In addition to doing this study with you on the blog, I’m doing it with a group of new Christians. (I’ve questioned my judgment since, as James can be so easily misunderstood as teaching works righteousness! Pray for us — I think we are getting there.) James is writing to believers who should be mature, yet are not living out the faith they profess. One woman is struggling because Paige reminds her of an angry teacher she once had.
Photo courtesy of andrea-piacquadio on pexels
I told her, “I know the tone is hard. But Paige is simply portraying the teaching of James clearly. He is pleading with his flock to live out their faith, for they are letting Satan get in and missing the joy they could have with the Lord and with one another.”
But even Paige said of James 3:13-4:1-2:
This feels like a brainstorming session on what’s wrong with Paige!
And yet, it is important. Turning a deaf ear to God’s Word is like refusing to have a splinter removed. If we are willing to go through the surgical pain, joyful healing will follow! To help you persist through the bulk of this lesson, I want to give you a preview of Paige’s beautiful closing.
Paige will tell a story of a husband about to confess great sin to his wife — thinking it may end their marriage. She tells him to come to the sofa and put his head on her breast. She will hold him while he confesses and afterward. Nothing he can tell her will change her love and commitment to him.
How like the story of Hosea! When God asked Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, it was to show Israel how sin is not breaking a rule, but breaking His heart. Yet God also commanded Hosea to keep taking her back, keep speaking tenderly to her, and keep loving her. The following is a song based on Hosea 2:15-17. Watch it and imagine the Lord singing to you, pleading with you to turn from your evil desires of selfish ambition and the applause of the world, and return to Him.
The other story she tells is of saying good-bye to her beloved dying friend last Valentine’s Day. She whispered in her ear that she had changed her life by looking so lovingly at the Lord Jesus. That love was like a magnet to Paige. This brought me to tears, reminding me of my dear friend Ann Dahl who just went to be with Jesus. How she loved Him! And that was a magnet to me. Likewise, her husband Howie so loved Jesus and their marriage was one of the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen. That’s how our relationships with other believers can be if we receive this hard teaching of James this week. It ends with a great promise.
Click here to see Paige:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33z5JM0ZdE
Download and print off if you like:
# 5 Paige on James questions
Thursday: Recognition of Worldiness
Icebreakers:
A. How have you thought of worldliness in the past?
B. If you watched halftime at the SuperBowl, what did you think of the He Gets Us ads?
C. What stood out to you from Dee’s opening to this week on her blog?
Watch Paige for about 21 minutes up to Recognize it In Our Longings
- Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16.
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on youtube)
Friday: Recognize it in Our Longings
Watch about 20 minutes more up to Recognize it In our Loyalties.
Our Passions
2. Read James 4:1-2
A. What is the origin of fights and quarrels? (Do you remember how she said the word desire is hedoni? Significance?)
B. Think of a time when someone stood in the way of something you wanted. How did you react? (Paige compared herself to the fighters in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.) What examples did she give?
C. I was convicted by “aside assassinating comments.” Passive aggressive sideways comments. I have to check myself all the time — even in e-mail. Does anyone relate?
Our Prayers
3. Read James 4:2-3
A. What two mistakes does James say we make in praying?
B. Paige said we fail to ask God to rescue us from our wrong desires. Do that here — either silently or in writing.
Our Presumptions
4. Read James 4:11-12
A. How do we place ourselves above God, the Lawgiver, when we judge another? What was her point when she said, “When my child needs consequences, you don’t get to give it to them.”
B. What examples did she give of being judgmental when looking at Christmas card pictures, or gossiping about others? Strike a chord in any way?
Saturday: Recognize it in Our Loyalties
Watch about 13 minutes up to Rescue from Worldliness
5. Read James 4:4-5
A. James calls putting other things above God as adultery. How does this word picture speak to you?
B. When you see God as an intruder into your time, money, entertainment, hobbies — what should that tell you? How does this diagnostic tool help you? Be specific.
C. Here are some other diagnostic tools — does the world love you? Do you feel like an alien (you should!) Are you aware of condensation? (What did she mean?) D.
D. What else stood out to you from her lecture so far?
God Hunt Sunday
6. How has God shown up in your life this week?
Monday: Rescue from Worldliness: Reposition and Repent!
Listen up to when she tells the story of the wife telling her husband to come and lay down with her as he confesses.
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section?
B. Find all the promises with the conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations.
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin!) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches…) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith?
8. Why does God resist the proud?
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord?
Tuesday: Closing
10. She told a story about a husband and wife. What was it? How does it relate to our relationship with the Lord?
11. What is so good about going low? Have you experienced this?
12. She quoted Thomas Chalmers who said that the love of the world cannot be expunged but only supplanted by the love of Him who is greater than all the world. Is that happening in your life?
13. She closed with a story of the death of her friend last Valentine’s Day. What do you remember and why?
Wednesday:
14. What did I miss that you’d like to discuss?
14. What is your take-a-way and why?
79 comments
A. How have you thought of worldliness in the past? Having your focus and worldview based solely on what you think and feel.
C. What stood out to you from Dee’s opening to this week on her blog? The reference to Hosea. I decided on Monday to read the book of Hosea, because I feel like I am being like Gomer and I need to remind myself of how the Lord constantly takes me back in complete love. It has been my God hunt that so many things that I encounter during the week whether it is the sermon at church, the Tim Keller podcast or what I “randomly” decide to read all tie in to some aspect of this bible study.
Watch Paige for about 21 minutes up to Recognize it In Our Longings
Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13? By our conduct.
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15? Through bitter jealousy and selfish ambition.
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16. Disorder and every vile practice
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life. One example is when I was homeschooling my children and we were involved in homeschool groups or even when reading the homeschool magazines. Others seemed so organized and had children that just sat down, did their daily lessons and were done by lunchtime. My kids would sit and stare at the walls or complain and argue. One son acted like he couldn’t pick up his pencil and kept knocking it to the floor, we rarely got through the day without conflict. The envy that I had for these other mothers caused me to sometimes be harsh and critical of my children, dissatisfied with my own life, focused more on trying to get the kids through the lesson than on whether they were retaining what was being taught and to be constantly judging these other woman i.e. sure your kids are cooperative and get their work done, but your house is dirty and your kids are rude and lazy.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on youtube) That the greatest love is found inside yourself. Back in the day when that song would come on at work, I would change the lyrics in my mind to learning to love the Lord, is the greatest love of all.
Oh, your homeschooling story. I can only imagine it would have been like that for me had I even tried with my firstborn!
Great about changing Whitney’s lyrics.
Thursday: Recognition of Worldiness
Icebreakers:
A. How have you thought of worldliness in the past?
—As living in a way that looks, acts, speaks and thinks like the world and it’s values. Materialistic and neglectful of and lacking spiritual depth.
B. If you watched halftime at the SuperBowl, what did you think of the He Gets Us ads?
—I didn’t see any during the half time. Because we never watch that part but we saw several that played during the game. I don’t remember specifics now but they always kind of caught you by surprise in a good way. They helped to arrest the normal Jesus stereotype by the world.
C. What stood out to you from Dee’s opening to this week on her blog?
—the testimony of Paige’s friend who died as well as you Dee relating Ann’s love of Jesus and that it was like a magnet drawing others to Jesus.
I have spoken of the dear old Norwegian Pastor who was such a blessing in our early years. His love for Jesus always stood out to me. He spoke and prayed his love for the Lord so clearly and I had never known anyone like that.
Thursday: Recognition of Worldliness
Icebreakers:
A. How have you thought of worldliness in the past?
Worldliness is having a mindset that this world has everything to offer for my happiness.
