fino key words in your own bible; then use as

8/14/2019 Fino Key Words in Your Own Bible; Then Use As

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I

t FINO KEYWORDS INYOUR OWNBIBLE; THENUSE AS YOUTEACH ONE OF TWOPLANS

When Common Sense Isn't EnoughLESSON PASSAGE: James 1 2-18

LIFE IMPACT: To help you display wisdom from God

James 1 2-82 0 Consider it a great joy, mybrothers,whenever youexperence various

4]) trials, 3 knowingthat the G testing ofyourfaithproduces 0 endurance.4 Butendurance mustdoits completework,sothat you maybe mature ndcomplete,lackingnothing.5 Nowifanyof youlackswsdom,heshouldask God, whogves toallgenerouslyand ~ without criticizing, and it will be givento him. 6 Butlet himask in fath withoutdoubting.For he doubteris likethesurging ea, drivenand tossedbythe wind.7That person shouldnot expectto receiveanythingfromthe Lord.B no ndecisive man is unstableinal his ways

James 1 9-119The bother of humblecircumstancesshoudboast inhs exaltation; 10 but the one

whoisrich LshouldboastJ inhis humiliation, becausehe will 0 pass away likeaflowerof the ield.11F r the sunrises withits scorchingheat and driesupthe grass;its lower fallsoff,and its beautifulappearance is destroyed.In he same way. the richman will 0 wither away whilepursuing his activities.

James 1:13-1513 Nooneundergoinga rial should say, "Iam being 0 tempted byGod:'For

Godis not tempted byevil. and He Himselfdoesn't temptanyone.14 Buteach personis emptedwhen e is ) drawn away and enticed by hs ownevil desires.15 henafterdesire has Q conceived, t gves birth o sin. and whensn s ullygrown. tgivesbirth o death.

James 1 12 ,16-1812 Bessed s a manwho endues trials,because wenhe passes the test hewill

receivethe 0 crown of life that Hehas promisedtothose who loveHim.16 Dn't be 0 deceived . mydearly lovedbrothers. 17 Everygenerousact and

every 0 perfect gift isfromabove,comingdownfromthe Fatherof lights:withHimthere s 0 no variation or shadow ast by turning.18 ByHisown chOice.Hegave us a ew brth by the messageof truthso that we woud bethe 0 firstfruits

of Hisceatures.

~ ~ @ m J [ f t ) ~

KeyWords

o or + = details on pages 63 -65O "AII joy" (KJV; NASB); "pure joy"

(N IV). We can benefit from thetrials we face. We do not needto fake happiness, bu t can havea positive outlook because Godwill use our trials to give usspiritual growth and maturity.

4])Temptations to do wrong.Humans can be tempted in thisway , bu t God cannot.

G proving the genuine nature ofsomething, anticipating that theresu lt will be approved as pure

~ G o dprovides wisdom withgenerosity rather thanhumiliation

o The image of a flower scorchedby heat was a familiar OldTestament picture of temporary

life. (See Ps. 103:15; Isa. 40:6.)O "Fade away" (NIV), die . Tempo

rary riches without wisdomultimately produce emptiness.

) refers to a craving, in this casefo r evil

Q James used the image of apregnant woman to describe th ebirth of sin in a human heart.Contrast the progression of sin

to the progression of maturity(vv . 3-4) .

O fooled oneself in regard to sin,which is contrary to seeingthings from God's perspective

o Although God created all "lights;'He never changes. Degreesof light change, bu t God iscompletely constant

--:-- Jame s a lso was clear in stating that God cou ld not be b lamed for temptation or s in. His perfectcharacter wi ll not allow Him to take part in ev il or lead anyone e lse towa rd evil. The emphasis is onou r responsibility . Satan may provide the allure, but human beings succumb to their sinfu l nature s.

B. What can we do to avoid temptations?>- Ja me s look ed a t t emptat ion in term s of when, not if. Being tempted is different than s inning , a nd

the probl em oc c urs when we fail to respond to the temptation w ith god ly w is dom and fall into s in.>- Note the progress ion of sin in th e passage. Let any wi lling vo lunteers share their stories of personal

progression of si n . Look up other passages that connect sin and death (such as Rom. 6 :23).

9. How have you successfully avoided temptation in certain areas? What are some practical things believerscan do to .avold temptation?>- Allow learne rs to suggest re s pon ses. If they are not mentioned , suggest ideas s uc h as avoiding

ce rtain W eb s ites or television s hows, wa lking away from situations that might lead to a ngry act ionsor words, and maintaining a consistent Bible study and prayer life.

If'B o n u s fo r J a mes 1: 13 - 15: In advance, secure a board game in which participants need to move theirpieces around the board to win. To illustrate the ide a of a progression from temptation to sin to death, showhow the p ieces are supposed to move around the board. Point out that the progress ion of the pieces leads to aparticular re sult. Compare this to the progression of temptation, emphasizing that the result in this case is death.

J a m e s 1 : 1 2 , 1 6 - 1 8 To A c k n o w l e d g e G o d ' s Gif t s1D. What things would you consider "gifts" from God?

>- Use yo ur Leader Guide (pp . 83-84) to summar ize ve rse 12 . Disc us s the 0 crown of life.>- Discu ss why James was concerned with se lf-decept ion among believer s (v. 16). Suggest that temp

tation a nd s in' s influence might lead us to accept a warped view of Go d that denies His good g ifts.>- Note the rol e of w is dom as one of God's gifts. Godly w isdom is rooted in our sa lvatio n (v. 18).

11. How does this view of God contrast to the view of God mentioned in verses 16-18?>- The passage on temptation reve a led a n individual ready to b la me God for mora l fa ilures . Thi s

passage under sco res an accu rate portrait of a God who loves us, provid es for us , and redeem s us.>- Share a lso the co ntr ast betw ee n the two births. Tempta tion gave birth to s in and death, wh ile Go d

gives birth to the 0 firstfruits of His creatures (v. 18) .A p p l i c a t i o n : Write the word wisdom on a n ind ex ca rd a nd carry it in you r pocket thi s week. Everytime you reac h into your pocket and fee l the card, say a s ilent prayer, ask ing Go d to give you wisdom a ndthanking Him for His good gifts.

36 FOR MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIO NS, SEE YOUR JULY 19 DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE


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No L E A D E R PACK?

H e r e ' s H e l p

Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Pack is full ofwonderful teaching aids. But if you don't have thePack, here are some helpful tips so you can prepare "homemade" substitutions for Unit 1! Then followthe directions for use of each item in the teaching plan steps.

Pack Item 1: Lesson Illustrations(June 7-Aug . 30)

Using an experience from your life; frommaterial you discover on the Internet; or fromreading newspapers, magazines, or books,develop an illustration to use in each lesson inthe quarter. These illustrations should describewhat learners are to do (use positive, notnegative illustrations), should be true to life,and should be something your class memberscan relate to. Use each illustration at the mostappropriate point in each lesson.

Pack Item 11: Handout: Who Guides You?(July 5)

Write one case study for Steps 1-4 of thelesson that illustrates each point being madeand will generate discussion that fostersapplication.

