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LIFE Group Lessons
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LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Wednesday Night, September 5, 2007
“Satan’s Playground”
James 1:9-18
5 Minutes - Welcome / Prayer
5 Minutes - OPEN
After unveiling a more appropriate way of looking at trials, James then jumps straight into a discussion of finances. Here again, he turns things upside down.
From the very beginning of his letter, James seems determined to highlight our self-reliant tendencies! And now the penetrating question is – “Is financial status a good measure of a man?”
To keep everything in this letter in its proper context, we will often remind you as we move through this study that the whole thrust of James’ letter is his emphasis on spiritual maturity. He wanted people to know how to have an authentic faith.
Consider for a minute your Christian life like unto building a spiritual portfolio. How can handling a trial with joy and faithfulness result in a deposit in our account? Can maintaining a proper attitude toward the stewardship of money count as a deposit in our account?
15 Minutes - DIG
On multiple occasions, Jesus said that “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” In verses 9-11, James introduced one of the cardinal teachings of the gospel – the theme of reversal.
James wanted those in the humblest condition to boast in the high position that will be theirs in the future with God. They are to rejoice that God has lifted them up to make His strength perfect in their weakness.
The rich and the strong are to rejoice that God has helped them down from their rickety ladder of self-reliance and self-love. James told the rich that they need to humble themselves against the temptation of trusting in their wealth rather than placing trust in God.
The ground at the foot of the cross is level!
One cannot deny that James begins here to express the full force of his indignation against the injustice perpetuated by the rich against the poor. It will come up again. Using the imagery from nature, he said that the rich are like a wild flower, which often was used in Old Testament image to reflect how fragile life really is (Is. 40:6-8; Ps. 103:15-16).
From here, James raises an important question - How are temptations different from trials?
Trials beset us from without. They are an inevitable part of living in a fallen, sin-cursed world. Temptations, however, spring from within when a person is tempted by his or her “own evil desire” (v. 14). Temptation to sin is the operation of evil forces and the devil.
Without question, James is combating a false notion that God is the source of temptation. James proclaimed that God is the source of “every good and perfect gift” (v. 17). In the earlier section (vv.2-8), James indicates that God allows for us to experience the trials of life and these prove to be test of our faith.
Satan tempts us to make us do wrong. Satan uses the evil desires that are in each one of us and creates custom “lures” that appeal to our own personal vulnerabilities.
Evil desires originate from within the believer. When you have a dark desire in your life that begins to go haywire (that desire to lie, to lust, to exaggerate, to steal something, to take that materialistic trip, to rev up those envy engines), James says there is one thing you should not do. What is that?
Our evil desires have a reproductive life of their own. We have to realize that a temptation is deceptively disguised. Temptation lures our desires. James says that the offspring of desire is sin. When the sin is full-grown, its offspring is death. Sin always has consequences.
How is God the ultimate example of goodness and dependability?
James made it clear that believers have faith because God gives them spiritual birth (Jn. 1:13; Phil. 1:29). He clearly contrast God’s action of engendering life with the death that results from allowing sin to conceive in one’s life and bring death. The word of truth from God, which brought forth the first creation, now brings about the regeneration of human beings (v. 18).
15 Minutes - REFLECT
Most of us do not like to take the blame for our own sins. God does not leave us the option of playing the blame game. Our sins and evil desired come right out of our own sin nature. Why is this important to admit?
What have you found helpful in dealing with temptation?
The good news is that God has promised that He will never leave us without an escape. He will never let us get into a situation where we can’t bear the pressure (1 Cor. 10:13).
God will provide a way out, a way of escape, a freeway if you will. We cannot find the freeway or way of escape on our own. It has to be by God’s grace, His discernment, and His power.
Site a recent example where God provided you an escape from some trying situation.
5 Minutes - CLOSING PRAYER
From this discussion, what are those things you feel compelled to pray about tonight?
Pray about these matters one by one and bring them before your Father.
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