James 1 |
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Verse 1 ToDo Items
Verse 1 ToDo Items
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Verse 2 ToDo Items
F Know that you will face trials in your life. [See John 16:33]
T Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. [See Romans 8:28]
T Don’t complain or get bitter when you face trials in your life.
Verse 2 ToDo Items
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Verse 3 ToDo Items
F Know that the trying of our faith produces patience. [See Romans 5:3-5]
F Know that patience is developed in us through trials while we wait in faith for God to act.
F Know that the trying of our faith reveals areas of unbelief where we do not trust God.
F Know that the trying of our faith reveals the progress of our spiritual growth to us and demonstrates whether our faith is genuine.
Verse 3 ToDo Items
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Verse 4 ToDo Items
C Know that God allows us to go through trials for our good so that we might become spiritually mature and complete in every detail, lacking in nothing. [See Romans 8:28]
C Know that God uses situations of adversity to mature His people.
C Know that God wants us to become spiritually mature. [See Ephesians 4:13-15]
T During trials, let patience have her complete work so that you may be spiritually mature and complete in every detail, lacking in nothing.
T Be patient in the face of adversity. [See 2 Timothy 2:3]
T During trials, learn to trust and wait on God.
T Consider each trial an opportunity for growth.
F Know that each trial can make you bitter or better.
W Don’t let your emotions decide how you respond during trials.
Verse 4 ToDo Items
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Verse 5 ToDo Items
P If you lack wisdom, ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally without reproach and you shall receive it.
C Know that God gives to all men liberally without reproach.
F Know that the wisest and most important thing you can ever do is seek the wisdom of God. [See Proverbs 4:7]
Verse 5 ToDo Items
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Verse 6 ToDo Items
T Always ask God in faith, without doubting. [See Mark 11:22-24]
F Know that unwavering faith is faith founded on the promises of God and trust in His character.
Verse 6 ToDo Items
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Verse 7 ToDo Items
P Know that anyone that doubts shall not receive any thing of the Lord.
F Know that someone that doubts is like a wave of the sea, rising one moment and sinking the next; saying yes and then no to God’s promises, never making up their mind which way they believe.
F Know that it is as certain that a doubtful person will not get an answer as it is that a person of faith will get an answer.
W Know that wavering faith is ineffective faith.
Verse 7 ToDo Items
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Verse 8 ToDo Items
F Know that a double-minded person is unstable in all their ways.
Verse 8 ToDo Items
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Verse 10 ToDo Items
F Know that the poor and the rich are brought level in Christ. [v9-10]
Verse 10 ToDo Items
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Verse 11 ToDo Items
W Know that the wealthy (and all their undertakings) who are not in Christ shall fade away just as a flower whithers and perishes in scorching heat. [See 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 1 Peter 1:24]
Verse 11 ToDo Items
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Verse 12 ToDo Items
P Know that the man that endures trials shall receive the crown of life.
P Know that God has promised a crown of eternal life to those who love Him. [See 2 Timothy 4:8]
Verse 12 ToDo Items
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Verse 13 ToDo Items
W Let no man say when he is tempted: "I am tempted of God."
C Know that God cannot be tempted with evil.
C Know that God tempts no man.
F Know that evil temptations come from evil, not from good.
Verse 13 ToDo Items
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Verse 14 ToDo Items
W Know every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own sinful desires and seduced.
Verse 14 ToDo Items
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Verse 15 ToDo Items
F Know that when sinful desires have conceived they give birth to sin.
F Know that when sin is fully grown it brings forth death. [See Romans 6:23]
Verse 15 ToDo Items
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Verse 16 ToDo Items
W Do not be deceived by supposing that God is the author of sin or that He compels anyone to commit sin. [v13-16]
Verse 16 ToDo Items
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Verse 17 ToDo Items
F Know that every good and perfect gift comes down from God the Father above.
F Know that whatever is evil comes from the sinful nature of Satan and fallen mankind.
C Know that there is no variableness or shadow of turning in God.
Verse 17 ToDo Items
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Verse 18 ToDo Items
C Know that it is God’s will that all men be saved. [See John 3:16, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, Revelation 22:17]
F Know that the Word of God is an agent by which a person can be born again. [See 1 Peter 1:23]
F Know that the apostles were amongst the first to be born again.
Verse 18 ToDo Items
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Verse 19 ToDo Items
T Be swift to hear.
T Be slow to speak.
T Be slow to anger.
Verse 19 ToDo Items
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Verse 20 ToDo Items
F Know that a man’s anger cannot demonstrate the righteousness that God requires.
Verse 20 ToDo Items
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Verse 21 ToDo Items
T Put away your moral uncleanness and abundant sinful cravings and wickedness and receive the Word of God that is able to save your soul.
F Know that the Word of God is able to save souls.
Verse 21 ToDo Items
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Verse 22 ToDo Items
W Become a doer of the word and not a hearer only, deceiving your own self by false reasoning. [See Romans 2:13]
Verse 22 ToDo Items
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Verse 23 ToDo Items
F Know that as a mirror can reveal our spots and blemishes, so can the Word of God reveal our imperfections.
Verse 23 ToDo Items
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Verse 24 ToDo Items
F Know that hearing the Word of God and not acting upon it is like recognising your imperfections but failing to address them. [v23-24]
Verse 24 ToDo Items
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Verse 25 ToDo Items
T Look into the perfect law of liberty, abide in it and take advantage of every Word of God.
W Don’t be a forgetful hearer of the Word of God.
T Be a doer of God’s work. [See Joshua 1:8]
P Know that doing the Word of God brings blessing. [See Joshua 1:8]
Verse 25 ToDo Items
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Verse 26 ToDo Items
W Know that if someone imagines themself to be religious yet does not govern and restrain their tongue, they are deceiving their own heart and their religion is worthless.
T Govern and restrain your tongue.
Verse 26 ToDo Items
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Verse 27 ToDo Items
T Visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction with a view to ascertaining their needs and supplying them.
T Keep yourself unspotted from the world.
Verse 27 ToDo Items