Pack Item 12: Poster: Lesson Outline (July 5)On a tear sheet write the lesson title, Lesson

Passage Outline, and corresponding Scripturereferences. See page 55 for this material.

Pack Item 13: Handout: Who 's Responsible? .Pack Item 2: Map of Paul's Early Ministry i f July 12)(June 7-July 12) Write the beginning of a guideline forAsk learners to consult maps in their Bibles of responsible living with an "If . . . then"Paul's first missionary journey. statement for each individual verse in the

Pack Item 9: Poster: Unit 2 Outline(June 28-July 12)

Use the information on Page 5 (Table ofContents) to make your Unit 2 Poster on a tearsheet. Include the Un it Title, Lesson Titles ,Scripture references, and Lesson Dates.

Pack Item 10: Poster: Choose Your Chain

(June 28)Depict two chains, each with a shackle at

one end and a ball large enough to write on atthe other. Color one chain gray and one gold.Draw a larg e red key between the two chains.

Lesson Passage except verses 11 and 18.(For example: v. 1: If a fellow believer is caughtdoing wrong, then . . . ) Combining verses 3-4 ,7-8, and 13-14 will help clarify the guidelines.

Unit 2 Resources 75


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U NIT 3

WALKING

E V E RY D A Y

I se ldom h ea r th e song now, but it remain sone of my favorites. In various ways the singerexpresses his deep feeling that some of his daysare like diamonds-p leasa nt , enjoyable, andsatisfying . Some of hi s days, howev e r, are likestones-sad, disappointing, and difficult.

We all can identify with the song's truth , Isuspect. Days differ in what they bring, and oneaspect of maturing is learning how to handl egood and bad days. For believer s, the continuingcha llenge i s to app ly ou r faith in Christ to allour days. Each day is a gift and an opportunityto live out our faith. O I l ~ n m. S t l Kk / l l i p il e r lm a 8 " ' $ Ul 1l i m i ' t d

The seve n lessons in this unit emp hasize th e respo nsibility of app ly ing faith in Chri st to daily living. Thelessons are drawn from the Book ofJames .

T he lesso n for July 19 is titled "W hen Common Sense Isn 't Enough" and is based on James 1:2-18. Thelesso n emphasi zes how wisdom from God can help Chri stians as they face trials and temptations. T he lessonis designed to help believers disp lay wisdom from God.

The July 26 lesson, "How Genuine AI e You?" focuses on James 1:19-2 7. The lesson's theme is believers'living by God 's Word. Its intent is to help C hri stians base th eir live s on the Bib le's teachings.

"Let's Be Fair About It" is the lesson title for August 2 . The lesson is a study ofJames 2: 1-13 a nd reflects thetheme of Ch r istians' treating others impartially. The emphas is is on not show ing favoritism to anyone butloving everyone . Th e lesso n encourages adu lts to be impartial in th eir treatment of others.

The lesso n for August 9 is titled "Show Me Your Faith" and is based on James 2:1 4-26. The lesson st resses that

believers demonstrate their faith in Christ by good works. Its purpose is to encourage ad ult s to demonstratetheir faith by th eir wo rks.

T he Aug ust 16 lesso n, "How to Sail T hr o ugh Life;' focu ses on James 3:1- 18 , a passage dealing with believers'practicing se lf-control. The lesson is de sign ed to help C hri st ians contro l their speec h and conduct.

The lesson for August 23 is titled "W ho I s Your Best Friend?" It is based on James 4: 1-1 7 and exp loresbelievers' be having as God's fr iend s. The lesson encourages adults to confirm they are God's friends.

"How to Live with Co nfid ence:' the August 30 lesson, is a st udy of selected verses in Jam es S. The versesspotlight believers' being confident about the future and about the result s of their prayers .

As you teach this unit's l esso ns , pray that God will guide the sess ion s so you and the learners will beempowe red to apply yo ur fait h to daily living more consistently. Let James 's in spired words about Chri st ian

conduct in spire you and those who st udy with you to daily behavior that reflects Ch rist's c haracter.

76 Unit 3


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WEEK OF JULY 19

W H E N COMMON SENSE ISN'T

ENOUGHBackground Passage:

James 1:1-18Lesson Passage:

James 1:2-18LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE1. To Endure Trials (Jas. 1 :2-8)

2. To Put Wealth intoPerspective (Jas. 1 :9-11 )

3. To Resist Temptations(Jas. 1 :13-15)

4. To Acknowledge God's Gifts(Jas. 1 :12,16-1 8)

BIBLICAL TRUTHAmong His good gifts tobelievers, God provides wisdom

to help us endure trials, resisttemptations, and put wealth inits proper perspective.

LIFE IMPACTTo help adults display wisdomfrom God

"D For more background information read the

fol low ing in the Summer 2009issue of Biblical Illustrator Plus(CD-ROM): "Horses: Their First-Century Use" (Spring 1996),"O ld Testament Backgroundsof the Book of James" (Summer1993), and "The Sirocco andthe Flower" (Spring 1977).Th is materia l is also available inthe appropriate back issues of

Bib lica l Illustrator.

BIBLE COMMENTARY

INTRODUCTION

e Dan an aSloc kl Jup ilc rimagcJ Unlim ilt d

Don we ll may h ave been th e s m arte st person I h ave known. Whenhe was a youngster , polio end ed a promi sin g baseball career. When Iknew him , he was completing hi s do ctor al degree in theology.

The semi n ary grapev in e whispered that Don br eeze d throughhi s ora l exam beca use he knew more abo ut hi s dissertation subjectthan his professors. He went on to be an exce llent pastor until ca nce rclaimed hi s life to o soo n. .

Added to Don's hi gh IQ was go dly wisdom to meet li f e's chalJengesand to serve his Lord faithfully and well. H e had what some people

ca ll "smarts;' but he kn ew how to apply hi s int ellig ence. Obvious ly,he had divine help in doing so.

~

Week of July 19 n


8/23

SUGGESTEDTEACHING PLANSESSION GOAL: To help adultsas k God for wi s dom withre gard to trial s , t e mptations,a nd !or wea lth .

Find EXTRA! he lp online a twww. lifeway.com/extra

Needed fo r the Sessiono Markerboard!tear s heet!

markers; pencils, pape ro For Step 1 : Poster: Unit

3 Out line (Pack Item14)

o For Step 2 : LessonIllustrations (Pack Item1)

o For Steps 3,5: Handout:Blessing Bi lls (PackItem 15) cu t a part

Build Relationshipsand Create Readiness

for Bible Study

Step 1Introduc;tion

Display an d overviewPoster: Unit 3 Outl ine(Pack Item 14) , ca llingattent ion to the lessontitle. Ask half th e class to

descr ibe a person w ith"commo n s ense" and theother half to describe on ew ith o ut "common sense:'Afte r a few minutes, ca ll forresponse s .

Say: Common sen s e isoften v a luable. However, attimes we need more-weneed godly wisdom. That's

what this less on

is about

.-..F.

W hen p eople face tr ials, th ey m ay thin k, Thi s t hill g is about todevou r me. Ca rl I handle it? Peo ple wi th o ut we alth m ay wond er whyth ey have so littl e an d foc us o n h ow to ge t m ore. Individual s withgreat w ea lth ma y co ngra tul a te th emse lves on h ow mu ch th ey have andco ncentr a te o n get tin g eve n m ore. Wh en p eo ple face tempt ation s, the ymay succ umb and b lam e eve ryo ne but th em se lves fo r d oing so.

