1st Bible Study (Part 1): James 1 & Proverbs 1 (Karla Reyes)

 

James Chapter 1 (bullet points):

Verses Commentary: 1-27

• James was a servant of God. 
• This letter was written to the 12 tribes who were scattered all around different locations. So that was his assignment, to bring this letter to pass. No matter what (circumstances and opinions).
• Joy should occur when tempted. Not all temptation means demonic interference. But it can be tests to pass. It produces more faith and it equals more fruit of patience via all such experiences. Allowing patience to work in you and don’t hinder it.
• Lacking wisdom? Ask God, He gives. The One who gives and takes away, gives double for your trouble (meaning circumstance), through faith. God gives freely but the asking can’t be rooted in doubts (doubting thoughts produce doubting behavior), it cripples. Not just someone but purpose too. God can’t bless righteously and in the right way if there’s doubt rooted in the heart of a believer. Let alone, an unbeliever.
• Low degree in life? God can exalt. High degree? Stay humble because pride doesn’t sit well with God. We all will fade someday like the flowers of the field. 
• Enduring temptation? God has a reward: crown of life in better terms. Someone is considered blessed if they endure this thing we call: ‘life.’
• The author of evil temptations is the devil not God so to say that God is the author of evil is to say he’s satan which he isn’t. There’s a balance of good and evil in the world. We choose which side to be in. Choose life, due to the crown of life and for God’s love in your heart towards humanity, yourself, God Himself (the best for last as they say). Falling into temptation would be like submitting to your own lust (fleshly desires) and it eventually leads to spiritual decay (no spiritual growth whatsoever). 
• God gives great gifts. 
• His will: for us to be alive, do His will according to the scriptures, adhere to His counsel daily not just when we ‘feel’ like it. We are considered the first-fruits of His creation. It doesn’t matter how many souls have populated the earth then and now. Still stands as His truth. Made us through His truth. So His truth is the truth that allows us to captivate the entire of existence of the WHY of earth.
• Character development and achievement we must adhere to (commit to): quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to become angry. Allowing anger to lead our lives doesn’t produce the righteous character God desires for us to have on our daily lives. Doesn’t mean we’ve been perfected knowledge wise but it’s best to prepare for heaven by acquiring such wisdom. 
• List of no’s in character development: filthiness (all manner of doings and thinkings. It starts with a thought in the heart, even thoughts that contradict God’s Word when it speaks about what’s righteous and what’s not, can lead to filthiness if practiced out). We’re trying to get cleansed, not be filthy all over again. Naughtiness included in such beliefs and teachings (doctrine) (search up the definition of naughtiness, look at synonym terms when looking at definitions).
• Receiving the word of God with meekness should be a constant habitual practice even if that word doesn’t apply to our certain circumstance when being used in sermons, teachings (biblical teachings), to encourage, etc. Let’s be glad it’s being used for good and not bad.
• Practice out the good things the Bible talks about and don’t deceive yourself thinking God isn’t watching. He is. All of us. 
• Reading is like looking in the mirror and forgetting your features because you didn’t take time to look at the minor details in your features and how He created you to be. Same applies to His written word.
• God’s Word: perfect law of liberty. 
• Practicing God’s Word is automatic access to being blessed and highly favored by God & not just Him, His people.
• Being a religious person isn’t enough. You need to practice morals according to scripture and God will consider such practices for Him a beautiful aroma sacrifice to dine from in looking at you. Deception is believing you can be religious and lack character development. That’s lazy-talk. Not good to practice out at all. It’s good to say: “God I failed, let me try again to please you. Or God, help me be better because I suck at being better on my own.” In Jesus name, amen.
• More practices: knowing how to control the tongue starts by knowing how to control your emotions; if you want to be religious? God would accept this as religious practices that are pure (acceptable to Him): visit the fatherless, visit the widows (in their affliction mainly but not necessarily only), keep yourself not damaged by the world.

Proverbs Chapter 1 (bullet points):

Verses Commentary: 1-33

• Solomon wrote such proverb (sayings). 
• A bit about Solomon: son of king David, king of Israel.
• Purpose 01: to know wisdom and instruction.
• Purpose 02: to receive perception in your soul for understanding.
• Purpose 03: to receive instruction of wisdom.
• Purpose 04: to receive instruction of justice.
• Purpose 05: to receive instruction of judgement.
• Purpose 06: to receive instruction of equity. 
• Purpose 07: to give subtlety (reassurance in guidance) to the simple.
• Purpose 08: to give youth knowledge and discretion.
• Purpose 09: a wise person will adhere to it in hearing and gain wisdom through learning.
• Purpose 10: a person of understanding will attain (receive), wise counsel. 
• Purpose 11: to understand a ‘proverb,’ its interpretation, the words of the wise and their sayings.
• (Good) Lesson 1: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
• (Bad) Lesson 2: foolish people hate wisdom and instruction. They can’t stand it. It’s stinky to their nostrils.
• (Good) Lesson 3: honor your parents just like Ephesians mentions it. It will go well for you. 
• (Bad) Lesson 4: consent not to do things you shouldn’t be doing with people that have ill intent to do such things. Such people put themselves in danger for no good reason. It speaks in general. Not anyone in particular whether good or bad lessons to listen to. It’s good to learn from other’s mistakes just like we learn from our own. Greedy of gain (receiving or getting things through greed won’t be blessed by God in the spiritual world. It starts in the heavenlies before it starts in earth). #balance #lifebalance
• (Bad) Lesson 5: simple once love simplicity, they conform instead of achieving better for God. Scorners take delight in scorning and fools don’t like to learn. Results: destruction, anguish, fear, desolation, distress. They hate fearing God. They don’t take in wise counsel that’s a blessing from God. Being filled with bad fruit is another result for such conduct according to God’s word, not all prosperity brings joy.
• (Good) Lesson 6: prosperity of wisdom equals to safe rest mentally.

Commentary (Karla’s Commentary):

It’s to show that both letters despite one being in the Old Testament days and another written in the New Testament days have the same lessons and principles and/or precepts (however you’d like to call it, according to scripture). It’s never about how much wisdom is being spread out. But about if it’s being grounded in the right soil. Sometimes we want to water and plant, but are we in the right mentality and character to do so? If we aren’t, we will reap the consequences of not being rightfully rooted in Christ Jesus’s righteous teachings. 

Selah & Shalom.

Reference:

King James Version’ 2011