Book of James – Chapter One - 6

 Book of James – Chapter One - 6

‘The Preparations Necessary to Withstand Trials and Temptations’

by Bob Yothers

James 1:19-27

   James 1¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰ Human anger^[g] does not produce the righteousness God desires. ²¹ So 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. ²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. ²³ For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴ You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ²⁵ But 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. ²⁶ If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. ²⁷ Pure 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. NLT.

   To overcome temptation, we must be quick to hear God’s Word, be a doer of the Word not a hearer only, control our tongue, visit the needy and keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.

   Preparation one—be quick to hear the Word of God - VV19-21. 

     We must be quick to listen. 

     We must be slow to speak. 

     We must not become angry and act against others. 

     We must put aside all filthiness. 

     We must put aside all that remains of wickedness, and evil. 

     We must receive the Word of God with meekness. 

   Preparation two—do the Word of God; do not be a hearer only - VV22-25.

     If we only hear and know the Word, we deceive ourselves. 

     If we only hear and know the Word, we will soon forget what we have heard. 

     If we hear and do the Word of God, we are blessed. 

   Preparation three—keep a tight reign on our tongues - V26.

     ‘Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.’ Proverbs 21:23 NLT.

    Preparation four—practice pure religion, look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep ourselves from being polluted by the world - V27.

     We must visit the orphans and widows in their distress. 

     We must keep ourselves from being polluted by the world. 

   To overcome temptation, we must be quick to hear God’s Word, be a doer of the Word not a hearer only, control our tongue, visit the needy and keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.