All th ese t ho ugh ts, h oweve r, re fl ec t ea rthl y wisdom rath er than

wi sdom fro m Go d. Peop le w ho think li ke thi s need t o kn ow God offer sand ge nerou sly pro v ides us wi sdom when we as k for it, and H e wantsus to di spl ay i t in th ese a nd o th er situ ation s.

How do you respond to trials, temptations, or issues regardingwealth? What usually is your first reaction?

O ften, be lieve rs faced with tri als, temptation s, and issues rega rdingwealth d epend o n th eir o wn in te lligence t o co pe with such chall enges .Ma ny C hri stians rely o n p as t exp eri ences, se lf-h elp bo oks and sem in ars,

and a va ilable reso urce pe rsons wi th o ut ask ing for Go d 's wisdom . Thi slesso n w ill help believe rs co n fi rm th ey can r ece ive w isdom from G odand ask Him fo r wisdom co ncernin g tri als, tempt ations, and we alth.

As yo u examin e James 1:2- 18, list ways yo u can help learner sexp er ience th e lesso n's Life I mp act of displ ay ing wi sdom from God .Be sur e to close th e sess io n by enco ura gin g learn ers to b e con sistent inasking Go d fo r wisdom regar din g tria ls, temptati ons, and w ealth.

As yo u continu e yo ur perso nal Bibl e s tud y, praye rfully read theBackg round Passage a nd res pond t o the Stud y Qu es tions a s well a sfhe qu es tio ns in th e marg in s fo r th e Ju ly 19 less on in Ex pl ore th e Bibl e:Adul t Learne r Gu ide.

T H E B IB LE I N C ONTEX T (J AS. 1:1-18)As was co m mo n in letters w ri tte n in th e fir st ce ntur y and as the Spiritdir ec ted, James first ide ntifi ed him self and gree ted th e rec ipi ent s (seev. 1). In verses 2-8 he st resse d that God off ers be lievers wi sdom soth ey ca n co pe with tim es of trial s a nd tes tin g. If th ey ask "in faithwith out d o ubt ing" (v. 6), Go d will be ge nerou s and uncritical inprovidin g w isdom .

Jam es adm oni shed b elieve rs to put wea lth in prop er p erspective(see 1:9- 11 ). He remind ed th em th at on ly th eir relationship withGod, n o t th eir wea lth , was e tern a l.

James clarifi ed th e so ur ce of tempt at io ns to s in . In 1:13 -15, heemphatica lly de clared that Go d n eve r te mpt s a nyo ne; temptation sar ise fro m peo ple's "own evi l d es ires" (v. 14) . Temp ta tions e nt ert ainedand acce pted lead to sin , w hi ch in turn i ssues in dea th .

Go d is genero us an d g ives o nly good gifts. Jam es stressed thi struth in 1:12, 16- 18 and po int ed to "tb e c rown o f life" (v. 12) and "anew birth " (v. 18) as two of th ose g ifts.

78 When Common Sense Isn't Enough


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TO ENDURE TRIALS (JAS. 1:2-8)

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, wheneveryou experience various trials, 3 knowing that thetesting of your faith produces endurance. 4 Butendurance must do its complete work, so that you

may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall intodivers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faithworketh patience.

S Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he shouldask God, who gives to all generously and withoutcriticizing, an d it will be given to him. 6 But let himask in faith without doubting. For the doubter islike the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.7 That person should no t expect to receive anythingfrom the Lord . S An indecisive ma n is unstable inall his ways.

4 Bu t let patience have her perfect work, that yemay be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.S I f any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,

that giveth to all m e n liberally, and upbraideth not;and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. Forhe that wavereth is like a wave of the sea drivenwjth the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receiveany thing of the Lord.

S A double-minded ma n is unstable in all his ways.

"James began his letter by identifying himself as a slave of both Godand of Jesus Christ. He then noted his original readers were JewishChristians who lived somewhere outside the promised land.

Verse 2. The words that followed James's introduction must havestunned the letter's recipients into focused attention. James wantedthem to respond to trials with great (literally, "all") joy! He calledthem brothers to emphasize their kinship in the faith; he identifiedwith them as members of God's family in Christ.

The word consider has the sense of "highly esteeming or regarclingsomething or someone:' The believers were not to invite trouble butwere to value trials when they occurred . Joy is a deep sense of beingheld securely in God's grace no matter what the circumstances are. Itis not the emotion of happiness; joy is the settled gladness of knowingnothing can separate God's ch ild from Him.

The term trials also can be translated "temptations (to evil)"depending on the context. Here, it has the sense of adversities, afflictions,or troubles-problems and clifficulties that test a believer's faith. Thesedifficulties were of many kinds (literally, "many-colored") . The word

experience has the thrust of falling into and being surrounded by some 'event, which here is unexpected advers ity.Verse 3. By experience, believers can come to know that God can

bring something good through trials. Believers can face testing of theirfaith with joy jf they take the long look. God can salvage somethingfrom their adversities . The word testing ("proving") was used ofexamining metals to certify their purity. The word faith cou ld mean"trust in Christ" or "faithfulness to Christ:' Either way, the idea is offaith that has been tested and proved to be genuine.

When faith passes the inevitable tests that come in follOWing Christ,

the result is endurance. The Greek term rendered endurance means

Discussion QuestionsWho was your "commonsense" role model? How didyou learn common sense-from other people or throughpersonal experiences?

Examine andApply God's Word

Step 2To Endure Trials(Jas. 1 2-8)

Invite a learner who hasexper ienced successfulphysical therapy to describe

the visits and the result. Askthis person: Why didn't youquit when it hurt? Was thefinal result worth the work?

Have a volunteer readJames 1 :2-5 as learnerslisten for a form of spiritualtherapy and how we are toendure its "sessions." Ask:What will the outcome be if

Week o f July 19


10/23

we endure "various trials?"Use the Bible commentary toexplain "endurance:' i

Ask learners to list trialsand problems of adults theirage. Call for ideas on ho wendurance in each case ca n

s trengthen believers ' faith.Use Illustration 7 from

Lesson Illustrations (PackItem 1) of a beli e ver whohad great knowl e dge butrealized he needed to as k forGo d 's w isdom.

Direct learners tounderline the explanationfor "wisdom" in a Lea rnerGuide (p . 62). Ask: Why iswisdom tied in se parably toGod. Why will Go d give uswisdom when we ask?

Say : Physical therapy iswasted on uncooperativepeople who choos e shortterm comfort over long-termhealth. Have a volunteer readJames 1 :6-8 as others listenfor similarities b e twe e n anun coopera tive patient an d adoubter. Call for reports.

Say: When we haveGod's wisdom, we cantackle trials and testing withjoy because we know theyprovide opportunities for usto mature as Christians.

Discussion QuestionsWhen did someonere quir e you to persevere insomething you started? Howrea lis tic is Jam es 1 :2 -8 asan approach for believersd ea ling with trials? Why?