B. If you watched halftime at the Super Bowl, what did you think of the He Gets Us ads?
No, I did not watch the halftime.
C. What stood out to you from Dee’s opening to this week on her blog?
There were some moments when I thought Paige’s tone was hard. But as a teacher, I have been privy to some poor quality of care to patients that whenever I get a chance to emphasize the little acts of kindness (so often not written in competency sheets) that would elevate compassionate caregiving, my tone changes. And I would say something very similar to my students: write this down in your notes, circle it. Highlight it, and put a star on it. I am just not as eloquent as Paige is. (Smile) I see Paige’s passion for the Word of God in the inflections in her voice.
1. Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
By good life and deeds done in humility
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
In ways that we think we are better than Jesus. Demons believe in Jesus, but they think they are better than Jesus. I really appreciated what she shared about Peter. We do think at times, that we know better than our Lord. And He refutes us because that kind of knowledge or that which we call wisdom is from Satan.
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16?
Envy and selfish ambition
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
I saw a posting on FB tonight about an induction ceremony of students for the honor society I was the main advisor for before retirement. It looked like a happy occasion, but a tinge of jealousy came up inside of me. The disorder shows itself in an unsettled feeling or discomfort inside of me. “I could have been there celebrating and being celebrated, too!” Ugh-so ugly thoughts. Yet, the Lord is so gracious to remind me of the many years I have been a part of this joyous occasion. Change my heart, O God! I also reminded myself that these thoughts may come but I should be quick to ask for God’s help. I especially loved the KJV of 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on youtube)
“I found the greatest love of all inside of me, (Uh, oh! That is trouble!) Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all”. What a reminder of how worldly words to a song can sway us in the wrong direction. Whitney Houston has such a beautiful voice but had a tragic life. I am reminded as well of the mythology god, Narcissus, who spent the rest of his life staring at his reflection and loving himself. Self-fixation leads to death.
Love this from Bing:
“I found the greatest love of all inside of me, (Uh, oh! That is trouble!) Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all”. What a reminder of how worldly words to a song can sway us in the wrong direction. Whitney Houston has such a beautiful voice but had a tragic life. I am reminded as well of the mythology god, Narcissus, who spent the rest of his life staring at his reflection and loving himself. Self-fixation leads to death.
AMEN! I am finding this whole lesson so powerful that I have not had time to answer the questions!!
Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
You live a humble, honorable life.
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
If you are jealous and selfish.
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16.
Disorder and evil of every kind.
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
oh boy….I look back to when my kids were teens and realize that my work took more from our family than I realized. I was too busy in my selfish desire to look good in my job that I wasn’t there for my kids as I should have been 😔. Life at home blew up.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on youtube)
“Learning to love yourself…..”
Thursday: Recognition of Worldliness
Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
—Paige says true wisdom is a God centered God given orientation that permeates all of our living.
It shows up in a beautiful lifestyle of good conduct. A life lived with meekness and humility. She said it is not about knowledge but that biblical wisdom is a lived reality.
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
—there is bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in the heart. It is described as earthly, unspiritual and demonic. James says to claim wisdom and live this way is a false boast (a lie).
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16.
—It is a life of self concern which is jealousy and a life of self promotion which is selfish ambition and that will result in disorder and every vile practice.
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
—First of all those two things rob me of my peace. They cause an inner turmoil against the Spirit of God in my life. Then my relationships suffer from my wanting what I want and no one else is lining up with my agenda. This probably happens most often in my relationship with my husband. When he doesn’t line up or agree with my desires or wishes there is immediate tension which can easily escalate to a fighting spirit between us. Harsh words often result from it. Ugh I hate it when it happens.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on youtube)
—“The greatest love of all is to love yourself.” That is a lie! Loving yourself is far from the greatest love of all. Actually the greatest love of all is the self sacrificing love of God demonstrated in giving his only Son to die on the Cross for my sin. Jesus demonstrated the greatest love of all by laying down his life for me. There is no greater love.
Laura and Bev,
I appreciate your answers to Question D. They are examples of true fellowship among us-the honesty and vulnerability pointing us to the God of mercy who works in us again and again. I am not a lone soldier in the battle against the enemy of our souls. We stand shoulder to shoulder and strengthen one another by sharing our struggles and holding each other up through our prayers. No man is an island.
I agree with this about Laura and Bev, Bing!
I am so sad about the train derailment in Ohio. I know we have many sisters that live in that state. Susan, are you near this? Our son lives in Pittsburgh and is down wind and water from East Palestine; only an hour away. He tells us that 5 million are effected by contaminated drinking water. Reports are that deer and fish are dead. People (I hope) are evacuated, but this is bad, very bad. Two major rivers will be affected. This area will take a very long time to recover from a catastrophe like this. People will have to move and no one will buy their homes. Please dear Jesus, help us. Please bloggers pray for our dear citizens who are innocent victims.
Praying for all involved in this tragedy. Thank you for mentioning it, Laura.
B. If you watched halftime at the SuperBowl, what did you think of the He Gets Us ads?
I didn’t see these commercials during the Super Bowl but I have seen other ones they have done. I was uncomfortable with the message quite honestly. I found the following article very helpful in why I was feeling the way I was…
https://natashacrain.com/7-problems-with-the-he-gets-us-campaign/
I tend to be a skeptic but I also know that God can use anything to draw people to Him.
That was an interesting critique — thanks, Sharon.
Sharon, Thank you so much for posting this!!! I saved it. We saw the ads and I felt like something was missing. I thought it was a good thing, but I do not like seeing Jesus marketed in that way. I thought maybe I was being over sensitive, but is was a strong gut feeling.
I have enjoyed watching the revival at Asbury Seminary. It feels real and sounds real, when reading about it. I like Sean Feucht’s music ministry. He knows God’s Word. He is a missionary. He and his family seem very sincere.
I am familiar with a man who uses the words, “The great I Am” on his fb blog. He implies it is the true God he is speaking about, but he is marketing his “self help” business using this term in self promotion. I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and in my heart when I see these things. God will not be mocked. God will not be used. We need to be so careful with our words.
Lord give us eyes to see and wisdom to know how to use our words.
Friday: Recognize it in Our Longings
Watch about 20 minutes more up to Recognize it In our Loyalties.
Our Passions
2. Read James 4:1-2
A. What is the origin of fights and quarrels? (Do you remember how she said the word desire is hedoni? Significance?)
I am the origin of the fights and quarrels. Hedonism coming out of us. Character assassination. It doesn’t matter what the content is. It comes from our motivations. The heart.
B. Think of a time when someone stood in the way of something you wanted. How did you react? (Paige compared herself to the fighters in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.) What examples did she give?
Oh yes! I “scraped” until I got what I wanted.
What does it take to provoke me? “You lost more weight than I, your daughter got into a better college than mine, you got invited and I didn’t, etc.” It takes nothing at all. Look at the fluctuation in relationships.
All of this is regular, old, self-centeredness. Our worldliness will show up in our actions.
C. I was convicted by “aside assassinating comments.” Passive aggressive sideways comments. I have to check myself all the time — even in e-mail. Does anyone relate?
I meant to answer this question… I just don’t have the same issue, but I do have an issue of my own, and it just happened to me! Ha ha ha boy do I need help. I have a problem with people being too weak, not able to withstand hard times. For example, my friend and I went to get a pedicure and her mom was supposed to come too. Her mom is only 6 years older than me. The mom woke up with some reoccurring issue with her leg. Instead of being sympathetic, I end up thinking (mostly to myself) “Just suck it up and get your bum here.” Ugh, that’s mean, I know.
