Learning:

2 Timothy 4:7-10, 2 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 3:18 2 Timothy 4:7-10

Community:

Has there been an area of your life where you tried to skip steps of development or training? How did that go?

What do you do (or not do) to train your physical body? What results has that produced?

What do you do to train in godliness? What benefits has this had on your life?

Go around the group and tell one another the gifts you see in their life.

How do our spiritual practices help form and develop these?

How can our spiritual practices help us grow in areas we want to.?

Daniel talked about a time when he wanted to give up and not preach. Have you been there in a similar situation? Did you push through or stop? Why?

How can we reflect the light of Jesus in the spaces God has placed you in?

Training:

Daily Training-

Challenge yourself with one of the following training exercises this week.

1) Commit to setting aside time to read and apply God’s word daily.

2) Fast from a meal and spend the time in prayer.

3) Adopt an attitude of gratitude by intentionally noting all the blessings you have throughout the week.

Learning:

- James 3:13-18

Community:

- Verse 13 starts off with a question, Who is the wisest person you know, or have known? Why do you say that? How did they show their wisdom?

- Were these wise people in your life also the smartest people you’ve known? Or is wisdom something different from intelligence?

- If you were looking for wisdom or advice, where do you look?

- What do verses 13–15 tell us about what wisdom is and isn’t?

- Verse 13 talks about a “good conduct”? How would you define that? What kind of “good conduct” does a wise person exhibit?

- Why is meekness part of true wisdom?

- Have you known people who thought they were wise but really weren’t? Were they meek? Did they show humility?

- In what areas of life do you struggle the most with selfish ambition? Has there ever been something you were willing to pursue at all costs? Is there something you want now that you’d be willing to hurt or destroy others for?

- What do you tend to be the most argumentative about? How could you seek to become more peaceable in this area of your life?

- Is there a certain person with a specific need to which you are delaying a response of mercy?

- In James 3:16–17 we see descriptions of the “fruits” of true wisdom and false wisdom. What’s the difference? How can we tell them apart?

- What does it mean for wisdom to be “pure”? How can wisdom be “open to reason”?

- What do you think verse 18 means?

- What can you do to promote peace that yields “a harvest of righteousness”?

- How do these characteristics of Wisdom speak to you?

- Pure-without fault

- Peace loving-Produces inward peace

- Gentle-natural fit/abrasive

- Compliant-able to apply

- Merciful-relief of burden

- Producing good fruit-leads to favorable outcome

- Unwavering-offers future clarity

- Without pretense-never fake.

Training:

Memorize James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.” (CSB)

Learning:

James 3:1-12, 1:19

Community:

- Who is someone who inspires you?

- How much power do you think the tongue holds? What image would you use to describe the power of your tongue?

- Read James 3:1. Why do those who teach have greater accountability?

- How would you feel if your conversations this week were recorded and broadcast for everyone to hear? What would you want to erase? Why? What would you be proud of?

- Read James 3:2-4. How does being able to control the tongue mean we are able to control the whole body? What does one have to do with the other?

- How does what we say reveal what is in our hearts?

- How do we gain access to the Holy Spirit’s power to use in our lives especially in the area of controlling our tongues?

- Read James 3:5-6. In what way does the tongue destroy like fire?

- How does something we say grow into something we never meant to start?

- Read James 3:7-8. Why can’t we tame our tongues on our own?

- Read James 3:9-12. How can our tongues bless others? How did your words bless someone this week?

- How can you determine when something you want to say will be helpful or not when it will hurt the person if you say it?

- How will memorizing scripture help you to control your tongue and your fingertips?

- Do you intentionally use your fingertips to encourage others?

- What benefits are there to building others up with what we say?

- Name three people you are going to encourage this week? How do you plan to do so?

Training:

Memorize James 1:19 - “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger”

Learning:

James 1:12-27

Matthew 5:10

Ephesians 6:10-13

Community:

- What is the difference between testing and temptation (James 1:13-15)? What intended end distinguishes between testing and tempting?

- How have you been blessed by persevering through trial?

- Why do you think James includes this reminder about God and temptation here in the middle of his discussion on trials?

- How does recognizing the goodness of God’s character help you persevere under trials?

- How does the Enemy try to deceive us?

- Why is it important to know the truth about the results of giving in to temptation?

Pause and read James 1:19-27

- Why should we be quick to hear and slow to speak? How can this keep us from sin?

- In what way does it require humility to receive the Word?

- How does a person who is a hearer only delude himself?

- How is the Bible like a mirror?

- How might a hearer react to a sermon?How might a doer react to a sermon?

- Are you a hearer or a doer?

- What are some practical ways you can become a better doer?

- Why does looking out for orphans and widows portray pure religion?

Training:

Memorize James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Learning:

James 1:1-8

Community:

- Daniel defined happiness as fleeting and is situationally dependent. Joy can be consistent and is not based on circumstances but, rather, faith.

- What fills you with Joy versus what brings you happiness?

- What trials do you battle with on a daily basis? How does faith play into this?

- How would you define Wisdom, and does that fall under Biblical or Earthly Wisdom?

- Earthly wisdom - “The varied knowledge of things acquired by acuteness and experience and summed up in maxims and proverbs.” (Thebible.org)

- Biblical Wisdom: Having the knowledge and ability to live out what is of God. (Thayer)

- In seeking Biblical wisdom, we are not asking God FOR wisdom, but rather the wisdom OF God.

- How do faith and doubt interact with one another?

- Daniel said that submission is a posture of leaning into the character of God, and that submission leads to rest.

- What do you need to submit that will lead you to more rest?

- Why is submission so difficult for us today?

- In verse 4, James writes that we can become mature, complete, and not lacking anything. What might this look like in your life?

Training:

Memorize James 1:5 - "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God — who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly — and it will be given to him."