':il.c

"to remain under (a load)" with out collapsing. It also ha s the ideaof being ab le to take any blows that an enemy might lan d. Ch rist'sfo llow ers, peop le w ith ge nuin e faith, can face th eir adve rsiti es and besuccessfu J. T hey can ga in the pow er, determinati on, and cou rage theyneed to contin ue serving the Lord.

Verse 4. James admon ished believers to let endurance have it scomplete ("fin ished " or "intended") work. T h ~ ywe re to allow God tocause their steadfa stness in the midst of trials to achieve its purp ose.The word mature is a form of the same Greek ter m t ranslated complete.The root verb m eans "to fu lfill" - to realize th e purpo se for whichsom ethin g is des ign ed. T he finished work of endl\l'ance is to enab lebe lievers to fulfil l God's goa l for them. The secon d G reek term rend eredcomplete m eans "so und " or "w hole :' with th e further meanin g of"mora lly fau ltless" or "blameless:' The negat ive phr ase lacking nothingreinforces the positive descript ion mature and complete.

Verse 5. God intended believers to be "comp lete, lacking nothing" (v.4). If any of them lacked wisdom, howev er, they were to petition Go dfor it. T he Greek const ru ct ion ass wn es some believers lacke d wisdom.T he Greek word fo r lacks was a banking term for in sufficient fund s. Inthe Sc riptur es tlle word wisdom co nveys th e idea of applied religio usand mora l knowledge - the practical application of eterna l knowledgeto life sit uations-and is link ed inseparably to proper relationshipwith Go d. T he writer of Prove rbs s tat ed , "T he fea r (,reverence: 'awe:'worship'] of h e Lord is the beg inning of wi sdom " (Prov. 9:10). Prov erb s2:6 declares, "T he Lord g ives wisdom:' The wisdom necessa ry to mee tchall enges to faith comes o nly from God.

What present personal challenges call fo r God's wisdom soyou can meet and overcome them?

James assured believer s God not only would give w isdom imp ar tiall y(to all) but also so lely from His desir e to bless (generousl y). TheLord g ives us wisdom gladly. The phra se without criticizing m eans"with o ut reproach or bitterness:' Go d does no t humiliate believer s whoask for wisdom by rem indin g them of their s ins and unworthin ess.He matches His generos ity with kindne ss . The ass ur anc e that Go dgives the requested wisdom m ay echo Jesus' words in Matthew 7:7-8 .If so, thi s is the first of many allusion s Jam es m ade to Jesus' teac hin gs,particularly to the Sermon o n tll e Mount.

Verses 6-7. Receiving wisdom from Go d hin ges o n a con diti on. Thebeli ever ask ing for wis dom has to do so in faith without doubting . Infait h expresses total trust in an d commitme nt t o God . T hi s personalreliance is essentia l to a U prayer . Without doubting like ly means"wit ho ut h esitat in g" in indecisiveness between faith and unb eliefbetween wanting God 's favor an d wanting to go o ne's own way. Theterm doubting describes a person at odds with him self or herse lf. , ,

James used th e ana logy of a wave of the sea, driven and ag itat ed byth e wind. The in1age is th at of a s tron g wind causing whitecaps so the

BQ.I I When Common Sense Isn't Enough


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sea's surface swells and waver s. The d oubter' s commitment constant lywavers between God and se lf. Such an indecisive, un settled individualcannot expect to receive anything from the Lord (v. 7). Only faithconditions a person to receive God's generous gift of wisdom.

Verse 8. The indecisive man ("that person;' v . 7) literally is "doub leminded " or "doubled-sou led:' The person is not dec ept ive. The wordextends and reinforces the term "do ubtin g" in verse 6. The individualis hesitant and waver ing in commitment to God. Such a person iscompletely unstable. The word unstable was used of a drunken,staggering individual. I t can have th e sense of being fick le or unsettled.The life of the person James describ ed is in total disarray.

OAn d Today. Havingwisdom from God, we can tackle trials and

tests with joy because they are opportunities for us to becomemore mature Christians. On realizing we need God's wisdom,

we can request it and be sure He will give it. We are to ask in totalcommitment, however. Our faith cannot be mixed with indecision.

Step 3To Put Wealth IntoPerspective (Jas. 1 :9-11)

Flash a wad of several"b ills" cu t from the Handout:Bless ing Bills (Pack Item15) . Avoid letting the classse e the words on the bills.

Ask learne rs what theythink when they see a lot ofmoney. Ask: Why is dwellingon money dangerous to ourspiritual well-being? Whydoes wealth often lead toself-exa ltation?

T o PUT WEALTH INTO PERSPECTIVE (JAS. 1:9-11)

9 The brother of humble circumstances shouldboast in his exaltation; 10 bu t the one who is richLshould boastJ in his humiliation, because he willpass away like a flower of the field. 11 For the sunrises with its scorching heat an d dries up the grass;its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearanceis destroyed. In the same way, the rich man willwither away while pursuing his activities.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that heis exalted:

10 But the r ich, in that he is made low: because asthe flower of the grass he shall pass away.

11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burningheat, bu t it withereth the grass, an d the flowerthereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of itperisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away inhis ways.

In thi s passage James addressed poor and rich peop le. He showedwealth could be a problem whether people had nothing , much, orsomething in between. Regardless of believers ' financial status, theirearthly lives and any earth ly wealth they had were on ly temporary.

Verse 9. The brothe r of humble circumstances refers to someonewho is poor materially. Poverty-stricken Christ ians can become bitterand resent what others have. Instead, they are to rejoice in the ir spiritualexaltation as memb ers of God's family and kingdom. Because God isimpartial, all people-regardless of tI,eir financial status-stand onequal footing with Him. He values all His children .

Verse 10 . The one who is rich likely refers to a wea lth y believer . I f o,friction had developed between the haves and have-nots among theseChristians. The rich needed to realize their wealth was temporary andperishable. They wou ld wither and die like a flower and leave worldlyriches behind . Furthermore, wealth cou ld not sh ield them fromopponents' humiliation. Life's trials would humble them.

Verse 11. James continued hi s illu st ration of life and wea lth 'stransitory nature. As the day progresses, ti,e SW1 'S scorching heat

Distribute one of the "bills"to eac h ad ult and have alearner read James 1 :9. Callfor learners to brainstormreasons for our "exaltation"and wr ite them on their bill.(being members of God'sfamily, equal before God,and so on)

Have a learner read James1 :10-11 as others listen forwhat happens to rich peoplewho only pursue additionalriches. Use the Biblecommentary to supp lementideas and to expla in "boast

in his humiliation:'

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Invite learners to discusswhy believers are wise totrust God rather than inwealth. Say: Whether we'rerich, poor, or s omewherebetween, looking to Go d forwisdom puts wealth in itsproper perspective.

Discussion QuestionsWhy is money a foca l pointfor people in any incomelevel? How does James1 :9-11 put wealth in itsproper per s pective?

evap orates the dew from veg etation. With its scorching heat literallyis "with the scorching wind " and cou ld refer to the hot desert wind.Grass and flowers are no match for the burning heat. The flowers'loveliness becomes withered ugliness. In the same way. as the wealthyfeveri shly went about their bu siness. they would wither away. Richesmight accumulate . but life will diminish and end .

