Session Four: Day Two- Faith Perfected

You see that faith was active together with his works and by works, faith was perfected.

James 2:22

"Foolish man!  Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?"  James throws this out there and it sticks in my heart.  Am I willing to learn that even though I have faith, am I living a life that acts on it?  Being immersed in the scriptures as I do this study, another reading plan and a smaller devotional means that every day I have an opportunity to hear what God wants to teach me and to do the work he asks of me. 

James takes us by the hand and shows us the evidence of two very specific people in the bible who were willing to learn that faith without works is dead.  First he shows us Abraham and then Rahab, two very different people.  One the father of Israel the other a prostitute.  What things did you list under each person name in the margins?

Lisa:
     ABRAHAM:

• Ancestor of the Israelites
• considered righteous
• offered his son as a sacrifce
• faith and actions worked together
• faith was made complete by action
• believed God
• called God's friend

     RAHAB: 

• a prostitute (a porn star...)
• considered righteous
• gave lodging to spies

Jill:  Abraham

• God's Friend
• Righteous
• Father of Isreal

     Rahab

• Prostitute
• Righteous
• Helped the spies

James sees faith and works as being absolutely intertwined with one another.  After reading Genesis and James, list everything works accomplishes according to James 2:24

Lisa: I wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for, but I wrote: "We are justified by what we do."

Jill "You see the person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone"

In your own life, do you struggle more with superficial faith or with legalism?  Why?

For me it is superficial faith.  I believe 100% that once you are saved you are saved.  My struggle is always in getting complacent and not doing the things that God asks me to do.  I need to always be aware of whether or not I am living a life consistent with what scripture tells me to be doing.

Lisa: Me too.  Legalism is such a dirty word to me, and I am utterly repulsed by it.  I am really praying hard against both of these ways of living.  I want to be the real thing, inside and out.  I also liked the quote from Beth leading up to this question that talks about Paul and James:

...but they (Paul and James) had two different objectives.  "James was combating a superficial faith that had no wholesome effect in the life of the professed believer.  Paul, on the other hand, was combating legalism - the belief that one may earn saving merit before God by his good deeds."

 Jill I stuggle with both equally.  Growing up Catholic clearly I have issues with legalism, but along with that I have seen my share of superficial faith.  And stuggling with the Catholic faith as I did both were very difficult for me to try and find my way.  Lisa I underlined that section as well.  It really made me understand who Paul and James' audiance was and why they needed to write what they did.

My favorite part of today's study was reading the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew.  While I have read this passage many times before, it was the first time that I was made aware of the women listed in the lineage.  How awesome that in the line of David leading up to Jesus, there was a woman named Rahab, who was able to change the course of her life from broken to healed and from healed to being an ancestor of the Savior.  Talk about God knowing who we are to become!  

Lisa:  I loved that too!  How many times have I read the lineage of Jesus, and this is the first time that I really realized how close she was to King David.  Without her decision to do something HUGE for the Lord (that wasn't even her God at the time) and something that endangered both her and her family, she CHANGED the course of history.  Of course, we know, that if she hadn't, that God would have someone else, but how AWESOME that SHE DID!!!  Then, thinking about Boaz, and why he was so willing to accept Ruth for who she was!  "If you know anything about the story of Boaz, maybe his compassion for Ruth and his willingness to see her as more than a foreigner makes perfect sense.  After all, he was his mother's son.  Rahab's boy grew up and became Ruth's kinsman redeemer, taking her as his bride."

Jill:  Dont you just love the way God works.  Jesus has a prostitue as a grandmother how many generations back, and his mother was unwed.  I love how God can use ANYONE at ANYTIME in their life, even in the period that you feel you have hit rock bottom.  He is there with us and He uses us even during those periods of greatest dispair when we may feel the furthest from him.  I LOVE THAT. As for Ruth, I used Ruth in part of our wedding (Ruth 1: 16-17).  I love the story of Ruth, again I just love the way God uses us in ways we cant even imagine.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM TODAY:

When He who was, who is, and who is to come sees each one of us, He sees who we were, who we are, and who we will become!

Amen and Amen!!!  I love you Father.  Thank you for loving me in spite of who I have been, who I am, and who I might be.  Thank you for sending your precious Son to redeem us.  YOU are so good.

One more thing.  I read this on a friend's Facebook status, and I almost thought she snatched it from this lesson:

  

Who I used to be is a big part of who I am to become. Who sacrificed for me is responsible for what has changed in me. No matter where I have been, or where I am going, I am who I am and who He has created me to be. Good or bad, win or lose, right or wrong, worst or best. It is what it is, I am who I am, He is who He is.

~Julie Liston

 

Jill:  Wow

Session Four: Day One- Dead By Itself

"...If a person keeps on saying he or she has faith but keeps on having no works," then the person may not be saved.

Word Biblical Commentary

In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.

James 2:17

Throughout church history the above scripture has brought about controversy among theologians.  What do you think makes this segment so controversial?

There are people who believe Faith is all that matters since Christ died on the cross for our sins and believing in that is the way to Heaven.  Then of course there are those who think that His death wasn't enough and so doing good works is a way to ensure access to Heaven.  I love that this is today's lesson because this argument is something that I think turns many people off to Christianity.  There are those who think that since they are saved they can do whatever they want because no matter what they are going to Heaven and those who forget that their relationship with Christ comes before any good works.  The way that Beth explains that the Holy Spirit convicts us after our salvation to be better people and do more is exactly how I always want to explain it and hear this verse but just am never sure I'm getting it right.  I could have just written a big giant "AMEN!" over all of this days lesson.

Lisa: I'll second your AMEN, Emily!  It was reassuring as a brand new Christian that there was nothing I could do except accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and recognize that He died to save me.  However, as I've now been saved for almost 15 years (at the end of February!!!), I realize that through my faith, people should see good works.  I love how Beth brought us to Ephesians 2:8-10, where it lays it out pretty clearly.  Yes, we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus, but we are also created to do good works in Christ.  It is sometimes interesting to me that the two can be separated.

Jill:  I love how James states "What good is it" more than once.  And he is absolutely correct.  What good is it if we say we have faith, but our actions speak differently. 

The first major point that Beth makes today is this:  Faith is meant to do some good.  It isn't enough to just believe in God (although she is clear that that IS enough for salvation) because we should be moved to make a difference.  We should be full of compassion, loving our neighbors and taking care of those less fortunate.  We should want everyone we come in contact with to know that God is God and He is so very good.

According to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:8-10, what is the relationship between faith and works?

That we have been saved by Grace through faith and it is a gift from God.  We aren't saved by works so that no one can boast.

Lisa: I already wrote my answer in the previous comment, but I'll write it again: We are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus, but we are also created to do good works in Christ.

Jill: Growing up poor I love how God saves by grace through faith so none can boast.  As someone growing up with little it is good to know that even having nothing we can be saved.  No one can boast about what they did or what they bought, none of that matters if you dont have faith in Grace.

In Matthew 12:33 Jesus Himself tells us that a tree is known by its fruit.  James is simply making the point that as believers we are free from the law but if we are living absent of all signs of Christ's Spirit in us, something is wrong.  James says in 2:19 that even the demons are aware of who Christ is.  So even those who know God can have Him not be present inside.  I think that is a pretty powerful statement.  Anyone want to talk about how reading that hits you?

Having read this a few years back, this is probably the one scripture that drives me to constantly be talking to God about what I need to be doing and where I am lacking.  I do not want to be like a demon, knowing God and all that He is capable of but living completely outside of the Holy Spirit guidance and manifestation.  I want to hear what God is calling me to do (whether that be minding my temper, offering grace to those around me, helping in a shelter or food bank, loving on other peoples kiddos, etc.) and be bearing the fruit of my belief.  I know that I am saved by Grace, but I also don't ever want to be complacent and forget that my behavior draws other to or pushes others away from God.