Our Prayers
3. Read James 4:2-3
A. What two mistakes does James say we make in praying?
We take action by waging war and fighting for the things we want instead of asking God. When we do ask, we have the wrong motives. We ask for things that are pleasurable.
B. Paige said we fail to ask God to rescue us from our wrong desires. Do that here — either silently or in writing.
Oh Lord! Thank You for listening to me. Thank You for Your sacrifice for me. I am undeserving. I come humbly Lord, to ask forgiveness and to ask for Your help. This Earth is so dismal and offers nothing like what You offer. Yet, here we are succumbing to it over and over again. It is so easy to get caught up in the evil and not even realize it. Then, we are hooked. It may be too late when we wake up. We sabotage the life You have drawn for us. But, You. You are the life giver! I wish more of my family and friends would know this truth. I have been so close and I have tasted a bit of what it could be for me. Then I am drawn back down into the depths of earthliness. Ugh. Help me to rise above it next time. You are good and perfect and I am not either. I pray in Your Holy Name Dear Jesus, Amen.
Our Presumptions
4. Read James 4:11-12
A. How do we place ourselves above God, the Lawgiver, when we judge another? What was her point when she said, “When my child needs consequences, you don’t get to give it to them.”
God is the judge, not me. It is our job to follow the law not implement it. In the case of Paige and her daughter, she is the one who is in charge of her child, not you or me. She will decide on the punishment, not a stranger. Same with God. We are God’s children. No one has the right to judge and punish us except God. We must follow the law however while we are here on Earth.
B. What examples did she give of being judgmental when looking at Christmas card pictures, or gossiping about others? Strike a chord in any way?
Gossip is vile! We critique each other, “Look at the dress she is wearing,” “ How did their child get into that college?” “They must have no problems; look how perfect they are!”
I used to be that way more than I am now. I am struggling to keep up with my life and do not have time to worry about how others are living! But I have also learned that we all have things going on in our lives. Some people are better at handling them than others. If I weren’t so busy now would I fall back to being that way? I don’t think so. I know that my life is better when I follow God’s way, and His way is not gossipy. I have learned much through studying the Bible. It has taken a very long time.
God Hunt Sunday
6. How has God shown up in your life this week?
This is kind of long and I also need to go back and finish answering Friday’s and Saturday’s questions:
Our church experienced the deaths of a dearly loved man (a former deacon) and a woman of God (the mother of our church’s secretary) within the past 2 weeks. I am struggling with a significant issue at work and our daughter has needed time with us as well. My schedule has been disrupted in many ways but I have sensed the constancy of the presence of God. And amid these, I have experienced the daily conviction of sin in my life as I listen to Paige. I am not as “good” as I thought with my tongue because of the condition of my heart. She does have a way of homing into the root of my sins and perhaps that is why I can perceive her tone as hard at times. But I cannot deny the work of the Holy Spirit in me-He is just using Paige and you ladies here in the blog.
It is hard for me to express my experience this morning but I knew in my heart, something inside has shifted and I have been changed for the better. Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me. The last few weeks have been a divine set-up for me today.
Dee, I listened to the chapel sermon that started the Ashbury revival. Toward the end, Pastor Zach said something to the effect of “Jesus, do a new thing in our midst, revive us by your love.” When I woke up this morning, God’s love was the first thing that came to mind, and Pastor Zach’s words rang in my ears. The penny finally dropped! All these years, my head says I am loved by God but this morning, I have come to the realization that I really did not fully believe that I am fully loved and do not need to do anything to earn that love. My belief in that love ebbed and flowed depending on how “good” I felt about myself. Ugh! And last week’s picture of God rejoicing over me with singing wrecked me. And this week’s Hosea.
I was still operating under works righteousness and feeding my idol of approval unconsciously. The frequent second-guessing, the tiresome maneuverings to “help” God, and the beating of self were diagnostic of the condition of my heart (pride and oh, how He opposes the proud!) and where I have put my trust-me, my, mine! God does not need me to write a to-do list for the day so I can figure out how to earn brownie points. I have been loved in the past, I am loved now, and I am loved for the rest of my life! And as I looked back to the past 2 weeks, I am amazed at what I have been seeing-women at our study sharing how God’s Word has changed their lives, we have a few of our youth in the community needing a follow-up after a revival in a nearby town. The revival in Ashbury has continued.
Love your testimony about Zach and your first thought his morning.
Wow Bing, Thanks for sharing. What joy to hear how God is working in your own life personally. This morning I was listening to another section of Paige’s teaching and felt a very real conviction regarding my own heart and its desires and my need to be rescued from those desires. At one point her audience laughed at something she was saying about herself and I thought that’s not a funny statement. We should be crying instead. But I recognize nervous laughter in the presence of very deep personal truth. I just heard of the Asbury Revival this past week. I am fascinated to know more. In the past I have read quite a bit on true Holy Spirit revivals. I will look for that sermon. God bless you girl as God moves on your heart for good. 💕
You have given me things to consider and look for where my attitude fits in this. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this, Bing. How I thank God for this wonderful blog and iron sharpening iron weekly. I thank God for each of you, silent or writing, in a place that is so safe to share and to be inspired. How I need to constantly work on the condition of my heart. How grateful I am for God’s unconditional love. I love the words of Pastor Zach and I pray for Jesus to revive us by His Love. Amen to this.
Bing, this is huge for you in your relationship with God! To be free from trying to please Him to earn His love and approval to resting in the truth that you are loved now, and forever! I can so relate to what you wrote: “My belief in that love ebbed and flowed depending on how “good” I felt about myself.” I still find myself there, a lot.
God Hunt Sunday
6. How has God shown up in your life this week?
—For me it has been a week rich in teaching and encouragement. I have a neighbor Christy who moved in a couple of houses up from us on our street about a year ago. She has been fairly reclusive. She lost her husband to cancer in 2020 and was living on a ranch in Wyoming and became quite isolated at that time from grief and depression. It took a terrible toll on her psyche and her health. Christy has no children and only one sibling which is her sister who lives here in our community. So Christy decided to move here. Through an unusual contact who saw her need I was asked to invite her to a women’s Bible study at my church. She has been attending that and a couple of weeks ago she came to the small group we have in our home on Wednesday evenings. She is very open and full of questions. She has had very little exposure to church and no real frame of reference for what church is all about. She attended a one day conference for women at my church yesterday and loved it. It appears God is opening her up to Himself. I don’t feel like I even have to hunt for God in this. Christy is demonstrating a real concern for her sister to know more about God but her sister is very closed to church and Christian things. God is also putting Christians into the sister’s life as well. It’s exciting to watch and see what God is going to go in these two women’s lives.
Bev — such an exciting report about Christy. Lord, open her eyes, bring her fully to Yourself!
Bev, it is so exciting to see how you invited Christy to your Bible study and small group at your home and she is wanting to know more of Jesus. I will pray that her love for Jesus grows and that her sister’s heart will be opened to Jesus and His great love to both of them. This gives me good chills! What joy! God is working. Thank you for sharing!
Bev, how exciting that Christy is opening up to God and so full of questions! It sure sounds like He is drawing her to Himself, and He used you to initiate the conversation!
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
True wisdom is from God and it gives us a God centered orientation; it shown clearly in a beautiful life style of good behavior, gentleness of wisdom, meekness and humility.
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
Demonic wisdom is a life lived in disorder, based on jealousy and selfish concern.
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16.
Demonic wisdom produces an antagonistic spirit of self promotion and selfish ambition. It is earthbound~ resulting in God being small in one’s life and man being more important.
