As
outlined in the Amplified Bible - The Book of James Chapter 1:1-27
I.
The Essence of True Religion
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| Read the paragraph above the outline Photo taken by G.Smith |
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the
twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the
dispersion]: Greetings (rejoice)!
2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are
enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall
into various temptations.
3 Be assured and understand that the trial and
proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness
and patience.
4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience
have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be
[people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking
in nothing.
5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving
God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly,
without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given
him.
6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no
hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates,
doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown
hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive
anything [he asks for] from the Lord,
8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious,
irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and
uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].
9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation
[as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of
God],
10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being
shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he
will pass away.
11 For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the
grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so
will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his
pursuits.
12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under
trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood
the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s]
crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for
God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself
tempts no one.
14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and
baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).
15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to
sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.
16 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.
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| Photo taken by G.Smith |
17 Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is
from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives]
light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising
or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].
18 And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as
sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be
consecrated to Himself].
19 Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick
to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense
and to get angry.
20 For man’s anger does not promote the righteousness God
[wishes and requires].
21 So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of
wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and
welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your
hearts] contains the power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely
listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning
contrary to the Truth].
23 For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and
being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his
[own] natural face in a mirror;
24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and
promptly forgets what he was like.
25 But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of
liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking
into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active
doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of
obedience).
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of
the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue
but deludes his own heart, this person’s religious service is
worthless (futile, barren).
27 External
religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts]
that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is
this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and
widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself
unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.
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What
a powerful and impacting chapter “The Essence (nature) of True
Religion”; because it outlines the “true” Christian character
and actions by doing these simple things: loving, enduring, listening, and obeying!
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| Photo by Heather Smith -My Granddog Boots! |
We
make it difficult, because of our resistance to behavior that is or
rather produces great outcomes!
Dogs, when asked to do something, they do it because they want to please us. When they do not, we become frustrated and characterize the dog as stubborn and disobedient. No we are not dogs, we are humans who
reject God's Word and are disobedient as well that brings about difficulties in our lives.
It's a spiritual battle we war against internally.
Emotions should “never” get in the way of anything asked of God.
Why? Because God would NEVER ask of you to do anything He has not
equipped you to do; in addition, He is within, beside, and around you
to perform the desired duty asked with power (wisdom) and truth
(Love)! Never without a doubt it will produce “good things”!
Biblical Definitions
Dispersion-
the action or process of distributing things and people over a wide
area
Endurance
– the fact of power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process
or situation without giving way – a marathon runners endurance.
Stressful effort
Steadfastness-
firmly fixed in place, firm in belief, determination, or adherence:
Loyal
Patience
– a person's ability to wait something out or endure something
tedious without getting riled up! To remain calm, even when you've
been waiting forever or dealing with something painstakingly slow
Joy
- is a product of
Christ-likeness. When we seek God through His word and prayer, we
will receive joy! It is the second fruit of the Spirit!
Reproach
– address (someone) in such a way as to express disapproval or
disappointment.
Variation
– a change or difference in condition, amount, or level, typically
with certain limits.
Shadow Cast –
a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light
and surface
Reason - Hebrew
word is yakah- to
argue, plead, contend or reason all with the purpose of showing how
someone is wrong in their thinking and should change their mind
Obedient
– Hebrew word is Sheme
(pronounced “Shmah”) -
to hear and obey or hear and act or do what is asked.
**Note:
The definitions are defined through biblical
meaning, and some are the root of the original Hebrew definitions.
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