smallville, small group, biggie smalls

i have the priveledge of leading a small group of approximately 14-16 students in the bel air area. on a good night we will have as many as 20 students. they are awesome, full of questions, and the coolest kids in MD. we have been going through the book of james for the last 4 weeks. we are still in the first chapter. it has proven to be very beneficial, james is a very practical book. so we have been discussing each different concept that we have come across in the book. i think that the best one went a little like this...

if you were go out and buy a skateboard....and you didnt know anything about it what would you have to do?
1. admit that you don't know anything about the skateboard, except that it rolls on the ground.

2. you would ask someone who knew what they were talking about and get the best information from them about this skateboard.

3.believe that, that person gave you the right information...and not doubt that they would steer you in the right direction

now say you didnt believe that this person knew what they were talking about and you went out to try to find the skateboard yourself with out following their guidance. you would end up running from store to store not knowing which skateboard is the best one to buy, or you would just buy the first one you saw which could turn out to be problematic because you didnt put much thought in it, and you didnt get the best deal.

i parralleled this with...

james 1:5-8

v5.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generouslyto all without finding fault,and it will be given to him.

v6.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

v7.

That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;

v8.

he is double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

no matter how crappy that parrallel is it worked and it helped all of us kind of get a good grasp on what this passage was trying to say...we meet every week and i have to find ways each week to explain scripture and it is pretty hectic with all of school and things....i thinks its awesome though...the lord is helping us learn together through this