Live Wisely

by Bill Hybels with Kevin and Sherry Harney

• ISBN13: 9780310227670
• ISBN10: 0310227674
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-10-01
• Publisher: Zondervan

Summary

In the labyrinth of life, we need practical and clear directions for making wise, Christ-honoring decisions. Which way do we go at the crossroads -- left, right, straight, or backtrack? What instructions does God offer to guide us along the way? The book of James offers a wonderfully practical collection of wisdom. Do you need to build perseverance? Overcome destructive desires? Build confidence as a follower of Christ? James gives clear guidance. Do you need instruction on using your words for good, and growing as a person of prayer? James has the answers. Dig into this book, and learn how to choose wise paths through life's maze.

Author Biography

Bill Hybels, founder and pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, is the author of several books, including Making Life Work, Honest to God? and Too Busy Not to Pray. He is also coauthor of Rediscovering Church, Becoming a Contagious Christian, and the best-selling Fit to Be Tied.

Table of Contents

New Community Bible Study Series	p. 6
Introduction	p. 11
Developing Perseverance--James 1:1-4	p. 13
Overcoming Destructive Desires--James 1:13-18	p. 21
How Good Is Good Enough?--James 2:8-13	p. 29
Developing Christian Confidence--James 2:14-26	p. 39
The Power of Words--James 3:1-12	p. 49
The Power of Prayer--James 5:13-20	p. 57
Leader's Notes	p. 65
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

S E S S I O N O N E
Developing
Perseverance
JAMES 1:1–4
Every once in a while someone comes up to me and says, “I
have a real hard time with a specific passage in the New
Testament.” Then they pull out verse two from the first chapter
of James: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
face trials of many kinds.” They say, “What am I supposed to
do with this text in the Bible that tells me to be filled with joy
over the tragedies that come into my life?” They look me
square in the eyes and say, “I just lost my job.” Or, “I just lost
my mother to a battle with cancer, and I’m pretty far from
being joyful about it.”
Some people try to set me up by asking a leading question.
They say, “Bill, do you think authenticity is important? Do you
think God wants us to be genuine?” If I say, “Generally, yes,”
they get a look in their eyes that says to me, “I’ve got you now!”
They say, “My baby was stillborn.” Or, “My brother died of
leukemia last month.” Or, “My husband walked out on me
with no warning.” And then they tell me of their sorrow.
Genuine, real, deep sorrow.
Then come the questions: “Does this section of the Bible
really say that I should be joyful and happy about this suffering?
How does this passage of the Bible fit in with what I am
facing in my life?”
What I have discovered over the years is that these people are
usually not looking for a biblical sparring partner. Rather, they
are looking for real, deep, and lasting answers to the aching in
their hearts. They want to know what God has to say to them in
the middle of their pain. If there is any joy or peace to be found
in the storm they are experiencing, they want to know about it.
Making the Connection
1. Describe a difficult or painful experience when your heart
hungered to find meaning, peace, and even joy in the middle
of the crisis.
Knowing and Being Known
Read James 1:1–4
2. How can trials and difficult times (v. 2) develop perseverance
in a follower of Christ?
How have you experienced this in your own life?
3. James says that perseverance will lead to maturity and
completion (v. 3). How has God been growing perseverance
in your life in the past year?
How have you matured as a follower of Christ though this
time of perseverance?
4. What is one area where you have been trying to persevere,
but are feeling tempted to quit? What has been wearing
you down?
How can your small group members encourage and support
you as you persevere in this area of your life?
An Example of Perseverance
In the nineties, there was one man in the NBA who was the most
feared fourth-quarter player in all of professional basketball. If you know
anything about the sport, you know his name before it is spoken: Michael
Jordan. If you follow basketball at all, and if you ever saw him play, you
know that Michael never quit. When the going got tough and the game
was on the line, when other players caved in to mental or physical
exhaustion, he raised his game up a notch or two.You could almost feel
the sense of hopelessness sweep over the other team.
When everyone else was exhausted, mentally fatigued, and bending
over to catch their breath, Michael Jordan was going for steals, diving for
loose balls, driving the length of the floor, and giving one hundred percent.
He never gave up. He was an opponent’s worst nightmare.
5. What do you think James would say to a follower of Christ
who was ready to bail out on their faith in the middle of a
trial?
6. What character qualities are forged in our lives when we
persevere through the fires of trials and suffering?
The Easy Way Out
I fear our generation has come dangerously near the “I’m-getting-tiredso-
let’s-just-quit” mentality. And not just in the spiritual realm. Dieting
is a discipline, so we stay fat. Finishing school is a hassle, so we bail out.
Cultivating a close relationship is painful, so we back off.Working
through conflicts in a marriage is a tiring struggle, so we walk away.
Sticking with an occupation is tough, so we start looking elsewhere.
—Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Zondervan,
1983, p. 70)
In a world where quitting has become chronic, God says persevere!
Too many people are taking the easy way out.This is true in many realms
of life, including the spiritual realm.Yet God tells us through James that
perseverance through the tough times is the pathway to spiritual maturity
and completion.
Read Job 1:13–2:13
7. How did Job deal with his loss, pain, and suffering?
How can this be a model for you when times of trial come
your way?
A Partner in Suffering
Suppose you knew that the coming week was going to bring a very
powerful trial into your life.What if you knew this trial was going to back
you into a corner, bruise your heart, and test the limits of your endurance?
If you could choose one biblical character to walk with you through
this time of testing (besides Jesus Christ), who would you invite? My guess
is that nine out of ten would pick Job, because he went through a series
of heartaches, tragedies, and trials unlike what almost any other person
in history has ever experienced.
In a brief period of time, Job lost all of his sons and daughters in a freak
accident. He lost all of his livestock and wealth. He lost all of his employees.
Finally, his body broke out in a painful sickness that included open and
aching sores.To top it all off, three of his closest friends told him that all
of this must be a judgment from God due to sin in Job’s life. When Job
thought it could not get any worse, his loving wife whispered in his ear,“If
I were you, I’d just curse God and die!”
Yet in all of this, Job persevered and clung to God with all of his might.
8. How did Job express trust in the character of God (Job
1:20; 2:10) through his suffering?
What is one attribute of God’s character that gives you hope
in times of loss and trial?
9. Later in the story, Job’s friends give some poor counsel.
However, their first response is healthy and helpful. What
positive examples do you see in the response of Job’s three
friends (Job 2:11–13) to his suffering?
10. When you come alongside someone who is in a time of
suffering, what are some authentic and compassionate
ways you can care for him or her?
Who needs your help right now? What can you do to support
him or her?
Celebrating and Being Celebrated
Pray for those in your small group who are going through a
time of struggle and trials. Also, pray for God to use you as an
encourager and comforter to those who are hurting. Second
Corinthians 1:3–4 says:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have
received from God.
Pray for God to use you as an instrument of His comfort
and care.

---

Excerpted from Live Wisely by Bill Hybels, Kevin G. Harney
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.