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NOVEMBER 20
Proverbs 28:28
28 When the wicked arise, men hide
themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous 1:14 drawn away. This Greek word was used
to describe wild game being lured into traps.
increase.
Just as animals can be drawn to their deaths
James 1:1–27 by attractive baits, temptation promises peo-
ple something good, which is actually harm-
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord ful. his own desires. This refers to lust, the
1 Jesus Christ, strong desire of the human soul to enjoy or
To the twelve tribes which are scattered acquire something to fulfill the flesh. Man’s
abroad: fallen nature has the propensity to strongly
desire whatever sin will satisfy it (Rom.7:8–25).
Greetings. “His own” describes the individual nature of
lust—it is different for each person as a result
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall
into various trials, knowing that the testing of of inherited tendencies,environment,upbring-
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ing,and personal choices.The Greek grammar
your faith produces patience. But let patience also indicates that these “desires” are the
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have its perfect work, that you may be perfect direct agent or cause of one’s sinning.enticed.
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and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you A fishing term that means “to capture” or “to
lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to catch with bait” (2 Pet. 2:14,18). It is a parallel
all liberally and without reproach, and it will to “drawn away.”
be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with
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no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave
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of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For desires and enticed. Then, when desire has
let not that man suppose that he will receive conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when
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anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded it is full-grown, brings forth death.
man, unstable in all his ways. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and comes down from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no variation or
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1:6 ask in faith. Prayer must be offered with shadow of turning. Of His own will He
confident trust in a sovereign God (Heb. 11:1). brought us forth by the word of truth, that we
with no doubting. This refers to having one’s might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
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thinking divided within himself, not merely So then, my beloved brethren, let every
because of mental indecision but an inner man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
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moral conflict or distrust in God. wave of the wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce
sea. The person who doubts God’s ability or the righteousness of God.
willingness to provide this wisdom is like the 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and over-
billowing, restless sea, moving back and forth flow of wickedness, and receive with meek-
with its endless tides, never able to settle ness the implanted word, which is able to save
(Josh. 24:15; 1 Kin. 18:21; Rev. 3:16). your souls.
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But be doers of the word, and not hearers
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only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exalta- hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a
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tion, but the rich in his humiliation, because man observing his natural face in a mirror;
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as a flower of the field he will pass away. For 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and
no sooner has the sun risen with a burning immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of lib-
and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the erty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful
rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be
12 Blessed is the man who endures tempta- blessed in what he does.
tion; for when he has been approved, he will 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious,
receive the crown of life which the Lord has and does not bridle his tongue but deceives
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promised to those who love Him. Let no one his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and
God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows
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does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted
is tempted when he is drawn away by his own from the world.
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