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
When my husband is not doing well “healthwise”,and I get exhausted, I can get self focused. I feel far from God and unappreciative. My spirit feels dark and my soul feels lonely. I know I need to look up, quit looking inward and I need to leave my pity party! I know in my heart, who I belong to and I need to get my focus on the Savior first and then on others, not on myself. Lord, forgive me for looking at the shadows, when all I need is to look into your light. “My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. ” Psalm 62:5 Beautiful Christian hymns, scripture and prayer bring me back.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All?” (See it on you tube)
That is the saddest song ever. I think it is meant to build self esteem in children, but that is not the message it sends. These songs lead to self promotion. I agree with Bing: self fixation leads to death. The antidote: “Jesus again spoke to them saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12
Oh Patti — we all need to pray for strength for you in caring for your husband!
I loved this from you:
That is the saddest song ever. I think it is meant to build self esteem in children, but that is not the message it sends. These songs lead to self promotion. I agree with Bing: self fixation leads to death. The antidote: “Jesus again spoke to them saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12
Thank you for your prayers, Dee. xo
2. Read James 4:1-2
A. What is the origin of fights and quarrels? (Do you remember how she said the word desire is hedoni? Significance?) Our hearts and our selfish desires. Hedonism is seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. We get pleasure out of seeing ourselves as better than someone else.
B. Think of a time when someone stood in the way of something you wanted. How did you react? If it’s something that I really want, I have a tendency to downplay how selfish I am being and minimize how it is affecting the other person. (Paige compared herself to the fighters in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.) What examples did she give? Your kid got more playing time than mine, you lost more weight than I did, you took my parking place, you applied to colleges that I didn’t have the guts to, your daughter got more likes on Instagram than mine, they got invited and I didn’t.
C. I was convicted by “aside assassinating comments.” Passive aggressive sideways comments. I have to check myself all the time — even in e-mail. Does anyone relate? I’m always checking myself to see if my comments to someone are given for information or just to make myself or my family look wonderful (bragging).
Our Prayers
3. Read James 4:2-3
A. What two mistakes does James say we make in praying? We ask for things to fulfill our selfish desires.
B. Paige said we fail to ask God to rescue us from our wrong desires. Do that here — either silently or in writing.
Our Presumptions
4. Read James 4:11-12
A. How do we place ourselves above God, the Lawgiver, when we judge another? We are taking the place of God. What was her point when she said, “When my child needs consequences, you don’t get to give it to them.” Her point was that parents are the ones whose place it is to give consequences, no one else. It is God’s place to judge people, no one else.
B. What examples did she give of being judgmental when looking at Christmas card pictures, or gossiping about others? That we look at them or talk about them with the sole objective of picking them apart. Strike a chord in any way? I do have the tendency to do that with people who have treated me or my family negatively.
Honest from Dawn:I’m always checking myself to see if my comments to someone are given for information or just to make myself or my family look wonderful (bragging).
I was thinking “I don’t look at Christmas cards that way — but when you said “I do if they have treated me or my family negatively” I realized I do.
5. Read James 4:4-5
A. James calls putting other things above God as adultery. How does this word picture speak to you?
Cheating on God! Ouch.
B. When you see God as an intruder into your time, money, entertainment, hobbies — what should that tell you? How does this diagnostic tool help you? Be specific.
It tells me that those things are too important to me. He is number 1, not an intruder. It helps me recognize when I have something that might be taking over my life,
C. Here are some other diagnostic tools — does the world love you? Do you feel like an alien (you should!) Are you aware of condensation? (What did she mean?)
I would say no, the “world” does not love me. Yes, I feel like an alien! Hahaha. Condensation permeates everything. Do I permeate everything with Him? I hope I do.
D. What else stood out to you from her lecture so far?
Christians are definitely called to be different.
The kids have enjoyed this song of late from Jordan Feliz. Reminds me of our study:
https://youtu.be/3MKP3SkzkIA
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section?
But!
B. Find all the promises with the conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations.
Opposes the proud/grace to the humble
Resist the devil/he will flee
Draw near to God/He draws near to you
Humble yourself/He will exalt you
I can’t think of a specific example, but I have learned over time to be more of a humble teacher to my students and colleagues, and I have had less strife in my class room for sure. I used to be “quippy” and have to have the last word (with colleagues). I don’t do that anymore. Things are much better.
From Laura — so good:
I used to be “quippy” and have to have the last word (with colleagues). I don’t do that anymore. Things are much better.
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section? But
B. Find all the promises with the conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. God is faithful It was a stressful weekend between hubby and son Hubby told me Sunday morning before I was leaving for church it was my fault and I don’t appreciate him, So disheartening to hear and of course, I’m not without fault and need to do a better job encouraging him So at church my heart was heavy but I tried to worship and put my focus only on Him. We did something different at communion We were told to gather in small group around us, greet each other, share information, and then have someone pray and take communion together. It was like God entered the circle I was told to pray and felt apprehensive, but God/His Spirit took that over. We stood around together talking afterwards realizing what a special moment it had been
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin!) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches…) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith? It means to me that being forgiven my sin is covered and God has removed it He now views me through what Christ has done . Being saved by faith means for believing and accepting that Christ has taken my punishment and I’ve received His righteousness
8. Why does God resist the proud? The proud don’t understand their need for God. They don’t think they need Him thus making it hard to hear from Him.
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord? It means genuinely listening to spouse and also hearing what’s behind their words. Showing appreciation and recognition of what they do. Gratitude to the Lord, reading His word and listening and obeying.
Love the way your church did communion!
Judy, this is a really powerful instance of God showing up for you at church. I love how you described it, that it was like God entered the circle. Here you had been feeling discouraged and disheartened by your husband’s words, and yet, God was right there.
10. She told a story about a husband and wife. What was it? How does it relate to our relationship with the Lord? Husband had sin problem that he was going to admit to his wife and he was concerned that she would not love him anymore She went and sat beside him and said put your head on my chest and after you are finished I will still love you That is when the full extent of his sin hit him That we break God s heart when we sin but He loves us no less For me a powerful example of God s love.
11. What is so good about going low? Have you experienced this? We have repositioned ourselves. We humble ourselves before God then we are in a position to receive His wisdom I’m not certain Of course I’d like to think that but after listening to this message I need more time to process where worldliness steers my life.
12. She quoted Thomas Chalmers who said that the love of the world cannot be expunged but only supplanted by the love of Him who is greater than all the world. Is that happening in your life? I am not sure. I’m not the same person and how I spend my time has changed not sure I can use word expunged.
13. She closed with a story of the death of her friend last Valentine’s Day. What do you remember and why? That her friend lived a godly life in the world and that she looked lovingly at Jesus and the statement that she had a life of godly condensation and the love of Christ dripped off her
Good work, Judy!
Love this Judy: We humble ourselves before God then we are in a position to receive His wisdom.
We just got back late last night from NC, visiting our son and his family. I thought I’d have time to work on our study…ha-ha! Not with a very active 2 year old and a 6 month old…took me back to those days, but in a good way!
A. How have you thought of worldliness in the past?
As being materialistic, pursuing wealth, power, status, and worldly pleasures.
B. The He Gets Us ads?
I vaguely remember them; I only half-paid attention to the Super Bowl. The one about Jesus loving those we hate, and He gets us, all of us. I actually read online about the ads and that they received mixed reviews, with some really liking them and others not so much. Some in conservative circles accused the ads of pandering to the “woke” left, while another criticized would Jesus have approved of spending millions of dollars on an ad. I think it’s going to take more than these ads to bring people together, unfortunately. Another questioned, why does Jesus need a PR man?
