James Doesn't Mess Around

-

November 12  
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produced perseverance. Let perseverance finish work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4

Beth Moore's latest Bible study is on James.  Our daughter in law is facilitating a group in her home town and loaning me the DVD's in January to do the same here at Shiloh.  Inquiring as to how it is going her reply was priceless: "James doesn't mess around, that's for sure!"

James is the half-brother of Jesus and became a leader of the church. The lessons he challenges us to learn in this book, which some think was most likely the first New Testament book ever written, are not for sissies or Sunday morning pew sitters.  This book reminds me of a banner my husband hung in our kitchen, shortly after he came to know the Lord.  "God said it, we believe it, that settles it."

The Woman of Faith Bible has this to say in an introduction of this book: "Our Actions Matter". 
"With practical guidelines and penetrating insights, James exposes the wrong motives and shaky foundations of these confused Christians.  He calls believers to live out their faith day after day, holding to God's promise to provide the wisdom to do so (James 1).  He states matter of factly that faith without corresponding deeds is "dead" (James 2).  He urges his readers to avoid self-centeredness and to be careful not to slip into gossip or hurtful words, recognizing that placing their own interests above others' displeases God (James 3). He reminds his readers that those who submit to God will come under God's care (James 4) and that prayer needs to be a priority in their lives (James 5)....Living in faith should pair adoration with action and supplication with service."

Bring on January and this exciting study.

Popular posts from this blog

She Fought the Good Fight

-
Image
February 27 Bible Gateway's verse yesterday was: This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him . 1 John 4:9 A fitting verse for the day my everyday friend, soul sister, monster of the faith and mischievous partner in crime, Kaye, left this world behind and headed to her heavenly home. My husband was able to be by her bedside and said he knew she heard the words of our faith that he shared. Her sweet daughter held the phone up to her ear so I could say good-bye and the brightest single star you have ever seen shown through my bedroom window as she exited this earth! Yesterday, my heart literally ached so badly that I told the Lord, "Take me too!" Wouldn't she have been surprised if I had snuck up on her in heaven and said, "Thought you were going somewhere without me, did ya." When we received the call she was ready to go, I called out to the Lord for comfort and He led me to the Bible Gat
Read more

Marriage Matters #1

-
Image
One of life's deepest hurts is when the one you love is unfaithful. Forty years ago, I remember an older friend, whose wife had been unfaithful and left him for another man saying to me..."Boo, I hope you never experience having the person you love and are married to, living 8 blocks away loving someone else." Deep hurt. They divorced. The wife of another friend of ours was having an affair with a fellow church member and a neighbor of theirs who lived 5 blocks away. She moved in with this man and our friend said one evening he was walking by the house where they were living together and saw them sitting at a table having a candlelight dinner. Ugh. The torment. I've always said it would be aweful to find out the person you were married to and  loved deeply loved another.  Hmm. We are the bride of Christ.  Is He our first love? 2 Peter 2:14 says: They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed
Read more

Are You Sinking... Being Tossed About?

-
Image
  A text came in from our neighbor recently, on a cold blustery day, when I was home with a stomach bug and awful headache. He said, "My canoe blew off our dock and has floated over to your shore."  And I'm thinking..."And you want me to do what?" I explained my husband was at work, but could help in the afternoon. I went to the window and could see the boat being tossed back and forth along our shore line. One minute it was close to our main dock and the next the winds had shifted and it was 200 feet in the opposite direction.  What I then realized is it had been taking on water. A text came again that he was in his car and driving around to our property.  Climbing out of my night shirt, I put on warm ups, UGGS boots and a hooded coat and limped outside to see how I could help. When I arrived to the shore line, the neighbor had tossed a 3 prong hook tied to a rope into the boat and was pulling it to the shore with one hand.  He had recently had hand surgery and
Read more