So... James! Who knew, right? It was such an interesting week getting to know the person of James: Jesus' half-brother, one of the pillars of the church, the primary speaker at the Jerusalem Council... the list goes on.
I learned so much I never knew about James this week, but I can't help thinking- so what? Does this really make a difference? How does this affect the way I live my life in the year 2012- when I am bombarded with 800 thousand other things to do on a daily basis? Why take time to study the person of James, the book of James, any of it? Do you have an answer?
I believe the answer to this question is found is John 15:5. Please look it up. Seriously. I'll wait... :)
Listen to me, because this verse has been KEY in helping me to understand HOW to grow as a Christian. Are you ready for this? Because this is CLUTCH: you cannot change yourself in your own strength. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Did you catch that? Whoever ABIDES in Christ will bear much fruit, but apart from him we can do - NOTHING. Why study James or anything else in the Bible? Why spend time in prayer and in the service of the Lord? Because it is our hope - our ONLY hope - to be changed - to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we can prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:2).
Bible study girls. It may seem like just another thing to do on your list of many things to do, but oh... it is SO much more. Things you're learning today, tucking away, praying over - every last seed of righteousness that you plant in your life holds the promise of growth with eternal consequences.
I wish I could do a double back handspring and four cartwheels to set off a fire of excitement for the word in your life. But that is the kind of thing only God can give. So my advice? Ask for it. Luke 11:13 on your face before God and ask. And if you're already running- run harder and run faster. Enlist a few others to run with you.
James was just a man. Apart from Christ, his life had little significance. The same is true for us. Let's make it count!
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To keep yourself on track and accountable to the group, I recommend that you commit to posting a comment in response to our weekly lessons. You can post anything you like, but if you find it easier to respond to a specific question, our question of the week is this:
What was the most interesting thing you learned about the person of James this week and why?
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This week, we’ll be watching video session TWO. The viewer guide (to be completed while watching the video session) can be found on pages 40 and 41 of our workbooks.
PLEASE NOTE - This Is Important!
The Lifeway website has CHANGED! To order the “Session 2” video, take the following steps:
1) Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
2) Choose the box that says “Session 2" in the section that says “Select Session Number” and click "Add to Cart".
3) When you are SURE you have session 2 in your cart, then proceed to check out.
4) Follow download instructions.
http://www.lifeway.com/Product/james-mercy-triumphs-video-sessions-mp4-downloads-m00000088#
Our homework for week one begins on page 43 of our workbooks and ends on page 67. Again, the homework is broken down into 5 days that should take about 45 minutes each day to complete. Make every effort to complete this homework before next Saturday, when I will post the link for our next video session and discuss some of the things that we learned this week.
Okay, so that’s it. Please do not hesitate to ask for help (by private inbox to me, if you prefer) if you find yourself struggling with the homework or anything else. That is why we are studying as a group instead of studying on our own.
Also, please feel free to post any comments and/or prayer requests at any point throughout the week. We will all enjoy and benefit from hearing what you’ve been learning, and it is truly our privilege to lift one another up in prayer.
Your friend, Amy
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