00:00 Introduction
04:25 Understanding the Book of James
12:02 Faith and Works
14:11 Taming the Tongue and Wisdom
16:05 Warnings About Worldliness
20:16 The Power of Prayer
21:04 Closing Prayer and Farewell
Hey everybody.
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:Welcome back to another edition
of the daily Bible podcast.
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:What's up folks.
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:We are coming at you on Friday.
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:It's Friday.
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:It's the end of the week.
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:Well, sort of the end of the
week, if you're in a normal
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:95, it's the end of your week.
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:So good job.
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:You made it.
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:And the weekends in front of you.
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:And so that's a good thing.
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:We're going to be together on Sunday.
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:We're you get Saturday
in front of you tomorrow.
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:That's that's always a win.
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:Our schedules are a little bit different.
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:Just.
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:Being involved in ministry.
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:We.
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:It's kind of the beginning of the,
the main part of our week here.
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:Um, but Fridays are still, they
still hold that, that I don't know.
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:That nostalgic, like, man, it
feels good that it's Friday.
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:Like Fridays.
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:Yeah.
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:Like Saturdays.
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:Yeah.
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:I like Sundays.
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:And Monday.
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:Monday you like every day of the week,
every day has a different flavor.
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:And I appreciate that flavor.
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:Yeah.
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:That's fair.
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:I think I'm coming to, to
appreciate those things as well.
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:So.
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:Yeah.
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:Um, we, we bought our Turkey.
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:Uh, from Costco, apparently 15
bucks for a Turkey from Costco.
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:I thought that was a good deal.
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:I was surprised that we
got it for that cheap.
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:How big is it?
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:I don't know.
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:I haven't determined that yet.
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:I don't know if it's a good deal or not.
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:That's true.
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:If it's a five pound Turkey, $15 for
a five pound Turkey, that's probably
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:not a good deal, but usually we're
in that 12 to 15 pound range there.
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:Um, yeah, we got a pumpkin pie.
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:We got, we got our Thanksgiving fixing.
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:Coming up, hand-eye coming together.
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:W, I don't think we've bought our
canned cranberry sauce yet though.
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:And it, it needs to be candid.
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:It should have the ridges on it.
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:And we've been over that.
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:It should make a sound when
it pours out of the camp.
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:That's that's cranberry.
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:Sauce slash jelly.
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:And I know there's, that's controversial.
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:But, uh, everybody else is wrong and
that's, that's the right way to go.
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:You should be able to slice into a disc,
the jelly that that goes with your Turkey.
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:So.
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:I know we'll get feedback from that.
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:Cause we do every year, but
if you disagree, that's okay.
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:You can be wrong.
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:That's a, that's how we're going to do it.
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:That's what we do here.
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:That's right.
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:Do you agree with that?
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:Yes.
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:Yeah.
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:That's something that,
that we're in agreement on.
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:I didn't know that that's good.
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:I'm in agreement that there's
conversation every year.
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:Yeah.
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:Not about your position
on it, necessarily.
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:You like the real cranberry sauce.
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:I can exit depends on the day.
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:Yeah, it depends on the day.
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:I have some nostalgia for the canned
stuff, because that's what I knew.
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:Yeah.
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:Uh, but I, I definitely
appreciate the real stuff.
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:What's the one thing, because you're
taking some time off around Thanksgiving.
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:So I don't think we're going to
be able to hear from you next
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:week leading into the holiday.
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:So w this is the chance that
the people want to know.
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:What is the one thing that
you have to have on the table
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:besides the normal Turkey?
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:On Thanksgiving day.
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:Um, Half to, I don't,
I don't have a half to.
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:I honestly don't care that much.
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:I care that there's food and I care
that there's people, I don't care.
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:What's on the table so much.
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:Right.
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:You know, I think one of the things that's
changed in the last several years is my.
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:I thinking about food.
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:Uh, food used to be something
of a weakness for me.
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:So I, I have a.
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:I think a tempered response to it.
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:That is also, probably
far on the other side.
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:I, I, I try not to care
too much about the flavor.
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:I.
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:I want it.
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:I want it to be healthy and good for me.
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:And I don't care as much
about what it tastes like.
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:Um, as long as it's,
you know, good for me.