C. What stood out to you from Dee’s opening to this week on her blog?
James is writing to believers who are not living out the faith that they profess. This seems a bit like an oxymoron and touches on the past couple of weeks in which we delved into this subject: genuine faith – or not? Demon faith? Faith without works? I haven’t yet listened to Paige’s entire teaching, and am curious, especially the part in James where he says “you murder” – how can this be true of believers? And yet – I know myself how it feels to be so angry or irritated as to feel murderous.
It must be very challenging too, going through this book with new believers.
1. Read James 3:13-18
A. How is true wisdom shown according to verse 13?
It is shown by how you live – by deeds done in humility. Paige said that true wisdom is a God-centered, God-given orientation that permeates all of our living, not our thinking. It’s not a “what is” as in a definition, it is a “how to”. How do I do this in my relationships, in my work. Light bulb moment for me: with so much emphasis on biblical knowledge, verse memorization, and things like that, I can be fooled into thinking that I am “wise” because I can understand biblical passages or the theology behind them. But I may not be living out true wisdom. Paige said you may be very knowledgeable, but living like what is described in verses 14-16. It is living a lie, a false boast. Oh how I remember my first Bible study as a newer Christian, and it was about being a woman/wife who pleased God. I read and studied and attended every class. But – I don’t remember the situation or what was said, but I must’ve been behaving very ugly because I do remember what my husband said to me, and it was “Satan is more of a Christian than you are.”
B. How is demonic wisdom evidence according to verses 14-15?
It would be doing deeds that may appear outwardly kind or good, but inside you are harboring envy or selfish ambition in your heart. This “wisdom” is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil. Paige said it’s a kind of logic that makes sense to us, that we see others doing better than we are, so we think we’ve got to get some traction and make something happen for ourselves; “I’ve got to promote me”.
C. What does demonic wisdom produce according to verse 16?
It produces disorder and every evil practice.
D. Give an example of how envy or selfish ambition has produced disorder in your life.
I have selfish ambition whenever I try to be “helpful”, but in reality, in my heart I think things like “I know a better way to do this than you….this wouldn’t happen on my watch….I know more than you do….” It shows up in my relationships, my marriage, even at work. I can do it better; I know the right way to do this. Jealousy – I remember once when I saw another person’s FB post and it was so wonderful, and I thought to myself, I need some attention, too, so I posted something about myself and pictures and starting getting some likes and comments, and I knew it was all because I wanted that attention for myself.
E. What is the lie in Whitney Houston’s song “The Greatest Love of All”?
“I found the greatest love of all inside of me”. Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. This kind of “truth”, Paige said, is soaked through with two kinds of things that are antagonistic to what James is talking about: an antagonistic spirit of self-concern – jealousy. And, the antagonistic spirit of self-promotion – selfish ambition. This is demonic logic that says, “I know better than Jesus.” I’m not taking the low path, I’m taking the high path. “A logic centered in envy is the antithesis of Christian living because it grasps instead of gives.” Paige went on to say that this just doesn’t happen to us – it is our calculated approach. And this logic of envy and selfish ambition blows open the door to every vile practice, from the things we say to police brutality. We will recognize it in all of our angry competition, being mean in our words and deeds, resenting the good of another, rejoicing over the hurt of another, rivalry, and finding our identity in our status or possessions. How do we recognize we are worldly? It will show up (in all these vile practices fueled by jealousy and selfish ambition).
Paige’s teaching really expanded my thinking on what it means to be worldly. And I see that I am worldly.
Love your entire post, Susan. So good to have time with family! Pure joy. I agree with this and I constantly have to work on my heart: Paige’s teaching really expanded my thinking on what it means to be worldly. And I see that I am worldly.
So glad you had that precious time with your son and family, Susan.
Your comments are always so thoughtful and I want people to read them.
I have learned (a bit too late) not to do James with new Christians — I’ve lost one, but the other four are hanging on. Appreciate prayer.
I’ve seen such a tender heart in you.
6. How has God shown up in your life this week?
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section?
But!
B. Find all the promises with the conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations.
He gives greater grace
He gives grace to the humble
Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Be miserable and mourn and weep. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
I love the statements from Paige about mourning. We mourn that our sin has hurt our Savior. We are not mourning that He might stop loving us, but we are mourning because we have broken the heart of the one who will never stop loving us. If I ever feel that I have hurt someone or am responsible for having a sinful heart (a “snarky” heart is what I call it because I can feel resentful or whiny), I pray quickly that the Lord will hold my words and walk me through this before he goes from my heart to my mouth.
I was recently troubled because I did not know how to approach our new next door neighbors about some of the trees and bushes that needed tending. They are a sweet young couple from China and I wanted to say something, but did not want to sound rude. I prayed and prayed and a few days later we each received a ticket on our front door, from the city, saying we had some bushes by the sidewalk that needed tending! Oh my! I felt like a turkey that I also had things to tend to that I had not done yet!!(that log in my eye!) I ended up introducing my neighbor to the man who does our yardwork. It turned into a wonderful thing. My neighbor thanked me, because he had been hoping to meet someone to help him with his yard. We have communicated lots since then and I am helping him to find other sources he needs and we are developing a lovely friendship. He said that he and his wife are both shy and language can be a problem and I volunteered to help him communicate anytime he needs help. He wrote me a sweet text, that he is so happy that I will mentor him on things that will help them be good neighbors. Thank you, Jesus!
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin!) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches…) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith?
Our commitment to God is like a marriage commitment to our spouse. When we turn to a love that has become more important to us than our love of God, it is Spiritual adultery. Has another love become more important to me? Enmity will build up in your heart and God will become our enemy. We need to check ourselves. What things keep me from my time with the Lord? He needs to be our all and we must fully trust Him.
8. Why does God resist the proud?
Because we are placing our selves above the Law of God and usurping the place of the Lawmaker, God, when we do that. It becomes deification of self.
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord?
We need to spend time with one another. Do not lose the relationship. Cherish one another. Do not let the pressures of children, career, education, sports take over your lives. Submerge yourselves, as a couple, in time with the Lord and time with each other. Use your words, your time, your love language.
Patti, I know you are going to be a wonderful neighbor! It was sweet of you to reach out to them the way you did.
Oh Patti — how I hope everyone reads your neighbor story!!!
Patti, what a great neighbor story! God is so gracious to us, isn’t He? I had to look up what it means to feel like a turkey! Now I know.
This spoke to my heart after hearing this week’s lecture. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, by Alan Jackson. Hope it will open.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90
2. Read James 4:1-2
A. What is the origin of fights and quarrels? ( Do you remember how she said the word desire is hedoni? Significance?)
The origin is not from outside of ourselves, though we like to explain it that way. (These things have made me this way) From whence comes all of your anxiety, your resentment, competitiveness and anger? From hence – from everything that is inside of us. James says that all of our inner passions come out as a complete and total battle against other people. “Our desires and passions are like an armed camp within us, ready in a moment’s notice to declare war against anyone who stands in the way of any personal gratification on which we have set our hearts.” (quote from a theologian)
We place our pleasures and desires above everything and everyone else.
Paige said the Greek word used for pleasures and desires is hedoni, from which we get our word hedonism. It’s definition is the pursuit of pleasure, sensual self-indulgence, and it’s a theory that pleasure (the satisfaction of desires) is the proper aim of human life. So yes, it’s significance would be that anyone and anything that stands in the way is going to get blasted.
B. Think of a time when someone stood in the way of something you wanted. How did you react? (Paige compared herself to the fighters in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) What examples did she give?
Paige’s examples: What does it take to provoke me to think ill of you? Your kid got more playing time than mine, you lost more weight than I did, you took my parking spot, you applied to colleges that I didn’t have the nerve to apply to, their daughter got more likes on Instagram than my daughter, they got invited and I didn’t. It takes nothing to bring about the dissolution of a relationship. Paige said the evidence of this is just to look at our fluctuating relationships with other people – we’re not much different than when we were children. What happened to a whole relationship? They said something about me.
