Bible Studies for Life - Sr. Adults (Personal Study Guide)

SESSION 1

THE PRESSURE OF TRIALS

What pressures squeeze the joy out of life?

8 S E S S I O N 1

Joyful trust in God will get you through any trial.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFELife is filled with problems.

> I got a call from a friend whose wife was diagnosed with cancer. These are people of faith and faithfulness, yet their lives are rocked by the news.

> A friend of mine has been married less than a year, and his wife just announced to him that she is leaving him.

> A young dad is devastated because he is losing his job. Meanwhile, his wife is expecting a baby in a couple of months.

> A mom requested prayer for her teenage daughter who has been seriously sick for over a year, and yet the doctors can’t pinpoint the problem.

My mama used to say, “When life gives you a lemon, just make lemonade”—but that’s a whole lot easier said than done. In James 1 we have a plan for overcoming trials through faith and perseverance, turning them into the sweet lemonade of joy.

THE PASSAGEJames 1:1-4

THE POINT

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 9

THE POINT Joyful trust in God will get you through any trial.

James 1:1-21 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. 2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,

KEY WORDS: Slave (v. 1)—This humble title signifies ownership by, absolute obligation to, and readiness to obey a master. Trials (v. 2)—“Trials” are difficulties and afflictions that can strengthen our faith and prove its genuineness as in 1 Peter 1:6-7.

One problem with encountering trials is that you often don’t expect them. You may fall into a situation or circumstance that was unforeseen, and it surrounds you. James wrote that trials are inevitable. It’s not if you encounter them, but when you encounter them. It’s just a matter of time. So, no Christian should presume that life is going to be problem free.

Trials are varied, and they come in all shapes and sizes: > Temptation—An enticement to sin, whether it’s to click on an inappropriate web site, to say a mean word, or to harbor a hatred. (We will dig into this more in the next session.)

> Sickness—Sometimes it’s not your sickness, but the sickness of another person.

> Persecution—Believers should expect to suffer for Christ. > Trouble—It could be any adversity, affliction, or circumstance sent by God—or allowed by Him—to test or prove your faith, holiness, or character. Such troubles may manifest themselves as financial hardship, bad news, difficult people, challenging circumstances, troubled relationships, broken down cars, layoffs, or even just loud dogs living next door.

10 S E S S I O N 1

The Bible is full of people who were dealt hard hands in life, but through faith and perseverance they made sweet lemonade. Joseph, Ruth, David, Jeremiah, Hannah, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Jesus—the list is long. But all these turned defeat into victory, trial into triumph, and moved from victims to victors.

No matter what shape or form they take, you can triumph over trials. You don’t have to descend into depression or fall apart in anger or distress. God says you can overcome. How do you do that?

The first phrase in verse 2 is, “Consider it a great joy.” This is God’s desired outcome for you. Joy may not be your first attitude. When you fall into a pit unexpectedly, your instinct is to react emotionally. You are hurt, startled, mad, and in pain. Joy may not be your initial reaction, but it is to be your ultimate attitude.

How does joy become your ultimate attitude? “Consider it” so (v. 2). The word is an imperative, which means it is a command. Don’t rely on your inner feelings or emotions; instead, give due consideration to the external grounds. Weigh the facts, not the feelings. This is a careful and deliberate decision. The word

Q U E S T I O N #2

What keeps you from reacting joyfully when the pressure of life seems overwhelming?

"If we l ive only for the present

and forget the future, then trials

will make us bitter, not better."

— W A R R E N W . W I E R S B E



consider comes from a root that means “to lead, to bring, or to carry.” It is the concept of evaluating and then leading your mind, attitude, and actions a certain way based on the evaluation.

Q U E S T I O N #3

What emotions did you feel during your most recent trial?

DIGGING DEEPER

The author of the Book of James. James is named as

the author in 1:1. A number of

New Testament personalities were named

James, but only three are candidates for

the authorship of this book. James the

son of Zebedee died in a.d. 44, too early to

have been the author. No tradition names

James the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18) as

the author. This leaves James the brother of

Jesus, also called James the Just (Mark 6:3;

Acts 1:14; 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal.

2:9,12), as the most likely candidate.

This James is identified as the brother

of Jesus in Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; and

Galatians 1:19. Though he was not a follower

of Christ during His earthly ministry (John

7:3-5), a post-resurrection appearance

convinced James that Jesus is indeed the

Christ (Acts 1:14; 1 Cor. 15:7). James later led

the Jerusalem church (Gal. 2:9,12), exercising

great influence there (Acts 1:14; 12:17; 15:13;

21:18; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 2:9,12).

James was probably written between

a.d. 48 and 52, though nothing in the epistle

suggests a more precise date. James’s

death in a.d. 62 or 66 means the epistle was

written before this time. If Mark was written

around a.d. 65 and time is allowed for the

events of Acts 15 and 21 to have occurred

between Paul’s first and second missionary

journeys, a date between a.d. 48 and 52

seems likely.

—R. Gregg Watson, “James: Circumstances of Writing,” in HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010), 2134.

12 S E S S I O N 1

James 1:33 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

How do you “consider it a great joy” (v. 2) in the middle of a trial? You do it by knowing what God will do as a result of the trial. The testing of faith is for approval. The root concept is that you are tested for the purpose of being accepted, received, and welcomed.

What is being tested is your faith. This isn’t a test of your personal strength or wisdom, but it is a test of your faith in the strength and wisdom of God to see you through. As our physical muscles must be exercised to make them stronger, so our faith is a muscle that must be exercised in order to gain strength. The less you use faith, the easier it is to lose faith and allow fear and doubt to become more entrenched in your life.

