We are doing a semester-long, in-depth look at the book of James for our Sunday teachings. We are going even more in-depth during our Engage Group times by discussing the past Sunday’s teaching. Here are some of the reflection questions we’ve been talking about in case you missed them (or want to revisit them)…
James 1:1-8
1. What is a trial that you have experienced? How did you experience that trial? Did you just focus on getting out of it or did you try to figure out what God might be trying to accomplish through it?
2. It seems that God will allow or bring difficulty on us. How does that make you feel?
3. If you genuinely believed that God loves you, sees you, and cares what happens to you, how would that help how you go through difficulty?
James 1:9-18
1. If you had to determine where you fall between trusting wealth (0) and giving generously (10) where do you fall?
2. In the New Testament, we are called to be cheerful givers to the church according to the needs of what the church is doing for the In Kingdom of God, even to the point of giving sacrificially. How do you see this playing out in your own life?
3. Jim used quotes from Dan Kimball and Hugh Halter: “To most Christians, the bible reads like a software license. Nobody actually reads it, they just scroll to the bottom and click ‘I agree.'” And “Trust is the currency in the Kingdom of God.” Which one do you resonate with the most? Why?
James 1:19-27
1. When was a time that you had the feeling that God wanted you to do something at that moment and you did it? Explain what happened.
2. James speaks of not forgetting what we’ve read, but doing it. What do you do to help you remember the things God says to you through His word?
a. What are some things you could do to get better at this? Verse memorization? Keep a Journal? Praying through Scripture? Surround yourself better with those encouraging you with Scripture?
3. Considering the tongue as a Spiritual thermometer, how would you describe your last 2 weeks if everything you said was put up in a Word Cloud? Which words would be bigger? Smaller? How would James rate it?
If you missed any of the teachings, you can listen to them here.