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Book of James

Genuine Faith Perseveres in Trials

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Genuine Faith Perseveres in Trials.

James 1:2-12

Some things we call trials are _____________________________________.

Some things we call trials are _____________________________________.

Some things we call trials are _____________________________________.

Some things we call trials are _____________________________________.

When James writes about trials, he may be thinking of hardships that are unrelated to our faith.  He does mention that there are trials of ‘various kinds.’ But what he mostly has in mind are the trials and persecution that result from living out our faith in Jesus Christ.

How is it possible to persevere in trials, and even consider them a cause or occasion for joy?

Six perspective about the trials that we face:

James 1:2        Trials ________________________________________.

James 1:3-4     Trials ________________________________________.

  1. They produce _______________________________.
  2. They produce _______________________________.

James 1: 5-8    Trials ________________________________________.

James 1:9-11   Trials ________________________________________.

James 1:12      Trials  ________________________________________.

James 1:12      Trials ________________________________________.

Other Passages to consider: 1 Peter 1:3-9,  Romans 5:3-4 and Hebrews 10:36

 Connection Group Questions/For Further Study

Read James 1:1-12 

Verse 2

What do you think James means when he says to “count it all joy” when we meet trials? What things make it hard for us to find joy in the midst of difficulty in life?

Verse 3

What are the ways your faith has been ‘tested’?  What has that testing proven in you?  According to these verses, what are some of the purpose of our trials?  What do you think it means to be “steadfast”?

Verse 4

What does it mean to be made perfect and complete?  How do you think that is accomplished specifically through trials in our life?  How would developing steadfastness and perseverance change the way you live your life? How would it affect your relationships with those around you?

Verse 5

When you are in a time of trial, is wisdom the first thing you ask for? Why or why not?  What other requests do you tend to make first?

Verses 6-8

Read Proverbs 3:5-6. How do its words offer a wise way to avoid double-mindedness?  Is there an area of your life in which you are double-minded, wavering between your own agenda and God’s agenda? How can you apply Prov. 3:5-6 to that?

Verses 9-11 How does knowing that trials are temporary help you deal with them?

Verse 12  In 1:12, how does James describe the one enduring trials?  For the believer who is steadfast, the crown of life awaits. What “lesser crowns” do we seek to wear now, rather than waiting for the better crown to come? How is crown-chasing out of place in the life of the believer?

Look up the other verses listed in the message: Other Passages to consider: 1 Peter 1:3-9,  Romans 5:3-4 and Hebrews 10:36.  How do these reinforce what James writes about here?

What aspect of God’s character has this week’s passage of James shown you more clearly? 

What one step can you take this week to better live in light of this truth?

 

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Over/Under Series, Uncategorized

Over Under: Calling from God

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MESSAGE NOTES: PART FOUR

If we have an underwhelming experience with God, the issue may be:

  1. Our _______________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:1-4

  1. Our _________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:5-7

  1. Our __________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:8

  1. Our __________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:8

 Isaiah 6:9-10 

God knew people would _____________________________________________…

Isaiah 6:11-13 

… but it would ultimately ____________________________________________.

 Two Vital Behaviors: 

 ________________________________        _____________________________________

7 DAY CHALLENGE: pray every day for an opportunity to engage in one spiritual conversation this week. 

 When we are _______________________________________________________in our calling from God it forces us to _________________________________ and _______________________________.

 

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Over/Under Series, Uncategorized

Over Under: Connection with God

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MESSAGE NOTES: PART THREE

If we have an underwhelming experience with God, the issue may be:

  1. Our _________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:1-4

  1. Our _________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:5-7

  1. Our _________________________________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord…”

 qol means _____________________________________________________________.

 Six Voices We May Hear:

___________________________        ___________________________        ___________________________        ___________________________        ___________________________        ___________________________

 Adonay refers to the __________________________________________________.

 3 Primary Ways God Speaks:

___________________________       

___________________________       

___________________________

God will NEVER speak in a way that’s inconsistent with _________________________________.

God may also speak through:

___________________________       

___________________________        Philippians 4:7     1 John 3:19-21

 

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Uncategorized

Over/Under: Humility Before God

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MESSAGE NOTES: PART TWO
Isaiah 6:1-4
Isaiah 6:5
1. Isaiah was deeply conscious of _____________________________________ .

We may have an underwhelming experience with God because of __________________.

2. Isaiah responded with ______________________________________________.

Isaiah 6:6, 7
3. God __________________________________________________________________.

Grace means _________________________________________________________.

Romans 5:20-21
__________________________________ > __________________________________
Romans 6:1-2, 12, 14

If we are ________________________________________________________________, perhaps we are _________________________________________________________.

Need Grace? ______________________________________!

