Bible Study: James the Just (Introduction)

I recently began reading my bible again.  I came across the book of James and was immediately enthralled by what I was reading.  So begins my first bible study hosted on my blog (with the help of other sources on the internet of course).

 

But before I can begin with said bible study, I knew I had to understand who James was in order to make sense of it all.  The historical context behind James is quite interesting.  I’ve learned so much about who James the Just was already.  He was a martyr counted among Stephen and James the brother of John.  One of the most poignant thoughts I have discovered is unlike Paul, who wrote on how to become a Christian, James wrote on how to act like one.  He blatantly told the Jews to not only listen to the Word, but to do what it (the Word) says (James 1:22).  I love his straightforwardness; he is so frank that it is hard, if not impossible, to miss his point. 

 

There are conflicting accounts of his death.  Some sources say he was stoned (like Stephen) while others say he was tossed from a temple and beaten with a club.  He is often referred to as James the brother of Jesus (although I did find conflicting information on his relationship to Jesus; he may be his step brother or cousin).  He is also often referred to as James the Righteous. I found the following quote which comes from the Christian historian Eusebius and can be found in the 23^rd chapter of the 2^nd book of his Ecclesiastical History:

 

“…he was holy from his mother’s womb…he prayed upon his knees insomuch that his knees were like the knees of a camel by means of his being continually upon them, worshipping God, and praying for the forgiveness of people….This James was a true witness, both to Jews and Gentiles, that Jesus is the Christ.”

(Source Cited Here)

 

Topics included in James (the biblical book), taken strait from the NLV Bible include:

• Faith and Endurance
• Listening and Doing
• Warning against Prejudice, Judging Others, and Self Confidence
• Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead
• Controlling the Tongue
• True Wisdom Comes from God
• Drawing Closer to God
• Warning to the Rich
• Patience in Suffering
• The Power of Prayer
• Restoring the Wandering Believer

 

I have absolutely no idea how long it will take me to complete this study and post it here.  However, what I do know is that I want it to speak to me so that I am applying the Word to my life rather than being a listener only.

 

**Please note, I am not a biblical scholar.  I would rate my experience with the Bible as novice for all there is to learn.  So (please) if you notice corrections or things to add…do so!  I will not be offended at all!  I invite you to participate in this journey with me!  In fact, I would love nothing more than to have an accountability partner!  I will cite all the sources I found along the way.  I welcome you to become a follower and/or refer others here as well.

 

So who’s  with me? 

 

What do you know about James the Just?  If you have anything to add, please leave it in a comment below!

 

    

What I'm Readin...

Hello yall. I have a second to breathe, so I wanted to post a quick update.

First, please hop over and visit my friend Kara! She recently found out she is expecting, but she is having some early complications. She could really use our encouragement, but more-so, our prayers.

Secondly, I found a really cool blog recently, and she has quickly became one of my favorites! Go visit Heather. She is mom who wants to instill solid Christian values in the lives of her daughters. She is posting really cute crafts/projects for parents to do with their kids. Today, she is hosting a carasel for Sharing Values. It's a place to brainstorm all of our ideas for sharing Christian values with our children. It's certainly a post for all of us who strive every day to be a better parents. Check her out!

My friend Joannah is 35 weeks pregnant! She was one of the first bloggy friends I made in my journey to become a mom. I know this is such a bitter-sweet moment for her. She loss her husband to kidney cancer just over a year ago. After his passing, she wrestled with the decision to pursue IVF. It's something they started together. I'm so thankful she went against popular opinion and did. It heartwarming to have followed her journey. She's such a sweet person; she's going to be the best Mommy!

My friend Tiffany is pursuing IVF! She's posted some questions for you IVF'rs. She and her husband have been trying for 5 years to have their first child. So scoot on over and give her your encouragement and prayers too!

And, O!M!Gsh! You have to read this post from Ashley! It is infuriating what PETA is doing in honor of National Infertility Awareness Month! Please jump over and sign the petition and/or send them an email if you feel so inclined to do! I am just fuming. It's going to tick you off, if you are an IF'r. You are forewarned. They have within the last 24hrs removed the wording "in honor of National Infertility Awareness," but seriously...? The damage has been done.

And I am just now getting around to following up on this book blog I posted. I haven't had a chance to read since the Introduction, but things should calm down for me this week. Soon! I know you all are on the edge of your seats :)

Whoa! Where have I been??

Wow!?! Has it really been a week since I last posted? Things are so crazy for me right now. The semester is ending in 4 weeks, so it's crunch time to tie up loose ends. And, can you believe another month has came and gone? What happened to March? And February? And January, for that matter? Can you believe Christmas is only 9 months away? Here is a random update on how things are going in our neck of the woods:

• I have fallen off the wagon pretty much for doing my stairs for Lent! Everything was going so well, but then I missed a day. Which turned into another day...then another. Next thing I know, here it's Friday (almost) and I haven't done stairs all week.


• It's been really cold and rainy this week. I'm so ready for summer.


• My sweet nephew, Josef, celebrated a birthday this past week!


• I had dinner with some of my favorite future teachers last week. These are some of the classmates I have grown so close to over the past three years! I don't know what I'll do when I don't get to see these girls once-twice a week when we graduate.



