got a light?

The other day I saw a teacher from my school in her car and she was smoking a cigarette. It really surprised me to see someone who I look up to so much doing something that almost anyone would say is very bad. I understand that smoking is her own life decision and really shouldn’t judge her for doing so, but it just took me aback.

James 3:1 talks about teachers, saying that not many people should become teachers because they will be judged more strictly. We tend to hold those who tell us how to act and what to do to higher standards, so it is very important that when you are in teaching positions you are careful to do and say the appropriate things.

The passage goes on to say, that we all make mistakes sometimes, but those who never mess up with their speech are perfect and have their whole body in check. We can get ourselves into a lot of trouble by just saying the wrong things.

We’ve all been told that our actions speak louder than our words, but sometimes what we say is just as important as what we do. And sometimes it’s what we don’t say that is the most important. Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” It is very easy to be provoked by others and say things that we shouldn’t out of frustration or anger, but sometimes just holding our tongues is best.

James 3:3 likens our words to a bit, a small piece of metal put in a horse’s mouth that is attached to reins and allows the rider to steer it. Such a small device has the power to turn the whole animal, and in the same way, our words can affect all of us. They can choose our paths and have permanent effects on people, so we need to be very careful with them and think about what we want to say before actually saying it.

Answer This:

1. Have you tried to be a teacher in ways that you should not be?
2. How have you been using you words? Is this the way you should be using them?
3. When do you need to be silent instead of speaking?
4. Take some time to journal about this passage.

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Written by Hannah Pergolizzi

I will survive

James 2:24-26

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Rahab was a prostitute, an outcast, defiled, destitute and alone. She left her family at a young age and sold herself to survive. The location of her home against the wall of Jericho made the perfect lookout for spies sent by Joshua to scout the land before battle. She risked her life for the cause; She knew they were led by the Lord and hid them when the King came searching for them. The Lord used Rahab to be fulfill his promise to the Israelites. She risked her life by protecting the spies and became a faithful follower of the Lord. Because of this her life was the only one spared from Jericho. The Apostle James adds to Paul’s record about Rahab being justified by faith saying that she was likewise justified by works (James 2:25). There is no contradiction between these two aspects for Rahab’s courageous deed was but faith in practice. Her faith gave her courage to shield the spies as she believed that God would triumph over His enemies. James quotes Rahab as exemplifying “justification by works.” To get a better look at this awesome story you can find it in Joshua 2.
Rahab is an example of grace, justifying through mere verbal faith. She believed with the heart (Romans 10:9-10), confessed with the mouth, and acted even at the risk of her life.


Answer this:
1. Does your faith speak louder than your words? Or do you words speak louder?
Meaning: do you say you have faith but don’t act upon it? Or can you see your faith living out by your actions? This may be a good question for you to ask a close friend or family member about yourself.
2. How can you make your faith more evident to yourself/ those around you?
3. How does Rahab’s faith and courage encourage you?
4. In what areas of your life do you need to combine both faith and works?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Sarah Davis

you can do it

James 2:18-23

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! 

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 

22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.

When I was a sophomore in High School I knew a missionary named Scott. He was a good man. He talked to me one year about this camp he was working at in Maine. He told me all about this camp and talked about how I should come up and work there with him next summer… they always need counselors… so that summer I packed my bags and headed up as a counselor. Throughout the training week Scott started to notice that when he was having trouble coming up with something for the group to do I would usually come up with a plan. He took note of that and started talking to me about how he felt like I could be a good leader and that he thought that I would do good working with teens. I was only a teenager myself, but I had already heard this from my Youth Pastor and a few others… my Youth Pastor actually went so far as to buy me a book about leadership and get together with me regularly and talk about leadership… But Scott did something different.. he said “here you go, you are in charge of this game time”, then he said “you are in charge of this hour every day”, then he said “Jeff you're gonna be in charge of the whole program”.
So in one area of my life I had guys saying “I have Faith in you that you can lead” and they would give me a book about leading… but then I had this guy saying “I have faith in you that you can lead” and he starts giving me chances to lead… he showed me his faith BY his actions… I knew that this guy believed in me because He trusted me with important stuff.
It’s the same way with God. Sure people believe in him, lots of people do… and they even want to have faith in him, but do they still want to live their lives the way that they want to or are they able to show God their faith by actually choosing to live for Him.
Now I grew up in a church that taught that you need to do good works to get to heaven, that is not true - You need to have Faith in God to get to heaven, and you need to use that Faith to have a personal relationship with Jesus, that is what gets you to heaven - not the good things that you do… however, we can't read your heart like God can… so when we see you doing things that show you are living for God, then we can see your “faith” by your “works”.