Lisa: I think what struck me here is that so often people will insist that they, or someone they know, are Christians, like the really amazing ones.  You know, the kind that can recite all kinds of Scriptures, but THIS is the Scripture that I am reminded of.  Just because someone recognizes the ONE true God, just because they can recite the Scriptures word for word, does not mean that they are Christians or are saved, or are on my side.  The Jehovah's Witness and Mormons can recite scriptures all day long, but they do not believe anything close to what I know to be true.  Be careful and really pray for a discerning heart.

James is making sure that we understand that being complacent isn't enough.  Any additional thoughts?

Lisa: I'm pretty sure I'm saved and still moldable and shapable, but I always get a little nervous that I'm not really where I think I am, which is how I know the Spirit is still moving in and through me, but, nevertheless, here was the prayer I wrote:
Jesus, I pray with every ounce of my being that I would not be hardened to your voice, your Spirit, and to your will.  Soften my heart and my will so that I will know what you need from me.  I long to bear fruit for your kingdom.  Give me strength to stand on what I know to be true, even if I stand alone.

I also named the bullet points at the end The Believer's Creed.

The Believer's Creed 

• We believe that God "gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
• We believe that He bore all of our sins so that we could become His righteousness.
• We believe that we are who He says we are and not the numbing sum of Satan's accusations.
• We believe that to find ourselves, we lose ourselves in all that is glory and grace.
• We believe that we are loved and not despised, held and not forsaken, cherished and not rejected, enjoyed and not just endured.
• We believe that "at the name of Jesus every knee will bow - of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth - and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil. 2:10-11).

Session Three: Day Five- The Royal Law

Because we were able to get together and discuss Day Five, I'm not going to go into too much detail other than answering the questions just to have this day on the blog.  It would just bother me too much not to include it!

Throughout scripture when God says "I am THE LORD" what does that mean to us?
We all agreed it meant "non-negotiable."

The "Royal Law" is to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.  We had great discussion regarding how difficult this can be, particularly if one actually has trouble loving oneself.  Or if those neighbors are other Christians behaving badly without remorse.

After reading James 2:12, how are we to act?
Speak and act according to how we will be judged.  It's important to be able to listen carefully and speak slowly.  If we loved others in this way, how might it change our interactions with those we come in contact with, including those closest to us, like friends, husbands and children.

We also talked about how important reconciliation is and in doing what the Royal Law commands, how loving others allows us to let go of hurts and reach for healing.

Not too much else for me to add, but please feel free to add on or discuss anything I left out!

Session Three: Day Four- The Folly Of Favoritism

"You can safely assume that you have created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do" Anne Lamott

Oh how accurate is Beth as she takes us through a day that forces us to look into the mirror of our hearts and acknowledge that our tendencies are to treat people differently.  Whether that is our intent or not, it seeps out of our very pores, spilling over into areas of our life where me might not even notice.

Humans are naturally drawn towards others in the same spot in life.  I tend to spend time with other women in my same economic status, with kids about the same age or have friends with the same interests and beliefs as I do.  So it's very interesting to go through the scriptures on page 88 and see over and over what God has to say about justice, judging and favoritism.  And to be clear, having friends who share the same interest or are like me isn't necessarily the same as judging others for not being like me.  However, I think if we aren't careful, those lines could easily be blurred.

When we read James 2:4, if we discriminate what do we become?

Judges with evil thoughts.  This is where that caution has to come into play.  I love the people who I call dear friends right now.  I now that God placed them into my life for me and me into their lives for them.  BUT, daily I need to make sure that I am open to others that He might bring into my life for a season or forever especially and even if it seems we have nothing in common or if they have habits or hygiene or children who rub me the wrong way.  My goal as an authentic believer is to be open to impacting their lives but also for them to be able to impact my life.

Jill:  Guided by evil motives (NLT).  This is interesting to me.  I guess I never thought of myself as having evil motives before by judges people.  But I guess it is true, I am constantly comparing myself to others, which also included judging them.  Why are you wearing this or that, it is totally inappropriate to wear this or that to work, to church, walking down colfax, etc etc etc.  When someone comes up to me begging for money, I assume all of them are faking it and just wanting free money, I judge them.  I realize now that it is evil, I dont know what is going on in their lives, I think I put them down to lift myself up.  Sad really, that I need to do that.

God promises the poor that they will be blessed more than anyone. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 explains that this is the promise God gave so that those who have more cannot boast it over anyone.  Throughout scripture God tells us over and over that the meek will inherit the earth, the poor will be made rich, etc.  It's incredibly important that we be open and available to serve those humbly who have less than us in whatever capacity God calls us to do so.  I don't want to be a part of a "Spiritually Elite" group who has forgotten all that scripture says about reaching the poor and lost.

What feelings surface when you somehow feel dishonored?  How might those feelings translate to those dishonored over their poverty? 
I feel angry, embarrassed and a need to run and hide.  Walls immediately go up and I turn my back on whomever has made me feel that way.  It's incredibly hard to get over.  Thinking about this made me go back over the folders in my mind and interactions that I have had with those I know who live in poverty or with a lower standard than I have been blessed with.  While there are many people I can pat myself on the back for because I cared for them or welcomed them into my home, there are just as many that I said the stiff hello to in the halls of church and walked away from as quickly as I could.  It isn't something I'm proud of at all, but the reason I'm doing this study is to take that hard look in the mirror and make those changes (Anyone else now have the Man in the Mirror lyrics in their head?)


Jill: I get angry immediately.  I too am not proud of my past interactions with people.  I get annoyed easily with others.  I feel really bad about that.   When I think about how my angry feels might translate to those dishonored over their poverty, it reminds me of being young.  I grew up poor,  luckily in my neighborhood we were all in the same boat, same as others in my family.  Then when I went to high school (Catholic high schools let you choose any catholic school you want to go to no matter where in the city it is from your house).  So in high school I was for the 1st time around kids with money.  They looked down at the kids from my grade school, as they knew were from the poor part of town.  So I can relate to those feeling, but I pushed them back in the corners of my mind.  

Your turn.  How did today's lesson impact you?

Jill:  I love how God chooses the less fortunate of people so no one can boast.  LOVE that

Session Three: Day Three- Pure Religion

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

Religion.  It seems like such a yucky word to me, especially since of late this has been a very real area of struggle for me.  I don't want to be religious.  I don't want to be around religious people.  I don't want to follow the laws and rules that religious people throw down and require people of faith to follow.  Those feelings of 'I don't' made today's lesson very real to me and I absolutely loved it.

Before we go further, answer the question Beth posed:  How would YOU define religious?

I said that religious applies to people who call themselves Christians but pick and choose which bible texts to use in trying to force people to behave in a way that is comfortable to them.  Religion requires people to follow certain man enforced rules rather than be spiritually convicted by God.


Jill:  Religion: practicing a faith.  And by that I meant following the "rules" associated with practicing that faith.

It really hit me that I am in fact, religious, when Beth asked us to list out all of the religious manifestations that would show up in my life over the course of the month.  My list is below and I hope you'll add yours, too.  I wrote mine down and then thought about why I do these things.  I'm not trying to be religious, but I do want to model Godly behavior for my children and those I come in contact with.  But I also want to be authentic and real and I want people to understand that I'm imperfect but working through Grace.  How does one reconcile that?  Scripture tell us, and it's what we studied yesterday, that once we are saved, our lives begin to change and manifestations of that Faith begin to show up through our works.  I think it is a tricky balance to not become complacent in doing works - and prideful of those works - but to still do the things scripture asks us to do.  Rambling thoughts, but any insight would be appreciated.

