August 25, 2010

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:13-20

Some incredible things start happening when God's people begin understanding that prayer is a RELATIONSHIP not just a RESOURCE! Big changes happen when you understand that GOD IS your resource and not just the provider of them. You enter into a relationship with Him not to get something FROM Him but to get everything IN Him!

There is more good news! Can you handle that?

Look at what you get when you enter into a healthy relationship with God through prayer:

Personal Prayer - "Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." V. 13

James, in his final words, urges believers to live in an intimate relationship with God that is characterized by continual prayer. When you are hurting, pray! When you are happy, pray! No matter what is going on in your life share it with God. Center your life, your loves, and your longings on Him.

That is the foundation of a healthy relationship with God which is the foundation of all other healthy relationships.

Powerful Prayer - "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." Vv. 14-16

People who are in healthy personal relationship with God have a great opportunity to live in heal thy relationship with each other. That is God's great ambition for us within His Church. And when healthy people come together to call upon their God and agree according to His Word in behalf of one another - powerful things happen! Healthy things happen! In fact, health happens!

For my entire life I have heard this portion of Scripture referred to as a prescription for physical healing. Now I understand it is, indeed, that. BUT it is significantly more than that! It is the path to health!

A healthy church fellowship arises from healthy believers living in intimate relationship with God. When they come together to call up Him for a commonly agreed upon need, powerful things happen! Healthy things! Not only healing but health happens!

What do I mean by health? I refer to James' counsel to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed". That sounds good doesn't it? That is a great promise on its face, but it is so much more than a one-time healing it is a prescription for ongoing health for individuals and for the church body! This is talking about two powerful spiritual disciplines - transparency and accountability. When practiced within a church prayer becomes power and the church becomes healthy!

James is advocating that we not settle just for physical healing but that we press for spiritual health. He expresses his belief that unhealthy spiritual and emotional issues contribute to many of our health problems. We do this by being transparent enough to confess to those in spiritual authority the sins that hold us in bondage. He tells us that when we do this and when we pray for each other for these sins healing and deliverence happens. Not only are we healed but we become healthy!

Prevailing Prayer - "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:17-20

One of the most revered men among the Jews was Elijah. Rightly so! He was a powerful prophet who was mightily used of God and who was rewarded with one of the awesome exits any human being has experienced - remember the firey chariot thing?

Who can forget his great victory on Mt. Carmel? James reminds us of how he caused a 3 1/2 year drought that led up to the victory on Mt. Carmel. He was one of the supernatural visitiors who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. This guy was special!

But James is saying we can be special too if we do the hard work of having a healthy relationship with God - a personal relationship and powerful relationship together. The reason that is true is because we serve the same God Elijah did. The same power is available to us if we will seek God and godliness has he did.

Elijah's passion was to call sinners back to God. In particular, he wanted to call the people of God back to their God. Everything he did was for that purpose. The dramatic events on Mt. Carmel we for that end. And that is the point of what James is saying here, "We need the spirit of Elijah in prevailing prayer for lost or straying people!" That prevailing prayer can only happen when God's people in God's Church will enter into healthy personal relationship and into powerful healthy fellowship and then God will encourage them in prevailing intercession for the lost!

That my friends is a healthy church! That is what I envision. That is my passion. That is better than healings and it will become a healing place!

You, my friend can be as powerful as Elijah! If you want to......

August 24, 2010

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:13-20

Last words are important. Last words of important people are especially important. Last words of important people talking about important things are very important.

So, as James draws this important Book to a conclusion what do you think his focus would be?

Since he has been reminding these believers what a healthy church looks like it would stand to reason that what he says would be most important and he would center on important stuff. What important stuff should a church know in order to be healthy?

According to what he writes in these last several verses, healthy relationships are essential to a healthy church fellowship. And healthy church relationships center around prayer, praise, personal purity, and passion for spiritually unresolved people. Healthy horizontal relationships result in healthy vertical relationships. The better we get along with one another the better we will get along with God and the better we relate to God the better we will relate to others - especially believers in our fellowship.

For years I have looked at this portion of Scripture and focused on the promise for healing. God does heal. But after He heals you, then what? How do you stay healthy? How do you become more healthy?

I think this is the focus of what James is communicating as he seeks to close an important letter filled with important reminders.

Let's explore some of these things together over the next several days.