Answer This:
1. What are some works that show your faith ?
2. Why is it important for you to show your faith with your works?
3. “Show me your faith apart from your _________, and I will show you my faith by my ___________”
take a minute and journal about this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Jeff

Faith in Action

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭14-17‬ ESV)

Question: How does God know if you have faith? Well, He can see into your heart, mind and soul; He just knows if you have faith.

Another Question: How do other people know if you have faith? Well, you can tell them all about what you believe. You can talk about how you are trusting the Lord to your needs. The best way for other people to know if you have faith is to SHOW them! This is what James means in our passage today. James is building on what he said in James 1:22 which says, "But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourself."

The Christian life is about trusting God for our eternal salvation and daily living. It is having faith, trusting that God's Word is true. God sees into our hearts and knows our faith. Others see our faith as we put it into action.

My challenge to you: to make a commitment to give to the needs of a missionary. I know you are thinking, "You tell me to give, I don't have much." That is why it is called faith in action!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Jim Dugan (CBC Missionary to Australia)

just a little punch

James 2:11-13

11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 

13 Forjudgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

When I pick up my kid at school every day I ask how he is was during the day… I do like to know if he had a fun day and if he felt good and all that stuff, but when I ask I am asking about his behavior, because he has had some issues in the past and i want to stay on top of that and make sure that he is behaving. So the other day I asked how he was and he got all excited, a little too excited… “I was so good during nap time today Dad, I was so quiet and the other kids were being loud, but I was quiet… and when I wanted to play with Sophia under the table (yeah, I know that sounds odd for nap time) instead I just closed my eyes and tried to take my nap, and I never talked, even when Mr. Matt had to talk to all the other kids, I was being so good, I
was being super good, etc… blah blah blah” he went on and on about how good he was being during nap time.. so when he finally finished bragging about his nap time skills Mr Matt leaned down and said “you really were good during nap time buddy, but then what happened?” and my son was still up beat and just passed right on past this info - “oh yeah, well then i punched Vinnie, but I was super good during nap time!!”
When I wanted to know how his day was it just wasn't good enough to know that he was good at nap time, if you are good at nap time but get in a fight at playground time you can’t call is a great day! So Liam still had consequences for fighting even though he was being good. So here is the thing, I need to get my kid to understand that he has to follow the rules.
So we set up consequences for actions, both positive and negative.
Anything from not getting a piece of candy on the way home all the way up to some bigger consequences for bigger crimes. He needs to learn from his mistakes… however, it would be really rough if his school had a one strike and you're our policy. See, what happens is he and his friends get playing ninja turtles and one gets hit, thats what happens - its not like a real fight or anything… the teacher knows that, he still needs it to stop
but he knows that Liam is not a threat to the class so he is able to show Mercy and not kick him out of the school.
It’s the same way with God. Sure we all sin, and sin is sin. there will be consequences for our actions of course and we will hopefully grow and learn from those… but God usually doesn't sentence us to death every time we sin… be a really empty Earth if He did! He shows us Mercy when He could show judgement. That doesn’t make sin ok, there are always consequences in life, but his Mercy allows us to keep going so we can learn from our
mistake.

Answer this:
1) Name a time that you received Mercy instead of judgement.
2) Why does God even care, if we are all technically forgiven already why would he work consequences into our lives for the
actions we do?
3) “For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do _____, you
have become a ___________ of the law.”
4) Take a minute to journal about this passage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Jeff

you're not the boss of me!

James 2:8-10

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. 

