Session Five: Day Four- Only One Judge

There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

James 4:12

I am created in the image of God----> I represent God----> I am Junior God----> I am like God

It seems to be a slippery slope to reach a place of judgement and condemnation, doesn't it.  Or maybe it's just me.  God created us in His image and so it's very easy for us to get an overinflated sense of self.  I really like how Beth laid it out in a very clear path just how easy it is to get there.

How are you most prone to play judge?

When I see other Christians talking about how holy they are or spouting off about their faith and then acting completely opposite to what the bible says, I have a very, very hard time not judging them.  I can look at things non-Christians do with sympathy, empathy, grace and forgiveness, but give me a Christian who hides behind their faith and the judgey side of me cannot be contained.

Lisa: Me too!  I know we've talked about this before, but I struggle with the same thing.  Maybe it's because I have lived on the "unsaved" side of the fence and know what it's like to be totally turned off of the Christians around me, but I can love the lost all day long, but a hypocritical "Christian" playing church instead of actually being the church makes my blood boil with judgement.

What again is the Royal Law in James 2:8?
To Love your neighbor. as yourself

Lisa: I made a note in the margin here: Do I really like/love myself when I behave "bad".  When I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit about something and continue to live a certain way...am I really loving myself for the things that I am doing?  Maybe I'm just looking for a loophole here, but, just thought I'd throw it out there.

Read Matthew 7:1-2.  Does it make you squirm a little?
It does because God clearly says that we will be judged just as harshly for judging others.  

Lisa: Yep!  I'm squirming!  We will be judged in the way that we judge others.  Yikes!

To make sure we get the major point from Romans 2:2, what do we know about God's judgment?
That Gods judgment is the only judgment that is based on TRUTH.

Lisa: Nothing really to add here: God's judgement is based on the truth.

I was really glad to see Beth talk about the difference in and the right of a Godly community holding believers accountable, too.  Especially when she reiterates that the difference is in the spirit conviction versus the human state of judgment.  People who walk in the Spirit judge things.  Not people.  

Lisa: Favorite quote: "Humanly speaking, a fine line can squiggle between wise discernment and sinful judging.  We need discernment in the worst way and we also need to know when to distance ourselves from the spiritually dangerous people."

This and the next paragraph which is a quote by Dr. Douglas Moo, really made me think about the decisions regarding our church, and also the way that your brother in-law runs his church.  Lots to talk about tomorrow!

Session Five: Day Three- One Life Under God

"Submit to God."

James 4:7

Short and sweet today, isn't it.  Submit.  It's a tricky word in our culture.  Most of us aren't raised to submit to anything, let alone a God who might not always give us what we want.  But before we can submit, we have to hear the words from the preceding verse.  "He gives greater grace."  How often do I feel like I give and give and there is little left over for myself.  I end up feeling empty and used up.  To sit in the knowledge that He gives me the grace I need to be restored is refreshing.  I want to remember to sit every day and let Him fill me up, so that I can pour into others.

Beth asked us to list in the margins the five things James tells us.  They are:

1. Submit to God
2. Resist the Devil
3. Come near to God
4. Wash your hands
5. Purify your hearts.

She admonishes us to be deliberate in what we resist and what we draw near to.  We can't have it both ways.  Something always gets pushed and something else gets pulled.  What Satan hopes is that we will get worn down from pouring out or from the trials of this world and then he can sneak in and turn our hearts hard towards God.  But if we stay in Christ, in his Word, in prayer, in active conversation with Him, there is no room for Satan to sneak in.  I love the picture Beth paints when she says, "He (the Devil) doesn't flee from us.  He runs from God who is standing right there over us every time we submit."   I picture Him standing with His arms crossed shaking his head no.  And the Devil is terrified and runs away.

Pretty.  Awesome.

What light does Matthew 16:23 shed on Satan's schemes to frustrate our walk with Christ?
Satan only has lies and deceit and trials in store for us.  He calls him a stumbling block.

Lisa: Satan strategically places himself between us and God as a stumbling block.  He throws worldly things at us, and then waits...

If you feel comfortable share which Submit to God encouragement most spoke to you.  
I think this would be a great one to go over when we are next together.

Lisa: Agreed.  I really liked this lesson a lot.  And I mean Uh Lot!  I can't wait to go over it with my FRIENDS FACE TO FACE!!!  So glad we're meeting on Friday!
  
