Here’s how the study works: Read the chapter mentioned in the heading several times during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for a chapter creates the opportunity to reread it several times and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
v.2 You do not have because you do not ask God.
There are things God wants us to have but we won’t get them unless we ask. We need to be humble enough to ask.
v.2 You do not have because you do not ask God.
There are things God wants us to have but we won’t get them unless we ask. We need to be humble enough to ask.
v.3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Ask in order to be a blessing to others.
v.3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Ask in order to be a blessing to others.
v.4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?
That's strong language – adulterous people. It is also evocative. It tells us how strongly God feels when we don't make Him our first love.
v.4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?
That's strong language – adulterous people. It is also evocative. It tells us how strongly God feels when we don't make Him our first love.
v.7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The devil will flee. He may try to intimidate me, put pressure on me, but when I submit to God and resist the devil, he must flee.
v.7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The devil will flee. He may try to intimidate me, put pressure on me, but when I submit to God and resist the devil, he must flee.
v.9-10 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
This morning I was reading Thrive by Matthew Jacoby and he mentioned these verses! He said, "Lament is the gateway to joy. This is a basic biblical principle. If we want to 'reap with shouts of joy' we must 'sow in tears'. There is no other way."
If we humble ourselves before God, he will, in time, lift us up into joy.
v.9-10 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
This morning I was reading Thrive by Matthew Jacoby and he mentioned these verses! He said, "Lament is the gateway to joy. This is a basic biblical principle. If we want to 'reap with shouts of joy' we must 'sow in tears'. There is no other way."
If we humble ourselves before God, he will, in time, lift us up into joy.
v.11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.
We need to avoid criticizing our brothers and sisters in Christ. God has us all on a different journey and we are responsible to God for only ourselves.
v.11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.
We need to avoid criticizing our brothers and sisters in Christ. God has us all on a different journey and we are responsible to God for only ourselves.
v.13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Announcing our plans as if we can do it on our own is boasting. Announcing God’s plans is faith.
v.13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Announcing our plans as if we can do it on our own is boasting. Announcing God’s plans is faith.
v.14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes
Life is complex; life is uncertain; life is brief; life is frail therefore God’s plans are so much wiser than ours.
v.14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes
Life is complex; life is uncertain; life is brief; life is frail therefore God’s plans are so much wiser than ours.
v.17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Saying, “I’ve done nothing wrong” doesn’t cut it with God. Omitting to do good is equally sin in God’s eyes.
v.17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Saying, “I’ve done nothing wrong” doesn’t cut it with God. Omitting to do good is equally sin in God’s eyes.