Bobbie, Kim, Me



• 
  
  For the past three nights, we've made Kade cry it out in his crib. This part of parenting stinks! Someone should have warned me how hard it would be to hear him sobbing between his "Ma-Maaaaaaaaaaaa's."


• 
  
  We also took Kade roller skating! He loved it. At one point, I glanced over and saw this



Uncle Shawn, Kade, Kenleigh



• Kohen is almost 5 months old. He has a cow-lick which makes me call him Alfalfa. You can barely see it in the picture.


• Still getting the silent treatment from some family members. It's been a month and a half now.


• Life goes on.

That's our life pretty much in a nutshell! I hope you all are having a fantastic week!

Tell me Thursday: Thankful Thursday

This has been a week for bullet points:

• I just finished reading By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters. I posted a review on my other blog here. If you like to read, check it out. It was really good, but more importantly, it was "real." It's a young adult literature novel, and let me just interject here...my, oh my, how books have changed since I was a kid. I read YAL novels because I am going to school to become a middle grades teacher, and I want to be knowledgeable about what books my students will be reading and which books I can recommend.
• I have a mid-term tonight at school which I am in no way, shape, or form ready for. I have been the epiphany of the procrastinator student this semester. I'd really appreciate your prayers for me to do my best, and that will be good enough for me.
• Still having some family drama. We are currently getting the silent treatment from members of our family. I wish I could say I don't care, but if I'm honest, I care a lot. Maybe too much. Time heals all wounds right?
• New Life Lesson Learned: If I would have know then, what I know now I probably wouldn't have "opened the can of worms" with said Family. Nothing has changed. Nothing good has been gained. Although everything we said (both parties) were true, I don't know now that it was worth it.
• My Sweet Kade has pee-peed in the potty 4 times today! My mom is the best! She keeps my boys during the day, and she works so hard with them. I'm so glad they are in her care and are smothered with hugs and kisses all day long.
• My Sweet Kade won't sleep in his big boy bed. He wants to snuggle with Mommy, which I am loving a little too much. Daddy, not so much. I think he is scared of the dark :(
• My Sweet Kohen is teething! I anticipate he will have one come through soon.
• My Sweet Kohen also had his 4 month well visit this week. He had to get shots. I've never quite seen the shade of red his face turned before. He was so friendly and flirting with his nurses before the shots. I'm pretty sure he broke up with her after that.
• My husband is the best. Have I told you that lately? He is. I use to want to win the lottery. But now, I look around at my husband, our boys, and the life that we share, and I realize I already have.

What are you thankful for? Tell me...It's one of the last days to enter to win a $25 visa giftcard. Go to this post to enter now! By the way, I filled up completely my car with gas this week, and it cost $62.25! Ouch!

Lots of good stuff going on...

We had an important week of events to occur in the Killian household this week.

My Sweet Kade....pee-peed in the potty for the first time.

He also learned to share with his brother.

And my Sweet Kohen...

rolled over from his back to his stomach.

He also declared his thoughts on the UNC/Miami game from Friday.

Life is good in the Killian house!

Happy Friday!

Hey Y'all! I'm hosting a new gi*veaway over here. Check it out! Good Luck!

Lent 2011

I have never really participated in Lent, or if I have, I don't recall it. This year, I've felt a tugging from Someone to do it. I've been considering for weeks on what I could give up that would "hurt"--or really notice--to remind me to go to God and give thanks for the blessings in my life which he has poured upon me too generously. My first thoughts were caffeine, but I've given up caffeine before, so it wasn't all too difficult to do.

What would really hurt?


Sigh.

Exercise.

I'm not an exercise sort of person. It's not my idea of fun--at all. I just don't enjoy it. I wish I did, but I don't. My attitude is pretty much summed up in this cartoon.

So, yesterday I convinced myself that while on break at work I would do 4 sets of stairs. Not four flights of stairs, four sets of FOUR FLIGHTS of stairs. That's sixteen flights of stairs for you math whizzes out there. Why stairs? Well, the weather in NC is so odd these days. I didn't want the ability to use "weather" as an excuse to quit. I also feel that stairs involve more physical stamina than walking--my calves are so sore today!! They couldn't possibly be this sore from walking.

Now some of you, I realize, are probably thinking, "Well, that's so easy...blah, blah, blah." Holy moly! I almost died. Twice. I think I heard angles singing at one point. I was breathing so heavily on my second set that I decided to stop at 8 flights on shear fear that I would pass out. Maybe by the end of Lent I'll be able to do the 3rd and 4th sets.

The entire time I had to push myself. I prayed to God and thanked Him for the blessings he has placed in my life. I prayed for guidance and direction. I prayed for you, my sweet friends. I prayed for family and good health. I prayed for my friends. I prayed for God to make me godly. Every step was so hard for me...each next step, a little harder than the prior step.

Ironically it reminded me so much of my journey to parenthood. It started out easy...then it got a little harder...a little more hard...a lot more hard. When I was finished I felt so relieved and fulfilled. It's almost hard to put into words. It was a "me and God" moment that I will cherish where He put some things in perspective for me.

I will press on, one step at a time.