Hip Hip Hooray, it’s Tuesday! I’m so grateful you’re back here to do Bible Study with me. Today we’re on James 3.
Most of today we’re in the Message, and when we’re not, I’ll show it to you. So first, let’s pray.
Dear Lord Jesus, we’re here to learn what You have for us today. I’m so grateful for all you continue to do with and for me. This is another right-at-us chapter, so I’m asking for the words to write, the lesson to prep and the day to live. You’re everything we need. Help us learn, Lord. For Your Glory alone. Amen.
Begin by reading James 3:1-2 in the Message
When You Open Your Mouth
These two verses make me laugh a bit. No wonder none of you, my local group of study people, want to lead these studies. I can’t do it without Jesus. He’s the only One that can provide this, even this one with anything close to a lesson. It’s beyond anything I can do on my own. Ask. Trust. Wait. Listen. Write. That’s how I have to do it. I don’t consider myself a teacher. I just share whatever He gives. Though there are those who would call what I do teaching.
Teaching is ________________________________________.
Teachers are held to ________________________________.
None of us are _____________________________________.
We __________________________ nearly every time we _______________________________.
If you could find someone whose speech was _______________________, you’d have a ________________________, in _______________________ of life.
Read verses 3-5
A word out of your mouth can accomplish ____________________-or destroy it. Have you seen this?
There’s a thing Ann Voskamp had in her printable library a long time ago, that said something about how deadly anger is. Every instance of anger in me kills something. It’s been a very hard week here. I’ve had multiple troubles and the news has been infuriating and I’ve been fighting anger for days. With prayer, with Scripture, with deliberate choices to turn from it, I have nearly conquered it. Nearly. And only with the help of Jesus.
I suspect you know what that’s like. It would be highly unlikely that any one of you readers have never been angry.
Think now, how can our words accomplish good? Think on Good things. Look for the good things to express. Receptive and Expressive language skills. I only know those words because I am the parent of a miracle on the spectrum and both have taken her years to learn. In some ways, they are still struggles.
Read verses 5-6
Instead of careless words we should speak kindly; be kind.
By our speech we can ________________________, turn ___________________________, throw ___________________________________, send the whole world ___________________ and go ___________________________________, smoke right from the place we do not want to go.
Read verses 7-10
Read those three verses again.
What struck you the most?
Lord Jesus, we need You with every moment of our days. We need you to control our tongues (Psalm 15 among others) and make us clean every single day. (John 15:3)
Read verses 10-12
A fresh water spring doesn’t gush __________________ water.
Apple trees bear ________. Raspberry bushes bear __________________. You know what will happen if you get water from a polluted mud hole? We live in a country where many of us can turn on a faucet and clean water comes out of it. Sure, here it’s not clear very often, but technically it’s still safe. The point is, you know things have order, things do what they’re supposed to do, you should do the same. What are we supposed to do? Control your tongue. Speak life, not death.
Don’t you love how James has written all these things we need to be doing in so few words?
Now that he’s told us what not to do, what we should do instead, he’s going to tell us doing it we will live well and wisely. Cool, huh?
Read Verses 13-16
Live Well, Live Wisely
Humility. Not humiliation. But humility is highly valued and can only be achieved through faith.
Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or ____________________________________, things ____________ and everyone ends up at _____________________________________.
Read Verse 17-18
Real wisdom begins with _____________________________ and is characterized by ___________________________________________________________. It is __________________ and _________________________, overflowing with _______________ and ____________________.
You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy it’s results _________ if you do the ____________________ of ______________________________________________, treating each other with _____________ and ____________.
Verse 17 in the NIV
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.
Lord Jesus, thank You for this lesson. Thank You for all the behavioral lessons and the real wisdom clues too. You are so good to us. Three down, two to go of James, Lord. Please help us finish well and learn as we go.
In Your holy and precious name, I pray. Amen.