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:And if I can, if it's good for me that
I can appreciate the flavor almost.
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:Almost regardless of what, what the flavor
is within, within the Western palette.
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:Obviously I'm not talking about.
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:Balut or something like that.
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:I'm talking about the Western
palette within the Western palette.
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:And that spectrum, I don't care a
whole lot, what it tastes like as
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:long as it's good and good for you.
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:I'm I'm good for that.
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:And it could be anything almost no
balut on your Thanksgiving table though.
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:Not typically.
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:Although, you know, if I had a Filipino
friend who wanted to bring it over,
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:then I might be willing to try it.
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:Let's let's change it up even more.
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:Let's say we have an STM
eventually short-term mission trip.
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:We're going to the Philippines for that.
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:You're leading it.
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:Would you have believed.
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:While you're there.
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:I would probably be
fasting while I was there.
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:And all in all likeliness, because
I mean, On top of that, you know,
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:my stomach tells me things that
it likes in versus not like.
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:Yeah.
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:You know, there's effects now.
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:I'm aging.
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:I find that my body's more
sensitive to certain foods.
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:And that means, then I'm just more
aware and I try not to eat things
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:that are gonna cause me pain or slow
me down or make me less effective
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:in the things that I want to do.
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:So.
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:I would probably not eat.
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:And I'll be honest unless I was in
someone's house and like, oh, here you go.
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:I would eat.
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:But I know I would pay for it later.
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:Almost guaranteed.
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:Anytime you go over the, over
the country lines and you're
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:in someone else's ballpark.
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:You're going to pay for
it one way or another.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:Speaking of short-term missions, did
you see our sister church down in new
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:Braunfels is launching their first STM?
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:I think it's their first STM as a church.
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:I did see something from pastor Evan.
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:Yeah.
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:Uh, there's Guatemala, I think.
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:Yep.
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:They're about a year and a half
ahead of us from where we're at.
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:I think they're in their fourth year now.
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:Um, And, uh, yeah, there,
they're headed down to Guatemala.
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:So it'll be interesting to see when,
when we get that up and running
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:what that's going to look like
eventually, but I know you've been
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:to Guatemala a couple of times.
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:Yeah.
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:Um, maybe we'll go to the Philippines.
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:Who knows?
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:We have no connections over there though.
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:Other than.
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:People need Jesus.
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:And people needed Jesus at the
launch of the early church.
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:And so that brings us to our daily
Bible reading, where we are looking
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:at the book of James and James is a
name to pay attention to in the Bible
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:because there are multiple James is.
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:Um, we've seen the death of one
James already, James, the brother
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:of John, the sons of Zebedee.
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:So obviously if we're still
talking about James and we're
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:reading a letter written by James.
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:Uh, this is not the same one.
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:This in fact is James the half
brother of our Lord and savior Jesus.
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:And James is going to
write, not under that.
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:Um, Uh, that, that, that
title as much as, as.
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:Demonstrating that the humility of just
writing as, as the head of the Jerusalem
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:church there, which he was in acts
15, there they're going to go to him,
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:which we're going to look at acts 15.
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:I believe tomorrow in tomorrow's.
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:Uh, daily Bible reading passage.
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:And so it fits that James is going to be
right in here, but James is as a letter.
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:Uh, is thought by, by many to
be one of the earliest writings.
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:So hence in our chronological plan,
we're coming to James first as
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:we're going through our epistles.
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:And it's also known as the
new Testament Proverbs.
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:And as you read through the
book, I think you'll pick up why
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:there's a lot of wisdom here.
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:There's a lot of pithy statements here.
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:There's a lot of things you're going
to read and go, oh, I didn't realize
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:that came from James, or maybe
you'll say, oh, I forgot that came.
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:Came from James, but, uh, th
that's kind of the thrust of James.
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:James is written as we
pick up in chapter one.
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:Uh, to the 12 tribes in the dispersion.
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:So that tells us a couple of things.
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:Number one, he's writing
to Jewish believers.
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:Number two, he's writing to those that
are in the dispersion, the dispersion
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:word, those believers, those Christians
who were persecuted in Jerusalem
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:and had to flee from their homes.
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:Um, and seek refuge in other
regions of the world at that time.
