Psalm 23:6 (NASB)

6 Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

^{Happy Thanksgiving from Faith Bible Church!}

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James 2:1-13 (NASB)

1 My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called?

8 If, however, you are fulfilling 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 violators. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law. 12 So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Six Aspects of Christ-like Impartiality:

1) The Prohibitive Principle (2:1, 9)

2) A Poor Picture (2:2-4)

3) The Paradox (2:5-7)

4) The Positive Practice (2:8)

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James 1:26-27 (NASB)

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Principles of True Christianity:

I. Existence of worthless religion (1:26)

II. Elements of worthwhile religion (1:26-27)

1) Control over Speech (1:26)

2) Care for the Needy (1:27)

3) Cleanliness from the World (1:27)

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James 1:21-25 (NASB)

21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.

How Christians should respond to the Word of God:

1) Proactively get rid of your sin (1:21)

2) Humbly receive the Word (1:21)

3) Persistently do what God’s Word says (1:22-25)

4) Wholly believe God’s Promise to the obedient (1:25)

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James 1:19-20 (NASB)

19 You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.

Theme: Growing in godly communication/speech is an integral part of every Christian’s spiritual maturity.

Three Keys to Godly Communication

1) Open your ears (1:19)

2) Control your tongue (1:19)

3) Control your emotions (1:19-20)

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James 1:17-18 (NASB)

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

Theme: God, who is the wonderful, wondrous Giver of physical and spiritual life, should receive continuous gratitude from us as His new creations.

1) Who God is >> His Wonderful Character (1:17)

2) What God does >> His Wondrous Works (1:18)

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James 1:12-16 (NASB)

12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters.

Theme: To progress in the path to spiritual maturity, Christians must continually overcome temptations of the flesh.

Intro – Believe God’s Promises for Perseverance (1:12)

Body – Helps for You to Overcome Temptations (1:13-15)

1) Know the Source of Temptations (1:13-14)

2) Know the Strength of Temptations (1:14-15)

3) Know the Sequence of Temptations (1:15)

Conclusion – Don’t be fooled (1:16)

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James 1:12-16 (NASB)

12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters.

Theme: To progress in the path to spiritual maturity, Christians must continually overcome temptations of the flesh.

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James 1:9-11 (NASB)

9 Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

Theme: Believers, whether rich or poor, should find their true satisfaction in Jesus Christ above all else.

1) The poor Christian’s boast (1:9)

2) The rich Christian’s boast (1:10-11)

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James 1:5-8 (NASB)

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Theme: Christians should seek spiritual maturity by asking God for wisdom and praying with a believing heart.

Some “How-tos” of gaining wisdom and making petitions to God

1) Acknowledge your need for wisdom (1:5)

2) Ask God for wisdom (1:5)

3) Ask God in faith, for everything (1:6-8)

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