July 18, 2021
THE BOOK OF JAMES
Part 2: How to be Blessed by the Bible
The Word of Truth
(James 1:16-27 NIV) Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
(Genesis 3:1 NIV) “Did God really say…?”
(Proverbs 16:25 NIV) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
What is going to be the basis for _______________?
The ________ or the ________?
(Psalm 119:81 GW) My soul is weak from waiting for you to save me. My hope is based on your word.
(Matthew 7:24-25 NIV) “Everyone who hears these words of mine, and puts them into practice, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
How to Be Blessed by the Bible
- __________ receive the Truth that __________.
(James 1:16-18 NIV) Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
(Romans 10:17 NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2. __________accept the Truth that ________me.
(James 1:19-21 NIV) My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
(1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV) And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
The mark of a God-changed heart is
that I like God telling me how to live.
3. ________embrace the Truth that ________me.
(James 1:22-25 NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
- Get a _______________.
- Set aside a _______ to _______, _______, and __________ on God’s Word.
- Have a ________________________.
- Don’t just __________ the Bible.
Let the Bible _____________.
(John 13:17 NIV) Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
(James 1:27 NIV) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.