A Study in James, A Disciple and Half-Brother of Jesus
Group Member’s Guide
ISBN: 978-1-58119-151-6
By Greg W. Keylon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Greg W. Keylon, MDiv. has served with Living Free since 2010. He grew up around the ministry of Teen Challenge and saw life transformation happen on a regular basis. God called him into full-time ministry when he was 16 years old, but he followed his own path through the rest of high school and into college. Greg graduated from Memphis State University with a BBA in Management in 1992. After college, while working for FedEx and enrolled into their management training program, God revisited the call He had placed on his life. Greg immediately applied for Seminary Graduate school and in June of 2000, he graduated with a Master’s of Divinity Degree from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
He then served as the Dean of Students at Teen Challenge International Ministry Institute in Jacksonville, Florida for five years. In December of 2005, God called Greg and his wife, Ann, and their young family to Griffin, Georgia to plant a Teen Challenge residential program for teen boys ages 13-17. After five years as the founder and director of Teen Challenge Prayer Mountain Boys Academy, Greg joined the staff of Living Free in September of 2010 as the Vice President of Operations.
Married since 1993, Greg enjoys spending time with his wife and their two adult boys, Nathan and Caleb, and his extended family. Their activities include fishing, hiking, and the following Atlanta Braves baseball.
Greg loves seeing a life transformed by Christ and he believes anyone can be used by God to lead a Living Free support group bringing hope, faith and freedom into the life of individuals, families, communities and generations to come.
All rights are reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Living Free®
Communications should be addressed to: Living Free®
P.O. Box 22127 Chattanooga, TN 37422-2127
Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Preface
TO THE WALKING IN FREEDOM GROUP
The purpose of the Walking in Freedom group is to help participants live in freedom from lifecontrolling problems. To be free of hindrances or setbacks hindering their spiritual development. Our lives are shaped by the choices we make and the interaction we have with those around us including our friends and loved-ones. Our spiritual development is often hindered by the way we relate to others. This study on the book of James gives practical guidance on how we can walk out freedom from life-controlling problems. Our goal is to go forward in each session, treating Walking in Freedom as a 12-week journey toward a more peaceful, Godly way to live.
As non credentialed persons, we promise no professional psychological expertise. However, we do have a desire to see the Lord help the participants with their struggles. In some cases, people will need more assistance than what this group offers. If this happens, ask your pastor or ministry leaders where participants can be referred to professionals who are friendly to a Christ-centered approach. It is important that each person participate from start to finish. This is a journey where each session builds on the previous session.
The group should meet each week for one hour and fifteen minutes, but more time may be planned if necessary. The material is designed for twelve sessions. As a leader, be aware of the resource materials found in the Small Group Skills Guide, Living Free Team Manual, Understanding the Times and Knowing What to Do and the Living Free video training. These publications are available from Living Free Ministries on the web at LivingFree.org.
There are two things a small-group leader should remember. First, God does not expect the leader to have all the answers or to work miracles in the lives of group members—that is God’s work. Instead, the leader should simply guide the group toward the healing and solutions which the Holy Spirit provides—God will do the rest. As you meet with group members, be sensitive to their spiritual condition. Be prepared to present the plan of salvation to any who have not yet come to Christ and made Him their Savior and Lord.
The second thing the leader should remember is that Christian small groups are quite different from secular ones. Secular groups attempt to bring about “behavior modification” through peer pressure and group dynamics. Although there is a place for positive peer pressure and group dynamics in the Christian small group, there must be a change in the heart.
It is important to note that the Walking in Freedom group is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. Participants should not be advised to stop taking medication or discontinue their doctor’s care. At the conclusion of the course, it is suggested that you give information about opportunities to join another Living Free support group. It is our prayer that through participating in and completing this study, the group members will have a greater understanding of the freedom they have in Christ.
As you and your small group walk together through this study, may you discover complete freedom to walk with Christ . I want to thank the small group my wife and I lead at City Church in Chattanooga called “Keylon Family Group” where friends we call family met weekly throughout the Fall of 2020 to assist in the formation of this material. They were a source of strength.
Blessings, Greg Keylon
Getting Started
GROUP SIZE
We suggest that each Walking in Freedom group have two group leaders (facilitators) and a maximum of 12 participants. Having more than 12 may prevent some from being a part of much-needed discussion.
PREPARATION TIME
The facilitator’s material is written in an almost word-for-word dialogue. However, it is hoped that as you come to know and understand the concepts presented, you will be able to “personalize” each session to better fit your own style.
• Highlight the points you want to emphasize and make notes for yourself.
• Your group is unique—so adapt questions to their needs and situations. Be sensitive to each person who is in your group.
• Keep in mind that the answers provided in the leader’s guide for the discussion questions are there only as a tool to assist you and may not be the only “right” answers to the questions being asked.
Become thoroughly familiar with the four elements of each session:
• Introduction
• Self-Awareness
• Spiritual Awareness
• Application
You will find more detail about these on the following page.
The facilitators should meet prior to each session to pray and make final plans. They should also meet briefly after each session to discuss what happened during the meeting and go over any follow-up that may be needed.
THE WALKING IN FREEDOM GROUP MEMBER GUIDES
Before Session 1, Walking in Freedom group member guides should be distributed to each group member. Facilitators should be thoroughly familiar with the material before the first meeting.
Encourage group members to complete the appropriate assignments prior to each group meeting. Through the readings and other exercises in the group member guide, group members can come to each session better prepared for meaningful discussion.
Correlation Between Facilitator’s Guide and Group Member’s Guide
Facilitator’s Guide
This guide is designed to lead the group through the four-phase, small group format. The facilitator’s responsibility is to start the discussion, give it direction, and thereafter simply keep the discussion personal and on track.
The facilitator will prayerfully present select questions because there are usually more questions than time permits.
