James 4:13-17

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

I used to have a co-worker who would tell me “I want to want to plan” fairly regularly because in the realm of time management, I was the planner and he was the spontaneous adventurer. There would be several occasions where I’d have weeks planned out and he wouldn’t always know how his day would turn out and was fine about that while the thought of a lack of clarity gave me anxiety. Are you the planner? Or do you prefer spontaneity?  

In today’s passage, I want to begin by addressing what James is NOT saying. First, he is not saying that planning is bad. In fact, planning means paying attention and intention. Secondly, he is not saying that the future is unimportant. When we plan without God at the center of what we’re thinking, process, or figuring it we’re actually being arrogant. 

While James is being serious, the phrase “if the Lord wills…” seems to be something thrown around without intention or used flippantly in Christian circles without a real understanding of it. So, in the end, what does this phrase actually mean and how does it help us in our planning? Here are five principles to learn about this phrase: 

1. Prayer: Before the pen touches the paper, are your plans submitted and bathed in prayer? If prayer comes after the fact, then it’s an indicator of the condition of our heart.

2. Seek the Holy Spirit: Jesus teaches that part of the Holy Spirit’s role and function is to teach us and provide us with counsel. 

3. Seek God’s Word: The psalmist says that the Word of God is like a lamp to his feet. A lamp can only provide limited visibility, you have to walk into what you see first before you can see anything else.

4. Seek Counsel: Do you seek counsel or agreement? Sometimes, we’re looking for a friend that will tell us what we want to hear rather than one who may challenge our intentions. 

5. Open Hands: Are your plans held with open hands or a clenched fist? God listens to the prayers of His children and like a good father, He always provides us with an answer. It may be “yes,” “no,” or “not yet.” 

Whether you plan ahead or want to want to plan ahead, the goal is to become more like Jesus in the process. If you are constantly in search for the will of God for your life, then align your will with His will and then you will have God’s will.

James 4:1-12

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

What is your natural response to conflict? Some people try to avoid conflict at all costs while there are others who seem like they are looking for it. Either way, conflict is inevitable and James tells us that part of the reason we engage in conflict with one another is because of our sin (4:1). And while conflict is going to happen, what can be more important is how we respond to one another.

James tells us that we create and deal with conflict out of three reasons: emotions (desires or passions), covetousness, and worldliness. When he speaks of emotions, he’s not referring to butterflies or feelings of happiness, but bitterness, envy and pride. And when we covet, we are essentially wanting what someone else has and we are in opposition to what God has or hasn’t provided for us. Worldliness refers to the Christian’s inconsistency in lifestyle; having one foot in and one foot out.

So, then, if conflict is going to happen, sin is our cause for conflict, and everyone has a different temptation in conflict, how can we respond when it arises? Humility. Here are seven ways in which we can respond to conflict with humility: 

1. Submission: The bible teaches us that we are going to get angry and that’s not the problem. It’s how we respond. Therefore, our submission to God is not only primary, but vital. Here, we will begin to see the condition of our heart. 

2. Resist: The enemy’s desire is to have you go from a godly and humble response to conflict to an ungodly and proud response to conflict. Remember, if you are Christian, then the Holy Spirit dwells in you! You can stand firm against the enemy. He will flee.

3. Draw Near to God: This is a cry to repent of our sin. The truth is, you and I are going to blow it in conflict, but we before we will have sinned against one another, we will have sinned against God himself (Psalm 51:4). Drawing near restores us Jesus and reminds us of His grace for us.

4. Cleanse and Purify: James addresses our behavior AND our character and calls us to repent of external behavior (deeds) and to repent of our internal attitude of our heart that leads to behavior. What we say or do isn’t random, but a result of the condition of our heart.

5. Mourn Your Sin: Take your sin seriously and see it for what it is and does. Sin causes separation from God. When we don’t take it seriously and shrug it off, we are like the fool in Proverbs. 

6. Exaltation: Our spiritual strength is not through our own strength or effort, but by giving or surrendering ourselves to God first. 

7. Worship: In or after conflict was risen, we can pursue reconciliation with one another because justice has already been served by Jesus on the cross for us and paid in full by Jesus in our place. Who we are is not marked by who we were, but by what Jesus has done and is doing in and through us.

Christian, I know conflict is uncomfortable and it doesn’t always go well. But we are not one another’s enemy. However, we do have an enemy and part of his goal is not only separation from God and one another, but that we respond and act worldly. Today, resist him and pursue reconciliation with your brother or sister. Do not delay. 

