James Chapter 4

VS 1) Global Identity Crisis - When you don't live from your own identity found in Christ you live from LACK - Lack puts you under the law of works again

VS 4)Stop flirting with who you used to be
- The Father yearns for us to see us as we are intended to be
Self effort in the law sabotages 
-  Yield to the Christ Mindset - It overcome the "devil" {Broken Mindsets} VS 7 

VS 10) Get face to face with the Father and see who yo really are

Gossip is not a part of your new identity  -it insults grace
God is Judge (Father) and Salvation - He renders performance irrelevant

 Chapter 5

VS 1-6  James is speaking to a specific scenario (This is the second time he has brought up bad leadership in his letter) He's not slamming those with wealth but actually warning those in high positions of power with in the Jewish religious system at the time. He is continuing the warning that Jesus gave when he said - "This generation will not pass away". They were both warning of the end of the old system through the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. 

One thing we can take from these verses is that If we are in positions of authority we should do everything with integrity and grace.

VS 7-9   If we are going through stuff we need to remain passionate about the presence of the Father   - Religion and control thrives on 2 lies
1. That God is distant
2. That God is slow (Delay)
Jesus cancelled both of those as the Christ - He said the Harvest is Ripe

VS 10 -11) James is writing mostly to Jewish Christians so he is reminding them of the heroes of faith they learned about when they were younger - Father was with them and He came through!

VS 12) Integrity - Yes be yes - No be no

VS 13) PMA even in the tuff times
Sing - Worship Live from ZOE not negativity

VS 14) you are not in this alone - Open up/ Talk about it
Depression should not be a taboo subject in the church

VS 15) The Prayer of Faith
Prayer (Yoo-Khay) personal conversations - to fall in with/ meet with
Faith (Pistis) trust in the father

Talking with the Father about who you are restores Identity
He will revitalize - Quicken with Zoe - Forgive the stupid stuff we do sometimes

VS 16) Walk in forgiveness - (NO BAD VIBES) Walking in unforgiveness blinds you of your true self. It causes you to forget your right standing with the Father - Which makes conversations with the Father fall flat because you think you're unworthy BUT Our right standing fuels effective prayer.

VS 17-18) Elijah shows us the Prayer Works - Super naturally
VS 19-20) If your friend forgets who they really are - GO TELL THEM

Notes On Chapter 2

Faith = Trust
Trust in who the Father says you are - revealed through the mirror Jesus.

When you discriminate, you not only mistrust those your discriminating against but you're mistrusting what the Father says about you.

Trusting in the Real You is the True measure of Wealth
Our hearts should be that everyone find that real measure of wealth

VS 9) Sin (harmartia) anything that robs you or anyone else of their true identity (What the Father says about them)

VS 10-11) The old way [ the law] isn't going to fix this - We need the Law of Freedom/Law of Grace - We have to let GRACE set the pace for life not the law
Judgement was the old way of doing things - But mercy is Christ's Way
Mercy > Judgement

VS 14-18) Faith in Action is LOVE (AGAPE)
To not love reveals a dead FAITH
We do not trust the Father but judgement - We trust judgement over what the Father says about us and others - We are not walking in our true Identity

Without Action we will never see who we really are!
All talk and no action is demonic - All bark and No bite

​Abraham - Friendship w/ Father is the fruit of our Right standing  we received through the Christ - This changed our Lifestyle - We started living like we are loved = We trusted the image we saw reflected back to us- The Real Father & The Real Us!!!

[ The story of Abraham and Isaac is not one of God asking someone to sacrifice his son but an illustrated story to show that The FATHER AND SON were in this together reconciling the WORLD - The Father did not despise the Son and leave Him - The Trinity was at the Cross!]

VS 25) The actions of Caleb and Joshua opened Rahab's eyes - She acted on the message they shared and her whole household experienced salvation.
       Rahab's picture of the Father was that of the 36 gods the canaanites served. All of them demanded some sort of sacrifice from their subjects - Either blood or body. She was probably a prostitute in one of the courts of these gods.

        Caleb [means Faithful devotion, wholehearted, bold and brave] and Joshua [means Yahweh is Salvation - Father Saves He Doesn't Destroy] show up and show Rahab what God is actually like - This picture Radically Changes Her Life.