I remember the times I could be selfish when my kids were young because perhaps they were needy or misbehaving and stood in the way of my getting what I wanted – peace and quiet, rest, food, comfort. I am sure that there were times I reacted harshly because of that. Other times, it has been over something that I want to have control of, such as a holiday. I want to plan it the way I want it to be, and when someone else chimes in about the timing or the food, I can get resentful and upset because now I have to concede something that I wanted to do.
C. I was convicted of “aside assassinating comments”. Passive aggressive sideways comments. I have to check myself all the time – even in email. Does anyone relate?
Paige explained it as “character assassination” when James refers to killing, though James never says what it’s about, because it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t deal with the content, but rather the heart behind it, the motivation behind all this fighting. We think our little squabbles are no big deal, but Jesus says that they are a violation of the sixth commandment, because they all constitute murder. Yet we see these things as normal and understandable, these longings that we have, so how will we recognize that we are worldly? James says it will show up in all of our fighting, quarreling, and resentment.
Yes, I also need to check myself in the area of those sideways comments, which I view as small and not a big deal.
Great example of how small children can stand in the way of what we want! Keller says the same of him. And me too!
3. Read James 4:2-3
A. What two mistakes does James say we make in praying?
We can be so self-focused on our desires that we don’t even bother to pray about them, or we don’t even dare to pray about them. (God, give me control, give me revenge would be some examples) Or, we do have the nerve to ask, but we don’t receive because of our motives in asking. We are treating God like a vending machine. James does not say that God will not answer, he says that we will not receive, taking us back to chapter 1 where we ask for wisdom, but are we willing to receive it? We cannot turn to God to serve self – this is that double-ness. Our worldliness will show up in our prayers. Paige said what we really need to pray for, perhaps, is for God to deliver us from the desire.
B. Paige said we fail to ask God to rescue us from our wrong desires. Do that here – either silently or in writing.
4. Read James 4:11-12
A. How do we place ourselves above God, the Lawgiver, when we judge another? What was her point when she said, “When my child needs consequences, you don’t get to give it to them?
In placing ourselves above another brother or sister in Christ, we are placing ourselves above the Law – we will decide what to enforce, and in doing that, we are placing ourselves above God, the Lawgiver. All sin comes from a deification of self. I am above you – I am above the Law – I am above the Lawgiver. When James talks about speaking evil of someone, Paige said the literal word is to denigrate. This means to push down, step on, and criticize in order to damage. What you’re saying may be true, but do you have the right to say it? The point about the child is that it is not your place to hand out the consequences for another parent’s child, even if you know the truth about what they did. Likewise, it is not your place to judge another brother or sister and then to denigrate them and hand out consequences, as if you are the parent (are you the Heavenly Father? Is he or she your child?)
Verse 12 says, “Who do you think you are?” Are you supreme in your opinions, are you smarter than God? This is who we think we are. James goes even further when he says who do you think you are to judge anyone about anything?
I was so convicted when Paige said this: “I am not a fighter; I am a critic to the core. I don’t look to people to enjoy them, to relate to them, to delight in them; I look at them to pick them apart.” (Do you know what they let their kids watch? Did you see they are upsizing instead of downsizing?) Dear God, help me.
Traveling yesterday and people-watching at the airport….the woman sitting behind me on the plane who asked the flight attendant for a glass of water because she had to take her medicine NOW when there was a man throwing up on the plane and the attendant was in the middle of helping him…I mean really, was taking her meds an emergency? Couldn’t she have waited? Did you see that girl in the booty shorts….would you wear something like that in an airport and on a plane? You know, our son and his wife need to get their two year old on a stricter schedule….our kids weren’t allowed to run around the house carrying food and spilling it on the carpet…. this is ALL worldliness. And I never understood this before, that this is the name for it.
B. What examples did she give of being judgmental when looking at Christmas card pictures, or gossiping about others? Strike a chord in any way?
Yes, it strikes a chord. I didn’t pick apart any Christmas cards this year (pictures) but along with my in-laws, we were talking about people’s Christmas letters that they sent to them. The ones that said things like, “Our granddaughter….will she go to med school or law school? She has over a 4.0 GPA…” And we said, can you believe people write such stuff? They’re bragging – ugh! Paige said that we seek out opportunities to do this – we log on to social media looking for something to criticize. People we don’t even know. And James says, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? The answer is: I AM WORLDLY.
Monday: Rescue from Worldliness: Reposition and Repent!
Listen up to when she tells the story of the wife telling her husband to come and lay down with her as he confesses.
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section?
God does not turn away from us. The best word is BUT. But He gives us more grace.
B. Find all the promises with the conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations.
opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble
resist the devil and he will flee from you
draw near to God and he will draw near to you
humble yourselves and he will lift you up
I find myself hesitating to draw near to God at times when I am tempted to feel like He is withholding something from me. that is why I cling to the command of resisting the devil and walking toward God in times like these. I know who I am to draw near to. There is always comfort and peace in His arms and His presence. And there is always chaos if I don’t. Again mornings have been such a great gift of drawing near to Him and letting worldly thoughts fade.
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin!) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches…) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith?
He became what He was not so that I can be what I am not. Such love for me and for all of us! Our salvation is not based on any personal merit. He gave His life for me while I was yet a sinner. He lovingly made the exchange-what I can never do for myself.
8. Why does God resist the proud?
Because they are not in a position to receive anything. They are too high up. You can come to God in faith in need. Submit is an enlistment word. Position ourselves under a new banner. Humble yourselves before God-whole heart position.
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord?
My husband and I are so different and we both have to work on how to relate to one another because we love each other. One of the things that we do periodically is to give each other time alone in the house. He goes to church or I go out with a friend so each of us can just have a quiet place. During the summer, I go out to the garden-it is his time to call people, use the kitchen, work without interruption, or me bugging lol him and vice versa. We belong to Jesus so I need to nurture my belongingness to him.
Like your example of you and your husband giving one another time alone.
10. She told a story about a husband and wife. What was it? How does it relate to our relationship with the Lord?
The husband had a confession to make but before he could go on with it, his wife had him sit with her and held him close and told him that after he has confessed, she will still hold him and love him. You will still be right here next to me. Draw so near to Jesus that you are tucked in his bosom. When you are done confessing or crying your heart out, you will be ever near to Him.
11. What is so good about going low? Have you experienced this?
God is the one who will lift you up. I think being able to acknowledge a mistake with my students is very humbling. And when I do it truthfully, I feel the smile of God regardless of how my students respond.
12. She quoted Thomas Chalmers who said that the love of the world cannot be expunged but only supplanted by the love of Him who is greater than all the world. Is that happening in your life?
Looking inside of myself cannot get rid of my worldliness; only the realization of the fact that God cannot not love me and there is no need for things of the world to make me feel loved because I am already blessed beyond measure through His love for me.
13. She closed with a story of the death of her friend last Valentine’s Day. What do you remember and why?
She lived a life of godly condensation, every where she was the love of Jesus dripped all over. Her friend lived a life who loved and longed for Jesus and her gaze pointed Paige to Jesus in so doing. Do not look long at yourself; look longer to Jesus.
5. Read James 4:4-5
A. James calls putting other things before God as adultery. How does this word picture speak to you?
James calls out our “attempt” at divided loyalty. He is speaking of the loyalty of a wife, of fully and exclusively belonging to someone. The charge he makes is adultery, not fornication, because this letter is written to His wife (believers). This word picture shows me that I am supposed to fully belong to God in a relationship marked by exclusivity and faithfulness. I am to be a faithful bride to Him, but when I put other things or people before God, I am no different than a wife who commits adultery. I cannot have both friendship with God and with the world.