2 Kings 25:30

Jehoiachin was not sent away from the king’s palace with provision to last him for months, but it was given to him as a daily supply. In this He provides us with a picture of the happy position of all the Lord’s people. A daily portion is all that a man really wants. We do not need tomorrow’s supplies; that day has not yet dawned, and its wants are as yet unborn. The experience that we may suffer in the month of June does not need to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet; if we have enough for each day as the days arrive, we shall never know want. Sufficient for the day is all that we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day’s supply of food and clothing; the more we have, the more we have to store, and we worry about it being stolen. One cane helps a traveler, but a bundle of sticks is a heavy burden. Enough is not only as good as a feast, but it is all that the greediest glutton can truly enjoy. This is all that we should expect; a craving for more than this is ungrateful. When our Father does not give us more, we should be content with his daily allowance. Jehoiachin’s case is ours; we have a sure portion, a portion given to us by the king, a gracious portion, and a perpetual portion. Here is surely ground for thankfulness. 

Beloved Christian reader, in matter of grace you need a daily supply. You have no store of strength. Day by day you must seek help from above. It is a very happy assurance that you are provided with a regular allowance. In the Word, through the ministry, be meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God you will receive renewed strength. In Jesus everything you need is provided for you. So enjoy your continual allowance. Never go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy.

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

I remember going back and forth with a co-worker about the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Our conversation was fairly philosophical and then a patron walked by and quickly said “wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge.” Our conversation quickly ended. 

The Bible teaches us a great deal about wisdom and knowledge in addition to showing us that there is a distinction. To begin, one can gain a great deal of knowledge, but not have or exercise wisdom. However, one cannot have wisdom without having knowledge first. 

James opens our time today with a rhetorical question and answers by writing that true wisdom is marked by works and humility. James’ question is not necessarily theological, but practical and his point is that humility is the result of knowing that we are unable to achieve it on our own. Thus, humility before God translates to humility toward others. 

There are two kinds of wisdom: biblical wisdom and unbiblical wisdom. Unbiblical wisdom, James says, is rooted in jealousy and self-ambition and produces disorder. Biblical wisdom, however, bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit abiding in the Christian. James lists seven things: 

1. Pure: a love for God and others is the motivation of your heart

2. Peaceable: The person who is peaceable understands that they were once enemies of God, but are not at peace with God.

3. Gentle: Understanding reconciliation and not being pushy. 

4. Open to Reason: This means that you listen before you speak. 

5. Full of Mercy and Good Fruit: Mercy is a motive of the heart and fruit is its result. 

6. Impartial and Sincere: Love everyone the same, not withholding the grace that was first shown to you. 

In the end, biblical wisdom produces righteousness and righteousness bears fruit because it is a righteousness that we did not obtain (Matthew 5:9), but imputed by Christ toward sinners.

Christian, has bitterness or jealousy taken root in your heart? Have you asked the Lord for wisdom? Do not hold back from approaching the throne of grace today for as you approach, you will find grace and mercy (Hebrews 4:16).

James 3:1-12

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

The theologian, Hendrikus Berkhof, said that “only a renewed heart can produce pure speech; and consistently (though not perfectly) pure speech is to be the product of a renewed heart.” On several occasions in the pages of Scripture, we are shown that what and how we use our words are an indication of the condition of our hearts (Matthew 12:34). 

The exhortation that James has for us today is that good things don’t produce bad things; one who is double-minded and inconsistent with the things of God in his heart will be double minded and inconsistent in his speech. And yet, there is grace for us in Christ Jesus! A grace that forgives unconditionally and pours out onto you continually in order that you may be made more and more like Jesus. It is this same grace, through the Holy Spirit, that brings us conviction of our sin. 

In our conviction, the grief of our sin turns into repentance because grace is our hope! Christian, what is making you bitter? What is it that you are coveting? What idols rule your heart? Surrender yourself to the Lord Jesus that He may rule and dwell richly in the depths of your heart and soul for His glory and your good.

James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

More than a controversy, as Christians, we are sometimes at polar opposites. One on hand, you may encounter a Christian who preaches “have more faith!” and on the other hand, you may encounter one preaching “do more work!” But what if, faith and works are not at odds with one another? To be clear, there is a distinction between faith and works yet both are necessary. So, what is it that bridges faith and works? Grace. 

