JAMES IS PURE GOSPEL
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James points his readers to Jesus Christ.
He doesn't tell the events of the gospel. He tells the meaning of the gospel. Many people agree with the events of the gospel but don't believe the meaning of the events. James wrote this letter to Jewish Christians soon after Pentecost. These readers were steeped in the Old Testament. James is using their context to reveal Jesus as the way to experience life in God's presence. We are co-lovers with God. We don't love directly. This letter is to them not us. It's for us as we see them. We have blind spots about this letter because we don't understand and respect their context. |
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THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE IN JAMESThe letter of James is a feast of God's goodness.
THE KEY: God's goodness includes moral flawlessness. This is the door into experiencing God's presence. This is Christ. This is God's lush green pasture for His sheep where we thrive. When we reject flawlessness we move onto the world's barren lifeless ground. We survive. Where are you feasting right now: on God's flawless righteousness which is life and joy, or on your flawed righteousness which is lifeless? |
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#1 - IS JESUS YOUR SHEPHERD?
Where does Jesus lead?
Where does Jesus lead?
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#2 - JAMES POINTS TO JESUS
Where do you point?
Where do you point?
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#3 - GOD SCATTERS HIS WITNESSES
Whose reputation is your testimony?
Whose reputation is your testimony?
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#4 - JOY ABOVE THE SUN
Do your circumstances serve you or do you serve them?
Joy = the celebration of meaning
Do you seek meaning under the sun or above the sun in God's presence?
Do your circumstances serve you or do you serve them?
Joy = the celebration of meaning
Do you seek meaning under the sun or above the sun in God's presence?
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#5 - UNITY IS IN BOASTING GOD'S WAY
God commands you to boast.
Do you boast in Christ's flawlessness and substitution?
What about when you or other humans fail?
God commands you to boast.
Do you boast in Christ's flawlessness and substitution?
What about when you or other humans fail?
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#6 - THE WAR OF CROWNS
Do you achieve or receive good things?
Christ achieves all moral goodness.
Your proper role in life it to receive what Christ achieves.
Temptation means to be drawn out of one's proper place (as a receiver).
You are enticed and tempted by your desire to achieve some moral goodness.
Death results from seeking to achieve some good thing, like love.
We cannot love directly.
We are co-lovers with Christ.
Do you achieve or receive good things?
Christ achieves all moral goodness.
Your proper role in life it to receive what Christ achieves.
Temptation means to be drawn out of one's proper place (as a receiver).
You are enticed and tempted by your desire to achieve some moral goodness.
Death results from seeking to achieve some good thing, like love.
We cannot love directly.
We are co-lovers with Christ.
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#7 - WHOSE VOICE DO YOU HEAR?
The prophets said righteousness would rain down from heaven.
Where do you look for right relationships?
To what you need to do?
Or to Christ achieving all moral goodness?
What you see is what you say and work.
The prophets said righteousness would rain down from heaven.
Where do you look for right relationships?
To what you need to do?
Or to Christ achieving all moral goodness?
What you see is what you say and work.
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8 - WHOSE LIFE DO YOU WORK?
God has a purpose for your life.
His purpose is for you to be free to do good.
Your pride tricks you to forget the kind of person you are.
This is the only reason you do evil.
God has a purpose for your life.
His purpose is for you to be free to do good.
Your pride tricks you to forget the kind of person you are.
This is the only reason you do evil.
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#9 - HOW DOES GOD OPEN SPIRITUALLY BLIND EYES?
What is spiritual blindness about anyway?
Paul says the first step in witnessing is to open a person's eyes.
How does the Holy Spirit lead us to do that?
What is spiritual blindness about anyway?
Paul says the first step in witnessing is to open a person's eyes.
How does the Holy Spirit lead us to do that?
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#10 - IS YOUR RELIGION WORTHLESS?
If your religion were worthless, would you want to know?
Hint: Your religion at birth was moral leniency.
Moral leniency is about loopholes in moral goodness.
These loopholes are not good. You need freedom.
If your religion were worthless, would you want to know?
Hint: Your religion at birth was moral leniency.
Moral leniency is about loopholes in moral goodness.
These loopholes are not good. You need freedom.
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#11 - WHY DO LOOPHOLES QUENCH LOVE?
Is it good to quench love?
If you have been tricked into quenching love would you want to know?
Does God call you to love directly or to co-love with Him?
When we co-love with God all the pressure is on him.
Is it good to quench love?
If you have been tricked into quenching love would you want to know?
Does God call you to love directly or to co-love with Him?
When we co-love with God all the pressure is on him.
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#12 - WHAT IS DEAD FAITH?
Why did James say that faith without works is dead?
How can faith be dead?
If you have been tricked into using dead faith would you want to know?
Why did James say that faith without works is dead?
How can faith be dead?
If you have been tricked into using dead faith would you want to know?
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#13 - DO YOU WANT TO LOVE OTHERS?
Do you want to succeed at loving other?
God has a way for you to succeed at loving others.
Total dependence is God's way of success for you.
Listen for the difference between your way and God's way.
Do you want to succeed at loving other?
God has a way for you to succeed at loving others.
Total dependence is God's way of success for you.
Listen for the difference between your way and God's way.
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#14 - GOOD TEACHING USES THE KEY TO GOODNESS
Your life is an adventure of learning to trust
the goodness of God written in your soul.