9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 

We’ve been all taught at a young age the golden rule: do to others, as you would have them treat you. This rule goes along with the royal law of “Love your neighbor as yourself” which we all know we should be doing.
But, living in a broken world it is hard to not show favor to some people over others. When I was younger I
became friends with two girls who had already known each other for many years. One summer, we would hang out virtually every day. I don’t know about your success in a friendship with three people, but it is hard not to exclude someone. One day I would be excluded, the next day I would be best friends with one of the girls. Of course I loved the days where I was best friends, but I also loathed the days where I was excluded. None of us are friends today and it might have had something to do with that, rocky summer we had.
No one likes being left out. God knows how He created us. He knew this about us.
The second part of the verse talks about how if a person keeps all the laws except for one, they are as guilty
as the person who has committed all of the laws. I love how simple God is with sin... no sin is greater than
another.
Teaching third grade I sometimes have to make judgment calls on who should get in trouble, etc. One day
recently one of my students came to me saying another boy pulled his hood and made it loose. When I asked
the boy if this was true he said, “Yeah, but when I said sorry the other boy said ‘Sorry doesn’t help!’”
In my classroom we have a rule to keep our hands to ourselves. So this boy thought that even though he broke
that rule, he thought he would be ‘free’ from punishment because the other boy was rude in the apology
response. He didn’t recognize that both of them were wrong in their actions.
Sometimes we can look at the way other people live their lives and compare it to how we live ours... Well, at
least I don’t smoke... or, at least I don’t curse... etc. All sins are sins. If you break one, it is the same as if you break all of them. It's so simple!


Answer this:
1. What is a rule that you recently broke? What are the consequences of
breaking that rule?
2. What does it mean that if you are to break one rule then you are as guilty
as the guy that breaks all the rules ?
3. “For whoever keeps the whole law but ______________ in one point has
become ___________ for all of it.”
Take a moment and journal about this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Melissa McKechnie

jeep knees

I made a mistake. I was supposed to write on James 2:5-8, but instead wrote on James 2:14-17. Forgive me. :)

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.

Eating sugar cane in the DR

In 2010, I went to the Philippines; it was an awesome trip. I loved getting to experience a different culture, try new food, meet lots of new people, and have some adventures (scuba diving, ziplining, riding jeepneys).

I’ll be honest, food in a different country is one of my favorite things. In Ecuador we ate popcorn with soup, avocado served with French fries and of course guinea pig. In the Philippines, we had lots of fresh tilapia, pancit and rambutans to name a few. Fresh fruits and veggies in foreign countries are always amazing! I still daydream about walking around a farm in the Dominican Republic trying all sorts of things—sugar cane, cashew fruit, cacao. In the Philippines, the mango was my favorite!

Philippine fruit: mango stein, lansones, pineapple,
 marang, rambutans, bananas and pomelo.

When I came home I looked in all sorts of grocery stores, but could not find it. Maybe two years later, I found some dried Philippine Mango; I was thrilled! I told people about it, bought it and made them try it. Another year or two later, I found fresh Philippine mango in Giant! I again told people and bought it and shared it! (One time when I was in Giant, a lady saw me picking it up and asked me about it. I probably gave her way more info than she wanted, but she ended up buying some to try.)

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

Having faith in God saves us. We’ve talked about this a lot throughout our devos on Galatians. Our salvation is about putting our faith and trust in God, not about circumcision or any other work we do. In Ephesians, Paul says “by grace you have been saved by faith, not of works.”

In Luke 23:39-43, we are told about the thief on the cross repenting and believing while hanging there. He wasn’t baptized or able to do any works, but Jesus told him that he’d be in Paradise that day.

So what’s all this James is saying about faith without works being dead??

Philippine Mango!!

It’s like the mango – I know it’s good and want others to enjoy it. So I tell them about it, give them some to try. I’m not going to keep it to myself.

If you have experienced God’s grace and have been saved, you’re not going to keep that to yourself. You’ll want to tell others about it… do things to help them experience the same thing you have experienced.

So God doesn’t require us to do works to be saved, but our salvation and love for Him should compel us to want to do works. In John 14:15, Jesus says “If you love me you will keep my commandments.”

Answer This:

1) Have you put your faith in Christ and been saved by God’s grace? If so, write the story of when/how here. If not, talk to your parents or a youth leader about how to do so!

2) So also ____________ by itself, if it does not have ____________, is ____________.

3) Do you talk about your faith? Do others see your works and therefore your faith?

4) Take some time to journal about this passage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written By Amber

don't judge a book by its unbrushed hair.

James 2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 

2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,  3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place,"while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet," 

4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Imagine this: you are a retail sales person whose job is to walk around and sell computers to customer on the floor. Two men walk in at once. On his on a suit and tie with combed hair and a neatly trimmed beard all the other looks slightly disheveled with the dirty t-shirt and not-quite-brushed hair. Whom do you approach first? Do you assume that the man in the suit has more money and therefore is more likely to actually buy the computer and talk to him? Or do you worry that the poorer looking man might be more apt to steal merchandise and attend to his needs first?