Although the text is presented in the Group Member’s Guide, it may not in some cases be word for word as in the Facilitator’s Guide. For example, the Introductions may be different in the two guides. The Facilitator’s Guide is directed toward opening prayer and a go-around question; whereas, the Group Member’s Guide focuses on devotions for the week which is a part of preparation for the upcoming session.
Group Member’s Guide
This guide is designed to be done as homework preparing the participant for meaningful ministry during the small group session. Although the general text is the same as Self-Awareness, Spiritual Awareness, and Application in the Facilitator’s Guide, concentration should be on the group process during the actual group experience.
It is good for the participant to bring the Group Member’s Guide to the group session; however, the participant should be more attentive to the group process rather than trying to find text or written answers in the Group Member’s Guide. Each group member should bring a Bible for meaningful study and application of God’s Word for daily living.
In a Nutshell, the Facilitator’s Guide is designed to lead the group process. The Group Member’s Guide will prepare the participant for the group meeting.
Introduction
(James 1:1)
SHARING QUESTION
Introduce yourself: State your name, where you are from and how long have you lived in your current town. Name one item in your house that you use more than most any other item.
Welcome to a study of the Book of James found in the New Testament of the Bible. James gives us practical guidance into how we can walk out hope, faith, and freedom in Christ. It is our hope that you find a rhythm to life where your thoughts, actions and feelings bring you joy, peace, and freedom.
Notice feelings were intentionally placed last in the list. It is when we want to feel good before our thoughts and behaviors become good and Godly. When we rely on our feelings, we find ourselves in dark places because we can not always feel good. But when we rely on the truths and guidance found in God’s Word, we are led to live in a way that our good thoughts guide our behavior and our good behavior creates good feelings.
Read Philippians 3:12
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
Paul is referring to his walk with Christ. His goal was to become more and more like Jesus. This is the walk of freedom. There is no such thing as perfection in our walk with Christ, but we can strive for consistency through living in a way that brings glory to God in what we say and do.
GROUP FORMAT
So what will we do here each week as we discuss and apply the truth of the book of James? Let me start by giving you an idea of what will happen during a typical meeting.
Introduction
First, we will pray together. Prayer is always appropriate during a Walking in Freedom Group meeting, especially as we begin our time together. We’ll spend a few minutes talking together and getting to know each other better. We don’t want to be a circle of strangers. However in saying that, I want to be quick to promise you that in any of our conversations here, you should never feel pressured to talk. We only want you to speak when you feel comfortable doing so. I promise to do my best never to “put you on the spot.”
Self-Awareness
Next in our meeting comes something we call our “Self-Awareness” time. This part of our meeting is designed to help us discover more about ourselves. During Self-Awareness (about 20 minutes), we will discuss some of the ideas and beliefs we have personally about being a Christian and living a life that is pleasing to God. We will examine these beliefs and see if they are in accord with the Word of God.
Spiritual Awareness
After our Self-Awareness time, we’re going to open our Bibles and discuss the Scripture passage assigned for the week. You will have studied this passage on your own before coming to the group, but we will discuss it together and as a group get feedback from each other on what we learned. We will also be looking at some questions as a group that will challenge us together to examine our beliefs and actions.
You may be tempted to look at the leaders of this group as those who have all the answers. We assure you we do not. We will be learning right along with the rest. We don’t want you to center this group around us but rather look to Christ as the center of the group and trust the Spirit of God to give insight into the Word of God.
Also remember, the goal of this group is not just to study but rather to understand the truth and be transformed in our thinking and actions. If we just learn the truth, we have not fulfilled the purpose of this group. If we learn the truth, apply it in our lives, make ourselves accountable to others, and live our lives in daily awareness of God working in us, then we have done something significant here.
This would be a good time for me to say that if you have not yet invited Christ into your life—made him your Savior—I would encourage you to ask him to come into your life as Savior and Lord. If you have questions, we would be pleased to talk with you personally about how you can have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Application
After our Bible study, we will take some time to work on applying what we have learned. We want these things we are learning to make a difference in our lives.
That should give you a general idea of what to expect when you come here each week.
GROUND RULES
Now, I want to go over some basic ground rules for our Walking in Freedom Group.
1. We want you to be here. Make every effort to be here. Make these 12 sessions a top priority in your life. Each session is important to you, and you are important to this group. In addition to what God wants to do in your life, you have a great deal to contribute to the lives of others in this group.
2. You should speak within your own comfort level. I have already mentioned this, but I want to stress that this should be a nonthreatening place. Yes, I am going to throw out a lot of questions. Think about them. Some of you will be ready to talk and answer. For others, it may take a while before you are comfortable. Don’t feel pressured.
3. There is to be confidentiality concerning anything that is shared within the group. We must be able to trust each other to maintain confidentiality. (I might add here that it is important for us to maintain the confidences of the other people in our lives too. This is not the place to tell what you know about your spouse’s problems or your children’s or your friend’s. It is not appropriate to gossip.) The only exception to maintaining confidentiality should be when a person is a danger to himself or to others.
4. Make it a commitment to prepare for each session. You have been given (or will receive) a group member’s workbook. It contains some written questions and bible reading assignments that will get you ready for what we will be doing during our sessions here. Your workbook is a private place—just between you and God. No one else ever needs to read what you have written there. Do take time to let God work in your life during the week as you prepare for our time together.
5. Spend time alone with God every day. Included in the workbook are some suggestions for how you might spend approximately thirty minutes a day in bible reading, meditating on God’s Word, and in prayer. That time alone with God could be the most significant element of participation in this group.
6. Keep in mind that this group is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. We never advise anyone to stop taking prescribed medications or cancel their doctor’s care.
Through the course of our Spiritual Awareness studies, we are going to look at the book of James, Chapters 1-5.
This is a very special portion of God’s Word that gets right to the heart of our struggles in living the Christian life as well as the promise that God gives that he will see us through. If you understand Romans, you will have a true view of the Christian life.
