Book of James - Overview

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

July 15, 2012


 *WEEK 19 - MAY 6-12 - JAMES: PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY*


 *MAY 6**. **1:18 (**1:1-18**)**. WISDOM: PATH TO PERFECTION.** “With
intent he brought us forth by **the** word of truth, that we be a kind of
firstfruits of his :creatures” **(NNT)**. *Father, You have made Jesus Your
true firstfruits, the beginning of Your New Creation. And You have begotten
us in Him, so that as members of His body, we too have a firstfruits
ministry. *Hallowed be Your Name!*


 *MAY 7**. **1:27 (**1:19-27**)**. WISDOM: HIGHWAY TO HOLINESS. ** “Pure
religion and undefiled before **our** God and Father is this, to visit
orphans and widows in their :affliction, **and** to keep oneself unspotted
from the world.” *Wisdom with You, Father, is the practical outworking of
one after Your own heart. It is a life of good works flowing out of faith
and love: a life with you in Messiah as our holiness shining through! *Your
:kingdom come!*


 *MAY 8**. **2:12-13 (**2**)**. WISDOM IN THE CHURCH. ** “So speak, and so
do, as those to be judged by a law of liberty. **13 **For the judgment **is*
* without mercy to him that has shown no mercy: mercy glories against
judgment.” *Righteous judgment without respect of persons, flowing forth
from a life of faith: THIS is the life that pleases You, Father. We accept
Your wisdom in this. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *MAY 9**. **3:6 (**3**)**. WISDOM IN THE TONGUE.** “And the tongue is a
fire: the world of :iniquity among our :members in the tongue, which
defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the path of :nature, and is set on
fire by :geenna.” *Father, here You clearly show us the terrible
seriousness of the uncontrolled tongue. How we so often sin against You and
our fellow man by this unbridled tongue. *Our :daily :bread Give us this
day.*


 *MAY 10**. **4:7-8a (**4:1-12**)**. WISDOM IN SPIRITUAL WA**R**FARE**. “Be
subject therefore to :God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
**8a** Draw nigh to :God, and he will draw nigh to you.” * Here Father, by
Your Spirit, You have given us three simple principles whereby we can
succeed in spiritual warfare: submission to You; resisting the devil;
drawing near to You. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven
our :debtors.*


 *MAY 11**. **4:17 (**4:13-5:6**)**. WISDOM IN PLANNING AND RICHES. **“To
him therefore that knows to do good, and does not, to him it is sin.” *Do
we believe this? Does the sin of omission come against us, Father? Help us
to search our hearts. Convict us by Your Spirit. Make us like Nathaniel, a
man without guile; like David, a man after Your own heart. *O bring us not
into temptation.*


 *MAY 12**. **5:10 (**5:7-20**).** WISDOM THROUH PATIENT
EXPECTATION.**“Take, brothers, for an example of :suffering and of
:patience, the
prophets, who spoke in the name of** the **Lord.” *This is not the spirit
of the world, but it is the spirit of Your true servants, Father! You would
work this same spirit in us! You would conform many sons and daughters in
the image of Jesus, bringing them into Glory! *But deliver us from the evil
**one.*


 *NOTE**: *Martin Luther felt this to be a “right-strawy epistle”. Others
have seen it to be a careful balance to the gospel of the grace of God, and
a guide to the type of life that will flow forth in works from true faith.
Read it prayerfully and judge for yourself.


 3:17-18 (3) shows us an 8-fold picture of heavenly wisdom. All of us who
let the Holy Spirit work out the fruit of the Spirit through us - will have
these attributes shining forth from our lives - so that the Lord may be
magnified through us - not ourselves. I link this 8-fold picture with the
tribe of Dan, and under our Greek Word Study section will later have these
8 set forth in order. - *“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
variance, without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace for them that make peace.*


 So - here we find a picture of practical Christianity, a New Covenant
parallel to Old Covenant “Proverbs”. One will do well to prayerfully
consider and understand this teaching. Let it not depart from our mouths -
but let us carefully walk in it.


 Memory Verse: 1:22 (1:19-27) - *“But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deluding yourselves.” *



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