when to turn, slow down, speed up, or stop. It communicates the desires of the rider.
A well-trained horse will respond to a feather-light touch on the reins, often responding first to the pressure of the rider’s knees or a slight shift in body position with minimal bit pressure required.
In that same way, we can learn to control our tongues, our speech, and we are expected to do so.
3) “Bridle” is used in this verse as a verb, not a noun. We don’t bridle our tongues (or our bodies) with a piece of tongue-and-body-controlling equipment. Follow the link to learn more about how to bridle our tongues.
No matter how mature our faith, bridling our tongue or our behavior does not happen automatically. It’s a choice.
4) How might God apply pressure to us when we need better control of our tongues?

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James 3:4 references the effectiveness of a tiny rudder to direct the direction of a large ship. A rudder is a small piece of wood or other material that’s positioned laterally at the back of a boat. When it’s moved to the left or the right, it changes the direction in which the vessel goes. The size of a rudder is roughly 1-2% of the lateral underwater area of the boat.
The tiny rudder controls the direction of the boat. James suggests that the tongue, tiny in comparison to the size of our bodies, can control our direction, as well.
5) How have you seen the truth of this in your life?
PRAYER PAUSE:
Control of our tongues is not optional for a mature believer, whether we be in public or in private, with strangers, friends or family.
Ask yourself:
How much control do I allow God to exert over my tongue?
How consistently do I reflect Christ in my speech? When have I spoken in ways that were displeasing to God?
How did He try to “rein me in”?
Read Matthew 15:18 aloud, then write the verse here.

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What do my words say about the condition of my heart?
How does my heart need to change in order for my speech to be more Christlike?

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DAY FOUR: FIRE AND FLAMES
The dried winter grass on the levee was waist high and considerably tougher than my weed-eater string. My farm hand had a great idea. We could burn it off. Without taking time to consider the gentle wind that was blowing, I voiced my agreement. He bent down, lighter in hand, and set fire to tinder.
The flames grew faster than I thought possible. When the wind picked up, the fire danced across the levee and into my yard, burning trees, shrubs, and grass as it went. In minutes, the distance from flames to my house was decreased to mere yards, despite the steady rush of water from the garden hose and a steady bucket brigade of water drawn from the lake.
As the devouring tongues of fire inched ever closer to my back door, I understood, in an all-too- personal way, “how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire.”
Just as the small bit in the mouth of a large horse can direct it’s path, and the tiny rudder can change the course of a ship, so the tiny tongue can have a great effect, not only on our lives, but also on those around us.
1) Read our focus passage for today, James 3:5-8. What adjectives (description words) are used to describe the tongue?
2) How does our speech (our “tongue”) differentiate humans from animals?
3) What damage does James say the tongue can cause?
4) Use the BLB to look at the word translated as “course”. What else can this word mean? How might this symbolize our lives?
5) Hebrews 12:1 describes our journey through life in terms of a race that’s run over a sometimes treacherous course. How might our tongues disrupt or defile that course?
6) Use the BLB to examine James 3:8. Be sure to look at the words translated as “deadly poison” and “restless evil”. How else are these words used?

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How might our tongues be used as “deadly poison”?
PRAYER PAUSE:
If you’ve spent much time on social media, you’ve seen examples of inflammatory speech that caused great damage. Even less inflammatory speech can also cause hurt to others and damage reputations. Let’s consider our own speech, both digital and personal.
Ask yourself these questions:

1. a)  What damage, if any, has my speech caused? How do people perceive my words, no matter
   how well-intended?
   
2. b)  In what ways have I used words to slash and wound others? Have I asked their forgiveness?
   

c) How have I used my tongue to defend myself? Was my defense mounted as an offensive weapon toward others?

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d) How have I seen words used as a deadly poison? How have I been wounded by hurtful words? What power do I continue to allow them in my life?

e) Now’s a good time to break the power of old word-wounds, so take a few minutes to forgive the one who wounded you. Replace those hurts with words of love and truth from Christ Himself. Instead of recording the hurt, take a few minutes to write out healing words from our Lord. Read them aloud and claim their truth for your life.