In doing this, you were judging and showing favoritism, something that James 2:1–4 specifically warns against. After presenting a similar scenario, James asks, "have you not discriminate among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"

Matthew 7:1–2 says, "judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." If you judge others, then people will hold you to the same standards, which is something that I'm sure you don't want.

Also, the Bible tells us that God is the only just to judge, and by taking his job into our own hands, we are saying he is not good enough at his job. Jesus is the only person who was ever sinless, and therefore can be the only one who can judge without being hypocritical.

It is so hard to be around people all the time and not judge them, but the message of this passage is quite clear: we should not judge others.

Answer This:

1) In what areas of your life are you struggling with judgment?

2) What could you do instead of judge these people?

3) My brothers, show no _____________ as you hold the _____________ in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

4) Spend some time journaling about this passage.

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Written by Hannah Pergolizzi

i talk like a sailor.

James 1:26-27

 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Religious - thrēskos (fearing or worshiping God, to tremble)

vv. 26, 27: Religion - thrēskeia (external religious worship, religious discipline)

Hi, my name is Sarah Rowland Davis; I was born into a loving and supportive Christian family. I grew up going to church my whole life, going on missions trips, going to a Christian school (aside from being homeschooled), and I was very involved in all of the church activities. I was religious if you asked my family, church friends, and some of my homeschool/high school friends. But if you were to ask my non-Christian friends if I was religious they would laugh and say “well not when we are around…” Aside from my “religious” background, I would curse, rebel against my parents, rebel against God, and do all the things I knew I shouldn’t do. I was a two-faced, lying, hypocrite. I could not control my tongue, I was fooling myself and everyone around me, my religion was <WORTHLESS.> I can now honestly come before you and God and say I am still a hypocrite, but by the Grace of God He has changed my life drastically. I have put my faith and religion before God so He can make it pure and genuine. ~ You may be thinking; “well how does she do that?” and my answer would be: I know I am a sinner, I know I mess up I know I cannot do this by myself, I know I need God for my religion to be real. So I humble myself before the Lord and rely on Him for the things I try to rely on myself or others for, I seek His forgiveness when I fail and I move forward from my past, I am in His word daily and I am always finding time and ways to talk to Him. I am refusing to let this world corrupt me! Anything is possible with Jesus Christ. *Keep in mind, this verse is not saying to only do these 3 commands and your religion will be pure, those are just some examples of being a servant to the Lord.

Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

Answer This:

1.  Would you say you have a fake or genuine religion? Why or why not?

2.  What are some ways you can go about keeping your religion pure and genuine?

3.  Are you using your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature? or are you using your freedom to keep your religion pure and genuine? How so?  

Take some time in your day to read/ focus on God’s word and talk to Him (aside from this devotional). That is how your relationship with Him grows

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written by Sarah Davis

get low, low, low, low

James 1:22-25

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

 I played a couple years of football in high school. I wasn't good at all but luckily enough for me the entire team was terrible so I was able to get into a few games and play JV. I got called up to dress for a Thanksgiving day Varsity game. There was pretty much no change I was getting into this game but it was nice that I got to dress for the game. However, the circumstances happened that I got the nod and I actually got into the game. Not only would I now have the chance to tackle someone and show the Varsity coach that I could play, but this was against H-a-d-d-o-n-f-i-e-l-d (I stretched it out so you would read the name with a voice of disdain…  remember how your mom taught you not to hate people and stuff like that…  well your mom didn’t grow up next to Haddonfield.

Perfect combination…  Thanksgiving day game…  one of the biggest rivalry games in the state, everyone is watching… the down and yardage makes us know that it’s be a run up the middle and its either gonna come to my side or the other guy next to me, but the chances are one of us will get to make this tackle.  Haddonfield was known for speedy little guards…  so this play would probably be a “counter”, which means the gap I was supposed to fill would seem empty so I’d step in just in time to get killed by a “pulling” guard from the other side… then the full back would come through that gap. If by chance I got past the guard then this fullback was tough and mean, and he could get really low…  all I had to do was get lower then him and get my shoulderpad down below his shoulderpads…  then even if I couldn't bring him down by myself the linebackers were gonna be there in a second to help me out… I could do this, I got this… 