Testing results in something. God never arbitrarily tests you for no reason. Testing of your faith always prepares and works effectively to accomplish something very specific. God’s goal in testing you is to develop your “endurance” (v. 3). He is developing in you staying power. The word endure means “to remain under.” We sometimes call it perseverance, faithfulness, or steadfastness, but it is God’s work of developing your spiritual muscle and resolve to stand firm. You become unswervingly loyal to His deliberate purpose even in the midst of the greatest trials and sufferings. In his commentary on James, Kurt Richardson wrote:



James had an underlying confidence that believers would pass their testings. In every confrontation in service, the believer should see a basis for joy in trials in that they are acquiring the perseverance necessary for greater service and also are proving that they belong to God.

God intends for [trials] to result in a mature and complete faith; perseverance is faith’s first product. Perseverance, though essential to faith, is not infused immediately in a moment of conversion. Only through great ardor and the stumbling pursuit of the goal laid before it and only through sustained service in spite of opposition does perseverance come. —Kurt A. Richardson, James, vol. 36 of The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), 61, 62.

If you are being tested it means:1. You are a child of God, and you have faith that can be tested.2. You have a faith worth developing and refining.3. God has a plan to strengthen you, prepare you, and ultimately

welcome you. 4. You have the assurance of the presence of God, because when

He refines you, He never abandons you.Whatever the trial you may be facing, know that God is with you.

Trust Him for the patience to endure the test knowing that He is working in all things for your good.

Q U E S T I O N #4

During your most recent trial, how did you see God walking with you?

14 S E S S I O N 1

James 1:44 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

KEY WORDS: Mature and complete (v. 4)—“Mature” may refer to relative maturity as compared with immaturity (Eph. 4:13) or to final perfection in the coming age (1 Cor. 13:10). “Complete” refers to entire or whole, with no unsoundness whatsoever.

We are to allow “endurance [to] do its complete work” in our lives (v. 4). This verse is a command believers must heed on an ongoing and constant basis. When we submit to the process of endurance and allow the shaping and strengthening of our faith, we reach the ultimate goal: maturity and completeness.

I have to consent to let endurance shape and mold my faith until its work is complete. I can resist the work of endurance in my life and fight against it. I can run from it and try to escape it in favor of a trial-free life. Or I can embrace the work of endurance in my life and become open, pliable, humble, and teachable.

Which is less painful? Both paths can be painful, but one brings about pointless pain and wasted grief. You go from God-inflicted pain that has a purpose to self-inflicted pain that amounts to heartache. But the pain endured through trials is both positive and progressive, moving you toward a happy and rewarding end.



You can avoid the “pain” of study, but in so doing you also avoid the blessing of continued spiritual growth.

You can avoid the “pain” of managing your retirement account, but in so doing you avoid being able to rest easier about your finances.

You can avoid the “pain” of physical conditioning, but in so doing you may also avoid being able to play with your grandkids as much as you would like.

The purpose of surrendering to God’s trials and the effect He is working to produce in you is that you become “mature and complete, lacking nothing” (v. 4). Meditate for a few moments on what these words mean:

> Mature: Having reached its end, complete, fully developed. > Complete: Fully developed, running at full capacity with nothing unused.

> Lacking nothing: Nothing left out or left behind—nothing inferior. You are fully equipped and prepared.

Perhaps you have thought to yourself, At my age, if I’m not complete by now, then I never will be. Consider the example of two of the most famous senior adults in the Bible:

> It took 100 years to prepare Abraham to be Isaac’s father. > It took Moses 80 years to be ready to lead. God continues to work around your life so that He can work

something in and through your life. His desire is that you be 100 percent complete in Him.

Q U E S T I O N #5

How have you been encouraged by the endurance of others during trials?

16 S E S S I O N 1

1. Joy and trust in God could benefit me by:

2. Joy and trust in God could benefit this loved one by:

3. Joy and trust in God could benefit others by:

HERE COMES THE TRIAL: Your loved one has been

diagnosed with a serious

illness.



LIVE IT OUTWhat does God want you to do when trials come your way?

1. God wants you to choose a joyful attitude (v. 2). Identify at least one trial that regularly sours your life. Consider how a joyful attitude could help you deal with that trial in a more positive way.

2. God wants you to trust His loving heart (v. 3). What trial has God helped you endure? Consider talking with someone who is going through a similar trial. With godly sensitivity and wisdom, help that person understand how God helped you endure.

3. God wants you to yield a surrendered spirit (v. 4). You may have been enduring a particular trial for a long time, perhaps years. Enduring with joy is impossible in your own strength. Pray for God’s enduring strength in Christ to surrender daily to what God wants to complete in your life.

God doesn’t want to leave you incomplete. He continues working in you, even in your latter years, in every circumstance, both good and bad, to develop His character and power in you so that you may be mature and complete. The Lord wants you to be useful for His glory in your family, your church, and among those you relate to in your community on a regular basis. When you surrender your will to God’s sovereign plan—even if you don’t understand all the reasons why—the result can be amazing.

A lot of people stereotype senior adults as being sour on life. Go make some lemonade, and help turn that stereotype on its head.

18 S E S S I O N 1

My Thoughts My Group’s Prayer Requests

Facing the Storm

Suddenly, our life took a frightening turn. I watched in

horror as John slipped on black ice and fell on his back. He

cried out in agony as I struggled to help him up. Disoriented

and moaning, we staggered into the garage where he fell a

second time, banging his head on the cement floor.

