Chapter 5

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james%205&version=ESV

STUDY

• Who is the warning against in the first 6 verses?  Is it a sin to have money?  What do you think this passage means?

• What has corroded and been eaten by moths?

• How did these rich people live?

• What should we as believers be practicing through suffering?

• Why shouldn't we grumble against eachother?

• Who is the example given of remaining steadfast through suffering?

• Why should your yes by yes and your no be no?

• What is the one who is suffering supposed to do?  The one who is cheerful?  The one who is sick?

• What does verse 16 encourage us to do?  Why?

APPLICATION

• What can apply from this chapter?  How are you going to put into practice?

• Who have you grumbled against this past week? 

• Do you have someone in your life that you can confess your sins to and pray with? If not, ask God for that person in your life.

PRUNING ME

        As confessed in Chapter 2, I struggle with being approved by the rich.  In the depths of my earthly being I desire things of this world.  Thank you Lord for working this out in me.  Verses 1-6 was a reminder for me and even more than a reminder- an exortation against the fleshly desires I have. Verse 2 says: "Your riches have rotten and your garments are moth-eaten."  Verse 3 says: "Your gold and silver have corroded..." And verse 5 says: "You have lived on the earth in luxury and self-indulgence." As I have shared before, it is not wrong to have money- because it is infact God who blesses and provides it.  But it is how you steward it. If you spend it so you can live life on this earth in luxury and self-indulgence, then it is sin.  If you use it to bring glory to God and others to the Kingdom, then you are using to honorably.  It is not wrong to have nice things, nice clothes, gold or silver jewelry- but what are your intentions with owning these things?  See for me, my sinful nature is that my identity would lie with these things, that is what my confession was all about.  My identity should only be in Jesus.  If you have things you need to confess such as this- you should share with a friend who loves you and whom you can trust completely.  Verse 16: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed." The thing about sin, is if you keep it hidden, it will destroy you.  When I struggled with porn, I didn't share it with Joey at first.  I was embarassed and ashamed that I would let myself be tempted, then dragged into that sin.  It wasn't until I confessed it to Joey and a close friend that i was able to be completely delivered from it. Obviously my confession to Jesus was needed first and foremost, but it seemed like I was asking for forgiveness daily.  Repentance was desperately needed.  For me, part of repentance was sharing it with people who could pray, hold me accountable and help me through it. When I was looking at porn behind closed doors, Satan loved it.  He loved that nobody knew about it because it kept me weak and vulnerable to temptation.  He wanted me to stay ashamed and embarassed in hopes that I wouldn't share my sin with anyone. He wanted me to feel unworthy of God's forgiveness in hopes that I wouldn't ask Him for it and repent.  However, when the darkness was exposed- light was shed and my sin was visible. I wasn't hiding it anymore.  It wasn't easy sharing with people- even the ones close to me, but it's through my openness that I got through it with accountability, prayer and encouragement. True repentance is taking steps to ensure you won't return to yuor sin- even if it means being completely honest with someone and revealing things you are ashamed of- even if it means ruining your "holy reputation".  If you want to be holy, you need to practice holiness.  And the Bible tells us to "Confess to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed."  Holiness isn't ignoring or hiding sin.  It's dealing with it. 

• Leanne