HIKE!!! (actually it was Haddonfield I think they snapped the ball by saying “We are better then you”) … the play starts… the tackle in front of me gets low and goes the other way… I know its a run and I know its coming my way and I know there is a guard about to kill me..  I see him coming, I did a “swim technique" to get past him, I am face to face with this full back…  he is dipping down and I am standing up… standing up - whyyyyyyyyy????   yeah, he hit me so hard, the impact lifted me a little and knocked me right on my back… the full back stepped forward right onto my chest, planted his stupid Haddonfield foot and made a cut past the guy trying to tackle him (from my chest!) and he got the first down.  I didn’t play another play.

Coach knew that would happen… that’s why he told us about getting low.. I heard him too, I knew all about the right thing to do… but I was a “hearer of his words” and not “a doer of his words”. I heard him, but I didn’t do what he said.

So many people will hear about Jesus but not do what he said… and it will work out for them about as well as my football career worked out for me.

 Answer This:

1. When have you been a hearer and not a doer of something that someone said?

2. When have you been a hearer and not a does of something God said?  How did that work out for you?

3. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”

Take a minute and journal about this.

If you can't say something nice...

I was sitting in Mrs. Duffany's second grade classroom. All of the desks were arranged in a big square, so as we were working on our assignment, we could all see each other. Sitting across from me was the prettiest, most popular girl in our class. She suddenly burst out laughing and exclaiming "Oh my God!" as the boy next to had whispered something in her ear. Of course, everybody wanted to know the secret he had just shared. She turned and told someone else. Then this other boy started pestering them, asking them to tell him the secret. She eventually gave in and whispered it in his ear. Soon as she was done, he loudly exclaimed, "Amber wears diapers?!"

I wanted to shrivel up in a ball and die. I don't remember what the teacher did or what happened after that. But I was crushed. How embarrassing!

And it was true. The boy that initially whispered it was my neighbor and so I figured my sister must have told him which made it that much more hurtful. (And before you get mad at my sister - She didn't tell him. His mom saw diapers in the trashcan, asked my mom about it and she told her I wear them to bed. His little brother overheard it and told him.)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19-21 ESV)

We often talk about actions speaking louder than words and emphasizing how important our actions are. However… Words can be a very, very powerful thing, too!

It's 23 years since I was in second grade (gosh I'm old) and I can still remember that like it was yesterday. I'm sure I'm not alone and that all of you can think of one, if not many different scenarios where you can clearly remember hurtful words that someone said to you.

Because of the power words can have, James is telling us to be slow to speak. Quick, snippy comments we make can hurt someone deeply. Just like each of us can remember words said to us, there are others who can hear our hurtful words in their heads years later.

In addition to pointing out the destruction of filthy, wicked words, he also points out that other words can save our souls. Words can have a huge negative impact or a huge positive impact. It was with words that God created the world. God's words have calmed winds, waves and storms.

I know words are powerful, but I need to be reminded of the power they can have. James will come back to this whole idea of our words more in chapter 3. Since it's something that he mentions repeatedly, we'd be wise to pay attention and learn what he's teaching.

Think about your words. Try to slow down your quick, witty comments. Sarcasm can be funny, but also hurtful. Speak words that bring life. Here are some verses that remind us of these truths:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, (Matthew 12:36 ESV)

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18 ESV)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 ESV)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6 ESV)

Answer This:

1) Do you have a story like mine – a story with hurtful words you haven't forgotten?

2) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to ___________, slow to ___________, slow to anger;

3) Of the verses listed above, what one jumps out at you the most? Why?

4) Take some time to journal about this passage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written by Amber Carter

strumming your guitar

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

In an interview with “Studio B” on Feb 16, 2001 this 16 year old Christian Artist answered a few questions before singing her songs. Her first album was 2 weeks away from coming out and she was very excited. When asked about what she likes to write about she said “I just like to write about my relationship with Christ and all the pitholes [that's like a mix of potholes and pitfalls] I have encountered”. Katy was so excited to be singing in front of people and finally releasing her first album. Christian singer Jennifer Knapp had just asked Katy to open for her for a show that was coming up, she is on TV singing this song, she was finally, at age 16, getting to do all the things she had dreamed of.  She was so excited about these good gifts that God was giving her to her.