I commented on prayer yesterday but there is much more to be said about it. Prayer IS the key to a healthy relationship with God and having a healthy relationship with Him is essential to your health. Praying with others is central to healthy relationships with them. Praying together with other believers is a key component of spiritual unity and power. As you call on Him together you are bonded to Him and to one another. As you interceed to God for one another, fellowship goes to another level. Love grows. Compassion grows. Trust develops. Friendship deepens.

Those are all healthy things!

You knew prayer was important but maybe you just didn't understand HOW important it is. Now you do! So, how will this influence your prayer life? What will you do differently in your prayer life - pray tell?

The old saying is trite but true, "The family that prays together stays together" and they like it!

August 23, 2010

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:13-20

Next Sunday, the Lord willing, I will be closing out the Summer Sermon Series on James. In preparation for that I am sitting here trying to get my mind around the incredible truths of these concluding verses of this intensely practical book.

I have a lot of studying and meditation to do in order to do justice to these important insights. But, let me share an initial thought with you as we begin a new week.

James, in his book has been painting the picture of a healthy church. The Church of Jesus Christ has lost its initial momentum and has been scattered due to persecution so James writes this letter to call them back to what they should be. As one who has a passion to build a healthy church, James is a book I lean on heavily.

Summing up his counsel James ends with an admonition on pray. Makes sense doesn't it?

All this week and in my message Sunday we will be exploring prayer and its proper place in the Church but first let me establish a basic premise to build upon.

I believe one of the mistakes people make with prayer is they see it as a resource for getting what they desire from God.

How is that a mistake? Isn't that what prayer is for?

As I understand it prayer is a relationship with God and God is our resource. Prayer is NOT the resource it is the connection to our Resource.

Brad, that sounds like you are splitting hairs.

Not really. I think that is a significant distinction. If you prayer because you want to get something FROM God you will approach it much differently than if you want to pray so you can be WITH God. Do you see what I mean?

When I am in relationship with God I have everything I need! He IS what I need! There is nothing I need that He cannot provide for me. I don't ask God to give me what I want, I give God what HE wants - me! - all of me! I love Him. I lose myself in Him. I lead my life through His power and His truths. And in that relationship with Him, prayer becomes something that happens THROUGH me not something that happens TO me?

You may not agree with me on this at first thought. But I challenge you to give it a second thought. Meditate upon it. And then read James 5:13-20 from this perspective and see if it makes a difference in how this portion of Scripture plays out.

This IS a blog so give me some feedback!

August 22, 2010

"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." James 5:10

James never says, "If you suffer", he assumes that Christians WILL suffer. And with good reason - you will!

I am not being morbid or negative but think with me why it must be true that believers will necessarily suffer. Either you will try to conform to the thoughts and behaviors of this world or you will surrender to the Lordship of Christ and follow Him. Those are your two options and either one will result in suffering.

If you are a believer and yet you are chasing the world filled with worldly desires and attitudes, God is going to discipline you through suffering. He loves you too much to allow you to walk away from Him and return to your self-centered life so He will allow difficulties to enter your life to chasten you.

And, if you are a believer and you sincerely and whole-heartedly follow Christ in humility obediece you will please your God BUT you will think and act in a way that is contrary to the world. So, at the same time you are pleasing God you will run into conflict with the people of the world.

Christians are stretched between two worlds. You can only live in one, so you will always be in opposition to one of them. That causes conflict and suffering.

Those James wrote his letter to were suffering because of their testimonies. They were trying to live for God and were running afoul of the world. The ways of the world and the people of the world were trying to push him into their mold. Their refusal to do so was bringing suffering upon them.

So, the decision is yours. You can suffer for doing right or you can suffer for doing wrong. Which will it be?

I know - you want another choice! You would rather not suffer at all!

Good luck with that one!

You can suffer for doing right now or you can try avoid suffering now and put yourself at risk of terrible suffering forever.

Choose how you will suffer!

August 21, 2010

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." James 5:7-10

This section of Scripture combines to concepts that we neither welcome or understand well - patience and suffering.

I guess that is precisely why James writes about it! We need to understand.

In our fast forward, full speed ahead world, we tend to think of patience as something passive - a waste of time. We don't wait well and we don't do silence very well.

Would it help if I told you that is not what is required here?

Just look at the illustration James uses to show what he means by patience. He uses the illustration of a farmer. I don't know if you grew up around farmers but I did. They are busy people. It is not like they plant their crop in the Spring and sit around all Summer waiting for the harvest. Their waiting for the crop to grow and ripen involves fertilizing it and weeding it and maybe even irrigating it during a prolonged dry spell. Waiting is an activity for farmers and they wait well because they know the payoff is coming with the harvest.

