TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
Listen: James 1
TODAY’S MESSAGE
James saw it. In fact, it probably wasn’t all that difficult to miss. James was a pastor in Jerusalem and a leader in the early church. He saw the disconnect between what the Jesus community said they believed and how they lived. What they heard in their gatherings wasn’t making a difference the other six days of the week. They were confusing information with transformation. James called them out. He essentially told them, “If your faith in Jesus is worth having, how you live has to match what you hear.”
This week we’ll look closely at three areas James says are important in a faith worth having. James writes about our speech, how we help the desperate and helpless, and our relationship to the culture in which we live. James tells us these areas are so critical that if we’re not doing these well, our religion is “worthless” (James 1:26). But when we do them well, our religion moves from “worthless” to one that God accepts as “pure and faultless” (James 1:27).
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
This week we’ll be focusing on James 1:26-27. Becoming familiar with this passage will be good. One way to do this is to interact with these verses contemplatively. It means to give the verses thoughtful observation and in-depth consideration. First, write out the two verses on a 3 x 5 card and read them slowly aloud until you are familiar with them. Then, on the card, write one thing you’ve never noticed before in those verses. Refer to the card three times during the day as you allow the words to sink deep into your heart.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
