Beyond the Weekend: Make It Real
The Book of James encourages readers to live consistently with what they have learned from Christ.
This New Testament book is only five chapters long, yet full of wisdom surrounding faith. Pastor Aaron memorized it first while still a well-driller before entering ministry.
James gets real about faith amidst a lot of tough topics like trials, religion, values, works, words, heart, wealth, and endurance. We work through one subject a week in MAKE IT REAL. Don’t miss this chance to get real about your faith too.
Week 1: James 1:1-18
Week 2: James 1:19-27
Week 3: James 2:1-13
Week 4: James 2:14-26
Week 5: James 3:1-12
Week 6: James 4:1-10
Week 7: James 4:13-5:6
Week 8: James 5:7-20
Be Patient
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. James 5:7
Read: James 5:7-11 Listen: James 5
TODAY'S MESSAGE
As he nears the end of his letter, James reminds fellow Christians suffering persecution to be patient. Using the analogy of a farmer, he frames patience against the backdrop of cultivating crops in a desert environment. Once the seeds are planted, it’s a waiting game of patience as the rains only come twice a year. No rain means no harvest, which means no food. When the rains finally appear, farmers celebrate the goodness of God who brings the rain that gives life.
When we go through rough times, James wants us to remember the farmer who waits patiently for God to bring rain. “You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3-4). God will mature us into the character of Christ as we wait patiently. One way we can demonstrate our faith in God is by developing the discipline of seeing his goodness in the things he provides while we’re waiting. Seeing something good is like getting some rain. It reminds us that God will triumph in the end.
TODAY: Look over the past week for at least three positive things you can see. (E.g., Your teenager said “thank you,” it was 70 degrees in February or you got a smile from your mother who has Alzheimer’s.) Thanking God builds trust, so thank him for each positive thing and the hope it gives that he is at work in you.
JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Read Zechariah 2-3. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Notice the high priest and branch imagery and how that points to what Jesus will do.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