He also points to the spiritual fathers that we all admire. All of them suffered and all of them showed great patience during their period of pain. None more that Job, of course. But we learn from them another version of the same concept. While they were suffering they made positive use of their time. They sought God through prayer and fasting. The meditated on His Word. Mostly, they watched expectantly to see what He would do in the midst. These men of God knew that God never waists pain. He always uses suffering to shape us and mature us and give us understanding of Who He is and how He works. Through our suffering we identify more closely with His sufferings.

It is important to understand that James' admotion to be patient in suffering is not an encouragement to do nothing. We are not to resign ourselves to fate and wait like some helpless victim. Patience understands there are seasons in life and that each season has its purpose. Patience looks for God. Patience longs for God. Patience lives out God's word in obedience and faith. Patience understands that the harvest is coming and the pay off will be sweet!

August 20, 2010

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned." James 5:12




As I began studying this portion of Scripture it looked at first glance that it might be misplaced. I didn't immediately see how it fit in this section about suffering. But on further meditation I came to see it differently. In fact, the entire section hinges on this one verse!



How so?

What James is telling us in this verse is essentially, "don't play fast and loose with God's truth."

There is never a time when you can afford to depart from God's truth, but ESPECIALLY when you are suffering you need to cling to the truth of Who God is and what He can do. Pain has a way of negatively affecting our thinking. When you are hurting your mind is more susceptible to the lies of the enemy. Suffering can distort your perspective on God and put your future in doubt. That frame of mind can cause you to doubt God and doubt yourself and despair for your future.

Sound familiar?

Here are some ways your thinking gets distorted in the midst of suffering:

You tend to speculate.

When you don't understand what is happening to you or why you are going through it, your human tendency is to speculate why it is happening. You speculate that you may have done something wrong that caused the suffering - that God is puniching you. Or you speculate why God caused this thing to come upon you. Speculating leads you away from the truth and into doubt. If you want answers prayfully search His Word. Meditate don't speculate!

You tend to exaggerate.

If you allow yourself to get immersed in your own suffering you will give way to self-pity. Self-pity leads you to exaggerating your pain and underestimating God's power. Obviously, that is not a good combo.

Make sense?

When you consider the perils of speculation and exaggeration you begin to understand the importance of "letting your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'" Stay firmly rooted in the truth! Do not deviate one inch from what you know to be true about God. Let God be true and your pain, your doubt, your specualtions, your exaggerations - anything else be false!

What are you listening to?

August 19, 2010

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned." James 5:12

I find it interesting that when a witness is sworn in by the court to testify he promises to "tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

Hold that thought as you take a look at our text this morning. Let's first take a look at this oath and then take a look at this verse and see how they intersect.

First, take a look at the oath. Does the oath imply that it is possible to tell a partial truth? It almost sounds like it. We know better. There is no other truth but the whole truth!

Second, by taking this truth are you conceeding that you are normally a liar? It almost sounds like that. To me it sounds like when you take that oath you are in effect, saying "I normally lie but this time I am going to tell the truth."

How much confidence does that inspire?

Third, if you can choose to tell the truth sometimes then why would you not tell the truth all the time?

If you appreciate the irony of this then you can understand the point that James is making in verse 12. Remember, too, that he is giving counsel and advice to Christians. That being true you would wonder why he has to tell them not to lie.

What are we called to do within a local church?

Right, we are to love each other.

What is important to being able to love each other?

Trust?

Right!

Respect?

Correct!

Trust and respect are foundations upon which love is built. You will find it hard to love someone you can't trust or respect. That is one reason why truth telling is essential to a healthy church. Who wants to be part of a fellowship where you can't trust one another?

Me neither.

So, the purpose of a legal trial in a court room is to arrive at the truth via evidence and the testimony of witnesses. Understanding that, how many lies would it take to subvert that process? Not many! Maybe one!?

The purpose of the church is to proclaim the truth through the evidence of honest living and truth telling. How many dishonest people does it take to negatively impact the testimony of a church? Not many! Maybe one.

In a court room, a false testimony could cost the life of a defendent.

In the church fellowship distorting the truth could cost an eternal soul.

When you made the decision to become a Christ-follower you committed to become a truth-teller. As a Christian you are in a personal faith relationship with Jesus - The Truth. So how can you walk in faith and not live in truth. You don't need an oath you need obedience. Seek the truth and speak the truth.

Will you walk in truth today?