Wisdom for Life

I have been amazed as we're traveling through James how much more I'm seeing and hearing from the Lord.  I hope the same is true for you.

The thread he weaves about wisdom for real-time living was something I'd missed before.

1:5 - if you lack wisdom, ask

He will give you wisdom - a word that is appropriate for your life and situation

But then, we are responsible to ACT on that word of wisdom

1:22 - But be DOERS of the word and not hearers only.

Then in chapter 2 he speaks about wisdom in all relationships - don't show partiality.  You received wisdom by faith but you must LIVE it out loud.

Wisdom from God for our lives is defined in chapter 3 v. 16 as pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without hypocrisy and without partiality.

And in chapter 4, James tells us, if we don't have this wisdom, it's because we haven't asked for it and we haven't asked for it because we haven't humbled ourselves before Him.

And we still have 1 1/2 chapters to go!  Teach us more, Lord.

This week's memorization verses are:  

James 4:11 - 5:2

For the meditation challenge: 

James 4:1-10

Memorization tip of the week

Write out your verse 5 times and post it in different places around your home or office.

If you have a smart phone...dictate it to yourself and replay it periodically throughout the day.

Don't Waste Your Time

James spends a lot of space in his letter talking about how it's impossible to control our tongue...our mouths.  In fact, he says in 3:8 "No man can tame the tongue."  So why waste our time trying?  What's his real point?

The real point is:  Stop wasting your time treating the symptoms and turn your attention to the root of the problem--your heart.  Jesus said that out of our heart the mouth speaks.  So just trying to clean up our mouth won't work.  In fact, it's hypocritcal.  If we have bitterness and self-seeking in our hearts it will spill out our mouths, according to James 3. 

So, as we meditate on what James says to us in the Word, let's ask the Lord to give us the courage to go to the root...in our hearts...that we may be healed--and it will be evident from our tongue.

Share your journey through James by clicking "comments" below & bog away:)

This week's verses for memorization on track for all of James this summer:

JAMES 4:1-9

For those meditating on the scriptures from this week's sermon:

JAMES 3:11-18

MEMORIZATION TIP OF THE WEEK:

Try using hand motions in active verses.  For example:  James 3:18

Now the fruit of righteousness (act like biting an apple) is sown in peace (act out sowing seeds by hand) by those who make peace (make a "peace" sign with fingers in a "v").

Silly?  Yes  Effective?  You bet!

It Matters

It really does matter what we say...and what others have said.  The old childhood adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is a lie.  Our words do hurt and they do matter.

People all around us have been hurt by the words of people who have represented God in their lives:  parents, teachers, pastors, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are being challenged by James not just to walk the talk, but to talk with care - like Jesus - only speaking what we hear the Holy Spirit speak.  Eternity for many people depends upon it.

Memorization verses for this week as we work our way through James:
James 3:10-18.

Meditation from the sermon is once again:  James 3:1-9.

Memorization Tip:
Get a friend to work with you.  You say one verse, they say the next and review all you've learned so far.  Keep it up.  We're more than halfway done!