Love you girls and look forward to seeing you on Friday!

Session Five: Day Two- The World's Best Friend

Whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. 

James 4:4

Before I get into today's lesson, I just have to take a moment to tell you both how very, very important you are to me.  You both know that this has been a somewhat dramatic last week for our family and knowing that you were praying for us and our loved ones means more than I can tell you.  You are honestly two of the biggest gifts God has ever given me.

Okay.  On to the lesson.  Given that two of us recently took a Facebook hiatus, I loved that Beth began today talking about the difference between "befriending" someone and "friending" someone.  Girls you both have befriended me and there is a total and complete difference from just being friends on social media.  Moving on to the scriptures of today, how did you compare James 2:23 to James 4:4?  I had trouble with this so I didn't have anything.  I'm hoping you do!

Lisa: The last phrase of 2:23 is "and he was called God's friend".  4:4 says, "...Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

My spectrum looked like this:

friendship with the world______________________________________________friendship with God

What really struck me about this is that there's really nothing in the middle.  We really do need to choose.  It's too hard to spread ourselves across the vast open space and attempt to be both friends with the world and friends with God.  NOTE: I will always believe that we can have friends IN the world.  If we don't, then how can we possibly fulfill Christ's command to go and produce fruit?  If we constantly surround ourselves only with other Christians, then what good are we?  Or to quote our new friend in the Scriptures, "What good is it?"

One of the things Beth does that I love most about her studies is giving us the Greek word and it's meaning.  If only I could read the bible in its original language!  I think it would read completely different.  She tells us the word for world used in this passage refers to the system of evil controlled by Satan.  Um...that's a totally different world than one referenced in John 3:16.  Wow.  I also really liked when she talked about how once we receive Christ we are His Bride, destined for Heaven, but friendship comes by practicing elements of our relationship.

Faith and actions must work together.  How can we parallel Abraham's faithfulness as we follow Christ?
By doing what He asks us in full, to believe in Him and to produce fruit.  I really like how this idea ties works and belief together because so many people and churches get hung up on one or the other (including myself at times!)

Lisa: I like how she had us circle the word PRACTICE!  We must put feet to our faith (yep, I threw out a little Christianese for us today!)  I've always been drawn to the Bible's If/Then statements, and believe me, there are MANY!  Jesus states in John 15:14 - "You are my friends IF you do what I command you."  Then he does a lot of talking and finally gets back to business, "...you should go out and produce fruit...".  We have been called to do many things, and we must be mindful that some of these things require us to move.

Close friendships are built on face time.  It's one reason we plan to get together or meet friends for coffee.  In the same way, God wants that with us.  What is the distinguishing mark of friendship between Christ and His disciples according to John 15:15?
He called them friend because He made known to them the things of His Father.  They shared intimate details of their lives.  More details than He shared with anyone else.

Lisa: What an honor.  I love how Jesus reminds his friends that they did not choose him, but rather he chose them!  I love it!
 
What an honor to be able to call Him friend.  

I Am Above All Things

I read this devotional today and I just found it fitting.  I hope you don't mind if I share with my girls:

I am above all things: your problems, your pain, and the swirling events in this ever-changing world.  When you behold My Face, you rise above circumstances and rest with Me in heavenly realms.  This is the way of Peace, living in the Light of My Presence.  I guarantee that you will always have problems in this life, but they must not become your focus.  When you feel yourself sinking in the sea of circumstances, say "Help me, Jesus!" and I will draw you back to Me.  If you have to say that thousands of times daily, don't be discouraged.  I know your weakness, and I meet you in that very place.

Ephesians 2:6

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

Matthew 14:28-32

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 

**This is all from the devotional book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.**

Session Five: Day One- Consider The Source

What is the source of wars and fights among?

James 4:1

Sitting at my desk reading carefully through the "interview" questions today will I think be a life changing moment.  The questions were hard and because I actually took the time to really look inside my heart and answer them honestly, I discovered some things about myself that aren't all that fun to face.  But I know that it is totally worth it to search my motives and to clarify what is going on inside.  I hope you also took the time to really search your hearts today.