B. When you see God as an intruder into your time, money, entertainment, hobbies, what should that tell you? How does this diagnostic tool help you? Be specific.
Paige said that James is talking about the every day stuff of our wants and needs, the self-pleasing things that we like; common, ordinary things that we like and then we submerge ourselves in the world. It’s towing the line spiritually and longing for the world, at the same time. Paige stressed that James is addressing worldliness here, while at no time does he address worldly things. It is about how we are worldly about all things. That is the danger. Are we worldly about our money, our children, our entertainment, our vocation, our hobbies, our vacations, the church, our volunteering. What is our motivation behind all of those things? While it might be very hard to detect our worldliness in these areas, James says it will always show up in our resentments, in our anger, in quarreling, and jealousy, and every evil practice.
When I begin to view God as an intruder, it shows me that my worldliness has made God my enemy. This diagnostic tool helps me to ask myself some questions: am I beginning to prefer the company of another person or something in the world to being with God? What am I attracted to? Sinclair Ferguson: “I still love her, but I’m not in love with her”. Is it the same with me? I still love God, but something else has become more important to me. Over time, God will ultimately become my enemy, because He will get in my way.
Paige emphasized that we must check ourselves. I must check myself. What do I prefer rather than time with God?
C. Here are some other diagnostic tools – does the world love you? Do you feel like an alien? (You should!) Are you aware of condensation? (What did she mean?)
Do I feel more at home and comfortable with secular people? Do I have more in common with them? Am I frustrated at the ways that the Lord is keeping me from fitting in? Am I tired of feeling like an outsider? What are the goals I am pursuing with my money, my conversations, my service? How do we know if we are worldly in our loyalties? It will show up in where we belong. Jesus said, if you belong to the world, the world will love you as its own. If the world loves you as its own, it’s because you belong to the world.
This is hard. I would say that in general, I am well-liked at work, though I know some of my co-workers are not believers. I don’t preach to them; I haven’t really sensed an opportunity. Some of this is because we are all so busy, there is little to no time for any conversation. A few use some language that I don’t care for, and I usually don’t get involved in those kinds of conversations. Sometimes I feel like I don’t fit in, but most of the time it doesn’t bother me. I just try to do my job.
More diagnostic questions from Paige: How do we recognize our worldliness? Where are the broken relationships? The ugly comments? The bitterness and the resentment? Where is the chronic discontent (this is huge question for me). Where is the drama?
Paige talked about condensation. It happens when two things are different temperatures. Breathing hot air in a cold car will cause condensation on the windshield. She said, “Christians should form condensation every time they walk out into the world, and where there is no condensation, you are the exact same temperature as everything else.” And James deals with all of this without ever mentioning specifics such as fashion, entertainment, or social media. He deals with it only in the way our hearts want things, and the way our hearts treat other people.
D. I think it significant that Paige said that James brings all of this to our attention not to devastate us, but to draw us. The diagnosis that I am worldly will lead me to cry out to God for rescue. This question is one to ponder for me: Can I have intimate fellowship with God while my heart is longing for the world?
I experienced such intimate fellowship with God last year on my pilgrimage to Holy Island. I lived out of the smallest suitcase I own for ten days. There was no Starbucks on Holy Island, sparse Internet reception, so I read no news, wasn’t on social media, wasn’t worried about shopping for something to display in my home. When we crossed over the causeway to the island, I prayed, “God, my heart is wide open. Wide open.” I wasn’t distracted by the usual things I am distracted by at home. I felt so focused on God. Why is it so hard to keep that focus?
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin!) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches…) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith?
I love how Mike Reeves says He gives us His crown of glory and we give Him our crown of thorns.
For me it means I get things I don’t deserve. His glory is mine. That feels strange to me.
I don’t understand how it has to do with being saved by faith. If we believe (have faith), then we will receive His glory?
8. Why does God resist the proud?
The proud are too high up they have no need.
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord?
We work on our marriage for the love, the relationship. It is the same with God. We are the bride. We need to work on our relationship. For example we can encourage our spouse.
7. Read James 4:6-10
A. What beautiful word begins this section?
(We expect this section to open with, And God walks away.) Verse 6 opens with: BUT! We are worldly, BUT God! But He gives more grace!
B. Find all the promises with conditions in this passage. Take one and share how you have experienced it. We want specific illustrations.
*God shows favor to the humble, so then, submit yourselves to God.
*Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
*Come near to God and He will come near to you.
*Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.
When I humble myself before God, as in I admit my sin, He will lift me up. He might even give me a new chance to live differently. Last year on a retreat, there was a woman, older than me, not from our church, who was nice but had what I’ll call a strong personality, and walked with two walking sticks. We chatted a bit and she expressed interest in doing something with me one afternoon. I thought about how if I did something with her, I wouldn’t be with the women with whom I was closer with from my church….my fear of missing out….would this woman ‘slow me down’…. the next morning I read a devotional about showing favoritism. And while it wasn’t about money or clothing, I realized that I might very well not be open to this new woman and showing favoritism to those I already knew well. So I talked to God about it while I was outside in this garden, and asked Him to help me. It was very early in the morning, and when I walked out of the garden, who should come walking down the street but this very woman. We were the only two people out. We ended up going for a long walk before we had to be at breakfast, and I really found myself enjoying her company, and we agreed to go on an excursion together that afternoon. She really became very dear to me.
C. Did you understand what she meant by the exchange that happens at a wedding? Mike Reeves says everything that is ours becomes His (our sin) and everything that is His becomes ours! (His purity, His riches) What does this mean to you? How does this fit with our understanding of being saved by faith?
“You took what is mine, and set on me what is Yours. You became what You were not, so that I might become what I am not.” (Martin Luther) This is the exchange that happens between Jesus and His Bride. It is His favor bestowed on me despite what I have merited. What does this mean to me? Whenever I am tempted to say that something in my life is unfair, when I think of this exchange and what is cost Jesus, it is the one thing that is really not fair. It is not fair that He got what I deserved for my sin. We are saved by faith – this exchange happens because of what Jesus accomplished for us, never by anything that we do.
I love what Paige said, that Jesus rescues me from my worldliness by making it unnecessary to me. In all of my striving, fighting, and longing, I am after a counterfeit of what I already have in Jesus. I don’t have to be the best, smartest, prettiest, the center of attention, because I already am to Him. This worldliness is completely unnecessary to the child of God. And following His giving me so much grace is a string of commands to help me resist worldliness. This is the correct order – the grace comes first, then the commands. They have to go in this order, or else we will “blow up”.
8. Why does God resist the proud?
We take on the position of lowness in submitting and humbling ourselves before God. God resists the proud because they are too high to receive anything from Him. Where there is pride, there is no need for God.
9. Give examples of how one has to work on their marriage to make it good. What application is there to our relationship with the Lord?
You must cultivate nearness in your marriage. This requires spending time together, being curious about the other, conversation, honesty, sharing who we really are. Cultivating our relationship with God includes worship, reading His Word, prayer, and receiving the sacraments. Why should we want to do this in our marriage and with God? So we can experience love and relationship.
10. She told a story about a husband and wife. What was it? How does it relate to our relationship with the Lord?
A young married couple (friends of Paige) in which the husband was in a losing battle with sin. He came to his wife and said, “I’ve got to tell you something, and it might change your opinion of me.” The wife stopped him, went over next to him on the couch, opened up her arms, and told her husband to put his head in her lap and while she held him, to tell her whatever it was he had to say. She assured him that her arms would still be around him, even after he told her. That’s when the husband’s heart was broken.