I screamed for help, but no one answered. When John

awoke, I was kneeling over him, whispering, “Please don’t die.”

To continue reading “Facing the Storm” from Mature Living magazine, visit our

website, BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.

PH

OT

OS

: HE

ME

RA

/TH

INK

ST

OC

K, I

ST

OC

KP

HO

TO

/TH

INK

ST

OC

K

I recently overheard two retired professionals complaining. “Times are

hard,” said the man. “I looked forward to retirement, but our shaky economy forced me back to work.” The lady confided, “We can’t make it on Social Security, we’ve used up our savings, and no one will hire us.”

Yes, times are hard, and we never know when the storms of life may hit. That’s what happened to us one morning. After eating breakfast, having my quiet time, and checking my email, I decided to share some inspirational thoughts with family. I typed a passage from Sarah Young’s devotional book, Jesus Calling: “I am your strength and shield. I plan out each day and have it ready for you, long before you arise from bed. My Presence watches over you continually, protecting you from both known and unknown dangers. Entrust yourself to My watchcare. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.”

How comforting! I sent the email, dressed, and then zipped into the kitchen to rinse some fruit. Blueberries spilled everywhere. I squelched my aggravation and began to clean up. Soon

my husband, John, and I headed out the door for a day of research at the library.

Suddenly, our life took a frightening turn. I watched in horror as John slipped on black ice and fell on his back. He cried out in agony as I struggled to help him up. Disoriented and moaning, we staggered into the garage where he fell a second time, banging his head on the cement floor.

I screamed for help, but no one answered. When John awoke, I was kneeling over him, whispering, “Please don’t die.”

Spilled blueberries and a trip to the library no longer mattered. We ended up in the ER with neighbors assisting, family calling, and friends from church rushing to join us. The doctors’ exams and tests confirmed a concussion and broken ribs. We were thankful he was alive.

One morning during those difficult and sometimes discouraging days of

recovery, I happened upon a book of the Bible I hadn’t read in a long time — Nehemiah. It read like a description of our day — times were hard and there was a famine in the land.Nehemiah trusted God to help in the midst of dangers, devastation, and seeming impossibilities. He encour-aged others: “Our God will fight for us!” (Neh. 4:20). The Book of Nehemiah was just what I needed — like an encouraging shot of faith.

Often I noticed my husband smiling when I asked others, “Have you read the Book of Nehemiah lately?” When they shrugged, I continued, “Neither had I, but it’s a story similar to our times. And as He did for Nehemiah, God will fight for us.”

Those truths were comforting as I watched John struggle to walk across the room and wondered about our future. While praying for direction, God’s answers were veiled amidst

Facing the

STORM by Bobbe Brooks-Fischle

SIGNS OF HARD TIMES ARE EVERYWHERE. With the net worth of every American declining, foreclosures rising, and retirees returning to work, many clamor, “How can we make it?”

Some say it can’t be done — don’t listen. With God — all things are possible!

8 Mature Living NOVEMBER 2012 NOVEMBER 2012 Mature Living 9

MatureLIVING

LIVING A LEGACY of Leadership, Stewardship, & Discipleship

&

WWW.LIFEW

AY.COM

FEBRUARY 2013 • U.S.A. $3.95

A • L • S • OYour Planning Guide for SENIOR ADULT DAY 2013 page 26

FEBRUARY 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.:Finding OUR GODLYHERITAGE page 44

Bill Gloria

GAITHERpage 8

LOVE NOTES You’ll Never Get from GOD page 16


SESSION 2

THE PRESSURE OF TEMPTATION

What food tempts you to say yes to just one more bite?

22 S E S S I O N 2

God won’t tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFEJust one more slice—one more bite—there’s no harm in that, right?

Temptation always dangles something sweet in front of your face that makes it appealing to your flesh. Satan wants you to believe it’s OK to give in to temptation. Who’ll know? Where’s the harm? Give in to the little temptations and you’ll find yourself giving in to the big ones. Temptations promise good things, but in the end they always fail to deliver. It’s the ultimate “bait and switch.” Promising us life, giving in to the pressure of temptation leads to death.

The Bible doesn’t tell us that being tempted is a sin, and God doesn’t tempt us. Instead, the Lord provides a way for us to resist temptation and escape its harm in our own lives and the harm our giving in to temptation may cause in others’ lives.

So what’s it going to be? One more bite, or will you put the fork down? James 1:13-18 has the plan of action for resisting temptation and living in a way that pleases Christ.


THE POINT


THE POINT God won’t tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation.THE POINT

James 1:1313 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

KEY WORD: Trial/tempt (v. 13)—These words come from the same Greek word. Context determines whether the word is used for trials (referring to difficulties and hardships as in verse 2) or enticements to sin.

Last week, we looked at the pressure of trials, but temptations are totally different from trials. Trials bring hardship, difficulty or an ordeal. Nothing is necessarily good or pleasurable about a trial. During his trial, Job lost everything and there was nothing pleasurable about his experience. Abraham faced a test unlike any other when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen. 22). He faced a test of his faith, but there was nothing about it that appealed to him in his flesh. The pressure from temptation, though, comes from its appeal. Temptation is typically characterized by a couple of promises:

1. Temptation always promises some gain. It may be fun, money, pleasure, satisfaction,

God won’t tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation.

24 S E S S I O N 2

an appeased palate, or whatever. The grass of temptation will always appear green.

2. Temptation will also promise that you won’t get hurt. You can get away with it, nobody will know, or it’s no big deal. You won’t get burned like others. You are different. You can handle it. Temptation promises that you are going to be much better off because you indulge.

