What are You Waiting For | Isaiah 9: 1-7
Being Peacemakers | James 3: 13-18
True wisdom makes you live for the good of others
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
-Pray the Prayer of St. Francis, which starts, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”
Responding to Evil
The recent terrorist attacks in Paris are a sad reminder of the reality of evil in this world. As Christians, we are called to respond to evil in these ways:
-Lament about it -- Like the Psalmist, we pray, "How long, O Lord?"
-Fight against it -- Not against human enemies, but we are called to fight the spiritual battle through prayer, forgiveness, and love
-Hope beyond it -- Remember that God has the ultimate victory
The Power of your Speech | James 3: 1-12
Let Jesus be the master of your speech
“…no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:8b
-What areas of your speech do you most need Jesus to master?
What is Saving Faith Like? | James 2: 14-26
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Real faith—saving faith—cannot fail to produce action in your life
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17
-How would your life be different if you acted on everything you believe about God?
Seeing People Equally | James 2: 1-13
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Jesus’ law of love sets you free to love indiscriminately
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself,’ you are doing right." James 2:8
-What “kind” of people do you normally write off? Ask God to help you see all people with love
Listening and Doing | James 1: 19-27
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The proof that the word of God has gotten into you is that it comes out of you in your actions
“…humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:21b-22
-What is your relationship to God’s word? Ask God to root out hardness and passivity.
When You’re Tempted to Doubt God’s Goodness | James 1: 13-18
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The way to handle temptation is to remember that you are worse than you think but God is better than you think
“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” James 1:18
-What difference does it make to remember that God chose to give you birth through the gospel?
When Life is Hard | James 1: 1-12
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You can have joy knowing that God has a good plan for your pain
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3
-How can you let God inject joy into your hard times?