Mark 3:21 (NLT) 

When [Jesus’] family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

 
Acts 1:14 (NLT) 

[The disciples] all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

How to Study the Bible (Basic Hermeneutics): 

• Literal Interpretation: What is the plain meaning of the text, taking into account its genre and literary context (i.e., historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, letter, wisdom, etc.)? 
• Historical and Cultural Context: What was going on at the time? What are the historical, cultural, and geographical contexts in which the text was written?
• Scripture Interprets Scripture: We use clearer passages of Scripture to help interpret more obscure or difficult passages.
• Authorial Intent: By seeking to understand the message the original author intended to convey to their audience, we can gain understanding for ourselves in the context of our lives.
• Theological Context: We interpret individual passages of Scripture in light of the overall theology and message of the Bible.

James 1:1–4 (NLT) 

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

1. Embracing troubles builds our endurance, grows our faith, and moves us toward perfection.

James 1:5–11 (NLT) 

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.

Matthew 6:19–21 (NLT) 

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

2. God’s wisdom is available to us when we have an undivided heart.

James 1:12–18 (NLT) 

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

3. God is good, and his tests are meant to grow and strengthen us!