Temptation makes promises it can’t deliver because they’re not true, but James makes two statements that are true:

Temptation is inevitable. It’s not a matter of if you are tempted, but when you are tempted. Temptation comes to all of us. It came to Jesus in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane and at many other times in-between. Temptation comes to a monk in a monastery as surely as it comes to a mom who stays at home with her kids. None of us is exempt from the reality of temptation.

Temptation never comes from God. Regardless of the type of temptation you face, one thing is certain; God isn’t the source of it. We know this to be true because of the nature of God. First, God is not able to be tempted. The Greek word literally means that God is “untemptable.” God is holy and fully self-sufficient. He lacks nothing and needs nothing, so no offer from the evil one appeals to God. Second, God is not able to tempt us, because He is good, loving, holy, and righteous. He cannot and will not pressure us to do anything contrary to His character.

Q U E S T I O N #2

What are some of your thoughts and emotions after you realize that the temptation you gave in to was a lie?


THE POINT God won’t tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation.

James 1:14-1514 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

KEY WORDS: Evil desires (v. 14)—The single Greek word means a longing or desire. It can be a good or natural desire, but it is usually used to refer to something forbidden.

Many of us are like the bumper sticker: “Lead me not into temptation … I can find it all by myself!”

Temptation may be as simple as feeling pressure to tell a lie to avoid trouble or as sordid as “cooking the books” to avoid paying taxes. Advertisers pressure you to drive a certain make of car, and you’re tempted to do so. You can feel the pressure to buy that house you’ve wanted for decades—the one you can’t afford on your retirement income—because (you tell yourself) you deserve it after all these years. James gave us some sobering words about our own role in temptation that should give us pause when we start thinking It’s not my fault. Oh really? Meditate on these words for a minute: “… enticed by his own evil desires” (v. 14). Sounds like a good dose of personal responsibility that’s hard to swallow—like a spoonful of medicine that tastes awful, but is good for what ails you.

" No temptation has

overtaken you except what

is common to humanity ."

1 C O R I N T H I A N S 1 0 : 1 3 A


26 S E S S I O N 2

Temptation Is Unique To Each Individual. We all experience temptation, and we experience the same types

of temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), but the specifics of our temptations can be as unique as each individual. James says temptation comes when each of us is carried off by our own lusts and desires. The Greek word for “own” is idios. It’s where we get our word idiosyncrasy. It means something that is unique to you. If you’ve ever watched professional baseball, you know that many players go through some ritual every time they come to the plate to bat. But no two players do the same thing. Each has his own idiosyncrasy.

What is a temptation for me may not be a temptation for you. Some people are easily tempted to react with anger to a situation; others never get angry. Some people are easily tempted by provocative images; others can easily look away. Some of us are tempted by food to engage in overeating and gluttony, and others of us can walk away after a salad and an apple. Others may not battle the temptations that you face. But they have their own battles with temptation.

“Some people are

easily tempted to

react with anger...

others never

get angry.”



Temptation Always Follows the Same Predictable Process. Fishermen might well relate to verses 14-15. An angler takes bait

and throws it in front of some unsuspecting bass swimming under a log. The fish is just minding his own business and isn’t looking to hurt anyone or to get hurt. But he does have a natural urge to eat. It’s a good urge. It’s a part of life. So when the worm is dangled in front of his face, his desire is awakened and he decides he would really like to eat. He swims out from the safety of his log, and in one giant gulp swallows the bait. At that point the fish realizes that he’s been duped, and he’s no longer in control. He is being pulled against his will in the direction of the angler’s boat, the net, the cooler, and ultimately the taxidermist.

So what is the bait used on you? James says we are tempted when we get carried away and enticed by our “own evil desires” (v. 14). You have a desire—maybe even a God-given desire—for food, approval, shelter, or companionship. These things aren’t bad in themselves, but when the desire consumes us, it’s wrong. Desire out of control is deadly. Satan tempts us to get carried away by our evil desires (see Rom. 6:12; 13:14; Gal. 5:17,24; Titus 2:11-13; 1 Pet. 1:14; 2:11; 1 John 2:16). When we make a choice to leave the safety and shelter of God’s provision, we make a foolish choice to take Satan’s bait. Sin has conceived in us, and now the result is beyond us. Sin entangles and ensnares us.

Q U E S T I O N #3

In what ways are we tempted to satisfy a God-given desire in a sinful way?


28 S E S S I O N 2

James 1:16-1816 Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. 17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. 18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

Consider the good and perfect gifts God gives to those who have received His free gift of grace through faith in Christ. Instead of leading us to evil, God provides what we need to do good and live righteously. Let’s consider just three:

> A relationship with Christ. Too many of us think we are helpless to resist temptation. But you are a child of God—a saint—and you are called to be holy and blameless. You are a child of the King with full authority over the enemy and with the power of Christ in you. Jesus Christ has taken up residence in your life and empowers you by His Holy Spirit. Because you are a child of God, sin should never be your choice. If it has, repent, and live like a Christ-follower.

Q U E S T I O N #4

What are some gifts God has provided that could help a person resist temptation?



> God’s Word. When Jesus was tempted, He used Scripture to respond to the pressure of temptation. Memorize God’s Word and hide it in your heart.

> An escape route. One of God’s gifts is the promise from 1 Corinthians 10:13: God will give us a “way of escape” and help us stand up under anything we face. God’s escape route may be a telephone ringing, a whisper in your conscience, or a friend keeping you accountable. Don’t walk past God’s opportunity to bail out. Call out for help to the Spirit of Christ inside of you.

