The Prophet's Suffering and Patience

Saturday, January 25, 2015
James 5:1-12 KJV 

1 Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon [you]. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6 Ye have condemned [and] killed the just; [and] he doth not resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What are the twelve (12) reasons that James cites for why the wealthy will mourn in these last days? (v.1-6)
2) What are the three things that the people of God are to do, or refrain from doing, as we wait for our Lord's judgment (return)? (v.7-9)
3) Who does James tell believers to look to as examples of patience? (v.10-11)
4) What does James say about making oaths? (v.12)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Do you consider yourself to be a materially wealthy individual? If so, why?
6) Have you used your wealth in less than God honoring ways? If so, how?
7) What are you doing to prepare for the Lord's return?
8) Typically, how faithful are you in keeping your promises?

LIFE LESSONS
9) It is not a sin to be wealthy, it is sinful to love money more than God and/or His people.
10)The Lord will repay the wicked and the righteous are to wait patiently on Him.
11) Because the Lord is faithful in keeping His promises, He expects His children to be so also.
12) The Lord is slow to anger, it is not His will that anyone perish.