Daily Bible Readings-Week 1
September 6
James 1:1, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
James is the half-brother of Jesus and became an influential leader in the early church. James did not believe Jesus was the promised Messiah until Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection. He rose to the top church leadership in Jerusalem and was recognized as equal to Peter and Paul.
He played a key role in the Jerusalem Council, an early church debate as to whether non-Jews had to adopt Jewish practices in order to be considered Christians. James likely wrote his letter from Jerusalem around AD 50 after the beginning of Paul and Barnabas’s ministry in Antioch.
James’ wise leadership of the Jerusalem church and the good name he maintained even among Jews earned him the title “James the Just,” according to Jewish and Christian traditions.
James addressed his letter to the “twelve tribes scattered among the nations” which referred to a group of Jewish Christians who were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean region. If these Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem, it is understandable that their former spiritual leader, James, would send them a letter to encourage them to live faithful Christian lives in their challenging circumstances.
Question to Consider:
If the resurrection transformed James into a sold-out believer, what is influencing you to become a sold-out follower of Jesus?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
September 7
James 1:1-4, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
This is one of the most difficult instructions in all of Scripture. “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.” The New Living Translation says, “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” The Message says, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.”
It is easy to agree with this when things are going well, but when we see the horrible effects of instability, unrest, and persecution around the world and the devastation of flooding and wildfires at home, it is challenging to think joyfully. When we add in our own personal trials of broken relationships, illness, death, financial struggles, vocational uncertainty and temptations, it seems impossible to choose joy.
Even though the experience does not make us happy, James challenges us to think differently about tests as gifts and opportunities to create an enduring spirit within us. Without the trials and troubles of life, the necessary quality of perseverance will not have the chance to develop and grow within us.
Endurance is the pathway to bring us to the deepest place of spiritual maturity so that we receive all the resources of heaven empowering us to go the distance and be faithful to Jesus. This is why we dare to look at trouble with a different outlook.
Questions to Consider:
Are you experiencing such a testing in your life right now? Are you able to think about it in such a way that God can do a deeper spiritual work within you?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
September 8
James 1:12, Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
We will discover in this series that, in his letter, James covers several themes multiple times. Even within the first chapter he repeats several themes. So, we will begin each week with a passage from chapter 1 and then add other similar-themed Scriptures from other parts of the book.
So, today’s Scripture continues the theme of trials and testing. In the previous Scripture, we were told what to do: Think about trials and testing with joy because it produces perseverance.
This Scripture gives us the ultimate promise of faithful endurance. It is the most compelling reason to persevere through all of the tests of life. We will receive the crown of eternal life. It is given to all who love Jesus. Our refusal to give up no matter the troubles that come speaks to how much we love Jesus.
We know Christians around the world are experiencing life and death tests with the horrible circumstances they are finding themselves in. Their undying motivation to endure death is nothing short of having the absolute assurance that their faithfulness will end in eternal life in God’s loving presence. If this was taken away, there would be no reason to endure to the end.
Question to Consider:
In the midst of all the troubles of life, what keeps you going to faithfully persevere in Christ?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
September 9
James 5:7-9, Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
James just warned the rich, who were only living for themselves, about the judgment they could expect on the day the Lord returns. In these verses, he tells the poor followers of Jesus how they must live in light of that coming day. It’s a shift from judging those who oppress to encouraging those who are oppressed to trust that God will vindicate them in the end.
Farmers must employ remarkable patience and faith throughout the year. It must be dry enough to plant the crop. There must be appropriate amounts of rain to make the crop grow. The rains need to stop so that the harvest can happen. Farmers might use fertilizers and sprays but still cannot create the right climate for a bountiful crop to occur. As much as I love the idea of farming, I do not think I would make a patient farmer!
As we await the final harvest, we need to patiently persevere believing that God will do what he promises to do. We should anticipate that the Lord’s coming is near and be careful that we treat each other well in the Body of Christ.
James gives us the powerful image that the Judge is at the door! He is nearby, ready to enter. This provides strong motivation for us to persevere and remain faithful to the very end.
Questions to Consider:
How much do you think about the Lord’s coming? How does the thought of the day of Judgment factor into the way you live?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
September 10
James 5:10-11, Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Including yesterday’s Scripture, James includes three examples concerning patience/perseverance: the farmer, the prophets, and Job.
The prophets who spoke on behalf of God often experienced affliction and responded with long-suffering patience. Although James refers to “the prophets” as a group, Jeremiah stands out as an example who endured mistreatment with patience. He was put in the stocks, thrown into prison, and lowered into a miry dungeon; yet he patiently persisted in his ministry.
There’s no doubt that Job had bitter moments and plenty of questions to ask God. Did you catch the difference in how James describes the farmer and prophets in comparison to Job? The first two, he extols their patience, but he describes Job as persevering in his faithfulness to God.
We often hear of the patience of Job, but he was not that patient. However, he was an excellent example of one who persevered through the most trying circumstances anyone could imagine facing.
His story is proof that “the Lord is full of compassion and mercy,” as we see in “what the Lord finally brought about” for him: God gave him twice as much as he had before.
To sum up verses 7-11, James urges his readers not to fight back but to exercise patience toward those who oppress them. He also calls on them to faithfully persevere in the midst of trying circumstances.
Question to Consider:
In your journey right now, do you need to exercise more patience towards people or a persevering spirit in your challenging circumstances?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.