In the same way, God invites us to draw near to Him and tell him of our sin. He assures us that He will not turn away, and that when we are done confessing, we will be nearer to Him than before, because of His love for us. This is what breaks our heart and causes us to mourn. We’ve been hiding from Him and missing out on this great love. Because of who we are, we will all mourn at some point in time. Either now, and then we will rejoice forever, or we will rejoice over ourselves now and mourn forever.
11. What is so good about going low? Have you experienced this?
Because He lifts us high.
12. She quoted Thomas Chalmers who said that the love of the world cannot be expunged but only supplanted by the love of Him who is greater than all the world. Is that happening in your life?
“The love of the world cannot be expunged by holding out a mirror of our imperfections or by a mere demonstration of the world’s worthlessness. But it may be supplanted by the love of that which is more worthy than itself, the love of Him who is greater than all the world.” This is a new thought to me as well. In the past, I have been taught to look at the worthlessness of the things of the world in comparison to God as if seeing them compared side-by-side will result in me turning from the world to God.
13. She closed with a story of the death of her friend last Valentine’s Day. What do you remember and why?
Paige remembered that her friend lived a life of “godly condensation” before Paige and her family. She dripped the love of Jesus. Paige whispered to her dying friend, “You changed my life. You didn’t do it by teaching me about obedience. Or by teaching me about faithfulness. You did it by looking so lovingly and constantly at Jesus that your gaze at Him was like a magnet for me, and every time I was with you, my eyes followed yours.”
Wow. My initial thought is that if this is the power a person can have to influence our lives, we’d better make sure how they see Jesus as our eyes follow theirs. Many years ago I sat in a Bible study in which I know that our teacher loved the Lord, but she so focused on and stressed obedience and being well-pleasing to God and how overwhelmed she was by His holiness that I began to despair of ever measuring up to God’s standards. I didn’t even know where to begin.
Paige said that none of this worldliness will even begin to dissipate in our hearts because we take longer and longer looks at ourselves. Only when we take a longer look at Him, at His face, will all these things become dim.
Susan, your story about the woman you walked with warmed my heart. And you challenged me as well. I probably wouldn’t have thought of that as favoritism at first glance! You caused me to reflect on how I relate to others I may not be close to or familiar with. There are some kinds of people I hesitate to initiate a conversation with. Ugly thoughts unfortunately and I think you commented about a Confucius saying, ‘true wisdom is giving something a name.” That would be my pride problem.
My take-away is that I feel like I did when we first studied idols here, when Dee was going to write her book, Idol Lies. I had never understood idols in that way before, as being at the root of my sins. It was overwhelming! I feel overwhelmed after this week too. I thought being worldly meant being after money, power, sex, possessions. I could say well, I buy a lot of my clothes at Target and Walmart – I’m not worldly! I don’t run in those kinds of social circles! I didn’t know that my fighting, bickering, quarelling, jealousy and resentment shows just how worldly I am. I feel like I have just uncovered something and now at least I can name it. I think Paige said Confucious said that wisdom begins by naming. I feel like this could take years to fully plumb the depths of worldliness in my heart! One question I need to really ponder is what is at the root of my constant discontent? What does that have to do with my being worldly?
Again, love your heart.
Wednesday:
14. What did I miss that you’d like to discuss? Oh, Dee! This study is so wonderful and has much to process. God is good.
14. What is your take-a-way and why? I want to daily not look at myself but to “turn my eyes” upon Jesus. To look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. Part of her prayer: Save us, Lord. Help us live like aliens and pilgrims in this world.
A beautiful version of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Sovereign Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDELcuYX3g&t=26s
Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful faceAnd the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace
Turn your eyes to the hillside Where justice and mercy embracedThere the Son of God gave His life for us And our measureless debt was erased
Jesus, to You we lift our eyes Jesus, our glory and our prizeWe adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You
Turn your eyes to the morning And see Christ the Lion awakeWhat a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone For we carry His life in our veins
Turn your eyes to the heavens Our King will return for His ownEvery knee will bow, every tongue will shout, All glory to Jesus alone!’
Thanks for your encouragement, Bing. Sometimes I think “I’ll never do Paige again” because of the lower number of people who stay engaged — and then I get encouragement from you and others here.
Dee, Paige is intense and some days it is hard to keep up. But I love her passion and her emphasis on the Word of God. She points me to Jesus (as you do) and I cannot ask for anything more. There are things I can forego so I can be here. And God always does wonderful things in me.
Oh, Dee!!! Do not feel discouraged!! I have love love loved this study! We have had a lot of things going on that have kept me away. I listen to Paige more than once, because is it easy to miss some of her points! I realize that the reason she says “Look down” is that she wants us to mark our Bibles, know that the words are the Words of the Lord, and not to focus on Paige, herself.
One of my God hunts last week (that I did not have time to post) was that Darcy, Marcus, Hannah and Tony (her boyfriend) went to West End Church in Nashville and Darcy met Paige. She said that she is “very real” and talked to Darcy about the great things in the youth programs at her church…never focused on herself. This study has made James come alive for me. Please never be discouraged! xoxo
So thankful for this day: Ash Wednesday.
What a sweet story to hear that your family met Paige! Really, I wouldn’t mind having Paige as a friend. Smile.
Patti — thank you!
Dee, Paige, in my opinion, has the gift of preaching. I feel it most unfortunate that patriarchy in the church has kept women from being pastors or preachers or priests. I can envision her delivering her messages to a church congregation. I feel fortunate to be at a church that ordains women; our associate rector/priest is a woman, and she is very gifted. She is not married with children, as Paige is. I realize that for someone like Paige, perhaps being a pastor would take too much of her time from her family, but, when children are grown and flown, then perhaps many women could step into that role.
Perhaps why fewer stay engaged with Paige is that it is hard to keep up – I know the last study you did with Paige, I just didn’t feel that I had the time to do it, and when you get behind, you can’t go back and work on it because Paige takes down her videos online.
I so agree with you, Susan. And thanks for the encouragement.
10. She told a story about a husband and wife. What was it? How does it relate to our relationship with the Lord?
The husband was hiding sin from his wife. He finally decided to tell her. She sat on the couch and told him to come lay his head on her lap and tell her. She said after you tell me you will still be here in my embrace.
We need to reposition ourselves. Paige says to look at the bookends of the verses; submit and humble.
This is a whole heart problem.
11. What is so good about going low? Have you experienced this?
We have God’s attention! We have need, so God helps us.
Draw near to Him and He draws to you. I belong to Him! I want to be with Him. I have experienced this.
12. She quoted Thomas Chalmers who said that the love of the world cannot be expunged but only supplanted by the love of Him who is greater than all the world. Is that happening in your life?
I am trying…
13. She closed with a story of the death of her friend last Valentine’s Day. What do you remember and why?
She lived a life of Godly condensation. The love of Jesus dropped off of her.
I love how faithful you are to the study, Laura — and I know you have a full plate!
♥️
Ing. 14. What is your take-a-way and why? That the book of James was written for my benefit and I should welcome the instruction that will draw me near to God. The lady who held her husband as he was going to confess his sin assuring that him that her love wouldn’t change. That is how God loves me.
14. What is your take-a-way and why?
Oh Dee! Don’t be discouraged. We are learning so much!
I have the biggest take away ever…..watch your tongue! It is your heart speaking. And here I am, tonight, saying something icky to Cooper. UGH! I have a lot to learn still.
Yes to Laura! We are learning a lot.
Watch your tongue-it is your heart speaking.
AMEN! to Laura and to Bing!!!!