Over the next nine weeks, we will look at this book with a special emphasis on how we can apply its truths to living a life that is pleasing to God. Take a look now at the topics in the Table of Contents to get an idea of the progression of the study.
Session 1 — Introduction (James 1:1)
Session 2 — Endurance for Our Faith Journey (James 1:1-18)
Session 3 — A Matter of the Heart (James 1:19-26)
Session 4 — Equality (James 2:1-13)
Session 5 — Putting Feet to your Faith (James 2:14-26)
Session 6 — Taming the Tongue (James 3:1-12)
Session 7 — Wisdom from the Right Place (James 3:13-18)
Session 8 — Walking Close to God (James 4:1-10)
Session 9 — Encourage Others and Depend on God (James 4:11-17)
Session 10 — Be Generous (James 5:1-6)
Session 11 — Patient Endurance (James 5:7-12
Session 12 — The Power of Prayer, Confession and Restoration (James 5:13-19)
You can see there is a progression through the book, one session building upon the previous one. Also, the study is very relevant to the life of anyone who desires to mature in Christ.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Timothy states “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” NLT
We usually don’t mind the teaching aspect, but the correction we don’t often prefer.
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
James is a book written around AD 66 in a time when believers were being persecuted and the culture and political environment were in chaos. Who was James?
What experiences did James have that made his writings included in the Bible?
Read James 1:1
“This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”— Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!”
Who was the audience of the book of James?
What was the purpose of this book?
APPLICATION
As we begin this journey of walking in freedom, remember that we will face difficulties, but with Jesus, we can overcome the challenges ahead. People in the early church were persecuted and criticized, but they held onto the hope that their faith in Christ would help them keep an eternal perspective.
In our journey of faith and freedom, let’s hold on to our relationship with Jesus through the ups and downs of life. If you have not already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please consider it and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to create a clean heart in you. Freedom starts with faith in Christ.
CLOSING PRAYER
Endurance for Our Faith Journey (James 1:1-18)
SHARING QUESTION
For those who are new to the group this week, introduce yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been in your current city?
For Everyone: Name your favorite city that you have ever visited and why?
Have you ever been on a long walk or jog and you have to stop and catch your breath? Many times we try to start a regular exercise routine when we stop because we can’t breathe. With most any good healthy habit, there is a point where we must cross to start receiving the benefit of the good habit. It has been said that it takes 14 days of commitment to any good habit before it becomes a lifestyle. The challenge is that it only takes one poor decision to set us back. James, in the first part of his letter to believers in Christ is to be consistent in their faith journey. Not perfect, but consistent. Have you ever heard the phrase, “No pain, no gain?”
This phrase creates all kinds of emotions of disappointment and frustration and maybe some good feelings. In the first few verses of his letter, James is laying out to believers that when we endure discomfort, we begin to develop Godly character which gives us a better experience in our faith journey.
James expresses the fact that God is more concerned about our character than our comfort, He is more concerned about our holiness(right living) than our happiness. James expresses a concept called endurance.
What are some examples of cultural pressures that would cause us to look for our happiness vs. our right living?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Many people start their spiritual journey with hopes and dreams of how everything in life should turn out. Some people are even told that the new believer’s life will be full of roses and all good things. We soon discover that the life of Christ includes joys but also includes disappointments and difficulties because we still live in an evil world.
What do we do with this new reality? How can we live like Christ and still live in the world?
The beloved disciple of Jesus called John expresses this very well in 1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.(NLT)
What does John encourage us to do in order to keep our faith in God strong?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 1:2-4
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (NLT)
In this passage James tells us that we are to expect troubles in our faith journey, but it is how we respond to those challenges that makes the difference in our lives.
Why should we look at troubles as an opportunity for great joy?
Jesus told the disciples in John 16:33
33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.](AMP)
Describe the peace that Jesus is talking about in this passage.
Nicky Gumble, founder of the Alpha course said, “Every storm is a school. Every trial is a test. Every experience is an education. Every difficulty is for your development.”
Joyce Meyer writes, ‘I finally realized that God was not going to do things my way. He placed people and situations in my life that caused me to want to quit this whole process, and he did not want an argument from me. He only wanted to hear, “Yes, Lord. Your will be done.”’
The testing of our faith produces good things in our life. We begin to learn how to deal with difficult situations by asking God to help us and give us strength and wisdom.
WISDOM’S CALL
Read James 1:5-8
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
In the middle of our trials, we need wisdom. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth. There are many places where people attempt to get wisdom.
Name two places the world tells us to seek wisdom
Where does the Bible say to seek wisdom?
Read John 16:13
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (NLT)
As Eugene Peterson says: “Wisdom is not primarily about knowing the truth, although it certainly includes that; it is skill in living.”
PERSPECTIVE FOR ENDURANCE
Read James 1:9-11
9 Believers who are[b] poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
According to James, how should we look at life so we can have endurance through the trials?
Those who don’t have material riches in this life should look forward to their heavenly riches. Those who have material wealth in this life should humble themselves and be thankful for what they have, give to those in need and desire more of Jesus so they don’t learn to depend on their earthly riches.
Both poverty and riches are a test of faith.
Read James 1:12-15
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,[c] and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
What is the reward for the believer who has the endurance to overcome temptation?
Where does temptation come from?
Someone once said, “Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.” Temptation is when we feel like doing the wrong thing. Temptation itself is not a sin. Rather, it is a call to battle.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 1:16-18
16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
In the light of this passage, how should we face temptation and the challenges of life?
Every time we feel like doing the wrong thing and choose to do the right thing, we grow in maturity, strength and wisdom.
Galatians 6:9
So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. (NLT)
In this passage, Paul just explained about sowing and reaping. When we do the right thing, we not only grow in maturity, but we also have an opportunity to experience good things that come with doing the right thing. Things like the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians chapter 5. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Don’t do good just to get, but the by-product of doing good is that you will experience your faith journey in a sweeter way.