Q U E S T I O N #5

What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with temptation?

DIGGING DEEPER

“firstfruits of His creatures” (Jas. 1:18) The word of truth

by which God gives birth to

new creatures produces a harvest that He

had intended since the moment of His first

creating. Here is a wonderful uniting of

first and second creation. What God brings

about in salvation was contained in the

original purpose of His creation. Indeed,

those saved out of lost humanity will be a

firstfruits of God’s saving work that reaches

every component of creation.

This word of truth is like seed that

produces a fruit-bearing plant. The word of

truth that brought forth the first creation

brings about the regeneration of human

beings in anticipation of the regeneration of

all of nature.

The character of God has thus been fully

vindicated against the charge of His being

the source of temptation by reference to His

redeeming purpose with human creatures.

—Kurt A. Richardson, James, vol. 36 of The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), 86-87.


30 S E S S I O N 2

What might each person be tempted to think, say,

or do?

A.

B.

C.

What situation is challenging you right now?

What temptation is waiting to trip you up?

What in your relationship with Christ will build up your

resistance to that temptation?

What Scripture verse(s) will help build up your


What God-given escape route can help build up your


BUILD UP YOUR RESISTANCE

A. “My children and

grandchildren don’t visit

as much as they used to.”

B. “Why does God allow

my loved one to continue

suffering?”

C. “I’m plowing through

my retirement account

faster than I planned.”



LIVE IT OUTBeing tempted isn’t wrong. But when we linger long over temptation, we grow weaker by the second. So don’t give temptation a second look. Take to heart the principle from Proverbs 4:25, and keep your eyes fixed straight in front of you. When Peter walked on water, he only began to sink when he took his eyes off of Jesus.

Think about what tempted you in the past week. If you yielded to the temptation, what was the result? Confess those sins to God, repent, and receive His forgiveness. When you resisted temptation this week, how did you do it? Thank God that in Christ, you were able to turn away.

Consider someone you know who may struggle against temptation. Pray for him or her this week. Ask God how you might be able to minister to that person. Make yourself available to Him in whatever way He chooses to use you.

Remember, sin may have temporary pleasure, but it can bring permanent consequences when you give in to temptation and fall into its trap: you may lose your family, your job, or your business. Your reputation and testimony may suffer, damaging your influence for Christ in your community. The wages of sin is—and always will be—death. But the free gift of God in Christ is a purposeful, joy-filled life. So, lay down the fork, and resist that one more bite, whatever it may be.


32 S E S S I O N 2


Fear No Evi l

“Mommy, I’m hearing voices,” my youngest daughter told

us when we lived overseas. “They’re telling me to do bad

things like kick my brother and disobey you. They’re waking

me up at night and scaring me.”

We’d recognized her belligerence, but we chalked it up

to culture shock and navigating a foreign school system. My

husband, Patrick, had been under spiritual attack since the moment we moved to France, so

in some ways we weren’t surprised. But we didn’t expect voices.

To continue reading “Fear No Evil” from HomeLife magazine, visit our website,

BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles. (See more on pp. 34-35.)

ommy, I’m hearing voices,” my youngest daughter told us when we lived overseas. “They’re telling me to do bad things like kick my brother and disobey you. They’re waking me up at night and scaring me.”

We’d recognized her belliger-ence, but we chalked it up to

culture shock and navigating a foreign school system. My husband, Patrick, had been under spiritual attack since the moment we moved to France, so in some ways we weren’t surprised. But we didn’t expect voices.

So we prayed for our daughter. She was the only one in our family who didn’t yet know Jesus. We told her about Him again, how He’s bigger than those voices, but she wasn’t ready to surrender to Him.

Though you may not face such an overt attack on your family, the truth is that spiritual warfare exists. We have a very real enemy, Satan, who wants nothing more than to destroy our lives, our thoughts, our walks with Jesus (John 10:10). He, along with his hoard of demons, roams the earth, seeking ways to wreak havoc on God’s kingdom (1 Peter 5:8).

Unfortunately, we tend to live in two extremes: as though Satan doesn’t exist or as though he’s bigger than God. Neither is correct. Satan does exist. He’s a created being who used to experience the paradise of God. For one defining moment, he averted his eyes from God’s glory and rejoiced in his own (Ezekiel 28:12-15). In that, he rebelled, deceiving a third of the angels in heaven (Revelation 12:4). And he’s waged war ever since.

God sent His Son for a specific purpose. Consider: “The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works” (1 John 3:8). And destroy, He did. Every encounter Jesus had with demons ended in a victory for God. And on the cross, He dealt the final blow — Jesus died for the very sin Satan incited in the Garden of Eden.

With that as a backdrop, we don’t need to fear. We serve a conquering, powerful God who has destroyed Satan’s work. Because of the cross and the amazing resurrection, we have power to defeat the enemy’s ploys.

But how? What are some practical things we can do right now when we feel attacked?

Action 1 ▶ Pray.Our first response to spiritual attack shouldn’t be panic, but prayer. In our own strength, we can’t fight. But when we ask God for help and seek His power, then we experience victory.

After our daughter heard voices, Patrick and I prayed — for her, with her, about her. We sent a mass email to our prayer team, asking them to intercede for our daughter. Dur-ing the middle of this ordeal, Patrick and I had to leave to go to a leadership summit. Two moms and a daughter from our church in Texas graciously came to watch our children. We let them know what was going on with our youngest, and they also prayed for her.

