notes

Main point

From James to the tribes in Dispersion: Greetings. Because we know that God gives perfect gifts to his people, joyfully meet trials and let steadfastness have it's affect so you will lack nothing. The end result is exaltation, the crown of life. Receive and do this word from God, it will result in true religion, a person who is compassionate and holy.

Devotional thought

Assignment 10 Meditation on James 1:2-4 Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds. No matter what kind... God do you mean I'm supposed to be joyful when my children have been misbehaving so much it seems all I've done the entire day is redirect behaviors, said "No.", and disciplined? I'm supposed to be joyful when I'm feeling ill and still have to care for my children? I'm supposed to be joyful when I'm so ill that I am unable to care for my children? I'm supposed to be joyful as I wait to find out what is wrong with me... as I wonder "Will I get better?" and "How long will it take?" I'm supposed to be joyful as the healing comes, life gets back to normal and each day blends into the next as I repeat the weekly routine over and over again? The testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Yes. Be joyful, even when your feelings and the circumstances tell you things are not as they should be because this trial is producing steadfastness. and let steadfastness have its full effect on you so that you won't lack anything. Look for the ways he is changing you to be perfect and complete knowing he is a good Father. Is He showing you that your joy cannot be found in your children's good behavior? Is He showing you that physical pain doesn't change His goodness towards you? Is He showing you His love through the love and support of those around you? Is He showing you that He is in control and you don't need to worry about the future? Is He showing you that your joy cannot be found in people places and things, but in Him alone? Final thoughts: Be joyful in Him and what He is doing within you during this trial. You are being grown by the tender hands of our loving Savior. Prayer: Dear God, please keep my eyes focused on You and what You are doing in this trial and not what's happening around me.

An encouragement

From The Loveliness of Christ by Samuel Rutherford My dear brother, let God make of you what He will, He will end all with consolation, and shall make glory out of your sufferings; and would ye wish better work? This water was in your way to heaven, and written in your Lord's book; ye behoved to cross it: and therefore kiss His wise and unerring providence. Let not the censures of men, who see but the outside of things (and scarce well that), abate your courage and rejoicing in the Lord; howbeit, your faith seeth but the black side of providence, yet it hath a better side, and God shall let you see it. Learn to believe Christ better than His strokes; Himself and His promises better than His glooms... "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God," ergo, shipwreck, losses, disappointments, ill tongues, loss of friends, houses or country, are God's workmen, set on work, to work out good to you, out of everything that befalleth you. Let not the Lord's dealings seem harsh, rough or unfatherly, because it is unpleasant. When the Lord's blessed will bloweth cross your desires, it is best in humility to strike sail to Him and be willing to be laid any way our Lord pleaseth: it is a point of denial of yourself, to be as if ye had not a will but had made a free disposition of it to God, and had sold it over to Him; and to make use of His will for your own is both true holiness, and your ease and peace. Ye know not what the Lord is working out if this, but ye shall know it hereafter.

The arc

editing

NT

James 1:1-27

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mine

a James, a servant 1 of God and b of the Lord Jesus Christ, To c the twelve tribes in d the Dispersion: Greetings.

Greetings

e Count it all joy , my brothers, 1 when you meet trials f of various kinds, for you know that g the testing of your faith h produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect , that you may be i perfect and complete, lacking in nothing .

(Id) You're in a trial, be joyful. In the end you will lack nothing. (Ac) let steadfastness have its full effect so that you lack nothing

j If any of you lacks wisdom , k let him ask God, l who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But m let him ask in faith, n with no doubting , for the one who doubts is like o a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; p he is a double-minded man, q unstable in all his ways.

(Exp) You're in a trial, if you lack wisdom. You ask God, in faith, and he gives you more wisdom to meet the demands of the trial.

ideaexplanation

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation , and r the rich in his humiliation , because s like a flower of the grass 1 he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and t withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

(Id) lowly brother boasting in exaltation Option 1: exaltation for humble, Option 2: humiliation for riches seeker (Res) Exaltation/crown of life. Joyfully meet trials and let steadfastness have it's affect so you will lack nothing. This will result in exaltation, the crown of life. Because we know that God gives perfect gifts to his people.

u Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial , for when he has stood the test he will receive v the crown of life , w which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire x when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and y sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

(Exp) "exaltation" is the crown of life

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Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. z Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from a the Father of lights b with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 1 c Of his own will he d brought us forth by the word of truth, e that we should be a kind of f firstfruits of his creatures.

(G) We know that God is the unending giver of all these gifts to his people

ground

g Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person h be quick to hear, i slow to speak, j slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore k put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with l meekness the implanted word, m which is able to save your souls.

Receive the implanted word ( Ac Step 1)

But be n doers of the word , and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, o the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, p he will be blessed in his doing.

Then do the word (Ac Step 2) Option 1: doer of the word, Option 2: hearer only of the word

progression

If anyone thinks he is religious q and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s r religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: s to visit t orphans and widows in their affliction, and u to keep oneself v unstained from the world .

(Res) True religion Option 1: doesn't bridle tongue religion is worthless, Option 2: pure religion compassionate and holy Receive the word, do the word. It will result in true religion.

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