James 1 NKJV

My friends in Holland are Studying James 1 tonight so i decided to add my two cents:
I read it in the New Kings James Version and enjoyed the warning.

Catching up with Kevin Brock

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials
"Fall Into"- It's almost like it is saying when you end up getting yourself into trouble (which is inevitable), take joy in the fact that you will grow. I find it interesting that it puts the responsibility on you, but tells you to not blame yourself.... Enjoy the Ride!

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
"Let Patience..."- It's almost as if it is telling you to let Patience have what he is entitled to! Like you are robbing Patience of his victory dance if you get disgruntled and discontent.

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
"Let the Lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation." For a guy like me who deals with the idol of success, this verse hits home. It is so backwards. The NIV says 'humble position,' but the NKJV is almost saying that those who were caught up in the pursuit of money and possessions will be humiliated... humbled when they realize the pettiness of it. Easy to say, hard to wrap your mind around!

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
"Drawn away by his own desires." God would NEVER lead us into something evil that is contrary to Him! (This is when a clearly defined definition of evil would come in handy) Interesting though, we are drawn away by our own desires. He doesn't say God's, he doesn't say Satan's, our own.
ANSWER: Once could conclude then, that a good way to keep from sinning would be to quench those desires that are evil as early as possible.
(Once again a clearly defined definition of evil would come in handy)

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,
"continues in it" It is almost as if you never stop looking at the verses(law of liberty) even when you are done reading and walk away from the book. This is very anti- read a chapter so you can get on with life and very much stop when you find something that catches your attention and capture those moments when a verse or scripture captures your attention during conversation or everyday life. I LIKE IT!!!

26 If anyone among you^[b] thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
"does not bridle his tongue" if there is one thing i have learned in Proverbs it is that God Hates...I mean HATES lies and deceit!!!

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
This Verse it so SIMPLE Yet so DEEP!!! It is giving us an Answer!!! A definition of PURE & UNDEFILED RELIGION before GOD! A Religion God approves of! Basically, 1. To help those in need and 2.keep clean from this world.

1. Visit The orphans & widows in their trouble
   
1. orphans
1. They could be trouble kids
2. They could have little potential by the world's standards
   
2. widows
1. Life is probably dealt to them unfairly
2. They are lonely
3. They are probably in physical hardship
   
2. Keep Oneself unspotted from the world
1. "Unspotted/unmarked by the world"- this seems near impossible
2. The world, the flesh, seems like a part of us... but we must remember: IT HAS NO MORE A PLACE THAN THE PURE BEING GOD ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR US, once we are reconciled with him.