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:And so a lot of them spreads the regions
of Asia minor and so forth and so on here.
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:So James is writing to these
dispersed Christians and he's
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:trying to encourage them.
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:And because he's writing to a
group of disperse, Christians,
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:Christians, suffering, persecution.
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:He's going to open up the letter by
talking about trials and suffering.
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:So, uh, this is a passage in
verses two through 12 that
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:a lot of people immediately.
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:Think of when they think of the
book of James and that is that
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:idea of counting it all joy.
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:When we meet trials of various kinds.
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:And so in the context there that hopefully
will give you a better understanding
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:that these are Christians that have been
driven away from everything familiar.
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:These are people that, that
are questioning perhaps even
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:some of their identity as Jews.
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:They had always had.
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:The temple and the Pharisees
as leaders and the rabbis.
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:And now as Christians.
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:They had realized the Messiah, the hope
of Jews, but, but now they were driven
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:away from everything that they knew.
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:And so James is writing to them to
encourage them, to steadfastness, to
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:perseverance, uh, encouraging them
not to let their circumstances verses
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:seven through eight, even lead to doubt
of God's character or his abilities.
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:But to ask him in faith for wisdom, to be
able to hold true, to be able to remain
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:committed to the Lord and not to waiver.
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:And if they would do that,
then the Lord would honor that.
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:Um, and in verses nine through 12,
even there he's, he's encouraging them.
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:Hey, don't long for things
that are going to fade away.
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:And don't last, but boast in what
God is doing through the trials
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:that you encounter because through
the trials that you encounter.
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:Uh, God is producing good things in you.
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:Blessed is the man verse 12, who
remains steadfast under trial.
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:So James opens up writing to
these persecuted, disperse
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:people saying, Hey, count it all.
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:Joy.
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:When you meet various trials.
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:Yeah, I just want to remind you, uh,
maybe we talked about this last year.
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:I don't recall, but James
is actually the name, Jacob.
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:Um, in the Greek, his name is Jaco bus.
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:Which is you can kind of sorta hear it.
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:Yacht gold.
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:Uh, Jacob is the name of Jesus.
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:Half-brother.
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:I think it was because of king James,
that his name was given honorifics as
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:James, even though it's technically
and truly his name is Jacob.
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:So FYI.
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:FYI something free to keep in mind
as you work through the book of
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:James, which is actually Jacob.
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:There we go.
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:Which so next time somebody says, Hey,
open up to Jacob chapter one, you'll
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:be like, Hey, I know where to go.
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:I know where to go on that one.
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:Uh, verses 13 through 18, then we
get into this other section where
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:he's going to talk about temptation.
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:Um, Uh, PR some insights perhaps on.
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:James his thought process here,
because he goes from talking about
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:trials and suffering to talking about
temptation here in verses 13 through
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:18 saying, Hey God never tempts anyone.
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:Uh, but instead temptation
comes from within.
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:Instead we need to remember God is the
giver of every perfect gift, help us
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:categorize the, the flow of, of thought.
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:Here may be in James chapter one,
as, as he's going from talking about
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:trials to talking about temptations
here, is there a connection there?
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:I've heard some suggest.
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:It's the same word that's
being used for, for both.
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:And so maybe there's the continuity there.
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:Is there any thoughts as to where
James is going with his connection
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:between temptation and suffering?
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:You know, I'm not entirely sure.
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:Uh, of the, the, the words
right now, I'm looking at.
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:Uh, Trump, uh, version of, of that
in front of me, but I don't see that.
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:What I do know.
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:And what I would say is that I think.
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:Uh, one of the ways that James uses
the word temptation is different
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:than how I would understand it.
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:Cause he talks about
temptation leading to sin.
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:I think temptation as a rule.
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:Uh, generally speaking is a form of sin.
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:It's just not actualized sin.
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:So the temptation to do evil
is itself worth saying some.
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:Is it self worth repenting over.
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:If I'm tempted to do wrong, to say a bad
word or two to do something inappropriate.
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:Um, someone might say, well, I didn't
act upon it and therefore it's not sin.
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:And I would say, I don't think
that's how James is using it here.
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:At least that's, that's not how
I see him developing the idea.
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:I think Jesus says that temptations
to do evil are also sin.