Action 2 ▶ Speak and believe truth.Jesus personifies truth. “I am the truth,” He said (John 14:6). But Satan is a big, fat liar. Jesus said this about him: “He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars” (John 8:44). Satan’s native tongue is deceit. So

one of the best ways to combat his untruth is to surround ourselves, our families, and our minds with truth.

Patrick and I shared the truth about Jesus with our daughter. Others did, too. And we reminded ourselves that our battle wasn’t against her behavior, but against the evil forces in the world. Paul reminds us, “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12). When our daughter struggled, we assured her that

Jesus would defeat those voices if she gave her heart to Him.

Action 3 ▶ Choose not to fear.The natural reaction to a spiritual attack is first fear, then worry. If we stay in that place of panic, we forget to do the first two actions: pray and speak the truth. And if we camp in fear’s tent, we shrink back from the joy and power Jesus wants to give us in the midst of the battle.

Ultimately, this comes down to a question of God’s bigness. Do we believe God is bigger than our worry? Than Satan’s attack? Than the fears that keep us up at night? We have a choice to give into fearful thinking or surrender it to God.

Of course, we initially feared and freaked out a bit when our daughter confessed her battle to us. It took moxie to choose to lay that fear at Jesus’ feet. A VeggieTales song has it right: God is bigger than the boogey man.

If you’re facing a battle where fear rages, consider this exercise in relinquishment:

Jesus, I’m afraid. Please help me to hand my fear over to You. Give me Your perspective in this situation. Forgive me for running first to fear and not to You. Please rescue us from this situation. Enlarge my faith. I choose to rest my fear in Your capable arms, and I promise, with the strength You provide, not to snatch it back.

By Mary E. DeMuth

5 ways to overcome a spiritual attack

We live in two extremes: as though Satan doesn’t exist or as though he’s bigger than God.

MFear No Evil

© G

ett

y Im

ag

es /

MG

P

OCTOBER 2012 HOMELIFE 1918 HOMELIFE OCTOBER 2012

WWW.LIFEW

AY.COM

a fresh take on faith & family

JANUARY 2013 U.S.A. $3.95

Until God Answers Why you must persist in prayer

Can a chore swap

change your marriage? The blessings of parentingchildren with special needsMargaret Feinberg on

The Wonder of Rest 5 great ideas

for family time

NEW▼


SESSION 3

THE PRESSURE OF PARTIALITY

Whom or what does our society value most?

36 S E S S I O N 3

God does not play favorites and neither should I.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFEA church made national news 2012 by forcing a couple only days before their wedding to find another place to get married. Why? They were the wrong race. A few “power brokers” in the church told the pastor he would be fired if he performed the wedding in their church building. Under pressure, he caved.

Discrimination too often raises its ugly head. Christians in the early church felt pressure to give preferential treatment to certain folks based on their economic standing. Discrimination has no place in the church or anywhere in our lives. Why? The ground at the foot of the cross is level. God makes no distinction between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, or rich and poor. He has no preferred race, ethnicity, or cultural background.

Jesus’ invitation is open to all who will believe. If that’s good enough for Him, then it should be good enough for us. Let’s consider some principles from James that will help alleviate the pressure of partiality.


THE POINT


God does not play favorites and neither should I.THE POINT

James 2:1-41 My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

KEY WORD: Favoritism (v. 1)—The word literally means “receiving or lifting the face.” Ancient subjects would prostrate themselves before their ruler when seeking his favor. If he received or lifted their faces, they would be heard. The word came to mean showing favor on improper grounds, often social or political standing.

We say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But that’s exactly what the Christians to whom James wrote were guilty of doing. They were making judgments based on outward appearances and first impressions. Specifically, they were showing preference to the wealthy over the poor.

James made his point by setting up an example of two men who came to church. One was dressed in expensive clothes, obviously well-to-do, and he garnered preferential treatment. The other man was just the opposite—dirty and ragged. He too was treated in a special way, but his “special section” was … well, let’s just say his was not the preferred pew for the regular church folks.

What would James say to us? If the house next door is for sale, and a family of a different ethnicity is taking a tour, do we secretly

38 S E S S I O N 3

hope they don’t buy? If a young man with an earring and tattoos is the cashier in the short line and someone like you is the cashier in the long line, which line do you choose? If a person with money shows up at your church, do you take special measures to make sure he or she has a good experience? We say we “need” people in our church who can “help” us: “Never hurts to have another tither, especially a good tither! On top of that, we have a building program going on, and we could always use another teacher. So, let’s make sure this guy has a great experience.”

The ugly truth is we prefer people who look like us, act like us, and meet our standards. We don’t like “their kind”—whatever that means. God doesn’t discriminate (Acts 10:34; Gal. 3:28), but when we show partiality, we are guilty of discrimination. We have made distinctions among ourselves.

We also have become judges with evil motives. God wants us to be wise and make good judgments about people (Matt. 10:16). But when our judgments have evil and selfish motives, such as restricting our relationships to people who are like us, or who can help us; and rejecting those we don’t know, don’t like, or don’t understand, then we are far from God’s heart.

"It is impossible to be truly

converted to God without being

thereby converted to our neighbor."

— J O H N S T O T T

Q U E S T I O N #2

What kinds of experiences affect whom we want to be around?



James 2:5-75 Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? 6 Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism?

James wrote that God actually chose the poor “to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (v. 5). Christianity has always had a special place for the poor, the weak, and the oppressed (Luke 4:18; 1 Cor. 1:26-29). According to James 1:27, true religion that grasps God’s heart looks after widows and orphans—the poorest of the poor.

Q U E S T I O N #3

Why is the heart of God so close to the poor and the excluded?

