The Book of James: 4:13-17 (NLT)
Welcome back to our daily study in the book of James! I hope you have been enjoying this and feel free to invite friends and family who might find this helpful as well this year with the invite link here: Invitation Link
Need to catch up? We got you covered, simply go to the link below which will take you to our blog where all past bible studies will be. With that said let’s get started on day 24!
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The Book of James (NLT): This book offers practical guidance on living a godly life, including instruction on how to handle temptation and overcome adversity. It is the 51st of the Bible book located in the New Testament containing 5 chapters and a total of 108 verses.
Author: James, the half-brother of Jesus
Theme: Practical guidance for living a faithful Christian life, with a focus on the importance of good deeds and living a life of faith. In addition to the themes of good deeds and living a life of faith, the Book of James also addresses issues such as temptation, humility, and the dangers of wealth and pride.
Timeline: The Book of James is believed to have been written in the mid-to-late first century AD
Structure: The Book of James is a letter, consisting of five chapters. It is written in a concise, straightforward style and is full of practical wisdom and guidance.
Recipients: The letter is addressed to "the twelve tribes scattered among the nations" (James 1:1), which likely refers to Jewish Christians living in the diaspora (outside of Palestine).
Importance: The Book of James is considered one of the most practical books in the New Testament and is often referred to as the "Proverbs of the New Testament." It offers valuable insights and guidance for Christians of all ages on how to live a faithful and obedient life.
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Scripture Insights:
The point of these verses is to include God in your planning. Rather than boast about your plans and make assumptions, always ask the Holy Spirit for directions and guidance. In this chapter, James is pointing to man’s tendencies to be prideful, critical of others, and arrogant. All of these characteristics are of the world and the flesh or self. God wants us to be humble, not judgmental of our brothers and sisters, and include Him in our plans. We are to acknowledge God in all we do and not trust in our own selves since we do not know the future.
Proverbs 4:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Trusting in God keeps us humble and puts us in a position to receive more favor and grace from Him.
Lastly, a very interesting sin. Doing bad things we know is not right, but not doing good is sin as well? As Christians, we could say, “I don’t do this sin or that sin” and feel good about ourselves, but how many times have we passed up an opportunity to do good when we know we should? It goes back to James 1:22, “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only,” James is admonishing Christians to be active in their faith and not passive. Our faith and our actions should display the love of Jesus.
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Today's Prayer
Father God, be with me today and protect me against any distractions and temptations from the enemy. I want to live my life completely for You and I know you will help me every step of the way. Shield me from the enemy and guide my steps so that I can have victory today in Jesus name Amen.
God Bless,
Dayne
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