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:When he says, look, if you lust in your
heart, Um, Would you might say, well
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:then if I, if I'm tempted to less than I
don't less, is that, is that different?
287
:And I would say it's still a form of sin.
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:It's the baby form of the sin.
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:And, and we talk about it being a
baby form, not in the sense that it's.
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:It's uh, it's categorically different.
291
:It's just in the, in, in
terms of size different.
292
:So when James says.
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:Desire when it's conceived
gives birth to sin and sin.
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:When it's fully grown,
brings, it brings forth death.
295
:He's talking about the
progression that sin takes.
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:Uh, not that what's happening in
the heart is less than it's just us.
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:Well, I guess less in terms
of size, it's still sin.
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:It's just categorically
the same categorically, the
299
:same size wise, not as big.
300
:Yeah.
301
:And you may be wondering, cause there's.
302
:The passage where Jesus is tempted.
303
:And so you may be saying, wait a
minute, if temptation itself is
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:sin, how could you just be tempted?
305
:Well, And I think the difference
is James is talking about there's
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:two types of temptation there's
temptation that comes from without.
307
:And there's temptation that arises
from within and the temptation.
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:I think pesto.
309
:We're talking about here is that
temptation that arises from within.
310
:Is that temptation that's produced by
our fallen nature, our sinfulness that
311
:says I want something that I can't have.
312
:And so I'm going to lust after
it, or I'm going to covet this.
313
:I'm going to be greedy for these things.
314
:Jesus.
315
:When he's led into the wilderness is
tempted from without external temptation
316
:being Satan saying, Hey, you're hungry.
317
:It turned this rock into a loaf
of bread and satisfy your hunger.
318
:That's not a sinful desire
from within the heart of Jesus.
319
:That's the enemy doing that?
320
:Tempting.
321
:Uh, to Jesus.
322
:And I think our problem is as,
as fallen human beings, we have
323
:both of those things going on.
324
:We have Satan network in this world
to Louris and tempt us in this world.
325
:And we have our fallen nature within us.
326
:Uh, that is going to produce
its own set of temptations.
327
:And so as Christians, we
have to stand our guard.
328
:It's possible here.
329
:I'd love to talk with James someday
and I actually trust eventually I'll be
330
:able to do that, but, um, maybe James
is writing this because he's thinking
331
:about the temptation to abandon Christ.
332
:He's he's thinking about what.
333
:With trials comes this temptation
to kind of all the book of Hebrews.
334
:Look back over our shoulder and
think, oh man, it was much easier
335
:before I became a Christian.
336
:So maybe this is more about, cause
I think when we read temptation, I
337
:think more often than not, I think
we're going to connect it most often
338
:in our culture, probably with sexual
sin, but, and there's others as well.
339
:But I don't know that that's
what his focus is here.
340
:I think it's probably more,
Hey, stay, stay loyal to Christ.
341
:Don't be tempted.
342
:To go back and look back to where
it was a little bit easier, but,
343
:but stay here and remember, this is
God's doing good things through these
344
:trials that are coming your way.
345
:Verses 19 through 27, then he gets
into the section, another familiar
346
:section to James on, on being
hearers and doers of the word.
347
:Uh, not just those that hear
only, but also those that,
348
:that put it into practice.
349
:And in verses 23 through
24, this is the purpose.
350
:He basically says if the Bible, the
Bible is the word of God is given to
351
:us so that we can look into it's it's
reflection of us, of our hearts, of our
352
:lives and see the areas that need to
be addressed and address those areas.
353
:So.
354
:I don't just be a hero, but be a Dewar.
355
:Don't you be the one that looks
at the mirror, but look at
356
:the mirror and comb your hair.
357
:Do something about it.
358
:Don't just walk away and
forget what you look like.
359
:There.
360
:Chapter two then, uh, fulfilling the Royal
law of love is, is verses one through 13.
361
:What does it look like to
love other people, not showing
362
:partiality to people and not seeing.
363
:Of this person, Hey, they
pulled up in their brand new.
364
:Maxed out, you know, Tesla
model S plaid edition.
365
:And so we're going to open the door for
them and sit them up front and make sure
366
:that they meet the pastor afterwards.