How do yo u view your material possessions? What dangersdo they pose for you?

Alld Today. When w e look to God for wisdom. we can put wealth inits prop er per spective. If we have little . He will help us avoid resentmentand gr eed. If we have mode st means. He will give us wisdom to managewell what w e have. If we possess much. He will keep reminding us totru st Him and not what we have. Also He will urge all of us to shar ewhatever wealth we have with

TO RESIST TEMPTATIONS (JAS.l:13-15)

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, " I ambeing tempted by God?' For God is no t tempted byevil, an d H e Himself doe sn' t tempt anyone. 14 Buteach person is tempted when he is drawn away andenticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desirehas conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin isfully grown, it gives birth to death.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, 1 amtempted of God: for God cannot be tempted withevil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawnaway of his own lust, an d enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringethforth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth

forth death.Step 4To Resist Temptations(Jas. 1: 13-15)

Say: The "blamegame " goes back to thebeginning of creation. Callon a preenlisted learnerto describe the events in

Genesis 3:9-13.Ask: Who do people todayblame for their sin? Hav e alearner read James 1 :13-1 5as others listen for: 1) aninnocent scapegoat and 2)the real culprit.

Explain "tempted;' usingthe Bible commentary, Ask:For what sins do peoplenow blame God?

Verse 13. Some of tllese Christians may have blamed ' God for thetemptation s they experienced . Perhaps temptations aro se becau seof trials . and people accll sed God of causing the trials and thus thetemptations. Jame s s tated emphatically that believers are responsiblefor an y pull s to evil that th eir trials bring.

Th e word for tempted is related to the one for tria ls in verse 2; butas the context shows . in verse 13 it refers to temptations. The phraseby God is literally "from God:' Temptations to evil do not arise fromGod. No pull to evil can touch Him because He has no vu lnerabil ity.The morall y perfect God who is. at heart. a loving Father does not u setemptations to evil to test His people .

"D Read "James' Ethical Imperatives" in Summer 2009 issue of iblical Illustrator or Biblical Illustrator Plus (CD-ROM).

Verse 14. Jame s plac ed the responsibility for temptations on theindividual. Temptation s a rise from within the person but in themselvesdo not con stitute sin. Entertaining temptation, however, can set inmotion a tragic process. First, the person is drawn away and enticedby his own evil desires. The phra se drawn away translates a Greek



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term taken from hunting. 11 has th e sense of luring a n i ~ a l sfrom the irplaces of safety.

Th e word enticed presents the idea of being caught by a baited hookor trap - w hat we mean by the phra se " taking the bait:' A person' s ownevil desires are th e lur e and bait that ensnare th e individual. The Greekterm rendered evil desires can be tran slated " lust " - a strong, sinfulcraving or yearning . The Greek ve rbs translated is drawn and is . . .

enticed convey continuous action and indicate temptation's progr ess .Verse 15. James shifted to the metaphor of conception and birth .

Joining one's will with evil desire produces sin in embryo. If the fetusdevelops to the po int of birth, full -blown sin emerges. Th e phrasewhen it is fully grown has been interpreted in two ways: (1) At birthsin is fully equipped to produce death. (2) When sin is fully matur e, itgives birth to death . Co nsistently giving in to sin 's attractions lead s tospiritual ruin .

With what temptations do you consistently struggle? What

resources help you overcome them?

And Today . Because God is not respon sible for our temptation s, wecan loo k to Hi m for wi sdo m to resist. We all are tempted dai ly, yet thosetemptations are not sin . Rather than give prolonged consideration toany temptat ion, we are to immediately seek God's help to reject it.

Say: James 1: 15 providesa grim pict ure of fu ll-blown,unchecked sin. Ask: Ho wdoes this outcome conflictwith God's p urpose for H isch ildren? Say: S ince Go ddoes not tempt us, we can

look to Him for wisdom toresist temptation.

Discussion QuestionHo w does James 1 :13-15support the idea that we'reour own worst enemies?

TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD'S GIFTS (JAS. 1:12,16-18)

12 Blessed is a man who endures trials, becausewhen he passes th e test he will receive th e crown oflife that He ha s promised to those wh o love Him.

16 Don't be deceived, my dearly loved brothers.17 Every generous ac t and every perfect gift is fromabove, coming down from the Father of lights;with Him there is no variation or shadow cast byturning. 18 By Hi s own choice, He gave us a newbirth by th e message of t ruth so that we would be

th e firstfruits of Hi s creatures.

12 Blessed is th e man that endureth temptation:for when he is tried, he shall receive th e crown oflife, which the Lord hath promised to them thatlove him.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from

above, and cometh down from th e Father of lights,with whom is no variableness, neither shadow ofturning.

18 Of his own will begat he us with the word oftruth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of hi screatures.

Verse 12. Th e Greek word for blessed means "fo rtunate :' " happy. " Step 5Th e idea i s not happine ss ba se d on favorable circumstances but th e joyGod's peop le experience as His children and member s of His kingdom,the joy of shared life wit h God. [See Explorat ion, "Blessed: ' p. 84.]Th e person who endures t r ia ls -who bears up under the weight ofdifficu lties-experienc es the joy of a deepening re lationship with God .Passes th e test literally is "having become approved" by tri als. Thisone will receive th e crown of l i fe- l i f e in God 's imm ed iat e presence.

To Acknowledge God'sGifts (Jas. 1 :12,16-18)

Ask learners if they enjoyg iving g ifts to some peoplemore than others. Then askwhy.

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Have a learner read James1: 12,16-18 as others listenfor what good gifts believersreceive from God .

Instruct learners to writeadditional spiritual blessingsfound in these verses on

their bills (Pack Item 15).Use the Exploration (p. 84,below) to discuss "Blessed:'Use the Bible commentary toexp lain these terms: "crownof life;' "generous act;'"perfect gift;' "new birth;'and "firstfruits:'

Lead learners in a "countyour blessings" activity.

Set a timer for 60 secondsand have learners nam eblessings randomly andwithout repetition until thetimer goes off.

Say: Godly wisdom leadsus to acknowledge Godas the Giver of gifts andto show gratitude for Hisblessings.

Discussion QuestionsWhy is gratitude an excellentantidote for what ails mostbelievers?

If the term crown refers to the garland that victors in athletic gamesreceived, james contrasted the ga rland that eventually withered to aneternal crown. He emp hasized that genuine faith perseveres to th e end,when the faithful believer will enter God's inunediate presence.

God has promised the imperishable crown of ife to people who loveHim. They prove their love by using His wisdom to victoriously enduretri als. The KJV has "wh ich th e Lord" after "crown of life" because it and

the Holman CSB follow different Greek manuscripts here.Verses 16-17. Jam es expanded on his sp iritual kinship with these

believers by addressing them as dearly beloved brothers (see v. 2).He did no t want them to be led astray-likely by the fa lse notion thatGod was the source of temptation (see vv. 13-15) . The exact oppositeis true: God is th e source of every generous act an d every perfect gift .The phrase generous act can be translated "good gift:' If so, the perfectgift (a different Greek word) emph as izes the gift as free and full. Theword perfect also can mean "co mplete." God's sp iritu al, physical, andemot iona l provisions for believers are exactly what they need.

