Read for This Week’s Study: James 4:11-17; Acts 17:11; Heb. 4:15-16; Luke 12:13-21; Eccl. 2:15-19; Titus 2:14. Memory Text: There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (James 4:12). Our attitude toward law, whether God’s law or human’s, affects how we relate to others and even … [Click to read more …]
Vitaliano Marrero Vitaliano hated having a house church next door. He decided that when the songs of the saints floated up to his window, he would turn his radio full volume to rock music. That will teach them, he thought. If I disturb their meetings, they’ll find another place to meet, and I won’t have … [Click to read more …]
Further Study: There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred, and their life made a weariness. In order to gratify ambition and worldly desires, they wound the … [Click to read more …]
You can view a discussion of the current lesson in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School Site. … [Click to read more …]
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7, NRSV). Notice the order of the commands here. If we try to resist the devil in our own strength, what chance of success do we have? When seven Jewish exorcists tried to get a demon out of a possessed … [Click to read more …]
Read James 4:2-4. Why does James call his readers adulterers and adulteresses? See Jer. 3:6-10, Jer. 3:20; Isa. 54:5; Jer. 2:2; Luke 16:13. Alluding to the biblical concept of Israel as God’s bride, James likens believers’ going along with worldly customs and being influenced by worldly attitudes as spiritual adultery. In reality, they are choosing a … [Click to read more …]
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? (James 4:1, NKJV; compare Gal. 5:17.) What basic conflict do both of these passages describe? The opening verses of James 4 describe believers torn asunder by internal, bitter strife. There is an … [Click to read more …]
Read James 3:15-16. What is his description of worldly wisdom? What are the common ways we see this wisdom manifested in the world, or even in the church? The wisdom that we have naturally is earthly, even demonic or devilish, and devoid of the Spirit. This should not be too surprising. Long ago, Solomon spoke … [Click to read more …]
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13, ESV). The meekness of wisdom? What might that mean? Some commentators think that the entire third chapter of James has to do with what qualifies (or disqualifies) people to be teachers. Naturally, … [Click to read more …]
Read for This Week’s Study: James 3:13-4:10; Deut. 4:6; Gal. 5:17; Jer. 3:6-10, Jer. 3:20; Acts 19:13-16; Ps. 24:3-6. Memory Text: Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (James 4:10, NASB 1995). In many midsize and larger companies, a middle-manager mentality exists. This attitude happens when workers feel entitled to … [Click to read more …]
