God calls us to practice extraordinary integrity, extraordinary prayer, and extraordinary relationships
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
-Find at least one person you can go deep enough with to confess your sin
Learn how to patiently wait for Jesus to make things right
“See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
James 5:7-8
-In what ways do you make your goal “luxury and self-indulgence” (5:5) rather than trust in God?
James 4: 11-17; Leviticus 19: 16-18
Get down from your tower of judging others and boasting about your plans, and let God be God
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge...” James 4:12a
-Pray the words of Psalm 131
God wants you. How much do you want him?
“Or do you think that Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace.” James 4:5-6a
-What are your deepest desires? In what ways do you try to satisfy them outside God’s will?
True wisdom makes you live for the good of others
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
-Pray the Prayer of St. Francis, which starts, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”
The recent terrorist attacks in Paris are a sad reminder of the reality of evil in this world. As Christians, we are called to respond to evil in these ways:
-Lament about it -- Like the Psalmist, we pray, "How long, O Lord?"
-Fight against it -- Not against human enemies, but we are called to fight the spiritual battle through prayer, forgiveness, and love
-Hope beyond it -- Remember that God has the ultimate victory
Let Jesus be the master of your speech
“…no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:8b
-What areas of your speech do you most need Jesus to master?
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Real faith—saving faith—cannot fail to produce action in your life
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17
-How would your life be different if you acted on everything you believe about God?
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Jesus’ law of love sets you free to love indiscriminately
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself,’ you are doing right." James 2:8
-What “kind” of people do you normally write off? Ask God to help you see all people with love
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The proof that the word of God has gotten into you is that it comes out of you in your actions
“…humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:21b-22
-What is your relationship to God’s word? Ask God to root out hardness and passivity.
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The way to handle temptation is to remember that you are worse than you think but God is better than you think
“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” James 1:18
-What difference does it make to remember that God chose to give you birth through the gospel?
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You can have joy knowing that God has a good plan for your pain
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3
-How can you let God inject joy into your hard times?