When I look at my life and from the outside look at yours, it seems like we have all been so very blessed and yet no matter how much we have, Beth is right when she says that we will always desire something we don't have, whether that is honor, material things, respect, etc.  That is a powerful statement and backed up with the scriptures from Matthew 5:21 and 1John 3:15, it is packs an overwhelming punch.  Loosely paraphrase those two verses:

Anger and hate bring about the same judgement as murder, which leads to eternal hellfire and the absence of eternal life.


Jill: I had a difficult time trying to come up with a paraphrase, as i felt as if all the breath had been taken out of me.  Those two passages she had us read really hit home with me.  I sat there reading them over and over, and my jaw dropped.  I'm the same as a murderer.  CREEPY.  Please Lord takes this anger and jealousy from me.

I would never look at myself in the mirror and call myself a murderer and yet things that I harbor in my heart and refuse to take to God and ask him for absolutely qualify me for the same eternal fate as someone who actually takes a life.  Thinking about this makes me stop for a moment and ask what I have been "killing" because of what is going on inside myself.  That is a sobering thought. James says murder is dead wrong regardless of whether it comes from the heart or the hand. 

Write out the verse for Psalm 38:9.

All my longings lie open before you O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.


Jill:  NLT: You know what I long for Lord, you hear my every sigh.

According to James 4:3, what is another reason we might harbor an unmet desire?

He says we ask with wrong motives that what we get will be squandered on self.  I also find that I don't ask because because I want to hang on to my resentment and I don't truly believe that anything will change.  So even if I do ask, my motives are not good.  


Jill:  Our motives are all wrong.  I love that James is stating this, and I love how Beth had us do those 9 questions interview.  (I only have 1 thing I want most know, but in my recent past it was respect) In my work life #8 is directly related to the person I am most prone to quarrel with. That statement again knocked me on my back side and really look at things different.  This was a very thought provoking study day for me.  

The biggest impact of today's lesson is that I really need to go deeper with this thought and truly deal with some stuff that I have been holding on to.  The time is now and while I know it means a process, I am excited to ask God for every true and perfect gift and hand Him back the ones that aren't from Him.

   

Session Four: Day Five- Wisdom Below, Wisdom Above

 The wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. James 3:17

This is a day when I wish that we could sit together and talk about our families.  They are so much a part of who we become and I always love to hear stories from your childhoods, both good, bad and funny.  I was trying to think of something quirky or weird or interesting about my family and realized that my side of the family was very logical, very rigid and very routine.  Perhaps that is why I tend to be the same.  In my little family I am easily the serious one.  I would love to hear what you have to share about your own families!


Jill:  My mom has 11 siblings.  So I have LOTS of cousins, aunts, and uncles.  There are so many crazy kookie stories from them.  I love them dearly.  Funny enough out of all my cousins, I can only think of 2 that have sisters.  So my girl cousins that are closest in age were like my sisters.  We were always together, every weekend, and during summers we would sometimes live at someone else's house.  I am about in the middle age wise.  Too many stories to share but the one thing that I think interesting about my mom's siblings is that they grew up very very poor.  So poor it is difficult to imagine living like that.  Well in order to get out, the boys joined the military and the girls got married, essentially to the 1st boy that came along.  Most were just out of high school when they got married.  As much as I love all my aunts husbands, they were terrible choices for them, they are ALL now divorced.  But something I always found odd was how much my aunts pushed all of us girls to get married and have babies (not even in that order), the men where there for the baby making,  they all wanted us to have babies, and lots of them.  I think that is why I rebelled so much about not getting married, I had no good roll models and I didnt want to end up in divorce.

                             Wisdom from above:                      

• good life
• humility
• pure
• peace loving
• considerate
• submissive
• mercy
• impartial
• sincere

Wisdom from below:

• bitter envy
• selfish ambition

Beth reminds us that this letter is written for Christians. I think sometimes we forget that the bible is for us.  Not just the unsaved or those who are searching for Christ.  For us.  Complacent, set in our ways, believers.  Sometimes it's hard to hear because we think we have it all together, but I know I am a better person when I am reminded (often) that I am still sinful.  One of the areas that I struggle with is an area Beth talks about.  Jealousy.

Why does being jealous make us so miserable?
For me it brings up feelings of dissatisfaction.  Like somehow what I am doing isn't enough.  I know that my family has been blessed beyond measure, but I still get twinges of jealousy over the dumbest things. Most recently I found myself feeling jealous because a friend of mine is planning a Hawaiian vacation, with her kids, for this fall.  We were JUST there.  I should be excited for her but instead I wish that we could go back and take our kids.  It's a sneaky feeling, but being aware that I am susceptible to that allows me to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.


