Women's Bible Study - February 21st, 2024 - Power of Prayer

In one paragraph

This was the final session of First B Jackson's women's study through the book of James, taught by Deborah. She brought the series to a close by walking through James chapter five, covering patience in suffering, the danger of grumbling, and the power of prayer, and she wove in personal stories alongside the text to show what it looks like to trust God when circumstances do not change. Deborah...

Read together

1. Matthew 28 Jesus' last words to go and make disciples, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
2. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Paul's instruction to Timothy about the wealthy: not to be proud, trust in God, be generous and rich in good works
3. James 5:7-11 Be patient like the farmer, take courage, no grumbling, example of Job's endurance and the Lord's tenderness
4. Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go
5. Isaiah 40:31 Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles, shared with daughter Julia during her struggle with dyslexia
6. Philippians 2 Start thinking about other people instead of worrying about yourself
7. Proverbs 11:25 The generous will prosper and those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed
8. Job 38-40 God questioning Job about the foundations of the earth and the limits of the ocean
9. Job 42:12 The Lord blessed Job more in the second half of his life than the first
10. James 5:13 Are you suffering? You should pray
11. Mark 6 Anointing with oil was medicinal, used in healing during that culture
12. Luke 10 Anointing with oil was medicinal, used in healing during that culture
13. 1 John 2:20 All believers have the anointing of the Holy Spirit
14. 1 John 5:14 Confidence in approaching God: if we ask according to his will, he hears us
15. Matthew 6 Jesus teaches the model prayer, the Lord's Prayer
16. John 14 Jesus teaches disciples to ask in his name
17. Matthew 7 Jesus teaches that God knows how to give good gifts

Talk about it

1. Deborah described discipleship as paying attention to which voice you are listening to and following, whether that is culture, media, friends, or God. Which voice do you find yourself listening to most often, and what has helped you tune it out in favor of God's voice?
2. Deborah used her grandparents' farm to illustrate what patient endurance looks like: waiting with hope, working through the waiting, and calling on the Lord to send rain. When you are in a hard season, what does it look like practically for you to work while you wait rather than just sit and worry?
3. James says not to grumble while you are suffering, and Deborah mentioned that shifting your focus outward to serve or refresh someone else can change your own attitude. Has that ever been true for you? What made it hard or easy to do when you were already stretched thin?
4. The clip from The Chosen showed Jesus explaining to Little James why he was not going to heal his condition physically, telling him his story of praising God in spite of suffering would reach people that a healing miracle never could. How does that reframe the way you think about prayers that seem to go unanswered?
5. Deborah closed by asking the group to pray specifically for her friend Jane, and she said she believes, one way or another, God is going to give Jane her miracle. What does it mean to you personally to hold onto faith that God is for you when the circumstances in front of you say otherwise?