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DAY FIVE: FIGS AND FOUNTAINS
As you begin, read through our focus passage for today, James 3:8-12.
There’s a large fig tree near the barn on my farm. It produces fruit every summer. The harvest isn’t always a large one, but every fruit I gather is always a fig.
There’s also a spring that flows into, and supplies water to, the 10-acre lake on the property. The water from the spring is always fresh and sweet, never salty or bitter.
God set up his creation to behave in a certain way. Plants always bear after their kind. Water always flows after its kind.
We, on the other hand, behave in a way God never intended. We use our mouths to speak both curses and blessings.

1. 1)  We, too, were designed to “bear after our kind”. In whose image were we made? (See Genesis 1:26)
   
2. 2)  In whose image, then, are we intended to live and speak?
   
3. 3)  Matthew also wrote about the consistency of fruit. Read Matthew 7:16-20. What kind of fruit does a good tree bear?
   
4. 4)  What kind of fruit does a bad tree bear?
   
5. 5)  What should be done with a tree that bears bad fruit?
   

My fig tree has borne “bad” or inadequate fruit several times over the years. It’s always because of disease. The best solution is to cut the tree off near the ground, burn the diseased branches, and let it grow back. Cutting the tree down and casting it in the fire (Matt. 7:19) does not kill the tree, it rids it of disease. The harsh treatment allows it to grow back healthy and to produce abundant fruit again. It’s a kind of extreme pruning that will save the tree, not destroy it. When our lives bear “bad fruit”, we, too, need pruning.
6) Based on the passage in James, if we bless God while cursing those who are made in the image of God, we have a sin problem that, like my fig tree, may require drastic pruning. How have you blessed God and cursed those made in His image by your words?

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5) How might we “curse” someone without using swear words?
6) Use BLB to compare and contrast the words translated as “bless” and “curse” in James 3:9.
PRAYER PAUSE:
James refers to “my brethren” in James 3:10. It’s important to understand that James’ admonitions about the dangers of the tongue were not written to the pagan world at large. He wrote to the church, his brothers and sisters in Christ. The problem of controlling our tongue began in the garden and persists until today. Let’s pause for a moment to think about how consistent our words are with the faith we say we have.
Ask yourself:
1) Do my words and faith match, or not?
2) Do I bless God and curse my fellow believers?
3) What changes do I need to make to make my speech acceptable to God?
Pause now to ask God’s help in making your speech a blessing to God and man.

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DAY SIX: ARROGANCE AND BOASTING
A friend commented on a blog post recently. “Pride is one bad dude.” I laughed at the personification, but she was right. Pride’s bad, and it’s indulged at a high price.
Not long ago, I bemoaned the fact that I’d made a decision several years ago, and a commitment, based on the assumption that I would continue practicing medicine for years to come. It would’ve been easy to keep my commitment, if God hadn’t called me into ministry. That call, however, did not change the heavenly mandate to keep my word.
I presumed on the future and made decisions based on a presumption that was faulty. In a way, I was arrogant about my tomorrows and, according to James, that kind of arrogance is sin.
Take a few minutes to read James 4:13-16, our focus Scripture for today. (Read it aloud, as well. Hearing, as well as seeing, the words helps them to become ingrained in us.)

1. 1)  I think of arrogant boasting as a kind of “I am” statement. James broadens the definition to include “I will” statements, as well. What is the arrogant boast described in James 4:13-16?
   
2. 2)  What is the goal of the planned adventure described in these verses? (v. 13)
   
3. 3)  Making a financial profit is not sin, unless it becomes the primary goal of our lives. Using BLB, examine the word translated as “profit” in v. 13. What kind of profit did the “plan” described in James yield? What kind of profit would God prefer we pursue?
   

4) Goals and plans are also not sinful, but goals and plans must be made with the will of God in mind. What does Jeremiah 29:11 tell us about God’s plans concerning us?
5) Read Matthew 6:25-34 and Acts 18:19-21. As we make plans, what else do we need to consider?