CLOSING PRAYER
A Matter of the Heart (James 1:19-26)
SHARING QUESTION
If you are new to the group, state your name, where you are from and how long have you lived in your current city.
Where is your go to place when you just need to get away for a moment of peace and why is this a place of peace for you?
One of the major tests of our character is the tongue. What we say can either bring life or death according to Proverbs 18:21
It is not only what we say, but how we say it that either brings destruction or brings encouragement. In these verses, James is encouraging us to listen more and talk less. It has been said that God created humans with two ears and one mouth so that should tell us that we should listen more.
Have you ever heard someone say, “If you don’t have anything good to say then don’t say anything at all.” Some would argue with this statement saying, “We have to be real with our feelings and if we don’t say something, we might explode.” This is contrary to the Word of God in the sense that we must listen more and talk less.
When we listen more, we often realize there may have been a misinterpretation of what we thought someone said. But if all we do is express our feelings by talking, there is no chance of really hearing the truth.
What is the importance of listening more?
How do we listen more and talk less?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
We listen not as a technique to influence someone else, but as a way of being open to and sensitive to another person. One of the greatest needs people have is to be heard. Have you ever heard someone say or say to someone yourself, “Please lend an ear?”
When others say things to us that we do not welcome, how do we respond, especially in high-pressure situations? If we get angry, does this make our position better or worse?
Is it better to be right or keep a relationship right, Explain?
There is usually not a time when getting angry makes a situation better but often makes our position worse and reduces our witness for Christ.
Read Ephesians 4:6
“But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day.” (TPT)
What does this verse say about how we are to handle ourselves in a disagreement?
Read Proverbs 15:1
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (NIV)
What does this verse say about how we are to respond to someone’s anger?
It is always much better to trust that God will defend our position, rather than defending it ourselves.
How do we let God defend our position while we are in a high-stress situation?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Let’s look into what James says about listening to others and listening to God through His Word.
Read James 1:19-21
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. (NIV)
Look how The Passion Translation expresses this verse:
19 My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, 20 for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose. 21 So this is why we abandon everything morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct. Instead, with a sensitive spirit we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us.
James is expressing a time when Jewish believers were literally having shouting matches with unbelievers. There were political, economic and ethnic tensions throughout the region. Does this sound familiar?
Every generation throughout all history has had to deal with the same tensions. What we do with these tensions, as believers, will determine how unbelievers will perceive our faith. Remember from a previous passage, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up arguments.” Proverbs 15:1 (NLT) Is there any time that it is appropriate to get angry? How should we handle this kind of anger?
What does James tell us to do after his instruction on listening more and talking less?
How does the Word of God help us to live out our faith?
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 1:22-26
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
What does this passage say about applying the Word of God to our lives?
What activities must we put into our lives so we can do what the Word of God says?
Read Proverbs 4:23
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Remember, it is a matter of the heart. Out of our heart flows either hatred or kindness and love. When we diligently put the Word of God into our heart each day, then it’s the Word of God that will respond to the hatred of this world and in turn will show people the love of Christ.
What are some ways that we can guard our hearts?
Memorize the following verse this week:
Psalm 19:14
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”(NIV)
CLOSING PRAYER
Equality
(James 2:1-13)
INTRODUCTION
OPENING PRAYER
SHARING QUESTION
Name a person in your life that you respect the most and why do you respect them?
SELF-AWARENESS
In many generations throughout time, there has been a perception by some that they are more superior than others. They may believe in having status or promotion because of where they were born or the color of their skin. This has been a struggle for humanity for all of human history.
Why are there people who think they are better than others?
Many people don’t have a concept of discrimination or racism because of the Christ-like home where they were raised, but all too often, we see discrimination in our society. Some people were raised to accept everyone no matter the color of their skin or their background.
Which type of home were you raised in? Acceptance of everyone or discrimination?
No where in the Bible does it say that one person is better than another person based on the color of their skin, their beliefs or any other factors. Jesus came into this world to save the lost. That means everyone. This could have been the very reason Jesus picked disciples that would not be considered the “elite” of the day. Jesus chose men who had challenges according to the world’s standards, but he saw their heart and desire to know the truth and to live out their passion for Christ.
Have you ever had an experience of discrimination or have seen people hate just because someone was different than them?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Read I Corinthians 1: 26-29
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
What do these verses say about favoritism from the world’s viewpoint and God’s viewpoint?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 2:1-13
2 My dear brothers and sisters,[a] how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?
5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
What do these verses say about favoritism? Is favoritism the same as prejudice?
Why do some people have prejudice or favoritism in their heart?
How can we encourage others to serve and love all people?
APPLICATION
Much of the time people in the world see with materialistic eyes. And this blindness to eternal things feeds their partiality and prejudice. We must take off our blinders and see with new eyes, God’s eyes. Have you ever been caught up with what co-workers are saying about another person? What are we to do in this situation?
We are to see people how God sees them. God sees the heart.
In I Samuel 16:7, The prophet had been called on to find the next King of Israel. He visited the house of Jesse and began to compare candidates against what the people wanted and what other nations had in a King. Samuel was looking for a tall handsome young man who looked intimidating.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Let’s be a people who look at others through God’s eyes of love and acceptance.
CLOSING PRAYER
Putting Feet to your Faith
(James 2:14-26)
INTRODUCTION
OPENING PRAYER
SHARING QUESTION
Name and describe one person in your life who has demonstrated their faith journey in their everyday life. SELF-AWARENESS
St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”
This statement is a reminder that our faith must be walked out in everyday life. At the workplace, in the grocery store, at home at extended family gatherings and all aspects of our life. If your family was asked the question if you are the same person at home as you are in public, what would be their answer? This is a tough question, but one that needs to be answered in our own lives.