Christian, the faith you have in the Lord Jesus was a gift to you (Ephesians 2:8-9) by His grace. Additionally, the works or fruit that we bear are our response to the faith gifted to us (Ephesians 2:10). Faith and works are not at odds with one another, but are complemented by the grace of God for you in Christ. 

Grace, God’s unmerited favor toward sinners, saves, sustains, and transforms us not simply to be better, but to be godly. Faith and works are necessary, but are not in competition with one another. Rather, they exist by the grace of God for the glory of God.

James 2:1-13

2 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Throughout James, we see that he brings up the topic of rich and poor on several occasions yet for different reasons. In today’s text, James addresses partiality. Essentially, his exhortation of one of grace withheld. 

Have you ever treated someone different because of their race, status, or simply because they were different? And then turned around to another, perhaps Christian, and treated them radically different? 

The author of Hebrews encourages us to strive for peace with one another and to not withhold grace from anyone since grace is a gift from God that we did not earn or deserve. The danger of withholding grace from others is that we cultivate bitterness in our hearts (Hebrews 12:14-15). Partiality can be subtle--it doesn’t always have to be matters of race or status. 

Christian, do you show partiality to those in your everyday life? To the Christian who just “can’t get their stuff together”? Or the co-worker who simply needs to stop complaining about their work? Are you withholding the grace of Christ toward those around you? May the grace of Jesus reign louder than the bitterness in our hearts today.

ARISE AND GO (MICAH 2:10)

The hour is approaching when the message will come to us, as it comes to all, “Arise, and leave the home in which you lived, from the city in which you have done your business, from your family, from your friends. Arise, and take your final journey.” And what do we know of the journey? And what do we know of the country to which we are going? We have read a little about it, and part has been revealed to us by the Spirit; but how little do we know of the realms of the future! We know that there is a black and stormy river called Death. God bids us cross it, promising to be with us. And after death, what comes? What wonder-world will open upon our astonished sight? What scene of glory will be unfolded to our view? No traveler has ever returned to tell. But we know enough of the heavenly land to make us welcome our summons there with joy and gladness. The journey of death may be dark, but we may face it fearlessly, knowing that God is with us as we walk through the gloomy valley, and therefore we need fear no evil. We shall be departing from all we have known and loved here, but we shall be going to our Father’s house--to our Father’s home, where Jesus is--to that royal “city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” This will be our last relocation, to live forever with Him we love, in the midst of His people, in the presence of God. Christian, meditate much on heaven; it will help you to press on and to forget the difficulty of the journey. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country: This world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss. 

Prepare us, Lord, by grace divine,
For Thy bright courts on high;
Then bid our spirits rise, and join;
The chorus of the sky

James 1:19-27

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Have you ever heard the expression “put your money where your mouth is” or “this is where the rubber meets the road”? The concept behind expressions like those suggests moments of truth, where one backs up or puts to test what’s being said or what’s been happening behind the scenes.

In a similar sense, this is what James is laying down on the table for his readers. In other words, his challenge is that Christianity is not simply a system or phrase of belief, but it is your entire life being transformed by the gospel. There is fruit in your walk. 

There are three kinds of people. Actually, there are three kinds of sinners: 

1. Religious sinners: religious sinners tend to add to the word of God and stray toward a legalistic and often self-righteous proclamation of the gospel; 

2. Rebellious sinners: rebellious sinners pick and choose what they like and don’t like about Scripture and often use the Word of God for their own benefit. We would say that they license the proclamation of the gospel;

3. Redeemed sinners: redeemed sinners understand that that grace of God not only sustains but transforms them. It is not that they are perfect, but made new. Obedience to God is a response to His love for them, not a manner of earning it. 

Obedience is a response to the gift of faith that we have been given in Christ. Therefore, what we do isn’t a means to try and earn God’s love, the Christian already has it as a result of what God has done for them in Christ. 

Consider the condition of your heart today. Confess your sin before the Lord and fix your eyes upon Jesus for your sin has been forgiven, your identity is sealed, and your obedience is one of gratitude, not performance. 

James 1:12-18

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

If there’s one thing that’s true, it’s that trials bring temptation and remaining steadfast can be hard sometimes. I know that every one of us would rather Jesus change our circumstance, but I think we do not often ask for Jesus to change us in our circumstances instead.

