James 1-3; Psalms 31 - Prayer Tents



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James 1-3; Psalms 31
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Overview: James
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Greetings from James

1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the "twelve tribes"—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!G2385G1401G2316G2532G2962G2424G5547G1427G5443G1722G1290G5463

Faith and Endurance

2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.G3450G80G2233G3956G5479G3752G4045G4164G3986 3For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.G1097G3754G1383G5216G4102G2716G5281 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.G1161G2192G5281G2192G5046G2041G2443G5600G5046G2532G3648G3007G1722G3367 5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.G1161G1536G5216G3007G4678G154G3844G2316G1325G3956G574G2532G3679G3361G2532G1325G846 6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.G1161G154G1722G4102G3367G1252G1063G1252G1503G2830G2281G416G2532G4494 7Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.G1063G3633G3361G1565G444G3633G3754G2983G5100G3844G2962 8Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.G1374G435G182G1722G3956G846G3598 9Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.G1161G2744G80G5011G2744G1722G846G5311 10And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.G1161G4145G1722G846G5014G3754G5613G438G5528G3928 11The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.G1063G2246G393G4862G2742G2532G3583G5528G2532G438G846G1601G2532G2143G4383G846G622G3779G2532G3133G4145G3133G1722G846G4197 12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.G3107G435G3739G5278G3986G3754G1384G1096G2983G4735G2222G3739G2962G1861G25G846 13And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.G3004G3367G3004G3985G3754G3985G575G2316G1063G2316G551G2076G2556G1161G3985G846G3985G3762 14Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.G1161G1538G3985G1828G5259G2398G1939G2532G1185 15These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.G1534G1939G4815G5088G266G1161G266G658G616G2288 16So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.G4105G3361G4105G3450G27G80 17Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.G3956G18G1394G2532G3956G5046G1434G2076G509G2597G575G3962G5457G3844G3739G1762G3756G3883G2228G644G5157 18He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.G1014G616G2248G3056G225G1519G2248G1511G5100G536G846G2938

Listening and Doing

19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.G5620G3450G27G80G2077G3956G444G2077G5036G1519G191G1021G1519G2980G1021G1519G3709 20Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.G1063G3709G435G2716G3756G1343G2316 21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.G1352G659G3956G4507G2532G4050G2549G1209G1722G4240G1721G3056G3588G1410G4982G5216G5590 22But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.G1161G1096G4163G3056G2532G3361G202G3440G3884G1438 23For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.G3754G1536G2076G202G3056G2532G3756G4163G3778G1503G435G2657G846G1078G4383G1722G2072 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.G1063G2657G1438G2532G565G2532G2112G1950G3697G2258 25But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.G1161G3879G1519G5046G3551G1657G2532G3887G3778G1096G3756G1953G202G235G4163G2041G3778G2071G3107G1722G846G4162 26If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.G1536G1722G5213G1380G1511G2357G5468G3361G846G1100G235G538G846G2588G5127G2356G3152 27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.G2513G2356G2532G283G3844G2316G2532G3962G2076G3778G1980G3737G2532G5503G1722G846G2347G5083G1438G784G575G2889

A Warning against Prejudice

2My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?G3450G80G2192G3361G4102G2257G2962G2424G5547G1391G1722G4382 2For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.G1063G1437G1525G1519G5216G4864G435G5554G1722G2986G2066G1161G1525G2532G4434G1722G4508G2066 3If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"—well,G2532G1914G1909G5409G2986G2066G2532G2036G846G2521G4771G5602G2573G2532G2036G4434G2476G4771G1563G2228G2521G5602G5259G3450G5286 4doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?G1252G3756G2532G1252G1722G1438G2532G1096G2923G4190G1261 5Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?G191G3450G27G80G1586G3756G2316G1586G4434G5127G2889G4145G1722G4102G2532G2818G932G3739G1861G25G846 6But you dishonor the poor! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?G1161G5210G818G4434G2616G3756G4145G2616G5216G2532G846G1670G5209G1519G2922 7Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?G987G3756G846G987G2570G3686G1909G5209G1941 8Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself."G1487G3305G5055G937G3551G2596G1124G25G4675G4139G5613G4572G4160G2573 9But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.G1161G1487G4380G2038G266G1651G5259G3551G5613G3848 10For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws.G1063G3748G5083G3650G3551G1161G4417G1722G1520G1096G1777G3956 11For the same God who said, "You must not commit adultery," also said, "You must not murder." So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.G1063G2036G3431G3361G3431G2036G2532G5407G3361G5407G1161G1487G3431G3756G3431G1161G5407G1096G3848G3551 12So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.G3779G2980G2532G3779G4160G5613G3195G2919G1223G3551G1657 13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.G1063G2920G448G4160G3361G1656G2532G1656G2620G2920

Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead

14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?G5101G3786G3450G80G1437G5100G3004G2192G4102G1161G2192G3361G2041G1410G3361G4102G4982G846 15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,G1437G1161G80G2228G79G5225G1131G2532G3007G5600G2184G5160 16and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?G1161G5100G1537G5216G2036G846G5217G1722G1515G2328G2532G5526G1161G1325G846G3361G2006G4983G5101G3786 17So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.G2532G3779G4102G3362G2192G3362G2041G2076G3498G2596G1438 18Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."G235G5100G2046G4771G2192G4102G2504G2192G2041G1166G3427G4675G4102G1537G4675G2041G2504G1166G4671G3450G4102G1537G3450G2041 19You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.G4771G4100G3754G2076G1520G2316G4160G2573G1140G2532G4100G2532G5425 20How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?G1161G2309G1097G5599G2756G444G3754G4102G5565G2041G2076G3498 21Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?G1344G3756G11G2257G3962G1344G1537G2041G399G2464G846G5207G1909G2379 22You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.G991G3754G4102G4903G846G2041G2532G1537G2041G5048G4102G5048 23And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God.G2532G1124G4137G3004G1161G11G4100G2316G2532G3049G846G1519G1343G2532G2564G5384G2316 24So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.G3708G5106G3754G1537G2041G444G1344G2532G3756G1537G4102G3440 25Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.G3668G1161G2532G1344G3756G4460G4204G1344G1537G2041G5264G32G2532G1544G2087G3598 26Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.G1063G5618G4983G5565G4151G2076G3498G3779G4102G5565G2041G2076G3498G2532

Controlling the Tongue

3Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.G3450G80G1096G3361G4183G1320G1492G3754G2983G3187G2917 2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.G1063G4183G4417G537G1536G4417G3756G1722G3056G3778G5046G435G1415G2532G5468G3650G4983 3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.G2400G906G5469G1519G2462G4750G4314G846G3982G2254G2532G3329G846G3650G4983 4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.G2400G2532G4143G5607G5082G2532G1643G5259G4642G417G3329G5259G1646G4079G3699G302G2116G3730G1014 5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.G2532G3779G1100G2076G3398G3196G2532G3166G2400G2245G5208G3641G4442G381 6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.G2532G1100G4442G2889G93G3779G2525G1100G1722G2257G3196G4695G3650G4983G2532G5394G5164G1078G2532G5394G5259G1067 7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,G1063G3956G5449G2342G5037G2532G4071G5037G2062G2532G1724G1150G2532G1150G5449G442 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.G1161G1100G1410G3762G444G1150G183G2556G3324G2287G2447 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.G1722G846G2127G2316G2532G3962G2532G1722G846G2672G444G3588G1096G2596G3669G2316 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!G1537G846G4750G1831G2129G2532G2671G3450G80G5023G5534G3756G3779G1096 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?G3385G4077G1032G1537G846G3692G1099G2532G4089 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring.G3361G1410G4808G3450G80G4160G1636G2228G288G4810G3779G3762G4077G4160G252G5204G2532G1099

True Wisdom Comes from God

13If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.G5101G4680G2532G1990G1722G5213G1166G1537G2570G391G846G2041G1722G4240G4678 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying.G1161G1487G2192G4089G2205G2532G2052G1722G5216G2588G2620G3361G2532G5574G2596G225 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.G3778G4678G2076G2718G3756G509G235G1919G5591G1141 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.G1063G3699G2205G2532G2052G1563G181G2532G3956G5337G4229 17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.G1161G4678G509G2076G4412G3303G53G1899G1516G1933G2138G3324G1656G2532G18G2590G87G2532G505 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.G1161G2590G1343G4687G1722G1515G4160G1515

31[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right.H5329H4210H1732H3068H2620H408H5769H954H6403H6666 2Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.H5186H241H5337H4120H4581H6697H1004H4686H3467 3You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.H5553H4686H8034H5148H5095 4Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.H3318H7568H2098H2934H4581 5I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, LORD, for you are a faithful God.H3027H6485H7307H6299H3068H410H571 6I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the LORD.H8130H8104H7723H1892H982H3068 7I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.H1523H8055H2617H7200H6040H3045H5315H6869 8You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place.H5462H3027H341H5975H7272H4800 9Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.H2603H3068H6887H5869H6244H3708H5315H990 10I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.H2416H3615H3015H8141H585H3581H3782H5771H6106H6244 11I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way.H2781H6887H3966H7934H6343H3045H7200H2351H5074 12I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot.H7911H4191H3820H6H3627 13I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.H8085H1681H7227H4032H5439H3245H3162H2161H3947H5315 14But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, "You are my God!"H982H3068H559H430 15My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.H6256H3027H5337H3027H341H7291 16Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me.H6440H215H5650H3467H2617 17Don't let me be disgraced, O LORD, for I call out to you for help. Let the wicked be disgraced; let them lie silent in the grave.H954H3068H7121H7563H954H1826H7585 18Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.H8267H8193H481H1696H6277H1346H937H6662 19How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.H7227H2898H6845H3373H6466H2620H1121H120 20You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.H5641H5643H6440H7407H376H6845H5521H7379H3956 21Praise the LORD, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack.H1288H3068H6381H2617H4692H5892 22In panic I cried out, "I am cut off from the LORD!" But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.H559H2648H1629H5048H5869H403H8085H6963H8469H7768 23Love the LORD, all you godly ones! For the LORD protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant.H157H3068H2623H3068H5341H539H3499H7999H1346H6213 24So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!H2388H553H3824H3176H3068


New Living Translation (NLT). Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. More details.
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