New Study: The book of James

This week is a transitional week for our group. We are moving away from the book of Acts, hopefully with a better understanding of what our church should look like. Our next study will be in the book of James and we will stay with this short epistle through the weekend before Thanksgiving (an epistle is a writing, usually formal and usually in letter form, that is focused toward a specific person or group of people as an audience).

The Bible says that Christ will reveal Himself to us. His will is not something that we can necessarily find on our own through searching hard enough and reading enough academic/theological essays. His will must be revealed to us. The following scriptures demonstrate this (links are to the given chapter in its entirety):

Numbers 12:6 - He said, "Listen to my words: 'When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

1 Samuel 3:7 - Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

Matthew 11:25-27 - At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. ²⁷"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Since God tells us that He must reveal Himself to us in order for us to understand, we should approach Bible study with this in mind. We should meditate on the Word and not just fly through it. We should give God an opportunity to speak and ourselves the opportunity to listen. 

So here's my challenge for this week: Read James 1:1-8 as often as you get a chance. Carry it with you in some way. Read it every morning or every night, but at the very least read it once daily. See how God will show the meaning of this passage to you in a very real and personal way over the next week.