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5) Job described our lives as “just a breath”. (Job 7:7) James (4:14) describes it as a “mist” or “vapor”. Our lives are brief, and over before we know it. No matter what assumptions we make, life can change in an instant.
How, then, should we live in terms of serving Christ? How should we live in terms of family and friends?
PRAYER PAUSE:
The question, of course, is one of priority. Whose desires and opinions drive our decisions? What is the driving force of our lives? To what do we devote the most time, attention, concern? What most often occupies our mind?
Make a list of your top four priorities. After you’ve made your list, arrange them in order of most important to least. #1 should be the priority that occupies the largest percentage of time, energy, resources, thoughts. Rank the others using a similar guide.

Are you putting first things first? Are you priorities what they should be? Take a moment to rearrange priorities if needed and make a list of actions that should be taken to get your life in line with Godly priorities.

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DAY SEVEN: SPEAKING AND JUDGING
When I attended new member class at Hope Church before joining, I was surprised by the Membership Agreement we were asked to sign. There were eight statements to which we were to agree before we presented ourselves for new membership. One of them read:
“I RECOGNIZE my responsibility to cooperate with the leadership of the Elders and staff. I will refrain from gossip. Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 4:29”
I’ve never seen such an intentional commitment associated with church membership before, but it’s certainly Biblical. Neither gossiping about fellow believers nor criticizing them are acceptable behaviors in the body of Christ, as James so eloquently points out.
There is One who will act as judge, and that is the Lord alone. (1 Cor. 4:4-5) Nowhere in the Bible are we told to judge and criticize either our neighbors or our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1. 1)  Let’s begin by reading our focus passages, James 4:11-12, James 5:9. What do these Scriptures say about criticizing fellow believers?
   
2. 2)  The word translated as “speak against” is katalaleō. Strong’s defines it as “to be a traducer”. That’s a new word for me, so I opted to include a dictionary link for you to follow. What does traducer mean?
   
3. 3)  The placement of these words directly after James’ admonition to humble ourselves is no accident. Humbling ourselves is a key element in avoiding the sin of traducing. When we see ourselves in relation to the holiness of God, we are less likely to see ourselves as higher than anyone, particularly our fellow believers. Let’s read through the definition again and ask ourselves a hard question. How have we (intentionally or unintentionally) traduced anyone?
   

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4)
5)
6)

What did Jesus say about judging others? See Matthew 7:1-5
When we speak against others, James tells us, we judge them. When we judge them, what do we also judge?
What is the “royal law” of Jesus concerning how we treat others? (See James 2:8)

When we speak in judgment against “the law”, we are, in essence, speaking against the author of that law. We, in a manner of speaking, place ourselves in the position of judge against God Himself, and that’s not a place we want to be.

7. 7)  What did Jesus say about how we are to treat our fellow believers? (Matthew 27:38-40 and Matthew 7:12)
   
8. 8)  What might cause us to speak out against others inappropriately, whether by gossip or by judgment (or both) and what should we do about it? (See 1 Peter 2:1)
   

PRAYER PAUSE:
Jesus desired obedience, first and foremost, for His followers. John 17 makes it clear that He also desired unity. When we criticize, judge, or gossip about fellow believers, we destroy the unity of our fellowship and set ourselves up as a judge of the law of Jesus. In essence, we presume to be the judge of Christ Himself. This should never be.
Ask yourself:

1. 1)  Do I gossip about others, even with what is said in terms of a “prayer request”?
   
2. 2)  How do my words about and toward others demonstrate criticism and judgment toward them?
   

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3. 3)  What changes should in my speech in order to be pleasing to Christ?
   
4. 4)  Now is a good time to join the “I will not gossip” movement. Why not repent of any previous gossip and commit to speak gossip/criticism/judgment free? Write your prayer of repentance and commitment here. Make note of the date for a reminder of your vow at a later time.
   

Here's a link to Week Three: Sin and Smarts
#James #biblestudy