Read the bible, pray at meals and bedtime, devotions, bible studies, acts of service, talk about God, explore ways to be more faithful, tithe, church, worship music, etc.


Jill: Prayer, church, bible study, Giving monthly to Musana.org Writing letters to my sponsored child Jacinta, giving money to the homeless people that approach me by my work. 

Because as women I think the tongue is an especially powerful weapon, the next part really hit home.  "If anyone thinks he is religious yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue then his religion is worthless." James 1:26.

Hello.  

Worthless.  None of the things I do, NONE OF THEM, are worth anything if I cannot control my mouth.  Gossip.  Sarcasm. Swearing.  Those are just a few of mine and if I am honest they show up  more often then I would like.  So praying with my kids, going to church, doing this study - it all means nothing if I cannot control my mouth.  Anyone else feels knocked over by this verse and the things Beth had to say about it? 

Jill:  I was really struggling with what James meant by "control the tongue"  I assumed he meant gossiping, swearing, being two-faced, talking bad behind someone's back.  But it wasnt clarified so I am glad I assumed correctly.  So since that was the case my bad mouth is swearing, and talking bad of others (again I think I do that to feel better about myself as I have low self esteem). 

After James tells us what true religion is not, he gives us a quick image of what it is.  Describe his idea of "pure and undefiled" religion from verse 27.

We are to look after the orphans and the widows and to keep from being polluted by the world.


Jill: To look after the people who have nothing, "the 2 classes of people in his culture with the least rights, the least hope, and the greatest vulnerability".   I love the way Beth describes the widows and orphans it really paints a picture to me as to why James and others in the Bible kept saying widows and orphans.  

What images come to your mind after reading this?

Homeless on the streets, abused and neglected children and starving people.  I'm struck by how often caring for the poor is talked about in scripture and yet so very many religious people are not involved at all.  And I'm looking at myself in the mirror.  We tithe and it goes to missions and a few times a year we get involved in a service or outreach program, but daily caring for those less fortunate has not been a priority.  One of our family goals this year is to do more and this really challenges me to make sure that is a priority.

  

Jill:  The imagine that comes to my mind is Musana.  The orphanage in Uganda that I give to.  If you have ever read the reason why those 3 girls started that Children's home it is exactly what James is talking about.  The people with the least hope and most vulnerable.  The most horrible living circumstances ever.  These 3 girls took the widows and orphans and created a wonderful loving Christ filled home.  And I just had to be apart of it.  Even in some small way. 

One of my favorite things that Beth said today is this:  You don't live this kind of life accidentally.  You make up your mind who you want to be and daily die to the rest.  This has already been written out and taped to my fridge because I want to be intentional about doing what God stirs up as passion in my heart.  I want to jump in and be a light to this broken world.  I want to do exactly as the Scripture tells us to do and my heart hurts for the children of abusive and broken homes and for those overcome by drugs and addiction. Where is God stirring up your passions?

Jill:  Clearly Musana is my passion.  I love how Beth says on page 86 "So how on earth do we serve in ti without smelling like it?  With serious discipline and determination and then we run to the One who can wash us"  I paraphrased, but I love that. 

 

Session Three: Day Two- The Perfect Law

"James can teach us the difference between talking about living in victory and actually doing it."  - Beth Moore

Coming to a place in my life where I actually began to understand that there was a difference between simply reading the bible and actually doing what it says was a game changer for me.  Which is why the lesson today hits so very close to my heart.  These verses are where I am living right now.  It's a reason that we changed where we attend church services.  It's what we want for our children.  Living out my faith and not just talking about it is changing my life.

The analogy of looking into a mirror is a perfect example of how benignly we can take our faith.  I started thinking about how on a spiritual level we can see our true selves - as sinful creatures- but then walk away from that mirror and forget that we are sinful.  Understanding that means that we keep the knowledge of our sin in the forefront of our minds every minute of every day.  Not that we wallow in it, but that we acknowledge it so that we can be intentionally hitting it head on.  Living out the scriptures.  Does that make sense?  I don't want to be thinking that I'm sinful so I feel hopeless, but remembering that I'm imperfect so that I am relying on Christ in all I do.

Our purpose is to be fulfilled in Christ, to be His image and to be convicted to be more like Him.  So Beth asks us what does this person who wants to be more like Christ do?
That person (me) looks intently to the perfect law (James 1:25).
What is the promise at the end of the verse?
"This person will be blessed in what he does." 
 
I love how it loops back to the first few verses we read.  Someone who is already saved should be using the scriptures to make changes in their lives and do what God has asked.  Works aren't what saves a person, but following the law does bring a blessing.

(Scriptures for thoughts on this:) 
Ephesians 2:8, 9: 
For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that [being saved] not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast.
Titus 3:5: 
Not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,
through the washing of regeneration [new birth] and
renewing of the Holy Spirit.
II Timothy 1:9: 
[God] who has saved us and
called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
Romans 4:5: 
But to him who does not work
but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith
is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 11:6: 
And if [salvation is] by grace,
then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no
longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace;
otherwise work is no longer work.

Works aren't what saves us, but once you have been saved, your life should begin to reflect who Christ is and should begin to change accordingly.  Which is why I love that Beth goes on to clarify that Christ came to fulfill the law and not simply abolish it.  She explains that James is attempting to clarify that the moral code is prioritized over the ritual code and bring the teaching of Jesus to a group of people to whom the law was precious.

We are saved by grace but are asked to put the Word into practice in order to grow into what God intends for us.  God isn't interested in our behavior by itself, but by our motives. (Taken from Beth Moore, pg 81).

Jill:  I love on page 78 when Beth says "The Word of God, is meant to do more than penetrate, it's meant to activate.  That really hit me.  We are to be so moved by the Word that we cant help but to act upon it.  That truly moved me.  


On page 79 when Beth says "I want to be who I was created to be: A bearer of the very image of God.  Sadly, however, he goes out and forgets who he really is."  This statement and James statement of forgetting what you look like after you walk away from the mirror was profound to me also.  Basically I took this to mean, we read the Word, love it, but when we close our bibles, we forget what we should be doing.  Makes me wonder something.  Our pastor once told us a story that the Pharisees use to walk around with rolled up bits of the Torah on them. Do you think this statement was to that some how.  "You need to walk around with the Torah on you, because if you dont you will forget it's message".  I'm probably just stretching here, but just curious.  





What did God promise He would do in Jeremiah 31:31-34?

Make a new covenant so that all will know Him

Jill:  I love this one.  This may be one of my new favorites. Jeremiah 31:34 "And I will forgive their wickedness and I will never again remember their sins".  NEVER AGAIN remember.  How completely amazing is that?  Never again remember.  The all knowing God will never again remember.  WOW!!!

Ezekiel 36:26-27 says that recipients of this new heart will be moved to follow God how?
By following the laws.


Jill:  I also love how he is going to take out my stoney stubborn heart and replace it with a tender heart.  Because I tell you what I can be one stubborn girl.  Thank you God for replacing my stubborn heart with a tender heart. 

Our latest act of obedience to what God wants for our family comes in moving to another church.  It doesn't seem to make sense but every time we walk into the doors of our new place, we feel like it is exactly where God is calling us for this moment.  During this time in our lives, I really think He wants us in a place where as matur(ing) Christians we will be challenged to not just hear the Word, but to be actively practicing what the scriptures say.  