God opposes the proud, but gives GRACE to the HUMBLE.
Proverbs 3:34 James 4:6 1 Peter 5

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Uncategorized

Over/Under: Vision of God

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MESSAGE NOTES: PART ONE

We are often overwhelmed by ________________________________________ because we have an underwhelming __________________________________.

Isaiah 6:1-4

“Holy” means __________________________________________________________.

1 Samuel 2:2

When the angels around the throne call or cry to one another, “Holy, holy, holy,” they are expressing with force and passion the truth of the supreme [and complete] holiness of God, that essential characteristic which expresses His awesome and majestic nature.
~Commenter

The bible says God is holy, holy, holy. Scripture does not say God is ‘love, love, love’ or that He is ‘wrath, wrath, wrath’ but that He is ‘holy, holy, holy.’
~RC Sproul

“Glory” refers to ______________________________________________________.

A proper vision of God’s greatness puts __________________________________________________________________________.

James 4:14 NLT “Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here for a little while, then it’s gone.”

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The Rachel Series

Love Came Down (God is Love)

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Love came down to _____________________________among us.

Jesus manifests God’s love.

1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

Love came down to be an ____________________________________.

Jesus teaches us how to live.

1 John 2:6 …whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Love came down to _______________________________________ us from sin.

Jesus is the atoning sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:12 …he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Love came down to _____________________________our relationship with God.

Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Love came down to __________________________________ us.

Jesus changes our lives now and forever.

John 5:24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

 

Merry Christmas! Love, God.

 

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God Is Love, The Rachel Series

Love, God (God is Love)

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God is love

1 John 4:16-17a  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us…

God’s love is __________________________________________.

God’s love is __________________________________________.

God’s love is __________________________________________ for us. 

Exodus 15:11-13a  “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed…”

God’s love is __________________________________________.

Exodus 34:6  The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

God’s love is __________________________________________.

God’s love is __________________________________________.

Letter for Reflection:  This letter is many Bible Promises from God to you.   Read the Bible as if was written to you.  Because it was.
To My precious child:

Because I knew even before I created the earth that you would accept My love for you, and that you would seek to know Me thus…

In the beginning I created the heavens and the earth. Then at the right time and in the right place I created you. I created your inner most being, I created every part of you, I knit you together in your mother’s womb. You were carefully and wonderfully made; my works are wonderful, and you My precious child are my work. My eyes saw your unformed body. All the days planned for you were written in my book before one of them came to be. How precious are my thoughts for you, How great is the number of them! If you were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Listen to me, My precious child; I created you and have cared for you since before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. I will carry you in my arms, holding you close to my heart. For I know the plans that I have for you plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

My precious child there are some times of suffering in your life. But the temporary suffering of this life does not compare to the glory that shall be revealed in you. Know this that I am with you and I will help you. Your help comes from me, I am the God who created the heavens and the earth, and the one who created you. I will never leave you, I will never reject you. When your parents fail you I will pick you up, hold you close, and adopt you. Nothing can ever separate you from my love for you. When you are in trouble and distress my love is with you. When you are persecuted my love is with you. When you are hungry and cold and naked my love is with you, I am always with you. When you are in danger and threatened with death my love is with you, I will be with you forever.

My precious child know that nothing can separate you from my love, no matter how high you go, no matter how deep you sink, nothing in life and not even death can separate you from Me, and My love for you. No demon or any other power in hell can separate you from my love. My love for you is revealed through Christ Jesus your Lord. In all things and every situation you will have victory, you will conquer, because the victory of Christ Jesus is your victory.

Love,
God.

 

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Uncategorized

Surviving the Storm

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* a short portion of this message did not record properly, so the introductory notes have been completed and the scripture text is printed below.

Easton’s bible dictionary “Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true.  Its primary idea is trust.” 

Faith is having an UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE IN GOD.

Mark 4:35-5:1

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 5:1

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.

The storm will come _____________________________________________, but our faith should ________________________________________________.

How do I keep my unwavering confidence in God?

Remember who _______________________________________________________.

Remember who’s _____________________________________________________.

Remember He ________________________________________________________.

Remember He ________________________________________________________.

Remember to _________________________________________________________.

___________________  ____________________  _____________________!

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Life Changing Conversations

Life-Changing Conversations: Overcoming (part two)

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How do I prevent people from feeling like a project?

2 Kings 5:1-15   Naaman and Elisha

  1. Do what’s ________________________________________, not what’s  ___________________________________.
  2. ______________________ as you would like to be treated.
  3. ________________________________________________.

What if they have questions I can’t answer?

  1. Tell them ________________________________________.
  2. Try to _______________________________________________ for them.
  3. Keep __________________________________________________________.

How do I deal with being rejected by someone I see often?

Dealing with the fear of rejection:

1 John 4:18a 

___________________ conquers the _________________________________.

Dealing with actual rejection:

1.

2.

3 .

4.

5.

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