James referred to God as the Father of l ights-the heavenly bodies'Cr eato r. James's declaration that with Him there is no variation orshadow cast by turning lik e ly is an illu strat ion from astronomy: Attimes, the sun and moon are at different positions in the heaven s.

A variation on this view is that James referred to the darknesscaused by the SW 1'S being on t he opposite side of the ea rth or to theear th 's shadow blocking the moon's light. Another int e rpretation is thatJam es meant chan ges in the int ensity of light from the sun and moon.Whatever the image, James's meaning is clear: God does not change.He remains co nst ant. His int ent ion for His creatures is always good.

In what ways has your experience verif ied God's constancy?

Verse 18. The greatest of a ll God's gifts is a new birth. He took thegracious initiati ve (by His ow n choice) to offer sa lvation to people.Hi s purpose always has been to provide redemption. The Greek wordfor new birth co nveys the idea of spiritual reg eneration. The messageof truth is the gospel-the good news of salvation by grace through

EXPLORATION of God's approva l. Almost always present, how ever,is the elemen t of righteousness g r ou n ~ e din lovefor God.lessed (Jas. 1:12)

James decla red the believer whoendures trials is "blessed:' The Greek

word her e is the same term Jesus used in Matthew5:3-11 to describe a kingdom person. The NewTestament uses the word 50 time s.

In the Old Testament blessedn ess is largelyviewed in terms of outward prosperity as ev iden ce


In the New Testament "blessed" expressesjo y issuin g from pure character. It has the senseof God 's positive estimation of a person so theindividual is to be congratulated . God extends thecongratulations, not other people; and that is whatultimat ely counts. When God evaluates a personand is pleased, that indiv idual is truly blessed.


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fa ith in C hr i st. P eop le w h o res p o nd po s itive ly to t h e gos pel becometh e fi r st fruits o f Go d 's c rea tu r es . I n th e O ld Testa m e nt , th e Is rae lit esgave th e fir st p art of th eir crop s as a n offer in g to Go d . Th i s offe ri n gac kno wl edged th e wh ole h arv es t bel o n ge d t o Go d an d ex p resse d fait hth at a grea t er h arves t was to co m e. Jam es saw C hr i sti an s as co nsecra tedto Go d a nd as th e firs t p a rt of a grea ter fut ur e h a rves t.

And Tod ay. We ar e wise w hen we recog n ize Go d is ge n erous to us

an d w h en we g ive H im cred it for all th e goo d we e n joy. T h is ca lls forus to id e nt ify all we h ave rece ive d fro m Go d and to ex pr ess grat it udeto Hi m for th ese g ifts.

CO NC LUSION

1. Whe n we have w isd o m f ro m God, we ca n tackle times of tr ia lsa nd t es tin g w ith j oy beca u se t h ey p rov ide oppo r tuni t ies for us tob eco m e m o re ma tu r e C h r ist ian s.

2 . When we loo k t o Go d for wis d om , we can p u t wea lth in its prope r

per sp ectiv e .3. Sinc e Go d i s no t res po n sibl e for o ur tem p ta tio n s, we ca n look to

Him for w isd om t o res ist th em.4. We a re w ise when we recog ni ze God is generous to us and we g ive

Hi m credi t for a ll th e good we e nj oy.

What evidence of God's w isdom do you display in your life?

Encourage Life Change

Step 6Conclusion

W rite th e wo rd s "t ria ls: '"t e mpt a tio ns:' a nd "wea lth "on a ma rke rboar d o r t e arsh eet. Ask lea rn e rs toc hoo se th e a re a in w hi c hth e y hav e th e g rea te s tc ha ll e ng e to ex e rci sewi s dom .

Invite th e m t o pray si le nt ly,ask ing G od to gi ve th e m t h ew isd o m th ey need to e ndur eand o ve rco me in thi s area.

Discuss ion Quest ionsIn wh a t a reas do mostb e lieve rs see m tod es p e ra t e ly nee d w is dom?Wh y is t hat tru e ? Ho w ca nyo u e nco u rage oth e rs t oseek God' s w is do m ?

Teaching Opt ionsAlternate Step 2

In a dva nce, invite a ph ys icalthe ra pist to te ll abo ut therewards of this vo ca tio n a ndhow a pati e nt' s coopera tio n a nda ttit ud e affec t recovery . Rea dJames 1 :2 -8 a nd lea d learne rs tod isc us s ho w G od uses tria ls andprobl e ms in a be lieve r's s pir itu a lth e rap y and ho w o ne's a tt itud ea nd w isdom (or lac k of it) aff ec tth e e nd r es ult.

Alternate Step 3

C a ll o n a p ree n is te d lea rne r tod esc ribe how we a lthy Chr is tia ns

hav e ap p lie d g odly w is d o m t o

the ir we a lt h. (for examp le: True ttCa t hy, Ja mes Cas h P enney ;David Gr ee n) Invite o th e r lea rne rsto d esc ri be how peo ple th eyknow have exa lte d G o d w itho utwe a lth. Rea d J a mes 1 :9- 11 a lo uda nd co mpare Ja mes' di rec ti ves toth e exa mples given by me mbe rs .

Alternate Step 4

Ca ll o n a pree n is ted lea rne rto p rese nt c urre nt exa mp les ofpeop le w ho bla me Go d fo r the irc ri mes o r s in. (Do a n Inte rne tsea rc h fo r "b la me G o d :') ReadJa mes 1 :13- 1 5 as lea rne rs lis te nfo r who is rea lly to b la me . Asklea rne rs w hy bla ming o th er s

is imm at ure a nd preve nts o urbeco min g more mature (Jas. 1 :4 ).

Alternate Step 5

Ma te ria ls Nee dedo Hymna ls

Direc t lea rne rs to the hym n"Day by Day" (No . 517, B ap tis tHymn a l, 2 0 0 8; No. 6 6, Th eBapt i s t Hym na l, 199 1). Ass ignon e ve rse eac h to four group sto f ind s uppo rt fo r th e hymn 'swo rd s in Ja mes 1 : 1 2, 16 -1 8.C o mp a re t he wo rd s of the hy mnto t he trut hs in thi s port io n of t heLess on P assage.

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FOLLOW-UP IDEAS

Suggestions for teachers an d other leaders for follow-through leadershipand encouragement o f eaders after the session.

I. Contact individual learners and ask th em to pray for you to have wisdom as their Bible studyteacher and offer to pray with them in any area th ey feel a particular need for wisdom:

2. Start a "count your blessings" e-mail to pass among lear ners during the week. Ask each learner toadd a "blessing" story to the e-mail and to send it ba ck to all learners .

LEADERSHIP M E E T I N G IDEAS

Suggestions for leaders to prepare for God to use them to teach His Word

Focus on the mission, re lationships, and Bible study by using the weekly Sunday School SessionPlan Sheet on the CD- ROM in th e Leader Pack with the following:

Focus on Bible Study-Lead teach ers and leader s to read th e Unit 3 overview and the lesso n titlesfor Unit 3 . Read th e Session Goal and lead teachers to discuss what is the greatest need for wisdomamong learners. Is it in trials, temptations , or money matters?