Read Psalms 139:23-24.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (NIV)
God wants us to be consistent in our faith journey so people around us can see Jesus in us. James was telling the New Testament believers that there must be action to our faith.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
As followers of Jesus, we are called to live differently. Your faith must be evidenced by your deeds. All the way through the New Testament, these two go together. As do words and actions; proclamation and demonstration; the conversion of individuals and the transformation of society.
There has been a shift in the church for many years. It is no longer okay to just sit and be a spectator in church. Dr. Mike Chapman once said, “The Church is the only organization that was established for people other than themselves, yet we live as though the Church was established just for the believer.”
There have been outreaches over the last several years titled, “The Church has left the Building.” Many people have caught onto this concept and look toward the social justice aspect of helping some cause or what they believe to be an injustice.
These are all good endeavors as long as we keep Christ at the center. The danger of moving more toward social justice endeavors is that we tend to share the Gospel message less and let our works do all the talking. We must do both.
What are some good social justice projects you have seen or experienced?
What are some good evangelism outreaches you have experienced?
Can these things be combined? How?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Isn’t it crazy to think of “God-talk without God-action? How many times have we seen or experienced this?
There are many seasons of life where we live in difficult times. How we react to these difficulties can let others see Jesus through us.
A few years ago, there was a song written and produced by John Mark Hall called “Hand and Feet of Christ.” One of the lines says, “If we are the Body, why aren’t Why aren’t His arms reaching? Why aren’t His hands healing? Why aren’t His words teaching? And if we are the body Why aren’t His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way?”
As believers, we are the Body of Christ. Let’s see what James has to say about being the Body.
Read James 2:14-26
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
According to verses 14-18 what are we called to do?
In verses 19-20, What does James compare people to that believe in God, but do not translate their faith into doing good?
In verses 21-24, Describe the example James uses to show our faith must have hands and feet to help others?
Why is it important for James to share the story of Rahab in relation to faith translating to good works?
If our faith does not change how we live, is it real faith at all?
Faith and works go hand and hand. (Read Verses 17-18)
What are practical ways we can put hands and feet to our faith?
As John Calvin put it, ‘Faith alone justifies, but faith which justifies is never alone.’ You cannot earn your salvation. You are not saved by your good works, but you are saved in order to do good works (Ephesians 2:9–10). The book of James does not contradict the apostle Paul (as some have suggested). James’ point is not that you can earn your salvation by good deeds. Rather, he is saying that genuine faith will be evidenced by how you live.
CLOSING PRAYER
Taming the Tongue (James
3:1-12)
INTRODUCTION
SHARING QUESTION
Name one thing you have discovered about yourself or others over the last few sessions of this group?
What is one of your favorite phrases or sayings and why?
Community and connection are prime ways of providing unity. Unity is defined as the state of being joined as a whole. The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than disunity and confusion.
What does having community and connection mean to you?
Can we have community without being together in person? Explain
One thing that either enhances community and connection or begins to erode it is the power of words. The old adage that says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones,but words will never kill me.”may be true at times in the immediate sense, but untrue in the long range. What we say can encourage and bring life. Words can also bring anger and bitterness.
We live in a day and age in social media where people do not have apprehension about what they say. When face to face, people are usually less likely to bash another person with their words, but since online comments seem more protected, people feel more empowered to say whatever that comes to their mind. There are fewer filters on thinking before speaking because people believe there are no consequences to their words.
There have been many reports of online bullying where a person feels so low about themselves because of what is said about them that they have committed suicide. Authorities are arresting people for the comments they are saying online that lead to the suicide of others. There are consequences to the words we use.
Read Proverbs 18:21
Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say. (CEV)
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
God wants us to have good Godly connections. There is something spiritual that occurs when people connect in unity. More can be accomplished when we are in unity. One of the main ingredients for unity is the way we use ourwords with each other.
James, in our passage for this session, describes the importance of learning to control our words or as he puts it, taming our tongues so community and connection can be established and sustained. Similar to team sports, when we come together in unity through Christ, we accomplish more for the Gospel than when we try to do things alone.
What are some words we should use to bring community and connection?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
There is power in connection and community.
Read James 3:1-12
ALLOW MINUTES 25
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in thechurch, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same
way,the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness,corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely,my brothers and sisters,this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs?No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
In verse 2, what is James telling us?
In verses 3-5 how does James describe the tongue?
APPLICATION
Verse 8 in the message translation states,
ALLOW MINUTES 25
“By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it,smoke right from the pit of hell.”
Stressful moments seem to be the most difficult times to control our tongues.
By our tongue, we can unite or divide. What a powerful way we can bring life to the community by bringing people together through our words.
Name one practical way we can control our tongue.
CLOSING PRAYER
Wisdom from the Right Place
(James 3:13-18)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord, we pray for all those in this group. Bless their families and watch over them. You said in your Word if we lack wisdom, we should ask you for wisdom and you will give it to us. Today, we are asking for your wisdom to help us in our daily walk with you. In Jesus name, Amen. SESSION
SHARING QUESTION
Who is the wisest person you have known and why do you think they are wise?
SELF-AWARENESS
It has been said that to get knowledge, we start at the simple and progress to the complex. To gain wisdom, we start at the complex and progress to the simple. This is usually the opposite of the way most people think. When we are faced with a challenging issue, we tend to seek more knowledge to find a solution.
Wisdom would tell us to seek the simple things for a solution. It is usually when we stop trying to “fix” the problem and let someone outside of ourselves to help that we find a solution to the problem.
Christian Theologian and author, J. I. Packer once said, “Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty. Acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts,and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.” It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we can find God’s wisdom.
What areas of your life have you tried to “fix” with more knowledge?
When was the last time you reached out for help in times of trouble?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Looking at your current situation, name at least two people you influence.
