[Linux4christians] B7 - Monday - James 1:19-27

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

    Monday


      James 1:19-27


Living Out the Message

1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be 
quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

1:20 For human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness.

1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the 
message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

1:22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it 
and so deceive yourselves.

1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it 
out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror.

1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets 
what sort of person he was.

1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his 
attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who 
lives it out -- he will be blessed in what he does.

1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, 
and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care 
for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained 
by the world.



      Prayer


Lord, You have given us so much and You ask that we honor Your gifts in 
the way that we live. May I become a more valuable instrument of your 
saving grace and discipling love as I press-away the things of the world 
and replace them with a heart inclined toward You.



      Summary & Commentary


"By His sovereign plan ..."

{Note: God is in control.]


"... he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a 
kind of firstfruits of all he created."

[Note: The Lord God provides for a new birth, in Christ, cleansed us of 
our sins. When He views us through Jesus the Christ we are returned to 
pre-Fall purity and post-Cross righteousness.]


"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be 
quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not 
accomplish God's righteousness."

[Note: Paul taught us to "pray without ceasing" because in so doing we 
have to slow down before we react to circumstances and take the time to 
consult the Lord God through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus warned 
that the tongue is tough to control. Jesus also taught that there is 
"righteous anger" but that one must not "sin in their anger".]


"... put away all filth and evil excess"

[Note: We cannot do this of our own strength but only through the Holy 
Spirit.


"... humbly welcome the message planted within you."

[Note: The Bible teaches that the Lord God will "write His message on 
the heart" of the faithful.]


"... be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it ... 
be blessed"

[Note: "The Word of God does not return void", without impact, when it 
is received by a willing heart.]


"If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and 
so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

[Note: We each make choices to obey or to rebel, the one who does not 
choose to allow the Holy Spirit to control their tongue, has made a 
choice to rebel. The Lord God's consistent message is that He blesses 
obedience and not disobedience.]


"Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this:"

[Note: We live before an audience of only one being Who really matters, 
that is the Lord God alone; we must focus on pleasing Him above all others.]


"... to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune"

[Note: "A father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow.]


"... to keep oneself unstained by the world."

[Note: If we recite the Lord's Prayer with intentional meaning then we 
cannot say "Lead us not into testing or temptation" if we deliberately 
remain in situations where we know that we are vulnerable.]



      Interaction


        Consider

Paul taught us to "pray without ceasing" because in so doing we have to 
slow down before we react to circumstances and consult God through His 
indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus warned that the tongue is tough to 
control. Jesus also taught that there is "righteous anger" but that one 
must not "sin in their anger".


        Discuss

What are some practical ways to "... put away all filth and evil excess" 
and "... to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune"?


        Reflect

One cannot "... keep oneself unstained by the world if one deliberately 
remains in situations where one knows they are vulnerable.


        Share

When have you observed an examplefrom your life "... humbly welcome the 
message planted within you."? How has the Lord God's message brought 
comfort and wisdom and you have shared that with others - giving Him all 
of the glory?



      Faith in Action


        Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you fail to "pray without 
ceasing"


        Action:

Today I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me to slow down before I react 
to circumstances and consult Him. I agree to partner with the Holy 
Spirit for wisdom and power, and with a fellow believer for 
accountability, as I walk through the process of transformation in my life.


        Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Tuesdays text will be:


      James 2:1-13



-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
Have an Ultrafidian.com Day!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bible Resources: bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
Personal Site: bibleseven.com
I don't google I SEARCH! ddg.gg
1Cor. 15:22 "For just as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ all will be made alive."
Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary!
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