Have leaders brain storm ways to provid e the best atmosphere for learners to effectively pray forwisdom . They may want to consider asking a learner to pray a Scripture-based prayer using eachpart of the Lesson Passag e. [Reminder: The CD- Rom in the Leader Pack has an item called "ThisWeek's Prayer Requests" that can be printed and copied for each week's session. Look in the Bonu sFeatures sections.]

DEPARTMENT PERIOD IDEASSuggestions for opening the July 19 session

Welcome-Greet learners and guests warmly. Make announcements as needed that relate toSunday School department and churchwide events .

Feature-Say: King Solomon knew he was too young to handl e the huge responsibility of ruling God'speople. When God asked him to request whatever he wanted, Solomon asked for wisdom . This "equestpleased God so much that He also gave Solomon what he didn't request. Ask: What situations do manypeople assume they can handle without God's help?

Ask adults to list wise sayings they wish yo unger generations would take se riously.Hym n- "Day by Day:' (No. 517, Baptist Hymnal, 2008; No. 66, The Baptist Hymnal, 1991)Prayer-Invite learners to share pray er requests. Encourage learners to pray silently as you pray

for each request made and that learners will di scove r where they need to ask for wisdom and how toask for it.

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WEEK OF JULY 1 9

W H E N C O M M O N

SENSE ISN'T ENOUGHBackground Passage:

James 1:1-18Lessoll Passage: James 1:2-18

BIBLICAL TRUTH

Among His good gifts tobe lievers, God provid eswisdom to he lp us e ndur etrials, resist temptations,

and put wealthin it s

properpersp ective .

LIFE IMPACT

To display wisdom from God

o II.on."u Stoc: k /Jll lm. run.agn Unhn m. d

A 11ericans have a high regard for good, old-fashioned common sense .Haven't you ever advised someone trying to work through a tough problem :"Just use your common sense"? We value common sense because it's eas ilyunder stood and doesn't put on airs. P lus, it usually works!

Realistically, however, people need mor e than just common sense . Forexample, when people face severe trials they may think silently, This is aboutto devour me . Can I handl e it? People facing temptations may suc cumb and

blame everyone but themselves for doing so. These kinds of situations showthat we need something beyond common sense . We need wisdom from God.Good news! According to tl1e Book of James, God generous ly gives His peoplewisdom when they ask for it; and He wants C hri stian s to display that wisdomin all sit uations. So let's take a closer look at w hy we need wisdom from God.

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STUDY QlJESTlONS

1. What do tests of faitll , if hand led with God's w isdom, produce inbelievers? (1:3)

2. What lies ahead for every believer, even those who live in pov-

erty in this life? (1:9)3. According to James, what is the source of temptation? (1:14)4. What is the ultimate Sou rce of every generous act and perfect

gift we receive? (1:17)

BACKGROUND PASSAGE OVERVIEW

TheJames

who wrote th is letter (1:1) was a half-brothe rof Jesus (Matt. 13:55). The apost le Paul reported that one ofJesus' resurrec tion appearances was to James (1 Cor. 15:7).Paul also stated that during his trip to Jerusa lem after hi sconversion he spent some time with James (Gal. 1:19), wholikely by that time had become a leader in the church there .

James addressed his message to Chr istian s wherever theymight be in the Gentile world. He urged his readers to ask forand to display God's w isdom in trials (U-8), in their view ofwea lth 0:9-11), in the matter of temptations (1: 12-15), and inreference to God's g ifts (1:16-18).

T o ENDURE TRIALS (lAS. 1:2-8)Holman CSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my

brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowingthat the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work,so that you may be mature andcomplete, lacking nothing.S Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, whogives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him . 6 But let him ask in

2 My brethren, count it all joy

when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the tryingof your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfectand entire, wanting nothing .

S I f any of you lack wisdom, lethim ask of God, that giveth toall men liberally, and upbraidethnot; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, noth-

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faith without doubting. For thedoubter is like the surging sea,driven and tos sed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to

receive anything from the Lord.S An indecisive man is unstablein all his ways.

ing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man thinkthat he shall receive any thing ofthe Lord.

S A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways .

Verse 2. People do not ofte n greet adversity with great joy.However , that's exactly what Jame s enco ur aged believers to do .

He was not glori fying tria ls o r suggestin g th at Ch ristian s o ughtto invite them. R ath er, he was offering God's w isdom abo uthow to respond to tri als whenever they occur .

Notice too that James didn 't say if but "whenever" Ch risti ans exper ience various trials. Tria ls w ill come . In the Greek,th e word for "trial s" can refer to temptati ons to sin; and be- ~ - - - - lievers are not immun e from such t emptations . But th e termalso can refer to various types of ca lamiti es th at s trik e bot hthe ju st and the unju st. Trials such as life-t h reate nin g illn essesor natural disaster s do not sk ip over house holds si mpl y because the family memb ers are Chri stians .

The verb consider i s a command, an im pera tive to tak e adifferent view of our situation s. We m ay not be a ble to co n-trol what trials come our way, but we can contro l the way wethink abo ut and respond to them. Chri stians can view tri als

as eve nts through which Go d ultim ately w ill produce some-thin g good in th eir live s (Rom . 8:28).Verse 3. We n eed to re member that a trial is o n e of the

way s God tests and grows our faitll. The word testing refersto putting something under pressure with the expec tati on offinding what is true and va luable. Thus God a llows His peopleto undergo trial s to bring out and streng th en their trust inHim. Genuine faith d emo nstrat ed in the midst of adversity

produces endurance , or fortitude. (See Study Q uest ion 1.)Verse 4. Endurance is not an e nd in itself. It is the m eans by

which God is doing th e complete work of makin g a Christi anfuJly mature and lacking nothing. God uses trials to removeimpuritie s from our liv es an d to make us w hole. That is why

H ow do youface tria ls witha pos itive at t i-tude instea dof a negativeone? (1:2)

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CONNECT V isit with afellow be lieverundergoinga tria l. Offerto pray withhim/her and

be attuned todiscover otherways you canassist.

james taught that believers can walk joyfully through valleysof trouble. We can have complete faith that our loving Godknows what He's doing.

Verse 5. Most of us are not at the point of comp lete fai th,are we? So what are we to do? james instructed his readers t oask God for wisdom. Wisdom is the practical application ofeternal knowledge to a life situation . Since wisdom ut ilizeseternal knowledge, that knowledge must come from God.

james declared that God will give wisdom to all who askHim for it. Moreover, He will provide it generously andwithout criticizing believers for asking.

Verses 6-7. The prayer fm' wisdom must be offered in faith

without doubting. That is, believers needn't expect to rece ivewisdom from God if they have doubts He can or will provideit. To doubt God's character is to expose one's spiritual instability. Instead of walking confidently with God through trials,doubters are like waves in the surging sea, driven and tossedby the wind. "n1ey are ruled by their circumstances.

Verse 8 . The Greek word rendered indecisive litera llymeans "double-minded:' It refers to a deep inner divide inwhich one's faith says Trust God, but another voice argues IClbetter handle this myself! According to james, such a cond ition can easily make the believer unstable in all his ways.