Name one person who influences you.
We can either be a good influence or a bad influence. In our passage for this session, James is trying to encourage us in our practical walk with Christ to be a good influencer. Whether we think it or not, we all influence someone. James wants us to be aware that we need God’s wisdom to be a good influence on others.
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
How would you describe the word wisdom?
Read James 3:13-18
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
In verses 13-16, what are the two types of wisdom described?
In verses 17-18, name and describe the words used for wisdom that comes from above.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
What can we do this week to gain wisdom from God?
James answers this question in a previous passage.
Read James 1:5
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
First, we must ask God for wisdom.
Second, we must do our best to get along with everyone.
How do we get along with others?
What does a peacemaker do?
In Matthew 5:9, Jesus calls peacemakers blessed. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (NIV)
Wisdom is choosing to do now what you will be satisfied with later. In conclusion, how do we get wisdom?
1. Ask God.
2. Become Peacemakers.
3. Hang around wise people.
CLOSING PRAYER
WALKING IN FREEDOM
SESSION
Walking Close to God (James 4:1-10)
INTRODUCTION
OPENING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us your wisdom in dealing with life circumstances. Help us to keep asking for your wisdom every day so we can be skilled in knowing the right choices to make.
SHARING QUESTION
If there has ever been a time in your life when you took walks, where was your favorite place to walk?
SELF-AWARENESS
Human nature is selfish to the core. You don’t have to observe a baby for very long before you know when they want something. We don’t have to learn selfish ways because we were all born with a sin nature. Before sin entered the world through Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humans had a great relationship with God. There is an indication in Genesis chapter 3 that God walked in the garden so we could understand this to say God was close to Adam and Eve.
Now, was this a literal walking in a physical sense? Maybe or maybe not, but the point is that Adam and Eve had a good relationship with their creator up until Satan deceived them into believing they would be as wise as God if they were to eat of the fruit from the tree that God commanded them not to eat. The first sin against God was of selfishness to think humans could be as wise as God and live forever.
Throughout human history, people have tried to trust only on their own wisdom and have created a world in which there is division among nations, people groups and even families.
James, in our passage for today, is trying to tell us that unless we walk closely with God, we will have a tendency to move toward selfishness and create division in our relationships.
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Let’s read about a couple of people who walked closely with God:
Read Genesis 5:22 & 24
“Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters.” “walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” Enoch walked so closely with God that he was spared the path of a physical death
Read Genesis 6:9
“This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.”
Imagine being the only blameless person living on this earth. That would be crazy. Let’s be thankful that we have others around us who are walking with God.
What does it mean to you to hear the phrase, “walking with God?”
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Now James explains this idea of walking with God by stating what happens when we do not walk with God. The culture in James’ day as stated in chapter one of our study was in chaos. There were believers having conflicts with unbelievers bringing division to communities and even the church.
If you have been in church long enough, you have unfortunately experienced some division or conflict. It is human nature to be selfish and seek our own way.
James, in these passages, is giving us a glimpse into what was happening in the early 1st Century Church. His concern was for unity and a demonstration of God’s power to show unbelievers that people of faith are different from people in the world. People all around were in heated discussions about all sorts of culturally relevant events and justice at all cost was spreading throughout the region. Our world has not changed much in all these years. Our world still believes that it is more important to be “right” than to have good relationships.
Read James 4:1-10
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
In verses 1-3, what is James describing?
What do verses 4-7 tell us not to do and to do?
What advice is James giving us in verses 8-10?
APPLICATION
How do we walk close to God?
What does the phrase “Draw near” mean to you?
Read John 15:5
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.
What does it mean to “remain in Jesus?”
Read Psalms 91
Pray this over yourself and your family.
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
WALKING IN FREEDOM
SESSION
Encourage Others and Depend on God (James 4:11-17)
SHARING QUESTION
If you had the choice of a 30 minute conversation with anyone in history, who would it be and why? INTRODUCTION
In our study of James and his practical lessons on walking our faith journey with Christ, we have already learned that our words can bring life or death. Our words are so powerful that James, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, determined to use words pertaining to the use of our words to bring encouragement to those around us.
Have you ever heard someone say something about you that was not true?
How did that make you feel?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
LEAD
IN
As we recognize our own shortcomings, we realize that we are in no position to judge anyone else. The best way to forget the faults of others is to remember our own.
Read Matthew 7:1-3
7 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
What is Jesus telling us in this passage?
What practical advice is Jesus giving us?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Read James 4:11-12
ALLOW MINUTES 25
11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
What is James telling not to do in verses 11-12?
What does it mean to speak evil against each other? Give some examples.
What should we do instead of gossiping?
God wants us to give people grace when they stumble in their faith journey. This does not mean we are to enable them, but to offer them another chance to get back up and journey along with Christ. Grace and Mercy should be our first reaction to someone’s failure, not judgement or criticism. Grace is giving someone what they do not deserve while mercy is not giving someone what they deserve. When we walk this practical life of Christ, we are first extending grace and mercy.
Read James 4:13-16
13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
What practical advice is James giving us in verses 13-16?
Make sure God is included in our plans. God wants to be our friend and involved in everything we do.
Read Matthew 6:33
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
What advice is Jesus giving us in this passage?
Read James 4:17
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
In the context of this passage, what is James telling us in verse 17?
List two practical things we can do this week so we don’t gossip about others? APPLICATION
List two practical things we can do this week so that we include God in our plans?
This is how we walk with God and walk in freedom.
WALKING IN FREEDOM
SESSION
Be Generous (James 5:1-6)
INTRODUCTION
OPENING PRAYER
SHARING QUESTION
Who is the most generous person you have ever met?
SELF-AWARENESS
Generosity comes naturally for a person who is walking with God. It has been said that you know when a person has been transformed and touched by Jesus when they go from being a taker to being a giver.