367
:That's the sin of partiality
versus instead we need to.
368
:To love everyone love
our neighbor as ourself.
369
:That's the Royal law of love
that we were given by our savior.
370
:And then 14 through 26.
371
:This is what made Luther so
angry because he thought that
372
:James was disagreeing with Paul.
373
:And here James is arguing
faith and work, work together.
374
:And so this is, is not, uh, James
pitting faith versus works, but
375
:saying, Hey, one produces the
other, our faith should produce.
376
:It works.
377
:And so Luther came out
and said, this is wrong.
378
:He called it a right strongly,
a pistol S T R a w Y a.
379
:That's a difficult word to say, but he
was probably able to say it in German.
380
:And it sounded a lot better
than that, but he did not like
381
:James, it took him so long.
382
:To come to terms with this pasteurized.
383
:Any thoughts for us as we
consider works in faith, in how
384
:those two things go together.
385
:In our understanding.
386
:To not separate what the
Lord has joined together.
387
:So works and our faith are
not mutually exclusive.
388
:They are friends, they are
companions and our job is not to.
389
:To circumvent the process of
how faith works by saying,
390
:this is, this is, this is that.
391
:Or to confuse them, we don't
want to confuse them and
392
:want to keep them together.
393
:And that just means that we
keep both in their place.
394
:Faith is what saves us.
395
:Works is what demonstrates and gives.
396
:Uh, the evidence that our faith is
alive and well that it's working.
397
:Uh, so this is, this is not something
to trouble yourself with James and,
398
:and Paul are saying different things.
399
:They're not in contradiction.
400
:So super important.
401
:We talk about this all the
time, but it's, it's, it's clear
402
:scripture calls us to live lives.
403
:Um, Uh, fruitfulness that
give evidence of our faith.
404
:He's not saying that your faith, uh, self,
uh, Is that same, that your, your works
405
:justify you in a sense that's ultimately,
but they prove that your faith is real.
406
:That's the only way you can
see that someone's faith as
407
:legitimate is if there's works
that testify to the, to that faith.
408
:If there's no works, And
we'd be right to assume.
409
:The faith is not real.
410
:Uh, that's just, that's just
what script you're saying.
411
:And I think it's very
practical and very helpful.
412
:Yep.
413
:I would agree.
414
:Yeah.
415
:James chapter three, then some of those
works and what those will look like.
416
:He opens up with talking
about our tongues.
417
:And he says, Hey, we need to
be careful verses one through
418
:12, how we speak teachers.
419
:He says in verse one are going to be
held to a much greater strictness.
420
:And so we shouldn't desire that.
421
:And, and without weighing the.
422
:The standard to which.
423
:Uh, as, as teachers and preachers.
424
:As pastors, we're going to be held to a
higher standard because of what we do.
425
:We teach other people.
426
:So we use our words to tell their people,
this is what the Bible means, man.
427
:That's a terrifying thing to do,
uh, with any sort of flippancy.
428
:We need to take that with a
lot of weight tomorrow in our.
429
:Tomorrow.
430
:Sorry.
431
:Uh, in, in what we're doing and
in understand that we're going to
432
:be held accountable for the words
that we speak as, as teachers.
433
:But for everybody, verse six is.
434
:Tells us that the tongue is a
problem because the tongue reveals
435
:what's going on in the heart.
436
:And that's why James zooms in on this.
437
:Verses nine through 10 with our tongue.
438
:Sometimes we can bless God, but curse our
brothers, the tongue, he says in verse
439
:six is the littlest thing in our body.
440
:And yet it's, it's the
one that can sustain.
441
:He says in six, the whole body.
442
:Sitting on fire the entire course of
life and set on fire by hell again.
443
:Why?
444
:Because the tongue so often
reveals what's in the heart.
445
:When we speak, we speak what is
already internally the reality.
446
:So it's not literally that the tongue is
responsible for the weakness within us.
447
:It just gives voice to
the wickedness within us.
448
:Verses 13 through 18, then he goes
on to talk about wisdom and he says,
449
:this is what wisdom looks like.
450
:Uh, he says essentially, The first
thing he says is that wisdom shows
451
:itself who is wise and understanding
among you by his good conduct.
452
:Let him show his works in
the meekness of wisdom.