Because we know that temptation will come our way, it is necessary for you to know a few things about temptation:

1. Temptation isn’t a sin but it is an opportunity to sin or worship (1 Corinthians 10:13).

2. Temptation always begins with a question or twisting of scripture and your identity in Christ (Genesis 3).

3. Temptation comes as a result of our desires and we will be responsible for our decisions: “Temptation involves the innate desire toward evil as it is enticed by the superficial attractiveness of sin. If  a person should welcome rather than resist that temptation, desire conceives; and if not turned away immediately, it produces sin.” (Douglas Moo)

4. You will be tempted just as Jesus was tempted and are equipped with the same weapons of offense as Jesus: scripture and prayer (Matthew 4:1-11).

Your maturity is not determined by how often you’re faced with trial and temptation, but by how you resist temptation in the face of trials. James instructs us to look and the person and work of the Father in order to find refuge. The Father gives us good gifts like a new heart, is unchanging, doesn’t tempt us in times of trials, and gave us Jesus who lived in our stead, died in our place, and paid our penalty of sin.

Temptation begins a question of your identity, but Jesus, our Redeemer, is better because He who began a work in you will see it to completion.

James 1:9-11

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

One of the most sensitive subjects of conversation can finances, particularly in the church. It’s a sensitive topic of discussion for reasons that range from bad and poor experiences in the church to areas of debate on whether or not Christians should be poor or rich. Whatever the reason may be, nothing sparks a mode of defense more than the topic of personal finance or sex. Today, we’re looking at our wallets however, in a way that is a little different than what we’re thinking. 

The main question raised from today’s text isn’t whether or not Christians should be poor or rich, but whether or not we are godly, Christ-like. The Bible teaches that there are two categories of people: godly and ungodly and both have differing views on whether or not the gospel forms them in their understanding of godliness. 

1. The godly poor - The godly poor are able to count it all joy in spite of their circumstance (James 1:2-3) and find their comfort, identity, and security in what Jesus has done for them, not the perception of the world around them. 

2. The ungodly poor - Proverbs recognizes this person as a sluggard (Proverbs 21:25) and will often spend money foolishly and exhibit false humility. 

3. The godly rich - It is not a bad thing to be wealthy, but pursuing godliness means that you live counter-culturally in spite of your socio-economic status (Matthew 6:24). Wealth is a gift not an achievement.

4. The ungodly rich - The reason wealth is your treasure is because it’s an identity you can purchase. Identity in Christ can only be received because it is a gift not a transaction.

Each one of these persons needs the gospel. They need the gospel in order to be comforted and encouraged or convicted and exhorted. Regardless, Jesus desires to see hearts transformed, not by finance, but by His spirit. What gospel are you relying on today?

Questions for Reflection

1. James points out our tendency to boast in ourselves and rely on our own accomplishments. Both the rich and the poor have this tendency; James address both. How does material wealth tend to lead to self-reliance? Does material poverty always lead to reliance on God?

2. What kinds of things besides wealth do you tend to rely on and boast in for a sense of well being and security rather than on God?

James 1:1-8

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways

James begins his letter by addressing trials and exhorting his readers to bear up and rely upon the Lord during seasons of difficulty. In order to help, James writes of two distinct kinds of faiths in this section. One refers to the recognition of who God is, his character. And the second is a reminder of what God has done.

Trials and seasons of difficulty are inevitable. It’s not a question of “if,” but “when” and this should prompt us to be sober-minded and prepared. Often, we are ready to beg the Lord to get us out of these seasons rather than helping us get through these seasons.

James is not saying that Jesus has forsaken you, failed you, or that trials are an obstacle. Rather, James teaches that trials are opportunities for growth and steadfastness, maturity. Therefore, the test of a trial is not to see whether an individual is a Christian or not, but to purify their faith (1 Peter 1:6-7). The goal in trials is to become more like Jesus. 

Today, think about the work of God for you in Christ, reflect on the new heart He has given you, and as a result, the season He has placed you in. It’s not a coincidence or random. How can you hold on to and usher the gospel through this season? What is God purifying in you this season?

Questions for Reflection

1. Read Proverbs 2:1-15. What is wisdom? Where does it come from? And what are the benefits of having wisdom? 2. The word “doubt” translated means “dispute.” In context, James is saying that some who is doubting is refusing to trust God. Doubt is the enemy of faith. What are ways in which we combat doubt? How can you resist becoming “double-minded” and “unstable”?

2. The word “doubt” translated means “dispute.” In context, James is saying that some who is doubting is refusing to trust God. Doubt is the enemy of faith. What are ways in which we combat doubt? How can you resist becoming “double-minded” and “unstable”?