I delight to do Your will, O my God.  Your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:7-8)  I love knowing that this is where the actual transformation begins!

Jill:  I was unable to come up with a acronym for WORDS.  I am so not good at that sort of thing.  Did either of you make one?

Session Three: Day One- Quick To Listen

My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.

James 1:19

Hmmm.  Given that I have already shared extensively that anger is an issue I have struggled with, I can tell you right now that today's lesson hit its mark upon my heart.  Beth had us list out the three things that the above verse talks about and they are 1) Quick to hear 2) Slow to speak 3) Slow to anger.  You can probably already guess that I starred number three as being the most challenging to my natural personality.  What about each of you? 

Jill.  I actually starred all three.  I gave slow to anger 3 stars, slow to speak 2 stars and 1 star with quick to listen.  I have a problem with going from content to enraged in miliseconds.

Personal Question

When I think about my own relationship with God and where anger fits upon the scale of nonissue or substantial, I am at about a 5 and while that seems high to me, especially since it is something I am so aware of and constantly working on, it has come down from being a ten in previous years.  Things like my kids not obeying or Kyle not listening to me or people cutting in line at the airport or extended family attempting to force my family to do things we don't want to....these are all items that make me angry.  

Jill:  I too am a 5.  I have recently realized that my quick temper is a direct result of my lack of personal worth.  If I ever feel like someone is making me feel "stupid, not listening to me, cutting me off in traffic, etc etc etc"  I get not just angry but enraged.  I have been able to back the enraged down to just angry.  And I also realized no one is making me feel stupid or unworthy, I put that on others.  I am sure no one thinks I am stupid or unworthy, but some how I twist into that.

 There are places in the scripture where it talks about righteous anger and where we are reminded that it is okay to be angry.  It just isn't okay to lash out in anger or make our issues a reason to verbalize anger at others.  

One of the things that makes me feel justifiably angry every time is in the leadership of our home.  I desperately want my kids to be trained in biblical things and to serve God all of their lives.  Sometimes I feel like Kyle works so hard outside of our home and has such a laid back personality, that he isn't taking this training seriously.  I get mad because I want him to be the one doing devotions, having the hard conversations, disciplining them, modeling Godly behavior.  In reality, I'm the at home parent so naturally most of that falls to me.  I think I would like to see more intentionality with Kyle, but wanting that doesn't justify me being mad about it. I need to remember that Kyle is naturally more relaxed about everything and it isn't a failure on his part if he isn't doing it the way that I would do it.

In fact, in Ephesians 4:30 - 31, it specifically says that my anger will actually prevent God from being able to act in my family.  Yikes.

My kids see the irritation and anger regarding whatever thing I'm upset about and it negates every good thing I've ever tried to instill in them.  Or at least that is the conviction that this passage is throwing at me.  I need to replace any anger I have with scriptures embedded in my heart.  The more I reflect on the Word of God, the less room for anger there will be.

Scripture is intended for us; to fill the void created to contain God.  It makes me really stop and explore what areas I am trying fill with other things, whether it is anger, things, food, control, etc., I need to be intentional about replacing them with God.  I'm embracing the challenge.  What about you?

Jill:  On page 77 when Beth says that the word in James is actually "Sozo".  I love this word.  Our pastor describes Sozo as if you are walking along minding your own business you look down and see you are stepping off of a cliff and someone comes along and grab's you before your eminite death and rescuse's you.  So I see that definiation in my mind that God is "Sozoing" me (not sure that is an actual word, but you get my meaning).  It is quite beautiful dont you think?

Session Two: Day Five- Father Of Lights

If ever you have read the book about the five languages of love you know that some people feel love by both giving and receiving gifts.  They are called Gift Givers in the book and I am not one of them.  I have a really hard time buying gifts for people because I'm just not good at it.  I want to give people gifts that they love and I want to see something randomly and get it but I always feel like what I'm giving people just wasn't quite good enough.

Which is why when I read in James that "every good and perfect gift is from above," I how important that gift from God is and how desperately He wants me to have it.  In reading James 1:13-15 and 17-18 we see that he warns us not to be deceived and then repeats the concept of birth.  My one sentence synopsis of these six verses was this:
God chooses to give us life because He wants only the best for us but we choose fleshly desires that take our lives away.
Jill:  I like your sentence Emily.  Mine was:  God NEVER tempts us, rather what ever is perfect is from God.


Then I sat and thought about how I don't always recognize the gifts that I've been given.  In fact, quite often I've been guilty of being annoyed or irritated by something that was meant for a gift (children or spouses anyone? No?  Just me?  (Jill Ditto BIG TIME) Carry on....) and yet God isn't like me, who sometimes gives the bummer gift because I'm not good at gift giving.  God is PERFECT and every single thing he gives me is PERFECT.

After thinking these thoughts I was excited to do the exercise where we divided our lives into four segments and actually wrote down the things that we have been given.  I loved seeing all of the blessings in my life take shape in one long and growing column.  It was interesting because my life hasn't always been perfect, but none of the things that were painful even crossed my mind and actually some of my gifts came out of the hurt.  And THEN I was excited because I loved how it all looped back to a few days ago when we were talking about blessings coming from the trials!

God has given me so many gifts and as I sit and think about my most current precious packages, they are as follows:

A relationship with my mom

My husband who leads our family well

Two sweet babies 

Our perfect for us home

The open space behind my house

The new car that gets Kyle to work safely

Being able to plan a vacation for my family

Dear sweet friends who love me no matter what (or at least I always think they do!)

Our kitty whose crazy behavior is exactly what I want in a cat

Honestly, I just look at my life and am overcome by how many gifts God has bestowed upon me because this is just a tiny little list. 

Jill:  Emily I love how you mentioned that you used a past hurt to show a current gift.  I sort of had the same thing happen.  I put that during my times of struggles I was taking steps to the path to find Him and love and happiness.  the other things I put where:
A GIANT (lots of aunts and uncles and cousins) family who loves and loves to show love
My Catholic Education
my braces, my glasses (which I didnt think were a gift at the time but am so happy to have straight teeth and able to see)
Met the love of my life,
Traveled and explored with him
my bible studies with you girls.

At the end of this lesson Beth admonishes us to wait on the Lord.  My goal for the foreseeable future is to try not to pick at the gifts I want God to give me, but to be patient and let Him bless me when, how and if He wants to.  I think of it like my kids bugging me to open a birthday or Christmas gift early.  It makes me want to take the gift back to the store and give them nothing!  Gifts are best when they are opened on time.

Jill:  Emily I love how you use the example of wanting to open Christmas Presents early.  I will have to remember that one.  As I have been praying for God to gift Jon and I a special present.

Session Two: Day Four- Baited By Our Desires

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, hew will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  

James 1:12

Baited by our desires.  Even the title today makes me stop and think.  When have I been baited by my desire?  And not just baited but reeled in and caught, sinking, flailing and lashing out at God.  Immediately from the top of my head I can think of three areas that once consumed me and because of exactly what we studied today, no longer do.  I'm sure that the Devil is currently stirring up other areas in my life to use as bait, but I feel like sharing where God has proven true and given me that crown of life.

Let me begin with the question Beth asks us:  What does Proverbs 19:3 say about temptation?

A man's own foolishness ruins his life and then he is angry at God.

During my Sophomore year of college I made a decision to stop eating.  I felt like I had very little control in my life and controlling my weight was one area that I could control.  During the first year after Ava was born I struggled with my brother's near death and severe post partum depression.  I made a decision to use retail therapy to numb emotions and control the days.  I racked up almost $12,000.00 in debt in a nine month period.  During the first 8 years of our marriage I struggled with anger to a scary degree because I needed people to do what I wanted so that I could feel in control.