453
:So wisdom is going to manifest itself
and what's it going to look like verse
454
:17, it's going to look like this.
455
:It's gonna look pure peaceable,
gentle, open to reason full of mercy.
456
:Good fruits, impartial and sincere.
457
:And so James is giving us an understanding
of, of how we should be using our
458
:tongues, even in the way that we speak
in, in the wisdom that we manifest.
459
:Should come that that should
be marked by those things.
460
:Peace with peace gentleness.
461
:Reason mercy.
462
:A good fruits, impartiality, insincerity.
463
:These are things that he's talked about
even previously in the epistle already.
464
:Uh, James four, then verses one
through 12, we get into his warnings
465
:about worldliness, uh, that, that
he says here to be friends with
466
:the world is to be an enemy of God.
467
:You can't have one foot.
468
:In other words, in both places,
you have to be all in with God.
469
:You have to be all in with Christ in.
470
:So he's challenging, uh, any
who would suggest that they
471
:could be both in both places.
472
:This is incompatible.
473
:You can't do this.
474
:And so in verses seven through 10,
he basically says, if that's you.
475
:Repent submit to God, resist the
devil and he will flee to you
476
:draw near to God and he will draw
near to you cleanse your hands.
477
:Purify your hearts.
478
:You double-minded.
479
:So James is calling
them to repentance here.
480
:If, uh, if they have sought friendship
with the world at the cost of their
481
:relationship with, uh, with God,
and then finally, uh, in chapter
482
:four, at least verses 13 through 17.
483
:We say all the time in
the church, Lord willing.
484
:Hey, we're going to do this Lord willing.
485
:And that kind of comes from here.
486
:Can you unpack this for us as far as
what we need to do as far as do we need
487
:to literally say, Hey Lord, willing.
488
:On every, Hey, I'm gonna
go to the bathroom.
489
:I'll be right back.
490
:Lord willing.
491
:What is he saying here in this passage?
492
:Yeah, that's a really interesting
saying because sometimes the Christian
493
:lingo can, can, so many times be
used and we just forget that what
494
:we're saying or why we're saying it.
495
:Verse 15.
496
:Jacob says, instead you ought to say,
if the Lord wills will do this or that.
497
:So his, his.
498
:It's corrective is really in the
ballpark of saying, look, you,
499
:you ought to humbly make plants.
500
:You should not.
501
:Uh, and he says here in verse 16, boast
in your arrogance, that is, I'm going
502
:to go do this and I'm going to do that.
503
:And I'm going to achieve
this thing over here.
504
:Uh, life is fleeting.
505
:Life is a mist.
506
:He says, you ought to realize that
your life is much more fragile.
507
:And tentative, then you may realize, and
therefore every plan that you make ought
508
:to be done with that sense, not that you
have to say it, but at least a sense that
509
:the Lord has to make these things happen.
510
:The Lord asked you, allow
them, if the Lord wants me to
511
:do this, I'm going to do that.
512
:The Lord wants me to
progress in my company.
513
:Then I'm going to progress in my company.
514
:If the Lord wants me to move
to Texas or to California or
515
:to Florida or wherever else.
516
:I'm going to do so with an open
hand saying, if the Lord wants me
517
:to do this, I'm going to do this.
518
:But the humility that James calls
us to is a kind of humility that
519
:says, I recognize my life is short.
520
:It's fleeting, it's weak,
it's tentative in some ways.
521
:And therefore every plan
that I make I'm going to do.
522
:So with an open hand, trusting that the
Lord will give me what he wants to do,
523
:and I'm going to trust whatever he gives
me is his good providential plan for me.
524
:Yeah.
525
:That's hard to do, but it's biblical,
super biblical and that's, that's
526
:a good mindset for us to develop.
527
:Uh, James five then as we land the book,
he begins in verses one through six
528
:with, uh, addressing money and wealth.
529
:And.
530
:This has been.
531
:Erroneously said to be.
532
:Be arguing against.
533
:Uh, in completion against wealth
against Richards against money
534
:saying, Hey, all money is evil.
535
:Nobody should be rich.
536
:Well, that's not what he's doing.
537
:Instead, what he's doing is he's
arguing gets trusting in those things.
