Jas 5:7-12

Jas 5:7-12 Patience
- Be patient. v7-8. Be long-fused. Mt 5:10-11, following Jesus is hard. 2 Tim 3:12.
- Be patient, God is accomplishing something in you. v7, the farmer plants the seed, trusts God, and waits for rain. We are in control of absolutely nothing, God is in control. We must do what we need to do, and then trust God.  It's a process. Don't give up, God will reap a harvest in your life. Gal 6:9.
- Be patient with each other. Don't grumble against one another, v9, 12. No drama, just say yes or no. Ps 15:4.
- Be patient even when our circumstances are unfair or unjust. v10, remember the prophets and their suffering.
- Be patient because He loves you more than you can possibly understand. v11, remember Job's perseverance and what the Lord finally brought about. Job 1:21, 13:15. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, and He loves us unconditionally.
- Be patient. Jesus is coming back! v8. 2 Tim 4:8; Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17; Rev 21:4.

Jas 5:1-6

Jas 5:1-6
Materialism - putting material possessions and our comfort ahead of spiritual growth.
God blesses His people. Prov 10:22. How are we using His blessings?
v1-3 We are "you rich people." We shouldn't chase after or celebrate our wealth and possessions, because they will be gone. Mt 6:19-20
v4 Don't treat people wrong in order to gain success.
v5 Don't live in luxury and self-indulgence.
v6 Living for material possessions can cost us eternity.

How do we fight materialism?
1. Give to God. Giving is for us, to remind us that everything we have is from God. Mal 3:8-10
2. Care deeply for others.
3. Learn to be content. 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17

Jas 4:13-17

Jas 4:13-17
-Life is uncertain. v13-14. Prov 21:5, 15:22 It's good to plan, but God needs to be the center of your planning.
-Life is brief. v4:14. We are not as significant as we think we are in the big picture of life. Life passes really fast. Why would we make plans and not consult God about it?
-Live with a God conciousness. v15. Realize that everything in our lives is "Lord willing." I need to live my life with a constant desire to please God. Don't compartmentalize Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus affects everything.
-Do what you are supposed to do. v16-17. Boasting and planning without God is sin. Not following His direction is evil.

How do we do this?
1. Be saved.
2. Know Him.
3. Do His will. Jn 4:34; 1 Jn 2:17; Ps 32:8a
4. Live with a God conciousness. 1 Cor 10:31. Do everything for the glory of God.
5. Remember His Grace. We can celebrate His forgiveness when we do sin.

Jas 4:7-12

Jas 4:7-12
Prov 18:3 God hates pride. Phil 2:6-8 Jesus made himself nothing in complete humility. Humility is the heart of Christ-likeness. Humility is necessary to living a life that brings glory to God and ultimate joy. Jn 15:8, Mt 5:16.
1. Humility starts with a realistic evaluation of our condition as human beings. Jer 4:14 our hearts are deceitfully wicked. Eph 2:8-10. Nothing in us cries out to God on our own. v7 - submit to God first, and then resist the devil.
2. Humility requires intentionality. v8-10. Daily humble ourselves and rid ourselves of sin.
3. Humility leads to spiritual growth. Prov 11:2. God cannot fill us if we are full of ourselves.
4. Humility practiced, changes everything! v11-12. Phil 2:3-5. Brings joy, peace and fulfilment.
God, where am I stealing your glory?

Jas 4:1-6

Jas 4:1-6
-The war within. v1-3. Rom 7:14-25
-Friends and Enemies. v4. We should be different than those in the world.
-Divine Jealousy. v5. God is jealous for us, he wants us to be His and be in Him. Put God first.
-More Grace. v6. James didn't believe in Jesus at first. Mk 3:20-21.

1. Recognize when we are the problem.
2. Fight the war within. Crucify our flesh.
3. Make a Kingdom decision everyday.
4. Pursue humility before God and others.
5. Become addicted to God's grace. ♡

Jas 3:13-18

Jas 3:13-18
2 types of wisdom
Earthly - puts me at the center of everything. Jas 3:14-16, earthly, unspiritual, demonic. Pays no attention to the fact that our time here is just a blip. It says go after everything you want, it's all about you. Lk 12:16-21. Evidence of earthly wisdom: bitter envy, selfish ambition, boasting, denying the truth, disorder, sin.
Spiritual/Heavenly - puts God at the center of everything. Jas 3:17-18. Pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Releases us from being centered on ourselves, so we can just serve God. The result of following God's wisdom is a harvest of righteousness.

How do we have heavenly wisdom?
1. Fear God. Prov 9:10. Respect his authority and power, and adjust our lives accordingly.
2. Abide in God. Prov 1:7.
3. Abide in God's Son. Col 2:1-3.
4. Ask for God's wisdom. Jas 1:5.

Jas 2:14-26

Jas 2:14-26
Works will not get us into heaven. Eph 2:8-9, Rom 6:23.
Faith, hope, and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is what gets us into heaven.

Dead faith:
1. There is a faith that does not save. v17, without Jesus Christ. Heb 11:1

Deceiving faith:
2. Faith without works is dead faith, because the lack of works reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart. v18-19, Mt 7:22-23.

Dynamic faith:
3. We do not impress the world by our profession of faith, but by our practice of faith. v20
4. The empty vessels make the greatest sound. v21 Abraham proved his faith through his actions.
5.
6. How we live reveals what we believe. v21-22, Mt 5:16. We live to glorify God. Do my actions glorify God?
7. There is a maturing relationship between faith and works. Eph 2:10
8. Each step of obedience in our long lives strengthens our faith, and deepens our relationship with God. God's desires that intimate relationship with us. v25 Rahab was considered righteous similarly to Abraham because of her works of faith. Josh 2:8-9
9.Real faith, dynamic faith, is the only faith that produces eternal life and lasting change. v26