Anyone seeing the pattern for control that haunts me in this?  This need for control is the exact spot where when things go bad for me they go very bad.  It was impossible in any of these situations for me to be authentically happy.  I was, in fact, miserable and as far away from God as I possibly could be.  I felt abandoned and angry that He wasn't taking care of me.  I struggled with guilt and shame over choosing destructive behaviors over and over and felt like I couldn't go back or manage it on my own. 

Jill:  Question Emily; Why the "need" to feel in control?  Personally I think if you can get a grasp on "Why" you need to feel in control, you can pray and reflect on what that is and God can help you.  
Emily:  Honestly Jill, I don't know why I need to have control.  I have exhausted all thoughts on why this is my issue...I wasn't like this as a child.  I was actually very carefree and free spirited as a kid, even through my freshman year of college.  My first memory of needing control was the day I stopped eating.  It was thought out, calculated and executed.  One day I wasn't running every day and I was eating real food, the next day I started running miles and stopped eating. I don't know if it was because school and the relationship I was in at the time overwhelmed me or what triggered it and  I'm sure that there is a core issue there but I can't get to it.  I have prayed and asked God to help me understand this issue, but I think I've come the conclusion that maybe it is just a part of my type A personality gone haywire.  Regardless, I haven't been able to get to it and because I can't get to it, I just try to dump it on God and when I start to feel like I'm losing control or have no control in a situation, I throw it at Him again.  I can feel it in the pit of my stomach all of the time, sitting there, waiting for it's opportunity to overwhelm me and the only two choices I have are to give into it (which is very destructive) or give it to God. I'm sure there is a refining going on and maybe God isn't letting me in on the core issue because He knows that I would try to "fix" it myself without relying on Him.  I don't know. But I wouldn't say no to anyone who wanted to pray about it with me :)

And then in each situation there was a point that I was forced to recognize my own "deformed desire."

About two weeks before we got married, I sat in a church pew and told God flat out, "If you help me stop obsessing about my weight, I will give this to you.  You have to take control of it because it is consuming me but God, please, please don't let me gain a ton of weight back." Anyone notice that I was trying to control even how God could answer my prayer?

Kyle graciously forgave me for hiding the debt he discovered when we moved into our current home and has put a budget into place that involves "cash only" for me I don't want to disappoint him again.  I still struggle with wanting to indulge in retail therapy when things are hard, but God is faithful and I have a husband who helps me.  While these things were being addressed and handed over to God, I was still holding onto an extreme amount of control and using anger to make my husband and kids do what I wanted.  

Until one day my four year old son told me he would no longer love God because he couldn't be perfect and so there was no point in trying.  Talk about a point of recognizing "deformed desire."  My desire had been for my kids to live perfect lives so they could go to Heaven and here the exact opposite was taking place.  I spent days on my knees begging God to help me control my temper so that my children could get a true picture of what He looked like.  It has been a process, but I can honestly say that in the past 5+ years I have not been the crazy angry person who used to steal the joy from my family.

Jill:  My struggles all revolve around my lack of self worth.  My father never wanted a 2nd child and he especially didnt want a girl.  He told my mom if I was a girl then he was leaving me at the hospital, as girls are worthless and cant do anything.  My mom wanted a girl more than anything, but for some reason I never remember that, I have always focused on the negative.  Because I let myself believe I wasnt worthy of love I grew up never wanting to get married, because no guy could love me (and only me) enough.  He WILL treat me bad, cheat on me, and leave me.  I never wanted that for myself.  Then it evolved into other areas of my life as well, I dont deserver this, or that,  God wont answer my prayers I'm not worthy of that.  This study has really opened my eyes, and I have decided to give that all to God.  I forgive my father for not wanting me, I am worthy and God WILL answer my prayers.  I have felt a huge weight has lifted off of me and I feel free.  I am sure my struggles are far from over but I now feel like I have the tools to deal with them.  

The desires that we have (mine for control) live so deep within us that it takes just a tiny seed to begin growing into a sinful behavior and then leading us to our demise.  It never starts off as something we think will overwhelm us or bury us but it always, always does.  If you are comfortable in sharing, what is your core deformed desire?  Knowing that mine is control helps me to check it every single time I want to control something.

Jill:  I kept reading page 60 over and over again.  The part where Beth reminds up that we have a choice we can give into our temptations, which leads to sin which eventually leads to death OR we can decided to be faithful and endure, endurance will bring about its perfect effect.  SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN MISSING ALL OF OUR LIVES will be completed in us and we will mature.   That really really hit me like a baseball bat.  I have had a choice this entire time, to give in to temptations OR to be faithful.     And by being faithful God will give me the crown of life that He has promised.  I love that.

Beth asked us to list a few "deaths" that can result from full grown sin conceived out of deformed desires.  List them here:

How awesome that we serve a God whose desire for us is a relationship with Him.  Perseverance brings maturity (James 1:3-4) no matter what areas we need to address.  I hope you find the hope and the joy in today's lesson because even though it can be painful to look that deep inside of ourselves, it is awesome that we serve a God who wipes the past clean and offers us hope and redemption.  He offers us a crown of life.

Session Two: Day Three- A Wildflower In The Meadow

"The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation."

James 1:9

Perhaps it is because I feel like this is an area God has really pressed upon my heart lately, but talking today about remembering the poor brings great joy to me heart!  One of the reasons that we recently chose to attend a different church was because we want our family to be immersed in a culture that purposefully seeks out ways to take care of the poorest amongst us, both locally and over seas.

Beth begins today's lesson by talking about how much we in the West have and I'm sure we have all heard it said many times that even the poorest American is wealthier than 90% of the world.  So what does that mean for us?  It means we have a great opportunity to humble ourselves to serve others who have nothing.  And truly, that excites me!

Jill:  I couldnt help but think of my beautiful sponsored girl Jacinta while reading this.  I received a picture of her and she is beautiful I have her hanging on my desk so I can see her bright beautiful smile every day.  I need to find a way to show you her picture.  If you havent already you really should read the story about Musana and how these 3 girls from Bolder started this home for the most desolate people is the most awful conditions.  The area is mostly muslim and they started a Christian home for people.  It is the most amazing story I have ever read.

Lisa: I liked this quote on page 54: "If scarcity of goods inherently improves one's spirituality, no biblical text would ever command help for the poor!  God would never tell us to relieve people of their blessed state."  I think it's confusing to us sometimes when we read so much about the poor in Scriptures, but someone needs to help them.  God wants our obedience and our gifts.  "He who is kind to the poor LENDS to the Lord..." Proverbs 19:7
 

As she has us go through the scriptures to see what God thinks of the poor and how believers should care for them, I just kept thinking to myself how blessed financially my family has been and that it is a privilege to be able do our part to care for those who cannot care for themselves.  Our culture says to buy the bigger house, the new car, the best clothes or the latest gadget.  And those things are fine to have (says the girl who wants a farm and just bought a new car!) but if ever we are only thinking on the next purchase and not how our financial blessings can impact others, then the disconnect from God shows up.

I loved when Beth said, "We who are not presently assigned to serve those of humbler means in our workplaces must constantly tune our ears to the voices of those who are."  This is important to remember because it is so easily to become isolated in our nests of prosperity and forget there is a hurting world out there.  Jill, I loved all of the ways you discovered to connect with those who are in need during the holiday season.  Seeing your willingness to give where you could helped our family to clarify even more that we needed to be giving back more than we are.