T o PUT WEALTH INTO PERSPECTIVE (JAS. 1:9-11)Holman CSB

9 The brother of humble circumstances should boast in hisexaltation; 10 but the one whois rich Lshould boastJ in his humiliation, because he will passaway like a flower of the field . 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass;its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. Inthe same way, the rich man willwither away while pursuing hisactivities.

9 Let the brother of low degreerejoice in that he is exalted:

10 But the rich, in that he ismade low: because as the flowerof the grass he shall pass away.

11 For the sun is no soonerrisen with a burning heat, butit withereth the grass, and theflower thereof falleth, and thegrace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich manfade away in his ways.

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Verses 9. What is your v iew of w ealth? Wh ether we are ofhumble circumstances or ar e rich or are somewhere in between , we can slip into th e fooli sh perspective that money isthe be-all and end-all of life.

What , then, do we learn from Jame s a bout wealth? First, welearn to keep in mind that what is ahead for every believer isexaltation in Chr ist. (See Study Que stion 2.) However pooror rich we may be on earth, material wea lth pale s in comparison to the joys and provision s that will be ours in heaven.

Verse 10. Second, we learn to rem ember the temporary nature of earth ly wealth. Even if we are rich we need to maintaina humb le posture . Inve stments can lose their value overnigh t.

High-paying jobs can be lost. Th e wealthiest person, just asthe poorest, wi ll one day pass away like a flower of the field . r - - - - - -

Verse II . James compared the prideful rich to wild flowers in a field. Early in the day th ese flowers coat the valley insplendid hues . Then the midda y s un and scor ching wind sapthe moisture from the grass. 'The flower s grow limp and falloff;the beautiful appearance is destroyed . Just as quickly, we canlose the wealth we are pursuing. By contra st, our relat ionshipto God through Christ will never wither away. By looking toGod for wisdom, we can keep wealth in proper perspective .

W hy is God'swisdom andnot human

wealth the keyto enduring tri oa ls? (1:11 )

TO RESIST TEMPTATIONS (jAS . 1:13-15)Holman CSB

l3 No one undergoing a trialshould say, "I am being temptedby God." For God is not tempt edby evil, and He Himself doesn' ttempt anyone . 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawnaway and enticed by his own evildesires. 15 Then after desire hasconceived, it gives birth to sin ,

and when sin is fully grown,i t

gives birth to death.

l3 Let no man say when he istempted, I am tempted of God: forGod cannot be tempted with evil,neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted,when he is drawn away of hisown lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and

sin, when it is finished, bringethforth death.

Verse l3. Responding wrongly to a trial can open the wayto temptation, but we must not imagin e that God is behind the

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W hen a reyou most likelyto blame Godfor a tempta -tion ins teadof yours el f?(1:14 )

temptat ion. God allow s trial s to test and refine our faith butnever with th e go al of t empting u s to sin . God is not temptedby evil, and th us He doesn't tempt anyone.

Verses 14-15 . So what is the so ur ce of tempta tion? Perh apsmany of us would say th e Dev il is the source. Jam es, how eve r,did not mention the D ev il's role in tempta tion in thi s ve rse.Lat er, in Jam es 4:7 , he did point out the Dev il's act ivities . HereJame s was focusing on on e's per sonal respons ibili ty for sin .

Apart from Chri st we are ruled by our fallen nature, we aredrawn away and enticed by evil desires . (See Study Question3.) Even in Christ we cont inu e to battl e th e influ ence of tho sedesires . As C hri stian s, we're no longer cond emn ed; but we still

need God 's wisdom and pow er to resist temptation. Becauseof Chri st's saving pow er, believers are no longer und er thespect er of spiritua l death. Yet if we give in t o temptations, theyinevitabl y give birth to sin. And s in always has co nseq uences .For tho se who remain in unbelief , the consequence is death.Howev er, s in ce God is not respons ible for our temptations,Chri stian s can look to Him for wisdom to resist them.

TO ACKNOWLEDG E G o o 'S GIFTS (JAS . 1 :12,16-18)Holman CSB

l2 Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when hepasses the test he will receive thecrown oflife that He has promised to those who love Him . . . . .

16 Don't be deceived, my dearlyloved brothers. 17 Every generous act and every perfect gift isfrom above , coming down fromthe Father of lights; with Himthere is no variation or shadowcast by turning. 18 By His own

choice, He gave us a new bir th bythe message of truth so that wewould be the tirstfruits of Hiscreatures .

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for whenhe is tried, he shall receive thecrown of life, which the Lordhath promised to them that lovehim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 Do not err, my belovedbrethren.

17 Every good gift and everyperfect gift is from above, andcometh down from the Father oflights, with whom is no variable

ness, nei ther shadow of turning.18 Of his own will begat he uswith the word of truth, that weshould be a kind of tirstfruits ofhis creatures.

64 When Common Sense Isn' t Enough


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Verse 12. The word blessed means "happy, fortunate, or tobe congratulated ." I t is the word used repeatedly by jes us inthe Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-12). jam es congra tulated those whoendure trials by following God's wisdom and thus pass the test

offaith (jas. 1:2-4) . They can be spurred on by joy because theywill rece ive the crown of life (eterna l life now and forever).They seek God's wisdom because th ey love the Lord .

Verses 16-17. james did not want his readers to be deceivedinto believing there is no va lue in trials or that wealth is the r - - - - -answer to all problems or that temptation s come from God.C hristians need God's wisdom in every area of li fe.

A C hri st ian is not deceived who und erstands that Godis the Source of every generous act and every perfect gift.james identified God as the Father of lights, the Creator ofthe sun, moon, and sta rs. From th e perspective of eart h , theseorbs see m over time to change their positions in the sky. Incontrast, God never changes. He has always been and will always be the Source of every generous act and every perfectgift. (See Study Question 4.)

Verse 18. james explained that by His own choice Godgives wisdom to those who are born into His fami ly. Thatbirth comes by believing the message of t ru th- the gospelof Christ-and trusting in the Lord jesus. When people placetheir faith in jesus , they become part of the firstfruits of Hiscreatures. The term "firstfruits" relates to God's instruction toIsrael to offer Him the firstfruits of their crops, their cattle, andtheir sons as express ions of gratitude and faith (Lev . 23:9-11).How wise we are, then, when we reco gn ize God is generous tous and we give Him credit for a ll the good we en joy!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?Common sense has its limit s; we need God's wisdom. Thus

the study of this lesson can lead you to: Face trials with jo y, remembering that trials test your faith

and can help solidify your sp iritu al maturity. Take an honest look at your perspective on money. Is get

ting and having wealth what is most imp o rtant to you? Assume personal respon sibility for how you handle the

temptations you face . Give God credit and praise for His generosity.

W hat a resome gener-ous and goodgifts you oftenoverlook andfor whicll youneed to bemore thankful?(1:17)

ANSWERS TO

STUDYQl!ESTIONS

1 . Tests offaith producesp iritua lendurance.

2. Everybeliever willone day beexalted inChrist.3. Tempta-t ion s a ris e

out of our evildesires.4. Generousacts an d per-fect gifts origi-nate in God,the Father oflights.

fino key words in your own bible; then use as

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