My Father founded a Living Free ministry called Transformation Project several years ago. The mission of the ministry has always been to make disciples of Jesus Christ by transforming the lives of addiction-related offenders, their families and future generations through the power of God,thereby reducing repeat offenses and crime. This ministry offers support groups inside the walls of the local county jail and then offers support groups for the participants and their families after they get out of jail. There have been many testimonies over the years about how God transformed a person’s life and touched their entire family. The heart of the matter is really the matter of the heart. Motives play a huge role in generosity.
Remember, in our passage for this lesson, James is speaking to followers of Christ. These believers were beginning to depend on their riches to satisfy them instead of God. They were hoarding their wealth and not sharing with those in need. God has established spiritual laws on many things, but Jesus spoke more about money than any other topic combined.
Why do you think Jesus spoke about money more than any other topic?
Generosity includes money, but what other ways can we be generous?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Generosity is encouraged in the Word of God.
Read Proverbs 19:17
“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!”
Why is generosity so much encouraged in the Bible?
One of the obstacles to the power of God in our life is trusting in our wealth instead of trusting in the one who owns everything. In our faith journey, we must continually depend on God and have the right perspective on money. In some ways, faith and wealth are like oil and water. They don’t often mix well together.
Read the story of the Rich man in Matthew 19:23-25
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person
to enter the Kingdom of God!” 25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Why do you think it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 5:1-6
5 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
Is there anything wrong with being rich?
What is James trying to get us to avoid?
The idea here is that it is not wrong with having things as long as things don’t have you. In other words, if you have wealth, be generous to those in need. Give a tithe to your home church and then give offerings to people and projects that you trust and desire to help.
Western societies are more wealthy than 90% of the people in the world. Some may say they can not afford to be generous with their money. I would say everyone can be generous with their time, talent, and treasure.
Read Luke 21:1-4
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. 3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Who gave more to God, the rich people or the widow? Why?
The motive of the matter is more important than the size of the gift. James is telling people to get our hearts right in giving and being generous with what God has given us. If we have a little, give a little. If we have a lot, give a lot. It’s all about our attitude in being generous. Give of our treasure through offerings, give of our time through volunteer opportunities and being there for people when they need us and give of our talents when the need arises.
Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
What is Timothy telling us in this passage?
In our passage for this session, James is being very bold in making sure people who had resources were content with their wealth and to give pay for those who worked for them.
In Jewish culture, to withhold a person’s paycheck was to risk that person’s life and the life of their family since many workers depended on daily pay to provide food for their family.
James was so bold in standing up for the poor, that he was labeled James,“the Just.” He was even martyred by the religious leaders for standing up for the poor against the behavior of the rich. You could say he was a First Century social justice leader.
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
Jesus was so generous with us that he gave his life for us. Generosity comes from the heart and pours out so others can see Jesus through us.
Name some examples of being generous even when we don’t have much money to give.
How can we get involved in standing up for justice in our society?
CLOSING PRAYER
WALKING IN FREEDOM
SESSION
Patient Endurance
(James 5:7-12)
INTRODUCTION
OPENING PRAYER
SHARING QUESTION
Who is the most patient person you have ever known and what qualities did they have other than patience?
SELF-AWARENESS
Have you ever been frustrated by waiting on something or someone? We generally live in a culture where we can have many things fast or in an instant. Think about it…we have high speed internet, fast food, food delivery within 30-minutes, overnight shipping and even some have same day shipping. We have been conditioned to get what we want quickly.
James is teaching us in today’s passage that there is value in waiting patiently. In the context of this passage, James just finished basically yelling at rich believers for not being generous with paying their employees. Now he turns to the workers and says, be patient. The Lord will fight for you.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to wait patiently for something? Describe it.
Read Romans 5:3-5
3-5 There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling short changed. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (The Message)
What is there to learn when we wait patiently?
What is virtue and why do we need it?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Have you ever asked God for patience? God says that when we have a need, we should ask Him. But when we ask for patience, be ready for opportunities for the testing of our patience because it is in the testing that we have an opportunity to have our patience grow.
In our study of James, we read in the first session that patience is something that has to be produced from the testing of our faith.
Read James 1:2-3
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV)
Some translations use the word “perseverance” or “endurance” for the word “patience.”
What does “endurance” or “perseverance” mean to you?
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS ALLOW MINUTES 25
Read James 5:7-12
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!
For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
In verses 7-8, what is James referring to as the Lord’s return?
Have you ever had a situation where you decided to handle it before asking God to fight your battle? How did it turn out?
When we face situations where we feel like taking control of the situation and handling it ourselves, James is saying to take a step back and ask God to intervene. God wants to fight our battles for us if we will let Him.
There is a worship song called, “Surrounded” written by Elyssa Smith of the worship group Upper room and sung by Michael W. Smith. The message in this song is that we are to fight out battles in prayer and worship to our Heavenly Father who desires to help us. I love the line in the song that says,“This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by you (God).” When we face struggles and battles with people and situations, let’s give those pressures to God and let Him fight for us.
There is another song produced and performed by Yolanda Adams. The title of the song is called “The Battle is the Lord’s.” One line in the song says,“There’s no pain Jesus can’t heal, no heart he can not hear. All things work according to his perfect will. Whatever you’re going through, remember God is using you, for the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord’s.
Read Romans 8:31
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us,who can ever be against us?
What does this verse tell us?
APPLICATION ALLOW MINUTES 25
It is not easy letting God handle our battles. Human nature is to fight or flight when we are faced with challenges. It takes practice and prayer to let go and let God handle difficulties for us.
According to our passage in James for this session, what happens to our character when we patiently endure difficult situations?
When we patiently endure, God develops good thoughts and behaviors in our life like love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as found in Galatians chapter 5.
Name some practical things we can do to let God fight for us?