In reading Hebrews 10:32-34, were you able to pinpoint the part that suggests why the outbreak of poverty among early converts to Christ?

Interesting that I have this underlined in my bible already for some unknown reason, but had not noticed that the early Christians had their property confiscated.  I took a few moments to stop and think about what having my home and cars and property stripped away would look like for me.  My hope is that I would rely ever more on God and trust (especially given the lesson yesterday) that he would still provide for all of my needs.


Jill:  I never knew that the early believers (which appeared to be mostly Jews) had all their possessions taken away from them, were publicly humiliated, beaten and jailed. Wow.   No wonder Paul and the others were so concerned about raising money for the poor and when James says in Acts when he was telling the others the only laws to follow and he finished up with "Remember the poor".  It all makes sense now. 

Lisa: Pretty powerful!  "...when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.  Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.  You sympathized with those in prison, and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions."

Isolating some of these words really helped me see how strong and amazing these early believers were, and how weak and probably pathetic I am...

• stood your ground
• great contest
• suffering
• publicly exposed
• insult
• persecution
• stood side by side
• sympathized
• those is prison
• joyfully accepted
• confiscation of property
• better and lasting possessions

I can only hope that if/when these events happen to me that I will remember these verses and respond with joy, knowing that this is only stuff and that there is so much more for me in Christ. 

Why do you think God placed such emphasis on the poor throughout His Word?

I think it is because often when a person has nothing, placing hope in God is the only option.  You can't buy security because there is no money.  Perhaps one reason God tells us over and over to help the poor is because He knows that serving others prevents us from being so self focused.  A person cannot truly serve someone else and maintain a selfish attitude.

Jill:  I agree with you Emily and have another thought as well.  I was thinking that any non believers witnessing these people loose everything they have, publicly humiliated, beaten, jailed, etc but they don't turn away from Jesus and his followers, and they are still being taken care of, it really sends a message.  If I was a witness to all this, I'd be really curious as to what this whole Jesus thing was all about.  Why would someone risk everything.  It must really be special.  


I love your perspective on this...It never even occurred to me that serving Jesus even through the worst kind of trials would have been an incredible draw for non believers.  Great point!

Lisa: It just goes to show that no matter what we are doing, people are watching our every move.  They are waiting to see how we respond and react, both to the good, but especially to the bad.  It's unfortunate that we are constantly on "display", but people are curious.  

My answer was very similar to Emily's, but I too love Jill's perspective. 
 

Share your thoughts!  The two of you always brings such great insight and I usually read your comments and go back and make notes again in my margins! 

Jill:  I really loved my NLT version of James 1:12 to paraphrase He who waits patiently enduring testing and temptation is blessed and will receive the crown of Life that God has PROMISED.  
I needed that last night after my stupid eating struggles.  Constant temptation surrounds me at work.  I am sure that isnt what the thought was, but it sure made me feel better after reading it. 

Lisa: Jill, I will continue to lift you up in prayer, and will be texting you a few times a week!  Not with condemnation, but with encouragement.

Session Two: Day Two- Just Ask

Are you writing out the book of James as we begin to go through it?

Lisa: YES!  I need to write things down to even have a chance of remembering it.  I'm pretty excited to see what knowledge (or wisdom...) I gain from truly knowing these Scriptures!


Jill:  Yes, I too learn better by constant repetition.  Every time Beth has us read a verse I read it in 3 different versions, not only for the repetition but to see if one version has a different impact on me versus the other.  

In college when I was studying for tests, I found that the best way for me to retain information was by rewriting my notes.  It meant that it took extra time to study, but it also meant I did better on tests.  I can already see where writing out the verses in James is going to help me focus my mind and retain the words.  I hope you are writing out the verses, too!

Today's portion of James starts off focusing on asking for wisdom, but really ends up talking to us about living a life that is duplicitous.  We either believe the scriptures and take God at His word to ask for what we need in our lives, or we doubt Him, whether or not we even ask.  God wants us to come to Him with all of the issues in our lives, even though He already knows what we need.  He simply wants to have a relationship with us, to have that conversation, to be intimate with us.

Lisa: When I was going through the ask, seek, and knock stuff, I was reminded of a Sunday School lesson we had years ago.  We were basically talking about this same thing, and the Lesson used Luke 11:5-10.  It is about a friend who is in need of some bread to feed an out of town friend.  He comes knocking on another man's door at night.  But because he had already locked up for the night, he was under no obligation to get up out of bed and give his friend any bread, which was a custom of the time.  He does, however, get up and does give the man some bread, but Jesus is careful to note that it is not because they are friends, but because of his boldness in asking and knocking!  It is a parallel story to the one we read in our lesson today, Matthew 7:7-8, but I just kept thinking about this lesson.  We also talked about if God already knows what we need, even when we don't know, why do we have to ask?  I did like how Beth phrased it: "The King of the universe wants a real, live relationship with us."


Jill:  I dont think it has ever really hit home with me until just now the Duplicity stuff.  I always "Wanted" to have enough faith, but deep down my old insecurities took hold (Stupid Satan always knows just how to whisper in my ear) that I am not worthy enough to get what I ask for.  So even though I KNOW God will give to those who ask, I kind of that that was for everyone else, not really for me, again I'm not worthy enough.  So learning about the duplicity of the heart and either follow or dont, was a real slap in the face for me.  Thank you James for slapping me in the face!!!!

Are there areas in your life where you are needing wisdom?  Beth brings us down the path of acknowledging that knowledge and wisdom are two different things.  We might know something but lack the wisdom to carry it out.
I always feel like I read so much about how to parent and books on advice, raising Godly children, etc., but I don't always know how to put those ideas into practice.  I spend a lot of time asking God to give me wisdom in parenting, in my marriage, my role at home and my other relationships.  

Lisa: My Bible said this about wisdom: "Wisdom enables us to face trials with "pure joy" (just looping!).  It is not just acquired information (knowledge), but practical insight with spiritual implications.

I feel like I too am constantly asking for wisdom in various areas of my life, and they're pretty much the same as Emily's.  The four I wrote down were: church, raising godly girls without losing my mind and being able to balance my "job" as homemaker and MOM, being a godly wife who understands and responds to my husband appropriately, and friendships and family. 


Jill:  I clearly need wisdom is ALL areas of my life.  I have lots of pieces of knowledge on lots of little things, but wisdom, surely lacking in wisdom.  The 4 I choose were 1) my family to be a good/godly wife for Jon and be a good daughter, sister, niece, cousin, etc  2) My work life, to try and not be jealous to try and be someone people can come to for various situations 3) My money, to try and use my money for good/godly ways and not be tempted to use it for worldly possesions. 4) My body to not succumb to unhealthy unholy things, (stupid donuts)



If we ask God for wisdom, what does He say He will do?
He says He will give it to us.  I don't know if it's because I grew up in a house where my mom truly believed that if you asked you shall receive, but I honestly do not struggle in this area.  I believe wholeheartedly that if you sincerely go to God and ask, He WILL provide.  What that provision looks is an entirely different story and it might not be quite what I had in mind, but I do know that God absolutely answers our prayers.

Lisa: I like how the verse says that God will respond "generously" and without "finding fault" or "criticizing" the one who asks.  Probably because of my dad's tendency to be a little condescending or abusive, this understanding of my heavenly Father is so comforting.  It doesn't matter what I come WHOLEHEARTEDLY to Him with.  He will not judge me or tell me that I'm stupid for asking.