“The problem in the

church … was that

the rich people were

welcomed and the

poor people were

shunned.”

4 0 S E S S I O N 3

Now, let’s not gather from James’s words that God shows favoritism to the poor, because, as the Scripture says in Acts 10:34, “God doesn’t show favoritism.” Does the Lord shut the door on the rich? Absolutely not! The Bible doesn’t condemn wealthy people for being wealthy. You do not have to apologize if God has blessed you financially. The problem in the church to which James wrote was that the rich people were welcomed and the poor people were shunned. This dishonors the poor person who is made in the image of God, just as are all human beings.

Of course, wealth does not equate with morality. Lest the church members forgot where many of their problems originated, James stressed that it was the rich, not the poor, who were oppressing the Christians, dragging them into court, and blaspheming “the noble name” of Jesus (v. 7).

Several years ago the governor of Kentucky wanted to attend a particular church on a Sunday morning. He had his people call the church to let them know the governor would be in attendance and to ask where he should park and sit. To this church’s credit, they informed the governor that he was free to park wherever he wanted to and sit anywhere he found an open seat, but nothing would be reserved. You may think the church acted in a way that was disrespectful to such a high-ranking government official, but the church believed it was being impartial. The governor would be treated the same as everyone else in attendance that day.

Q U E S T I O N #4

What is the difference between showing partiality and showing honor?



James 2:8-138 Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

KEY WORDS: Royal law (v. 8)—This law is royal because it contains the standard for living in God’s kingdom. (See Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39.)

Jesus said the whole law could be summed up in loving God with your whole being and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37-39). If we fulfill that “royal law” (Jas. 2:8), we are doing well, and our lives are pleasing to God (see “Digging Deeper,” p. 43).

But notice what is true of you if you show favoritism. Showing favoritism means you make a judgment based on the outside or the face value of a person. When the way you treat people changes based on the color of their skin, the attractiveness of their appearance, their cultural background, the cars they drive, and so on, then you are guilty of showing favoritism, and the Word of God according to James says that you “sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (v. 9).

We excuse showing favoritism or harboring racism as being not as bad as other sins by telling ourselves that at least we aren’t

42 S E S S I O N 3

murderers. But God doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t say the “good sinners” will be OK. Sin is sin, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), whether you commit so-called “big” sins or socially acceptable ones. Without Christ, both the person who plays favorites and the worst murderer on death row face the same end—eternal separation from God.

As Christians, we are saved by God’s grace through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9), but thankfully, God does not leave us on our own to

DIGGING DEEPER

“the royal law prescribed in the Scripture” (Jas. 2:8) From

the royal or kingly law James

supplied the antidote to the wrong thinking

and false judgments of the rich. This royal

law (a direct reference to Lev. 19:18) belongs

to the heirs of the kingdom (Jas. 2:5).

Under this law there should be no acts of

favoritism to anyone. All alike should be

equal recipients of the love that is due them.

Neighbor love in Scripture is directed to

everyone in close proximity to each believer,

without distinction. Whether or not the

“neighbor” is a believer in Jesus, that one

is to receive the same love. If favoritism is

going to be avoided and the righteousness

of God promoted, James recalled the love

that serves everyone in need regardless of

their religious commitments.

This point in the teaching of Jesus

was meant as that supreme antidote to

favoritism and hypocrisy. No one is outside

the boundary of neighbor love, not even

the poor and unlovely, indeed, especially

not them. When this royal law of neighbor

love is obeyed, no more excellent deed can

be done. In this actively loving way, and

in this way alone, the rich believer and the

believers who enjoy life above the poverty

line can overcome the stumbling blocks to

their faith. When this command controls

what is meant by being a “doer of the law,”

every other command is effectively fulfilled.

The old adage that a Christian cannot “do

well” without “well doing” rests on the

pointedly defined royal law: “Love your

neighbor as yourself.” Surely Paul’s meaning

in Galatians 5:6 correlates well here: “The

only thing that counts is faith expressing

itself through love” [NIV].

—Kurt A. Richardson, James, vol. 36 of The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), 120-121.



become the loving, merciful people He has called us to be. By the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, God will enable us to live and grow in obedience to His will, our lives reflecting the presence and character of Christ to His glory. As James urged his readers, so the Spirit through James urges us on in Christlike obedience to throw off favoritism and to put on mercy toward all people. We who have received Christ were set free from the penalty of our sins by the God of mercy, who gave His Only Son for us. Consequently, we who have been shown mercy depend on others’ mercy, and we are to “speak and act” (Jas. 2:12) with mercy toward others. Consistently failing to show mercy calls into question whether a person has repented of sin and experienced God’s mercy. James’s sobering statement in verse 13 is that the full judgment of God, “without mercy,” will fall on such a person—the one who hasn’t shown mercy.” But thanks be to God, His mercy “triumphs over judgment” for all who are in Christ Jesus.

Q U E S T I O N #5

What’s at stake when I play favorites?

4 4 S E S S I O N 3

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength,

and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Whom do you consider your neighbor? Whom do you not consider your neighbor?

What does this verse say to you about the connection between loving God and loving

other people?

Ask God to reveal to you any favoritism you’ve shown. Which of the following actions, or

one you think of, would you be willing to take to widen your circle of “neighbors”?

q Sit in church next to a person who is not like me.

q Work with one or more of my group members to start a mentoring ministry with

young people.

q Invite someone of a different race or culture to my Bible study group.

q Commit to avoid participating, either actively or passively, in racist humor or language.

q Other:

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR



LIVE IT OUTWhen we show partiality, three things happen:1. We are inconsistent with God’s heart.2. We violate God’s law.3. We incur the judgment Of God.

