James by Jim Leffel (2011)

James explained that enduring suffering strengthens your faith. Suffering is painful, but God can use it in our lives, and so it is not in vain that we suffer. Suffering is confusing, but it is also an opportunity for us to turn to God and rely on His strength.

When we try to hear from God through His Word it's important that we are open to His input in our lives. Often people come to God with their minds already made up. We are called not just to be readers of the Word, but doers of the Word.

James calls us to practice the love that Christ showed us. The world sees people in terms of their temporary status or wealth, but we are called to see people how God sees them. God sees them as loved, and so we should see everyone as a masterpiece of God's own creation.

James points out that faith without works is dead. We don't work to save ourselves through the law, but rather what we do reflects what we believe.

James told us that the tongue is hard to control and it can do a lot of damage. What we say can be very encouraging, or dangerously damaging. We are called to speak to others like we are saying the utterances of God.

Wisdom begins with a soft heart toward what God says. It shapes the way people see things and is evident in the way they live. Worldly wisdom is passively absorbed and focuses on the temporal, the material, and is influenced by Satan. Having worldly wisdom results in jealousy, selfish ambition, and arrogance. Spiritual wisdom is actively sought and focuses on the eternal, the supernatural, and trusting God. Having spiritual wisdom results in humility and grace.\r\n

Wisdom in dealing with interpersonal conflict is given by contrasting worldly friendships with spiritual friendships. Worldly friendships are based on self-centered needs, inordinate desires, and expectations, i.e., "I want things my way or else." Spiritual friendships are rooted in God, honor doing things God's way, and are based on grace.\r\n

James teaches how to gain wisdom and live by it. The issue he brings up is our attitude in making important non-moral decisions. It's foolish to only consider ones own thoughts and desires which results in anxiety and isolation. Rather than follow our own foolish tendencies we can make the decision to gain wisdom from God in all areas of our life. Through our conscience, biblical values, and considering others, God reveals the best path for our lives. God has a unique will for each believers life. Our lives can make a radical contribution if we're willing to follow Him.\r\n

James warns his audience of the danger and deception of riches. The rich are exposed for their selfish hoarding of goods, the unsatisfying pursuit of material gain and their exploitation of the poor and oppressed. Affluence offers us two opportunities: 1) selfishness or stewardship; and 2) hoarding or trusting God with our material wealth.\r\n

James encourages his readers to have patience and strengthen their hearts as they wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus. This view of history differs significantly from the view that man's journey in life and all history ends in ultimate meaninglessness. James provides three profiles of patience required for living with the end in mind: 1) the farmer who waits and strengthens his heart; 2) the prophet who speaks faithfully for the Lord; and 3) Job who showed endurance and saw the Lord's compassion and mercy.\r\n

James provides three situations that call for prayer: suffering, cheerfulness, and sickness. Prayer reveals what a person really believes and expresses their understanding of God's interest and involvement in all of life. Prayer is based on: 1) relationship with God as Father; 2) the expectation of the supernatural; and 3) God's undeserved favor in human lives.\r\n

God's wisdom is available through prayer. James teaches corporate prayer and the work of prayer being essential in gaining God's wisdom. Through these two kinds of prayer the believer experiences God's provision of Him meeting needs and experiencing God's work get accomplished. James uses Elijah's prophetic work and prayer as an example of how we should pray. Praying in this way produces a renewed outlook from God and a passion to make God known.\r\n