Jill:  growing up I was always made to feel guilty for asking for ANYTHING.  I was a burden to the person who I asked.  Either a financial burden or just a nuisance.  So I tried to be as self reliant as possible, even to the point of ruin, finical ruin, or if I was just trying to fix something myself and couldnt I could ruin that object.  I almost got in a severe car crash once due to bad brakes, because I didnt want to ask my brother (a mechanic) to fix them as I didnt want to burden him.  So trying to learn to come to God and he will LAVISH (I loved that version the best).  HE will give LAVISHLY, and not make me feel guilty for asking.  What a concept for me.   

I had a bit of a hard time with this portion of today's lesson, only because it seems so "routine" for me, if that makes sense.  I think the sentence where Beth reminds even "seasoned believers" to pay attention was specifically for me today.  When I really started to glean something new, was when she began talking about how doubting God could be equated with a deceptive heart and all the consequences that can come with that.

Lisa: I had never really taken the time to absorb this idea either.  Our divided heart can lead to a lot more than just not following God with our whole heart.  It was pretty eye opening to think of our own physical hearts dividing and trying to beat alone, out of sync with one another.  I actually have a friend who has two systems in her body, one regular heart that pumps blood through her veins, and then another vascular system that has its own "heart" that beats by itself, pumping blood through the rogue veins.  It causes lots of problems and has resulted in many surgeries.  Obviously, her body doesn't function the way that our bodies are designed to work.  Just like when we are divided and deceptive, we do not function the way God created us to be - serving Him with our whole heart.


Jill:  Today was a big one for me, like I said I always "knew it" but was never able to put it into practice. And learning about the divide heart really hammered home the message to me.  I never thought about it that way before.  I now KNOW God WANTS me to come to Him.  He wont make me feel guilty for asking AND He will give LAVISHLY.  I almost feel as if someone stole all the breath out of my body.  I wish I could express into words what this day means to me.


As a side note:  I read The Message version and for yesterday's reading I loved the way it is worded.  This version really hit me it says James 1:3  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.    WOW....  it forces you to show your true colors.   Just wow.

God is and should be my constant source of stability.  Today was just a great reminder that He is my rock, He does love me so much that he wants to answer the cry of my heart and that I do choose Him, every day.

How long will you waver between to opinions? If the Lord is God then follow Him

1 Kings 18:21

Session Two: Day One- Joy Whenever

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

James 1:2-3

Trials are not my favorite thing.  In fact I'm sure that there are very few people who say that they just looove going through a trial.  Over the course of my life, I've had the above verse quoted to me more times than I can count, from my mother mainly.  We even had a little cross stitch drawing that hung in the living room.  I would stand in front of it and try my hardest to figure out why in the world God would tell me consider it a happy thing to be going through a hard time.

Given that was the extent of my understanding of these verses up until now, I found it incredibly comforting to read the Greek translations for the word joy.  Swapping out the word "feel" for the word "consider" also helped give me a little more perspective.  When things get difficult, to actually sit and think about what God is trying to teach me or bring to my attention is an entirely different matter than simply trying to grin and bear it.

Jill:  Emily your "grin and bear it" comment was exactly what I was thinking up until now also.  I couldn't possibly understand how I was suppose to feel "pure joy" in my troubles.  Especially when a nun tells it to you.  If you haven't guessed by now, I ended up not completely trusting the nuns and have a negative attitude towards them.  So coming from that background I just couldn't get past that feeling of animosity and understand how am I to feel joy.  Well after reading what Beth had to say about how we cant be complete until our patience grows and that cant happen until we go through our troubles.  So I guess if we "consider" being joyful knowing that once we make it out of our troubles we will be a step closer to being complete, gave me an entirely new way to look at it.  I kind of thought of it like 1st learning to ride a bike.  When you do something wrong you are going to fall, and falling hurts, but you learned that if you go to fast around a corner you will fall.  So there is some satisfaction in knowing that after our trials in helps us to be more complete.  So I felt like I was rambling there.  

I also really identified with the idea of "falling into" troubled times.  There are so many situations in life where we aren't looking for trials but they seem to find us anyway.  In fact I would say the most painful, hurtful, devastating times in my life happened when things actually seemed to be going along just fine.  

The question of the day is, What does the testing of your faith give you?

Scripture tells us right in these first four verses of James, that it brings maturity and completeness.  I have to say though, that even looking back and being able to see where God has brought me through situations and grown my faith and my maturity both, I did not enjoy those situation.I know that He always has a plan, but I don't always like walking the path


Jill:  I agree with you 100% Emily.  Looking back I'm glad I am more mature and more complete, but I hope I never have to go through all that again. 

Lisa: I was wondering today, as I pondered the question and the answer, how many times I have not responded with joy - not even "considered" the idea of joy, and was "content" to go through my trial with Bitterness, Anger, Resentment, Contentment, etc?  If that is how I chose to respond to my trial, did I grow?  Am I now more mature, more complete?  I would venture to say no.  Then, is it possible that because of the way I CHOSE to react, and did not Persevere through my trial, and did not learn anything, do you think I have to do it over, in another circumstance, that will allow me to make another choice, so that God can help me mature?  I mean, He has a plan for me, right?  He wants me to become more mature and more complete, so wouldn't I have to "suffer" until I mature?


Jill:  Lisa you have me worried.  I sure hope I learned from my past and the trails and misfortunes I went through.  No I wasnt happy about it at the time, I'm happy now looking back as I feel I gained something from it.  But you have me pondering.....

I think we are always going to have trials, because here on earth we won't ever be as mature and perfect as we will be once we are in Heaven.  Probably if we don't learn those lessons, another situation will come up and give us a chance to work on it some more.  Honestly, when I was daily dealing with my temper towards my children, it felt like every day was a trial.  Now that I have a better understanding of how God wants me to react in situations and am spending more time in His word and asking Him for some calm before I address issues (instead of lashing out) it almost seems like the kids don't push my buttons as much.  Does that even make sense?  But I think if it were still a huge struggle for me, situations for me to practice self control would still come up. 

Beth asks us to think about a situation where you feel like you are walking through a trial and list three ways that you could handle that situation.  The list in my margins looked like this:

Attending a new church 

*Resentment

-This could lead to me not serving the Lord

because of allowing hurts from our old church

to fester and become stronghold.

*Gossip

-Talking negatively about anyone or anything

in regards to the old church could lead to me

blaming others that we had to leave, keeping

me from plugging in to the new church and 

growing more in my faith

*Embrace

-Being open to what God has planned for

me and my family at our new place of worship

allows for the possibility of growth, 

servant hood and change for all of us.


Jill: My work issues with my co worker:
Anger
Becoming Rude or resentful.  This actually could make the situation worse, it could cast
a negative light on me.  In 5 years it could spiral out of control and I could just become a bitter
angry person who has alienated myself from everyone.
Jealous
I could become so jealous that I just quit my job, and in 5 years that could be terrible, who knows
what the economy could look like in 5 years and I could be in some serious financial problems.
Embrace
I could embrace what James said to consider and try to think of it as a growing process.  In 5 years

difficult situations and will be more complete.


I like the last one best.  I like how she had us do that exercise.  It really put things into perspective for me.

Lisa: Staying or Leaving the current church we attend

Leave Now
-Without God's blessing to leave, we would not be acting in His will.  We would therefore be somewhat lost and wandering around - I'm imagining a situation like the Israelites wandering for 40 years in the desert because they tried to take control.

Wait it Out and be Miserable and Complain while we Wait
-I think I'm currently guilty of this one.  Neither Anthony nor I feel like it's time to leave, although we both feel like it is right to leave.  By behaving this way, it will create a constant wear and tear on our bodies, minds, marriage, and family.  Plus, who likes a complainer (Sorry Emily for dragging you down with the Highpoint drama...)

