James: Pt 7 (3:13-18)
In this part we examine James 3:13-18 with another searing pastoral challenge from James that has powerful application for us today as well. James continues to press in toward the source of our destructive speech patterns, and the source lies in our mind and heart. James establishes that there are two sources for wisdom, one is from above (God) and the other from below (worldly/demonic). Once again James isn’t coaching us in behaviour management, he is challenging us to examine the source that feeds our heart and our need to cultivate the soil of our heart so that we can plant the right kind of seed there.
James: Pt 6 (3:1-12)
This is a hard-hitting passage that not only examines the speech patterns that are so destructive but also the source. James is calling his listeners (and us) to not only focus on being disciplined with what comes out of our mouth but also to understand that our internal self-talk, patterns of reasoning, and inner conversations are precisely the place where the problem lies. It isn’t just about what you say, it is about what you think and say internally.
James: Pt 5 (2:14-26)
James is pastoring his fellow Jewish believers who have been driven all over the Roman Empire because of persecution and one of the pastoral issues that James confronts in chapter 2 is the preferential treatment of some over others, specifically those who have wealth and influence and cultural cache.
James: Pt 4 (2:1-13)
James is pastoring his fellow Jewish believers who have been driven all over the Roman Empire because of persecution and one of the pastoral issues that James confronts in chapter 2 is the preferential treatment of some over others, specifically those who have wealth and influence and cultural cache.