CLOSING PRAYER
WALKING IN FREEDOM
The Power of Prayer, Confession and Restoration
(James 5:13-19)
SHARING QUESTION
What is one thing you appreciate about this group?
As we conclude our study on the letter written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, we see some powerful closing statements. When concluding any letter, e-mail, text or other forms of communication, we usually want to finish by emphasizing an important action or theme of the letter. James emphasizes the importance of prayer, confession and restoration.
All through James, he is encouraging us to keep our relationship with God priority in our faith journey. We must choose to walk so closely with God that we feel hunger pains if we don’t have our time with Him each day. Did you know that you can develop spiritual hunger pains? This is when we have developed such a habit of spending time reading the Bible and praying daily that if we miss a day, we feel it. This is a good kind of habit.
These last few words from James, describes the importance of maintaining our good and consistent relationship with God and with others. This is how we walk in freedom.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
When should we pray?
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS LEAD IN
Have you ever had troubles that you could not see the outcome? Have you ever felt depressed because you did not have hope? James is telling us in today’s passage that we should pray no matter our troubles. It has been said we have to “pray through” when we face trouble. There is a great acronym for pray. It is called PUSH. “Pray Until Something Happens.” Don’t stop praying until we see God move.
Watchman Nee wrote, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.”
There is power when we pray. Prayer is connecting God’s will to our situation. God cares enough to listen when we talk to him. In our passage for today, James is encouraging us to pray in all situations.
Read Philippians 4:6
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
What should we pray about?
How should we pray?
There is an honest desperation about this prayer. Don’t try to gloss over the difficulties of your situation, but instead recognize your dependence on God for help.
SPIRITUAL-AWARENESS
Read James 5:13-20
ALLOW MINUTES 25
13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
In verses 13-15, what is James telling us to do?
Do you believe in the power of prayer to heal those who are sick?
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Did you know as a follower of Christ, you have the power to pray for the sick to recover? All we have to do is ask God and according to His will, he will heal those who are sick. Does this mean God heals every time? Not always. Sometimes, God allows sickness and death to bring new life.
Let me explain. There have been people who have lost loved-ones in a tragic way, but many people became followers of Christ through times of grief. God does not cause tragedies but we live in an evil world. God uses all things for His glory.
Have you seen God turn a tragic situation around for His glory? Explain.
In the first part of verse 16, What is James encouraging us to do?
Does it feel natural to confess our sins to one another? Why or Why Not?
Why is it important to confess our sins to each other?
In the second part of verse 16 and all of verse 17, what does James encourage us to do when we pray? Why?
In verses 19 and 20, What is James encouraging us to do when someone begins to leave their faith in Christ?
APPLICATION
ALLOW MINUTES 25
The readers of this letter are clearly going through difficult times. James encourages them to ‘be patient and to stand firm’ (James 5:8). He points to Job as an example of someone who was patient in the face of suffering, and persevered (v.11a). He reminds them that ‘the Lord is full of compassion and mercy’ (v.11b).
Pray in all circumstances:
• If you are hurting
‘Is any one of you in trouble? You should pray’ (v.13a).
It has been said that ‘most of us have much trouble praying when we are in little trouble, but little trouble praying when we’re in much trouble.’
• If you are feeling great
‘Is anyone happy? Sing songs of praise’ (v.13b).
St. Augustine said that ‘the thought of you(God) stirs [a person] so deeply that [they] cannot be content unless [they] praise you.’
• If you are sick
‘Is any one of you sick? Call the elders…’ (v.14).
Of course, God often heals with the cooperation of the medical profession. But also expect God to heal miraculously today.
• If you have sinned
There is no automatic link between sin and sickness. However, we cannot rule out the possibility. James says here, ‘If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed’ (vv.15b–16).
Confessing our sins to each other and praying for each other helps in the process of healing and restoration. When things in our lives are kept hidden in the dark they can have a destructive power. When we bring them out into the light, we walk in freedom.
This does not necessarily mean that you have to tell the whole world. But be encouraged to find at least one person you can trust and with whom you can be totally honest, vulnerable and unburden yourself.
Is there anything you would like to confess to this group to unburden yourself?
What can we do this week to apply God’s power through prayer, confession and restoration?
From all of us at Living Free, we hope you have enjoyed this journey through the letter from James, a disciple and half-brother of Jesus. Remember, our faith walk is a marathon, not a sprint. Apply the principles in this material as often as possible and you and I will grow to become more like Christ and show others the light of Jesus so they too will want to follow Him.
You can walk in freedom because of what God has done in providing Jesus for our salvation and the Holy Spirit for our comfort, peace, and direction.
Apply the principles found in this study every day and you will walk in freedom.
CLOSING PRAYER
The Plan of Salvation
Is there any good reason why you cannot receive Jesus Christ right now?
How to receive Christ:
1. Admit your need (that you are a sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the dead.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit (receive Him as Savior and Lord).
What to Pray
Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness.
I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins.
I am willing to turn from my sins.
I now invite Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal savior.
I am willing, by God’s strength, to follow and obey Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life.
Date
Signature
The Bible says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.” John 1:12
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
• When we receive Christ, we are born into the family of God through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. This process is called regeneration or the new birth.
• Share your decision to receive Christ with another person.
• Connect to a local church.
Quotes and References
Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Letters of James and Peter, Revised Ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Westminster Press, 1976.
Draper, Edythe. Drapers’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992.
Gumbel, Nicky. Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel. Bible.com https://my.bible.com/users/gkeylon/reading-plans/17704-bible-in-one-year-2020-with-nickygumbel/subscription/433670763.2020
Kaiser, Walter C. Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch, Editors. Hard Sayings of the Bible. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament. DownersGrove,I llinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Marshall, I. Howard, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer,D. J. Wisman, Editors. New Bible Dictionary. Third Ed. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
Martin, Ralph P., and Peter H. Davids, Editors. Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments. InterVarsity Press, 1997.
