We should extend the ideas of James 5:2-3 beyond the mere accumulation of money and look at our penchant for gaining social position, and maintaining control. My daughter sent me this article to shake me out of my complacency: “Volunteerism: More Harm Than Good,” by Heather Ruiz. It is worth reading because the issues she talks about … Continue reading –>
Joel Sandoval Joel Sandoval grew up in an Adventist home, but his life was not transformed by God’s grace. As a teen he resented the restrictions that the church represented. At age 15 he dropped out of church and joined a gang. He quickly became involved in organized crime, drugs, and spiritism. He had his … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “Money has great value, because it can do great good. In the hands of God’s children it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, and clothing for the naked. It is a defense for the oppressed, and a means of help to the sick. But money is of no more value … Continue reading –>
When someone has done wrong, the natural tendency is to try to escape responsibility. Often people try to do this by transferring the responsibility to someone else-including the person who has been wronged. Murderers excuse themselves by pleading self-defense or blaming their upbringing. By saying they were enticed, sexual abusers blame the victim. Husbands and … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Weep and Howl December 2, 2014] 1. Weep and howl! Can you imagine the impression those words made on James’ readers and listeners? What if you went to church one week, and the pastor walked to the pulpit wearing his usual invisible robe of humility but places his hand in the open Bible … Continue reading –>
You have lived on the earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter (James 5:5, ESV; compare Ezek. 16:49, Amos 4:1). What do these passages link to luxurious indulgence? In the ancient world the notion prevailed that there was a fixed amount of wealth, meaning that if the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Meaningful relationships, job satisfaction, and a purposeful life gives one more happiness than wealth. [Lesson plan for Weep and Howl December 1. 2014] 1. Have a volunteer read James 5:1-5. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. b. What kind of wealth … Continue reading –>
Reading through James, we may notice that several different categories of wealthy people are mentioned, including rich merchants who will be cut down in the midst of their pursuits (James 1:11), business people who sue to protect their investments (James 2:6), and agricultural landholders who have withheld wages from their laborers (James 5:4). These verses … Continue reading –>
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you … Continue reading –>
Read James 5:2-3. What warning is James giving here? Though his words are quite strong, what kind of wealth is he talking about? What’s the basic message? Rotting wealth, moth-eaten clothing, and even silver and gold rusting-these are images for us to consider soberly as our planet spins blissfully on, faster and faster toward its … Continue reading –>
Chapter 5 of James begins with a bang: Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! (James 5:1, NKJV). No doubt, that would have gotten his readers’ attention. In James 1:10-11, he reminded the rich of the impermanence of wealth. Here, in chapter 5 , he urges those … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: James 5:1-6, Ps. 73:3-19, 1 Sam. 25:2-11, Lev. 19:13, Luke 16:19-31, Matt. 5:39. Memory Text: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21). The worldwide popularity of the television show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? suggests that many people vicariously enjoy the rags-to-riches fantasy … Continue reading –>