Wait Patiently
-Obviously this is the "right" answer.  I'm excited to share this with Anthony, and I'm sure he'll be relieved to hear me say this.  I don't know that I can act joyful about remaining in our current situation, but knowing that this is where God desires us to be right now does bring a sense of peace.  By waiting on His perfect timing, we will remain in God's Will, and our faith will grow.  And, as we've learned, we will become mature, complete, and will lack nothing.
 

Of these things obviously embracing the situation God has called us to is the best choice and because we have been through enough trials to know that God always has a plan, we are choosing to attend our new place of worship with a sense of anticipation and excitement.  

Best piece of new information for Day One for me?  That James is another name for Jacob!  


Jill:  Man I kind of freaked out when I read that about the James/Jacob thing.  Reuniting the 12 tribes.  WOW.  I love how James uses word play to really hammer home his message.  And we are only up to the 4th verse!!!!!    I also think I figured out why that last day we did was so important, she was really hammering home how "Jewish" James was.  I like how she showed us that James assumed that all the Jews would become Christians, and that this letter was written to that group of people.  I can see where she was going with that.  Granted I don't have a total grasp on it, but I think I'm getting closer.  LOVE LOVE LOVE this study.  

Lisa: I thought this was pretty incredible too!  I find it fascinating that Jacob is the more "Jewish" name, and yet we refer to our author as James, even though he's the most "Jewish" of them all!  I loved how Melissa pointed out that James is named not only after the famous patriarch, but also after Joseph's father - which may have been somewhat customary of the time - to name the oldest son after a member of the family.  I know that Jesus was Mary's firstborn, but James was Joseph's first son.  Jesus came to them already named, whereas Joseph got to choose a special name for his son.  I wonder if James had a special place in his father's heart, knowing that the oldest boy in the house was not his flesh and blood?  I also thought it was interesting when Beth pointed out that both the Old Testament Jacob and our New Testament James struggled with their older sibling...

Acts 15:14

After talking with Emily, going through the lesson for Session One, Day Five, and then reading through the previous blog post, I am just going to throw a few things out and attempt to decipher whether or not I'm on board with Beth Moore on this particular area.  I will mostly be referencing the study notes in my Bible, which is the 2008 Updated NIV Study Bible, but I will also be cross-referencing other commentaries and Bible translations as well.  I really hope this does not come across as anything more than me trying to figure out what the Bible is saying, not just what Beth Moore thinks the Bible is saying, and making it fit into her lesson.

Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.

Acts 15:14 - NIV

Simon Peter has explained to us how God first showed his concern for those who aren't Jews. He chose some of them to be his very own people. 

Acts 15:14 - NIRV (New International Readers Version)

Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.

Acts 15:14 NKJV (New King James Version)

James broke the silence. "Friends, listen. Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included. This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets:

   After this, I'm coming back;
      I'll rebuild David's ruined house;
   I'll put all the pieces together again;
      I'll make it look like new
   So outsiders who seek will find,
      so they'll have a place to come to,
   All the pagan peoples
      included in what I'm doing.
"God said it and now he's doing it. It's no afterthought; he's always known he would do this. 

Acts 15:13-18 The Message

It's curious, because some translations seem to line right up with what Beth Moore is saying, but listen to what my commentary said:

NOTE: a people for himself: A new community largely made up of Gentiles, but including Jews as well. (see John 10:16 and note; cf (cross-reference 1 Peter 2:9-10) - NIV Study Bible

So I did.

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also.  They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 

John 10:16

NOTE: other sheep: These already belonged to Christ, though they had not yet been brought to him.

not of this sheep pen: Those outside Judaism.  Here is a glimpse of the future worldwide scope of the church.

one flock: All God's people have the same Shepherd - NIV Study Bible

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

NOTE: chosen people: As Israel was called God's chosen people in the OT, so in the NT believers are designated as chosen, or elect.

people belonging to God: See Ex. 19:5 and note.  Though once not the people of God, they are now the recipients of God's mercy (cf. Hos. 1:6-10 and note on 1:10; Rom. 9:25-26 and note; 10:19).

In Hosea it is Israel who is not God's people; in Romans it is the Gentiles to whom Paul applies Hosea's words; in 1 Peter the words are applied to both. - NIV Study Bible

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.  Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Exodus 19:5-6

NOTE: out of all nations...my treasured possession: The equivalent phrases used of Christians in 1 Pet. 2:9 are "chosen people" and "people belonging to God". (see Dt. 7:6)

the whole earth is mine: The God of Israel is the Creator and Possessor of the earth and everything in it - NIV Study Bible

LISA: Of course God is the Creator and the Possessor!  Every single living thing on this earth belongs to God.

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 7:6

Yet the Isrealites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted.  In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people; they will be called 'sons of the living God'.

Hosea 1:10

NOTE: Cited in Romans 9:26; 1 Peter 2:10 and applied to the mission to the Gentiles.  The threatened punishment (vv. 4 - 6, 9) would be for only a limited time, an a period of blessing would follow. - NIV Study Bible

As he says in Hosea:

"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"

and,

"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people; they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"

Romans 9:25-26

NOTE: In the original context these passages from Hosea refer to the spiritual restoration of Israel.  And Paul finds in them the principle that God is a saving, forgiving, restoring God, who delights to take those who are "not my people" and make them "my people."  Paul then applies this principle to Gentiles, whom God makes his people by sovereignly grafting them into covenant relationship with him. - NIV Study Bible

Again I ask: Did Israel not understand?  First, Moses says:

"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding."

Romans 10:19

NOTE: Did Israel not understand?: The quotation that follows answers this question suggesting that the Gentiles, whom the Jews considered to be spiritually unenlightened, understood.  Surely if they understood the message, the Jews could have. - NIV Study Bible

Okay, enough dancing around the Scriptures.  The Full Life Study Bible, NIV says this about Acts 15:14:

NOTE: God's program for this age is to take from among all the nations a people, separated to him for his name.  This body of Christ, gathered out of the present world system, prepares herself as the bride of Christ.

The final commentary that I will post, before ending this ridiculously long post, that has probably done absolutely nothing comes from Matthew Henry.

NOTE: He {James} refers to what Peter had said concerning the conversion of the Gentiles (v. 14): "Simeon" (that is, Simon Peter) "hath declared, and opened the matter to you—how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, in Cornelius and his friends, who were the first-fruits of the Gentiles-how, when the gospel began first to spread, presently the Gentiles were invited to come and take the benefit of it;" and James observes here, (1.) That the grace of God was the origin of it; it was God that visited the Gentiles; and it was a kind visit. Had they been left to themselves, they would never have visited him, but the acquaintance began on his part; he not only visited and redeemed his people, but visited and redeemed those that were lo ammi—not a people. (2.) that the glory of God was the end of it: it was to take out of them a people for his name, who should glorify him, and in whom he would be glorified. As of old he took the Jews, so now the Gentiles, to be to him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, Jer. 13:11. Let all the people of God remember that therefore they are thus dignified in God, that God may be glorified in them.

LISA: I can totally see where Beth was coming from, saying that the Jews came from the Gentiles, and I guess I might agree with her now.  God created the entire earth and all that inhabits it, and I believe that He knew the beginning and the end.  He knew that man would fall and that Jesus would need to be sacrificed in order to save His people.  He knew that He would allow both Jews and Gentiles to kneel before Him and become His People.  So I guess, in a way, it makes sense what Beth is saying, that God called out of the entire world, the Gentiles, a Chosen People (the Jews), and then out of both Jews and Gentiles, calls out the REDEEMED!

Sorry about the long diatribe!  I knew I would get to the point sooner or later....