week 1

James 1:1-18
Everyone experiences trials, something we don't like. James tells us that when we experience trials we should rejoice because it is through our trials that God grows us in our relationship with Him. He doesn't cause the trials in our life, but wants us to invite him into the trials and to depend on him for everything we need to make it through. Not only does he not cause trials but everything good in our world and our lives comes from him.

  

Week 2
James 19-27, but we focused on 21-25
One thing I love about James is that he doesn't waste time. The focus in this passage is clear: 1. Identify the sin that is in the way of your relationship with God, the stuff that deafens us to His voice, 2. hear the life he calls us to and then live it. Hear it and do it. If we are not living our faith James later says that our faith is DEAD, that we have no faith at all! Faith must be evidenced by our actions.
 

Week 3
James 2 My paraphrase of James' words in chapter 2 of his book is: "Don't show favoritism - if you do, you're sinning, because you're not acting in love. An absence of love is evidence of a dead faith, because it lacks deeds." My challenge to you is to not play favorites and to really change your perspective when you view people. We should see everyone as a child of God who is so loved that Jesus would die for them. If we can do taht, we will be less likely to show favoritism.

Week 4
James 3:5-6 This section of James warns us in a very bold way that there is great power in our words, and that when we're careless with them, we hurt others as a result. Yet, according to Ephesians 4:29, we can and should use our words to "build others up," to encourage them in who they are.

week 5
James 1:1-18
Everyone experiences trials, something we don't like. James tells us that when we experience trials we should rejoice because it is through our trials that God grows us in our relationship with Him. He doesn't cause the trials in our life, but wants us to invite him into the trials and to depend on him for everything we need to make it through. Not only does he not cause trials but everything good in our world and our lives comes from him.