Jill:  For me it is low self esteem.  I get jealous because I dont think I deserve what that other person has that I want.  

My favorite quote from this week:  Wisdom often knows what to do, what is right or what is awry.  Understanding often knows why.  Who in your life would you characterize as wise?
The wisest person I know is Donna Hill, a women just a season of life ahead of me.  She has a gentle spirit, caution with her words and Godly wisdom that convicts me and lifts me up both.


Jill:  sadly the 1st person that popped into my head is not spiritually wise but rather academically wise, and her next question of "are they harsh"  why YES this person is very harsh.  Then I love how she says "Harsh people are never wise they may be smart, they may even be right but they are not what the bible calls wise".  Working in an environment of all physicians are are in research trying to unlock medical mysteries can be difficult, as I will never be as academically smart as they are, but this reminder that just because they are smarter than me, doesnt mean they are wiser than me.  Thank you Beth for that little nugget.  


My favorite part of today was "Braggers are liars, period".  Again I work with people who brag and boast ALL DAY EVERY DAY.  It is so difficult to listen to at times, so now I just sort of smile to myself and thing braggers are liars, aaaaahhhhh what sweet music to my ears.

Session Four: Day Four- Fire and Water

"Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth.  My brothers, these things should not be this way."  James 3:10

How is everyone doing on writing out the scriptures?  I am a little behind but intend to get caught up over the weekend.  There is something incredibly satisfying about writing down an entire book from the bible.

Beth begins this lesson by showing us how James begins to use the word we.  It is used six times (that's what I counted so please correct me if you counted more!) in just a few verses.  For myself, I loved that James jumped right in next to me in admitting that we all stumble in many ways.  It's refreshing to be reminded via the bible that even as a believer I will not be perfect.  This seems to be the theme of my life lately and I am embracing every opportunity to take those reminders to heart.

Having a mouth that is prone to speak inappropriately verse 6 hits me hard.  My tongue is capable of setting my whole course of life on fire.    Did anyone else feel struck by this?

This past week has been a very emotional, spiritually busy week for our family.  Along with my nephew's accident, Kyle's uncle is in the hospital following heart surgery and not doing very well.  Added to that is my answer for the personal question:  

When was the last time you were aware of the tongue's capacity to blister and scar?

This week at school a parent of the boy who broke his arm has been very verbal and aggressive towards another child who she is claiming is responsible for breaking her sons arm.  The truth is that the TA's and the principal believe it to be an accident.  The boy with the broken arm even admitted originally that he simply tripped and fell.  The issue then becomes one of the mom wanting some type of vindication for the fact that her child won't be able to finish basketball playoffs or participate in spring baseball.  So the boy and his mom are both saying awful, untrue things about another child.  It has become such an issue that the other child is being harassed by other kids and made to feel like he is a horrible child.  It's hard to watch because I can see him feeling awful that other kids and a parent are saying such things about him.  He will probably never forget this time in his life.

 Beth goes on to have us look up Acts 2 and discusses how the tongue can be used for good or evil but that we have a choice each day on how we use it.  It made me think about how the parent I was talking about could have called the other boy and simply said they knew it was an accident.  How different would the situation be.  It's so important that we take just a few moments to remember that every word that comes out of our mouth will have an impact.  What that impact will be is up to us.

Has there been a time in your life when your bitterness turned sweet because of  the redemptive power of Jesus?  Please share if you feel comfortable.

Early in marriage we had a lot of issues that we needed to work out and doing so left me incredibly bitter.  I had gone from an abusive relationship to a wonderful one, but even wonderful has its pitfalls.  Sadly I wasn't able to get over some of the disappointment and hurt that come with simply being human and having failures.  I held on to my bitterness for years and when I had to give up getting my Masters Degree because I got pregnant, I counted that another bitterness to hold against my husband.  Yes, I know it takes two to make babies, it was just easier to blame him for me not being able to do what I wanted to do.  It took me several years, lots of time on my knees and some great Christian friends for me to begin to realize that I was the one destroying our marriage by living in the well of bitterness.  Thankfully God is merciful and he has changed my heart and in doing so my relationship with my husband has been restored.