538
:Uh, verse three, your gold and silver
have corroded and their corrosion
539
:will be evidence against you.
540
:What against you?
541
:Well, that you trusted in the wrong thing.
542
:Um, Eva lead up your
treasure in the last days.
543
:You're, you're all these things
that you have confidence in.
544
:Don't put your trust there.
545
:Don't put your, your heart there.
546
:Um, instead trust in the Lord store up
as, as Jesus said, back in the sermon
547
:on the Mount store up treasures in
heaven, not treasures here on earth.
548
:And so it's not a bad thing to have money,
but if you've put your trust there, then
549
:yeah, you're going to be where James
depicts you in James five, one and two.
550
:You rich weep and howl for the miseries
that are coming upon you, your riches have
551
:rotted in your garments are moth eaten.
552
:They're not going to be good.
553
:The old mind, you've never
seen a hearse pulling a U haul.
554
:You can't take it with you.
555
:And so don't live for the things that
are ultimately going to be given to
556
:somebody else so much in the book of
Ecclesiastes is about that as well.
557
:Verses seven through 12 then, uh, this is
another call here as he began the book.
558
:He returns to these themes again.
559
:Uh, to, to patiently endure knowing
the Lord is going to return, uh, this,
560
:this idea of being patient as the ESV
titles of this patients and suffering.
561
:Returning to this verse eight, be
patient establish your hearts for
562
:the coming of the Lord is at hand.
563
:Uh, that word at hand, it means it's
it's soon it's imminent and James.
564
:Taught that John teaches that in first,
John, he says it's the last hour.
565
:And yet here we are
almost:
566
:And we would say still today, the
coming of the Lord is at hand.
567
:And that gets to what
Peter says when, when he.
568
:Pushed back against those that say,
Hey, where's, where's the Lord.
569
:He said he was coming.
570
:He's not been back yet.
571
:Hey.
572
:Don't count the Lord's patience as,
as, as him, you know, forgetting,
573
:but he's being patient, not wishing
that any should perish, but that
574
:more should reach repentance.
575
:So yeah, it's the Lord is still at hand.
576
:Absolutely.
577
:He's still at hand.
578
:Do we need to endure until he comes back
or he calls us home a hundred percent?
579
:Yes.
580
:We need to endure until it
comes back or calls us home.
581
:Finally, he ends with the power of
prayer, uh, verses 13 through 20.
582
:And, uh, there's a lot in
this passage time sake.
583
:Uh, just the thing.
584
:To, to note here that
always stands out to me is.
585
:Verse 17.
586
:He says Elijah was a man with a
nature like ours, and he prayed
587
:fervently that it might not rain.
588
:And for three years and six months,
it did not rain on the earth.
589
:And he prayed again and heaven gave rain.
590
:I love that he was a man with a nature
like ours, and this is just a reminder.
591
:Prayer has power and it's working.
592
:And so if we will be.
593
:Uh, PR prayerful.
594
:And if we will be men and women marked
by righteousness, because he says it's
595
:the prayer of the righteous person
here, that's going to be effective.
596
:Then we can expect big things from
God and answering our prayers.
597
:So hopefully that encourages you no matter
where you're at, what you're facing,
598
:you've got a difficult situation at home.
599
:You've got lost, loved
ones, health issues.
600
:Eh, James five should be
an encouragement to you.
601
:The prayer of a righteous person
has great power and it's working.
602
:We should do that now.
603
:Yep.
604
:We should let's do that.
605
:God, we thank you for that reality,
um, that, that you answer prayer.
606
:Even talking with somebody.
607
:Earlier this week about your
sovereignty and our prayers and
608
:how you ordain our prayers for the
accomplishment of your sovereign will.
609
:And yet, from our perspective,
God eights, it's real time.
610
:We are praying and you are
responding and things are happening.
611
:And you are unfolding.
612
:You're playing before our eyes.
613
:We thank you for that.
614
:And we thank you that we can
always pray and not lose hope.
615
:Until the day that you call us home.
616
:And so we pray that it would be faithful
towards that end in Jesus' name.
617
:And amen.
618
:All right, I'll keep her in your
Bibles and tune in again tomorrow
619
:for another edition of the daily
Bible podcasts, you, then you'll buy.