In a different interview she said my favorite quote of hers when asked what she would say to teens today that wanted to get involved in the music industry : Katy Hudson said this: “ be careful, be careful stay whole and stay a child and stay young. and when you're in the business don't get jaded… remember that there is a God and remember what your motives were when you first started strumming your guitar.”

So Katy knew what she was talking about at 16, didn’t she? This one interviewer even praised her saying he was glad his daughter had influences like Katy to look up to. 

So time passes, and she makes one little compromise and then another and all the sudden things are going well for her, and she is thanking God for the way things are working out… and she is trying to remember her own advice - no matter how many “good” things happen, remember who you were when you first started strumming your guitar.

Katy changed her last name and today Katy has millions of dollars, magazine covers like you wouldn't believe, songs on every radio station and sung by everyone in the English speaking world, she even has a rouge dancing shark… half the world has seen her naked, she has one divorce and a lot of regrets…

When Katy Perry started out she told us “remember that there is a God and what your motives were when you first started strumming your guitar” …  I don’t believe she has been true to her own advice.  So why has she been getting great gifts and rewards all along?  If they Bible says that every good gift comes from God - was He the one giving her these gifts?

Since Katy is not taking her own advice I thing its safe to say that these “gifts” that she is receiving are not so “good” in the long run, and I pray that she comes around before these “good gifts” catch up to her like they always do.

Answer This:

1)       Who is getting the good gifts that you are jealous of?

2) What is a time that you received good gifts that you knew 100% was from God?

3) “Every good ________ and every perfect _____ is from above, coming down from the Father of lights”

4) Take a minute to journal about this passage.

this is not a drill

James 1:9-15

9-11: Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

Depending on how God blesses us, we need to remember how to react. If we are from humble backgrounds (vs. 9) and trials/troubles come our way, we can take pride in our position through Christ. I grew up with a single mom in an apartment. Of course I wished we had more money and a bigger house. But looking back on it, those things wouldn’t have changed anything. I became a Christian in high school after attending church programs and youth group for a couple years. Perhaps if I did live in a bigger house or had more money, I wouldn’t have had the same mindset to want to become a Christian.

Those that are blessed with more money and bigger houses, etc need to take vs. 10 into consideration. Their material things really don’t matter to Christ. Those that are rich need to practice humility. Synonyms of humility are modesty and meekness. Humble yourselves before Christ and others. We do these things so that our focus is on the everlasting not the present. There are many Bible verses that focus on this...

1 John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

12-15: Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

You might read that and think... wait a minute... God tempted me to ______________. God doesn’t tempt. He tests.

Here is something I found googling the differences that is helpful in remembering:

Trials are difficult events that inevitably come to every life. Trials are unpleasant circumstances that occur as a result of living in a fallen world. There are viruses in the air, disappointments in friends, and accidents on the road.  Peter wrote, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Pet 4:12-13)

A test is a difficulty sent deliberately by God to reveal the depth of our character and ultimately bring out the best in us. Gen 22:1 reads, “God tested Abraham” when He commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar.  A school principal may order a fire drill as a test. The purpose of the fire drill is not to burn the school down but to test the students’ ability to vacate the building in an emergency and to prepare them for potential disaster. The principal knows it’s a test but the students do not. God sometimes sends tests to mature us and enhance our witness. God’s purpose is that we pass the test and thereby gain confidence and provide a positive testimony of faithfulness to others.

A temptation is sent by Satan to bring out our worst. The word tempt means “to entice to do wrong by a promise of pleasure or gain” and is a deliberate enticement to sin. The devil’s goal is that you disobey God and are spiritually weakened. His desire is to eventually entrap you in sin so that you will suffer defeat and ultimately death.

While God temporarily permits Satan to tempt us, God is never the author of temptation and he always provides the means for us to be victorious over Satan’s crafty seductions. God permitted Jesus to be tempted so that He would identify with our experience and demonstrate victory. The Bible assures us, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

(http://www.bobrussell.org/2011/11/14/trial-test-temptation/)

So remember, we all may go through trials, tests and temptations. One thing remains the same in all of those situations... God’s love and plan for our life. 

Answer This:

1. Name a time that God was testing you. How did you do on that test? 

2. What does Melissa say here is the difference between a test and a trial? Do you agree?

3. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under _______ because, having stood the _______, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him”

Take a moment and journal about this. 

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Written by Melissa McKechnie