When we show love for all people, three things happen:1. We receive mercy.2. We fulfill God’s law.3. We demonstrate our consistency with God’s heart.

The pastor of the church who moved the wedding regretted his decision. After his failure made national news, he and his church issued a public apology. Members attended a unity rally organized by the city in an attempt to seek reconciliation, and they prayed for forgiveness. They attempted to correct their error, but it may still be a long time before all the hurt feelings are completely healed.

If you have caved to the pressure of favoritism, stop, and make it right. Ask God to forgive you for not being the merciful and loving person He desires you to be. Open your heart for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anyone whom you have avoided or treated in a negative way because he or she was “different.” If possible, confess your sin to that person, and ask for his or her forgiveness. Commit to follow Christ anew, depending on His mercy and strength to allow mercy to triumph over judgment in your life.

4 6 S E S S I O N 3


Treasures from Rose

It was an unusually cold, winter afternoon in Southern

California. My husband, George, and I stopped at a small

café for a hot bowl of soup. As we ate, I glanced across the

room, and an older woman caught my attention.

She appeared to be mentally challenged, and judging

by her tattered clothes, she was also homeless. Her fingers

poked through the unraveled yarn of well-worn, purple mittens. She looked content as she

sat alone, but as we got ready to leave, I walked to her table and asked, “Could we buy you

something hot to drink?”

To continue reading “Treasures from Rose” from Mature Living magazine, visit

our website, BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.

he appeared to be mentally chal-lenged, and judging by her tattered clothes, she was also homeless. Her

fingers poked through the unraveled yarn of well-worn, purple mittens.

She looked content as she sat alone, but as we got ready to leave, I walked to her table and asked, “Could we buy you something hot to drink?”

Smiling, she responded with a yes. My hus-band ordered her a hamburger, a bowl of chili, and coffee as I continued to chat with her. I learned that her name was Rose. George came back with her meal, and we said goodbye.

Thereafter, almost every time we went into the little café, we spotted that sweet, smiling lady sitting alone at a table. Each time, we found the opportunity to chat awhile and to buy Rose a hot meal. We found ourselves filled with great joy as we built this relation-ship and as we shared what we had with her. Somehow, this interaction brought us a greater sense of our blessings as well.

The week of Christmas arrived, and we wanted to give Rose a gift. We wrapped a neck-lace and some new purple mittens in bright, cheery Christmas paper. We had noticed that Rose had elegance about her person. Though she wore tattered clothes, we saw a real lady on the inside and felt a necklace would bring that out. One evening as we left the café, we handed her the gifts. Rose seemed surprised, yet happy.

The next day was very cold. The hot soup felt good, warming us up. We smiled when we saw Rose walking toward our table. Her face was aglow. She said, “I loved the gift you gave me. Please don’t leave until I come back. I have gifts for you, too.” We assured Rose we would wait for her to return, but we wondered how she could buy us gifts, having often observed her counting change to buy coffee.

Rose’s face was beaming with delight when she came in from the cold. She carried a large, crumpled grocery bag covered with oily stains. As she walked toward us, I noticed people watching, probably wondering what she was up to. Rose reached for my hands. She still wore the old mittens. Her fingers were icy cold as she placed the grocery bag in my hands. With great delight and a sense of urgency, she said loudly, “Open your gift now.” All eyes in

the room were on us. I felt intense pressure as

I slowly peeked into the bag. To my horror, I discovered food wrappers, a half-eaten hamburger, cold fries, pickle slices, paper coffee cups, and empty soda containers with straws.

My mind flashed all kinds of thoughts. This has to be a joke! This is just garbage! It’s worth-less and smelly! I prayed a quick prayer, “Lord, help me!”

Then I looked again into Rose’s beaming face, and all I could see was pure love, innocent as a child. I breathed another silent prayer, “Jesus, what would You do now?” I willed to enact the thought He impressed in my mind. I stood to my feet, put my arms around Rose’s small frame, pulled her close to my heart, and kissed the top of her forehead. Rose nestled close inside my arms and stayed there a few moments in our warm embrace.

It didn’t matter that others were watching us. I only knew Rose had found Christmas treasures to share with us.

We will never forget Rose’s gifts, the warm embrace we shared, and the fact that God’s love joined us together here on earth in a little café.

Christine A. Bunting lives in Duarte, Calif., with her husband, George, and a cat named Miss Sadie. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren. Though disabled from illness, Christine's nick-name, “Sunshine,” is appropriate as she spreads the love of God to others through letters, cards, and homemade goodies.

December 2007 13

S

”I only knew Rose had found

Christmas treasures to

share with us.”

Illustration ©Brian Call

It was an unusually cold, winter afternoon in Southern California. My husband, George, and I stopped at a small café for a hot bowl of soup. As we ate, I glanced across the room, and an older woman caught my attention.

12 MATURE LIVING

Treasures from Rose

by Christine A. Bunting

MatureLIVING

LIVING A LEGACY of Leadership, Stewardship, & Discipleship

&

WWW.LIFEW

AY.COM

FEBRUARY 2013 • U.S.A. $3.95

A • L • S • OYour Planning Guide for SENIOR ADULT DAY 2013 page 26

FEBRUARY 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.:Finding OUR GODLYHERITAGE page 44

Bill Gloria

GAITHERpage 8

LOVE NOTES You’ll Never Get from GOD page 16


Documents

Bible Studies for Life - Sr. Adults (Personal Study Guide)