NOTES ON CHAPTER 3

You don't know it all so stop arguing - Stop trying to 'mansplain' or talk down to folks
​   Stick to the things that encourage you and others in your true identity

Your tongue can be a DUMPSTER FIRE (hell = Gehenna - The trash pile outside Jerusalem that was constantly burning)

When we insult others we are insulting the Image of God that they are created in.

You can't produce Bitter and Fresh water - It has to be one or the other

Humility shows the quality of your conversations - it sets you apart from all the noise. It shows that you have wisdom and skilled understanding.

Your hidden agenda (one who wants to dominate someone else's identity) delivers you over to demons or daimon (greek) - Not speaking of "demons" but one who is like a gambler - that might win sometimes at a casino but eventually they will lose everything - Self Destruct.

What we should aim for in our interactions:

1. move in innocence - no preconceived ideas - unassuming
2. Love Peace - not arguments
   
3. Always be polite
   
4. Always move conversation toward the Good
   
5. Filled with compassion and understanding

We want to talk with pure goodness with out discrimination

NOTES

Background: James was actually called Jacob (There was no greek name for James)

One of the first letters written to the early church (AD 45-47)

Jacob is the oldest of Jesus' younger brothers. He wasn't a follower of Jesus until after the resurrection. He became the presiding the apostle over the Jerusalem church.

He was called "Old Camel Knees" because of how much time he spent in prayer.

He was stoned to death in AD 62

Major Themes
 - Wisdom from above - Seek it out
 - Testing and Trials - You can do it
 - Law of Freedom (Grace) > Law of Moses
 - We express our faith through our good works

James 1 (Read in Passion Translation and Mirror)

Joy in knowing who you are leads you out triumphantly every time
       Joy in who you are (identity) - Leads to victory
       Lead - Postion of authority
       Joy of who you are in Christ puts you in control

      - You don't have to fake joy (no mask/no front)
Joy is the fruit of what your faith knows to be true about you!

So what is your fait? Where is it pointing to? 
Do you see yourself seated with Christ or seated with who you used to be?

This is why James (Jacob) says to ask for Wisdom (VS 5)

A faith that points to a correct view of the Father and the Father's view of you is stabilizing - It's a solid foundation to build life.

Faith in the wrong view of Father and yourself leads to a poor foundation and anything that is built on that foundation will fall and crash on top of you.

VS 12) Temptation: anything that would entice us to see the Father a different or us in a different way. 

Our true identity is as a crowned victor - Our lives prove the currency (wealth) and character (announcement of true identity) of our design.

The Father is not the author of temptation because he would never bring anything to you that would taint your picture of him or the true you

He does not tempt to teach us a lesson - We are the ones who wander

What the Father gives is good gifts from above (the same place we originate from)
        He has no hidden agenda - He is Good!
VS 19) Ponder the Word (Jesus) - He reveals our true identity
      When we believe in any other origin it frustrates us - Like trying to put on clothes you use to wear when you were a baby - James calls that EVIL (Rebellion)  and that we need to get rid of it.

Meditate on this verse - Let it marinate in your heart
VS 22) "Give the word (Jesus) your undivided attention: do not underestimate yourself. Make the calculation. There can be only one logical conclusion: Your authentic origin is mirrored in the Word (Jesus). You are God's poem: Let His voice make poetry of your life."

So which life are you going to live: One of a spectator or a participator

Spectator: Life in Grace is to good to be true
                    Forgets who Jesus is as soon as they walk away from the mirror
                   Like the narrow way - Easy Way

Participator: Mesmerized by what you see
                       Captivated by the law of true freedom
                       Reflection sets you free to be the real you
                       Real life begins - The poetry of practical living

VS 26) What is meaningless conversations?
   The viewpoint of a spectator - It sounds safe but since when was Jesus safe?
Your tongue - Conversations should be attached to what your heart knows about you

The Father is the purest form of practical living - It's one of love and overflows with generosity
That's why James says the "Purest religion" is the one that restores Orphans and Widows - WHY? because those to groups of people forget who they are and who the father says they are due to the circumstances they find themselves in. We should be ones to reach out to the Outcast and Forgotten!