Yesterday
We took a stab at LOOKING at James 5:1-6 on our own.
Today
We will begin to read James 5:1-6 together to understand James’ warning to the rich.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray
Oh Lord, we pray that whoever we are, and wherever we are coming from, that You will meet us right where we are at, and help us hear and see Your Word clearly. Help us to understand and receive what You are saying to us. Thank you!
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha guide us.
Where will you begin?
Begin LOOKING by READING
Let’s read James 5:1-6 together, asking the 5W’s and H questions.
WHAT?
1 Come now,
WHO?
you rich,
WHAT?
weep
and
WHAT?
howl
WHY?
FOR WHAT?
for your miseries
which WHAT?
which are coming
WHERE?
upon you.
2 WHOSE WHAT?
Your riches
WHAT?
have rotted
and
WHOSE WHAT?
your garments
WHAT?
have become moth-eaten.
3 WHOSE WHAT?
Your gold
and
WHOSE WHAT?
your silver
WHAT?
have rusted;
and
WHAT?
their (the gold and silver)
rust
WHAT?
will be a witness
against WHO?
against you
and
WHAT?
will consume
WHAT?
your flesh
like WHAT?
like fire.
(Did you note the 
comparison?)
WHEN?
It is in the last days
WHO?
that you
WHAT?
have stored up
WHOSE WHAT?
your treasure!
4 WHAT?
Behold,
the pay
of WHO?
of the laborers
WHO WHAT?
who mowed your fields,
and
WHAT?
(the pay)
WHAT?
which has been withheld
by WHO?
by you,
WHAT?
cries out
against WHO?
against you;
and
WHAT?
the outcry
OF WHO?
of those who
WHAT?
did the harvesting
WHAT?
has reached
WHAT?
the ears
of WHO?
of the Lord
of WHAT?
of Sabaoth.
5 WHO?
You
WHAT?
have lived
HOW?
luxuriously
WHERE?
on the earth
and
WHAT?
led a life
OF WHAT?
of wanton pleasure;
WHO?
you
WHAT?
have fattened your hearts
WHEN?
in a day of slaughter.
6 WHO?
You
WHAT?
have condemned
and
WHAT?
put to death
WHO?
the righteous man;
WHO?
he (the righteous man)
WHAT?
does not resist you.
Fantastic!
We slowed down, and
We could clearly see ‘WHAT GOD IS SAYING‘.
Now Let’s Keep LOOKING and REASONING About What We Just Read, and Let It Sink In!
Incorporate All Our Strategies
Incorporate All Our Strategies>
Unplug Your Ears!
So let’s do this!
Who are the rich that James is addressing?
Some say this is those on the outside of the church.
While others say it is those on the inside of the church.
THINK: Why would James to be giving this kind of message to outsiders who aren’t there to listen to the letter?
REASON: He is not addressing these people in 3rd person which would be ‘them‘ instead of ‘you’ which is in 2nd person and is seen 16X in these 6 verses.
Understand: There would be no reason to think this is not to those inside the church.
What is the problem?
The rich trusted in their riches instead of God.
Understand: Money gives us the illusion of security and significance that can only be found in God, thru Jesus!
LISTEN…
Is this where I am at?
Am I trusting in my riches? Or, God?
Where do I find my deepest source of security and significance?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
Let’s LOOK at ‘you rich’ who obviously are 
key to this passage.
Check out the meaning.
Rich, ploúsios; abounding with: wealthy.
Riches, ploútos; possessions. (I) Material goods (Matt. 13:22, “the deceitfulness of riches”; Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14; 1 Tim. 6:17; James 5:2;
THINK and REASON for a minute.
You might think, ‘this doesn’t apply to me, I don’t have money’.
But. . .
Let’s consider what it means to be rich?
“At Globalrichlist.com you can enter your annual salary to see where you fall in alignment with the world.
Get this, if you make $1,100 a year, you are wealthier than 1/2 the world!” Adam Sinnett
Understand: Any and all are rich who have more than what they need.
STOP For a Minute!
Why does God give us more than we need?
1. How does a person become rich?
a. Deut 8:18
b. Pro 10:22
It is the Lord who makes one rich. (Deut 8:18); (Pro 10:22)
Understand: We all have some kind of wealth. Some less, some more — that is all planned and determined by God. But it is all a gift from God.
2. But what can riches do?
a. Mat 13:18-23
In the parable of the soils, the 3rd soil, the thorny soil, represents one who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and make us unfruitful. (Mat 13:18-23)
Wealth means mammon, the comprehensive word for all kinds of possessions, earnings, and gains, a designation of material value, the god of materialism.
LISTEN…
How and why have my possessions, earnings and gains, choked out the word of God?
b. 1Ti 6:6-10
When one’s heart is perverted and the love of money controls them,
they fall onto temptation and a snare,
and it leads, to all kinds of evil
plunging them into ruin and destruction,
and judgment, the judgment by God.(1Ti 6:6-10)
THINK: How do we know if we love money?
LISTEN…
Do I love money?
Do I seek to make money, or, do a good job?
Do I think I never have enough?
Do I flaunt it, and what it provides?
Do I resent giving it?
Do I sin to obtain it?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
3. What are riches for?
How should we be using our money?
a. 1Ti 5:8
Provide for the needs of our family. (1Ti 5:8)
b. Luk 6:38; 1Co 16:1-4
Give and it will be given to you. (Luk 6:38)
Give to the Lord’s people, for the Kingdom. (1Co 16:1-4)
c. Luk 16:9
The Context of the love of money Luk 16:14
The Unrighteous Manager is using his money to make friends.
Jesus is saying, use your unrighteous money to make friends for eternity.
Give to win others to Christ. (Luk 16:9)
d. 1Jo 3:17-18; Gal 2:10
Give to those in need. (1Jo 3:17-18 ); (Gal 2:10)
e. Gal 6:6
Give to those who teach you. (Gal 6:6)
LISTEN…
How do I use my money?
Do I support those in ministry and give to those who teach me God’s Word?
Do I give for God’s kingdom purposes, to win others to Christ?
Do I give to those in need?
Take a Breath!
Ponder what God has warned us about!
Have a heart to heart with God, your Creator!
He loves you and desires you, and I, to not just know about Him but to truly know Him.
And to understand His will and ways!
Keep Your Discovery
Copy and paste what we LEARNED in your notes.
Journal your conversations with God.
Turn What We LEARNED into a Prayer 
Perhaps. . .
GRACIOUS FATHER IN HEAVEN, FATHER OF LIGHTS, who gives every good thing and every perfect gift to each of us! YOU HAVE GIVEN TO EACH ONE OF US GENEROUSLY! Oh, we bow before You and acknowledge that everything we have is Yours, a gift from You! We are all rich, because You have made us so! We all have been blessed by You with so much more than we need! I ask Father that You open our eyes to our hearts with regards to riches – money and stuff! I so pray we would be honest before You, confessing and repenting if we have fallen into the snare of loving money and things more than You, Forgive us if we have been deceived by wealth letting it choke Your Word from our hearts, making us unfruitful! Change our hearts oh God! Please help us to bow before You, surrendering it all, to use the way You have commanded and desire! We ask this in your name sweet Jesus! Amen!
Thank you for continuing on this journey in James. A lot of time and distance have been covered, and you are doing great!
Next: We will LOOK at what else the rich were doing.
Need the GODcha Bible Guide? Go to www.Godcha.org and subscribe.