How far would you go to get what you want? Would you resort to deception, even if it meant destroying your integrity, family relationships, or your Christian witness? Sadly, we see people choosing to deceive all too often. LifeWay's Explore The Bible Study: The Deceiver, will focus on helping us learn to avoid the temptation to deceive one another for personal gain.

The downloadable teaching ideas provide you with some contextual information that should help you introduce and conclude the session. It references two key verses that are important to understanding Rebekah's lack of trust in God and the ungodly motives on which she acted. These verses are:

• And the Lord said to her: Two nations are in your womb [Jacob & Esau]; two peoples will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger (Genesis 25:23 CSB).
• Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:28 CSB)

There are two options provided in the Downloadable Teaching Ideas for guiding the Bible Study. 

One idea suggests using the video below to guide the study of Genesis 27:18-29.

Did you actually take a peak before Christmas at your gifts under the tree when you were a kid? I know I did! I just couldn't wait any longer without doing something to find out what was in my packages. As followers of Christ, we can not only look forward with anticipation to the celebration of Christ the baby each year, but we also have the privilege of anticipating the second return of Christ! The Explore the Bible Study: Anticipation, will help us learn what we are to do while we anticipate the return of Christ.

We are coming to the end of our study of James. In James 5:7-20, we are given some imperatives regarding how  we should live while we anticipate the return of Christ.

OUTLINE
The downloadable teaching ideas will follow this progression and make the following points. Be sure to check out the discussion and information provided.

• Be Patient as you Anticipate the Lord's Return - James 5:7-11
• Be Consistent as you Anticipate the Lord's Return - James 5:12
• Be a Prayer Warrior as you Anticipate the Lord's Return - James 5:13-17
• Be a Restorer as you Anticipate the Lord's Return - James 5:19-20

I certainly don't recommend this, but if you search the internet for articles or other information related to the subject of submission, you will discover just how perverted and polluted this concept is portrayed in our culture today. Yet, from God's point of view, this is not a bad or demeaning word. This is what this week's Explore The Bible study: Submission, will help us understand.

Our TARGET this week is this statement: "We are to submit our entire lives to God." The downloadable teaching ideas contain an outline that first focuses on what it means to submit to God based on James' use of the term in James 4:7. It then outlines these areas that we are to submit to God:

1. We are to submit our positions (our view of ourselves) -- James 4:8-10
2. We are to submit our opinions (our view of others) -- James 4:11-12
3. We are to submit our plans -- James 4:13-16

Here is an overview of James 4:1-12 that you might find helpful as you prepare this session.

An undisciplined tongue can wreck homes, inflame emotions, obliterate reputations, destroy businesses, and send nations to war. A committed, disciplined tongue can inspire holiness, encourage forgiveness, and glorify God. Considering the political and social climate of our country today, this week's LifeWay Explore The Bible Study: Control, comes at a very appropriate time.

The session will focus on James 3:1-12 with a TARGET focused on the following:


The downloadable teaching ideas suggest closing out by using the following verses as a means for the group to consider areas in which they need to ask God to help them control their tongues.

1 Peter 3:10 | Colossians 4:6 | Ephesians 4:29 | Proverbs 10:19 | Proverbs 15:4 | Proverbs 15:28 | Proverbs 21:23 | Psalm 141:3 | Proverbs 12:18 | Proverbs 15:1 | James 1:26 | Psalm 52:2

James uses three analogies in order to illustrate the power of the tongue in James 3:3-6

• Bit – The rider of a horse uses a bit to control and govern a wild, unmanageable horse. Though the bit is small, its use gives riders the potential for turning the animal in whatever direction they wish.
• Rudder – In gales and violent winds, pilots use the rudder to guide the ship to safety or point it in the direction of intended travel. Compared to the size of a ship, the rudder was very small, but its importance in controlling the ship demanded careful attention in its use.
• Fire – A small spark can quickly grow to a raging forest fire destroying everything in its path.

Like the bit for the horse and the rudder for the ship, the tongue is small in comparison to the body and yet has powerful potential to achieve great results, both good and bad. It can stir up violence or promote peace. It can crush the spirit or soothe the discouraged. Like a small spark in a parched forest, the tongue can spark a fire that can turn into a raging, destructive force that is virtually impossible to contain without first wielding unimaginable damage on everything and everyone in its path.

James' conclusion in James 3:7-12 that, while humankind can tame wild animals, they can't tame their tongues without outside help. First, we have no hope of controlling our tongue without first surrendering our life to Christ.  Then, we must constantly ask the Holy Spirit to take control of our speech, since we are not capable of controlling it on our own. The good news is, the Holy Spirit can and will help us control our speech if we ask Him to.

Curtis Vaughan ,in James: A Study Guide, has warned, "A ready tongue without an informed mind, a devout character, and a holy life will hinder rather than advance the cause of Christ. It is extremely easy for vanity, self-conceit, and spiritual pride to creep in."

Let’s strive to never be guilty of having a tongue that hinders someone from being saved or growing in their faith.

We live in an age when many people limit faith to the mere verbal affirmation of "I believe." In LifeWay's Explore The Bible Study: Works, James warns us that people who have correct belief and an empty life are quite deceived. They must have a faith which produces visible evidence of commitment to Jesus Christ.