Have you noticed the key to goodness?
Are you skillful at using the key?
Hint: Why did James say that God's wisdom is first pure? Why first?
Your life is an adventure of learning to trust
the goodness of God written in your soul.
Have you noticed the key to goodness?
Are you skillful at using the key?
Hint: Why did James say that God's wisdom is first pure? Why first?
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#15 - DO YOU MAKE PEACE OR WAR?
At whose table are you feasting?
Do you see the connection between these two questions?
Why does the world say there is only one feast?
Listen for the simplicity of life in God's feast.
At whose table are you feasting?
Do you see the connection between these two questions?
Why does the world say there is only one feast?
Listen for the simplicity of life in God's feast.
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#16 - DO YOU TEACH PURITY FIRST AMEN?
Why does James command us to hesitate to be teachers?
Do you use moral flawlessness to explain all things Christian?
Moral flawlessness is the door into God's wisdom.
God's wisdom bears good fruit.
Forgetting flawlessness is worldly wisdom and bear bad fruit.
Why does James command us to hesitate to be teachers?
Do you use moral flawlessness to explain all things Christian?
Moral flawlessness is the door into God's wisdom.
God's wisdom bears good fruit.
Forgetting flawlessness is worldly wisdom and bear bad fruit.
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#17 - WHY HIDE FROM GOD'S PRESENCE?
The Deceiver opened our first parents' eyes to good and evil and their need for goodness.
They heard his voice: "It is good to do good. Period."
So they vainly made the coverings they felt they needed.
Is God's presence your feast and your covering?
The Deceiver opened our first parents' eyes to good and evil and their need for goodness.
They heard his voice: "It is good to do good. Period."
So they vainly made the coverings they felt they needed.
Is God's presence your feast and your covering?
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#18 - CORRECTION BY INVITATION INTO LIFE
Moral flaws are not good. We need correction.
Nathan corrected David without introducing tension between them.
How did he do it?
James explains the dynamics of the heart in this and every human story.
Moral flaws are not good. We need correction.
Nathan corrected David without introducing tension between them.
How did he do it?
James explains the dynamics of the heart in this and every human story.
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#19 - WHOSE PRESENCE - ADVOCATE OR ADVERSARY?
Authority is in a person.
Authority is about experiencing the presence of a person.
Do you experience the presence and authority of God
or that of the Slanderer and Adversary (Devil - Satan)?
What's the difference and how does it affect your relationships?
Authority is in a person.
Authority is about experiencing the presence of a person.
Do you experience the presence and authority of God
or that of the Slanderer and Adversary (Devil - Satan)?
What's the difference and how does it affect your relationships?
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#20 - BOASTING - IN THE CROSS OR YOUR PLANS?
To be human means to need to boast, to have confidence in something.
Where is your confidence?
Since human life is like a vapor...
Boast in the cross!
Enjoy the moment!
Plan as a vapor!
To be human means to need to boast, to have confidence in something.
Where is your confidence?
Since human life is like a vapor...
Boast in the cross!
Enjoy the moment!
Plan as a vapor!
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#21 - RICH ABUSERS AND GRACE
How do you respond to noticing or experiencing rich abusers?
Do you stand against them in criticism?
Or, do you stand with them, inviting them into the fire of God's presence?
Compared to Christ, you and the worst abuser are both ruined.
Welcome to the celebration of God's presence - of feasting on His faithfulness
How do you respond to noticing or experiencing rich abusers?
Do you stand against them in criticism?
Or, do you stand with them, inviting them into the fire of God's presence?
Compared to Christ, you and the worst abuser are both ruined.
Welcome to the celebration of God's presence - of feasting on His faithfulness
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#22 - THANKSGIVING WITH JAMES AND JEHOSHAPHAT
Are you surrounded by trouble?
Why not surf your circumstances and give thanks to God?
Jehoshaphat had some of the worst circumstances ever.
Let's join him in giving thanks.
Are you surrounded by trouble?
Why not surf your circumstances and give thanks to God?
Jehoshaphat had some of the worst circumstances ever.
Let's join him in giving thanks.
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#23 - WHY FREDOM FROM OATHS?
God calls us to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.
Taking an oath is confidence in the flesh.
Why would a Christian do that?
It is easy to be confused about what the flesh is.
If you were confused about the war between the flesh and spirit, would you want to know?
God calls us to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.
Taking an oath is confidence in the flesh.
Why would a Christian do that?
It is easy to be confused about what the flesh is.
If you were confused about the war between the flesh and spirit, would you want to know?
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#24 - WHY SING OR PRAY?
When people do evil to you, how do you respond?
Do you pray or complain?
God wants you experience His presence.
How does singing prepare you to experience His presence?
When people do evil to you, how do you respond?
Do you pray or complain?
God wants you experience His presence.
How does singing prepare you to experience His presence?
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#25 - GUARANTEED SPIRITUAL HEALING
Spiritual sickness needs spiritual healing.
Bad behavior is merely a symptom of a deeper problem.
Leniency is the real problem. It is spiritual cancer.
Christians are called to be healers of leniency.
Are you able and ready?
Spiritual sickness needs spiritual healing.
Bad behavior is merely a symptom of a deeper problem.
Leniency is the real problem. It is spiritual cancer.
Christians are called to be healers of leniency.
Are you able and ready?
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IT IS FINISHED
