Week 4. Saturday: Prepare for Sunday REVIEW: Take a few minutes to make a list of what you’ve learned this week. PRAY: Ask God to use this time to help you get familiar with Sunday’s scripture passage. READ: James 2:14-26 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,

Week 4. Friday: Mercy Triumphs Over Judgement PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 2:12-13 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words Speak and Act - Going to be judged. Live your life in a way that reflects the fact that you will be judged for

Thursday: The Opposite of Favoritism PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 2:8-11 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not m

Wednesday: Rich in Faith PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 2:5-7 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom

Week 4. Tuesday: Special Attention PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 2:2-4 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with

Week 4. Monday: No Favorites PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 2:1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words My brothers and sisters. This is a family matter. James is including himself and communicating that what he is about to discuss comes out of love and concern for the people in his spiritual family. Believers. It is important to note that

Week 3. Saturday: Prepare for Sunday REVIEW: Take a few minutes to make a list of what you’ve learned this week. PRAY: Ask God to use this time to help you get familiar with Sunday’s scripture passage. READ: James 1:13-18 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attentio

Week 3. Friday: True Religion PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 1:26-27 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words Cons

Week 3. Thursday: The Freedom to Be Blessed PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 1:25 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words Whoever looks intently: James uses the word “intently” to stress his point. The Greek phrase here is parakyptō which means: to look care

Week 3. Friday: True Religion PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word. READ: James 1:26-27 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words Cons