by weareclctinley on Aug 04, 2024
### Summary
Good morning, CLC! Today, we delved into James chapter five, focusing on five key imperatives that James emphasizes as he concludes his letter. These imperatives are not just commands but essential practices for living a genuine Christian life. The first imperative is to "embrace contentment." James warns us about the dangers of wealth and urges us to be content with what we have, reminding us that our true security should be in God, not in material possessions. The second imperative is to "wait patiently" for the Lord's return. James uses the example of farmers waiting for their crops to illustrate the importance of patience and living with an eternal perspective.
The third imperative is to "pray effectively." James encourages us to pray in faith, anointing with oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit's power. Effective prayer is not complicated but requires faith and alignment with God's will. The fourth imperative is to "confess regularly." James highlights the importance of confessing our sins to one another, not just to God, for healing and accountability. This practice helps us overcome persistent sins and strengthens our community.
The final imperative is to "rescue the wandering." James urges us to go after those who have strayed from the faith, emphasizing the importance of community and mutual care. As we close, I felt led to pray for two groups of people: those who feel distant from God and those who know someone who has wandered away. Let's commit to drawing closer to God and reaching out to those who need to be brought back into the fold.
### Key Takeaways
1. **Embrace Contentment**: James warns us about the dangers of wealth and urges us to be content with what we have. True security comes from God, not material possessions. This is a call to shift our focus from accumulating wealth to trusting in God's provision and purpose for our lives. [44:24]
2. **Wait Patiently**: James emphasizes the importance of waiting patiently for the Lord's return. This involves living with an eternal perspective and making decisions that reflect our hope in Christ's second coming. Patience is not just about enduring delays but about maintaining faith and courage as we await God's promises. [54:05]
3. **Pray Effectively**: Effective prayer involves faith, the power of the Holy Spirit, and alignment with God's will. James encourages us to pray for healing and to use the name of Jesus, emphasizing that prayer is a powerful tool for both physical and spiritual well-being. [01:02:29]
4. **Confess Regularly**: Confessing our sins to one another brings healing and accountability. This practice helps us overcome persistent sins and strengthens our community. It's not just about seeking forgiveness from God but also about creating a support system that helps us grow in holiness. [01:06:28]
5. **Rescue the Wandering**: James urges us to go after those who have strayed from the faith. This is a call to be proactive in our relationships, showing love and concern for those who have wandered away. It's about being a part of their rescue and helping them return to a life of faith. [01:11:04]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[41:21] - Introduction to James Chapter 5
[42:55] - Embrace Contentment
[44:24] - The Danger of Wealth
[46:04] - Generosity vs. Hoarding
[49:53] - Global Perspective on Wealth
[51:25] - Avoid Unnecessary Acquisition
[52:45] - Contentment is a Choice
[54:05] - Wait Patiently
[54:58] - The Lord's Return
[56:12] - Urgency of the Second Coming
[58:12] - Living with Eternity in Mind
[01:00:22] - Examples of Patience in Suffering
[01:02:29] - Pray Effectively
[01:04:08] - The Power of the Holy Spirit in Prayer
[01:06:28] - Confess Regularly
[01:09:23] - The Power of Confession
[01:11:04] - Rescue the Wandering
[01:12:34] - Prayer for Those Distant from God
[01:14:47] - Prayer for Those Who Know Wanderers
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 5:1-20
2. Philippians 4:11-13
3. Exodus 15:26
#### Observation Questions
1. What does James warn about in James 5:1-3 regarding wealth and material possessions?
2. How does James illustrate the importance of patience in James 5:7-8?
3. According to James 5:14-15, what are the steps involved in praying for someone who is sick?
4. What does James 5:19-20 say about rescuing those who have wandered from the faith?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does James emphasize the dangers of wealth and the importance of contentment? How does this relate to our modern context? [44:24]
2. What does it mean to "wait patiently" for the Lord's return, and how can this perspective influence our daily decisions? [54:05]
3. How does effective prayer, as described in James 5:14-15, differ from other types of prayer? What role does faith play in this? [01:02:29]
4. Why is confessing our sins to one another important for healing and accountability, according to James 5:16? [01:06:28]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you are relying on material wealth for security instead of trusting in God? How can you shift your focus to embrace contentment? [44:24]
2. Think about a situation where you are currently experiencing impatience. How can you apply the principle of waiting patiently for the Lord's return to this situation? [54:05]
3. When was the last time you prayed effectively for someone, including anointing with oil and praying in faith? How can you incorporate this practice more regularly in your prayer life? [01:02:29]
4. Is there a persistent sin in your life that you need to confess to a trusted friend for accountability and healing? What steps will you take to do this? [01:06:28]
5. Identify someone in your life who has wandered from the faith. What practical steps can you take this week to reach out to them and show them love and concern? [01:11:04]
6. How can you create a support system within your small group to regularly practice confession and accountability? What benefits do you anticipate from this practice? [01:06:28]
7. Reflect on the urgency of the Lord's return. How does this perspective change the way you live your daily life and interact with others? [54:05]
Day 1: True Security in God, Not Wealth
James warns us about the dangers of wealth and urges us to be content with what we have. True security comes from God, not material possessions. This is a call to shift our focus from accumulating wealth to trusting in God's provision and purpose for our lives. Embracing contentment means recognizing that material wealth is fleeting and can lead us away from our true source of security and peace. Instead, we are encouraged to find our satisfaction and security in our relationship with God, who provides for all our needs.
James reminds us that the pursuit of wealth can lead to greed, envy, and a false sense of security. By embracing contentment, we acknowledge that everything we have is a gift from God and that He is our ultimate provider. This perspective helps us to live generously, share with others, and focus on what truly matters—our relationship with God and our service to others. [44:24]
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV): "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking security in material possessions rather than in God? How can you begin to shift your focus to trust in God's provision today?
Day 2: Living with an Eternal Perspective
James emphasizes the importance of waiting patiently for the Lord's return. This involves living with an eternal perspective and making decisions that reflect our hope in Christ's second coming. Patience is not just about enduring delays but about maintaining faith and courage as we await God's promises. By living with an eternal perspective, we are reminded that our current struggles and challenges are temporary and that our ultimate hope lies in the return of Christ.
James uses the example of farmers waiting for their crops to illustrate the importance of patience. Just as farmers must wait for the right season to harvest, we too must wait for God's timing in our lives. This patience is rooted in our trust in God's faithfulness and His promises. As we wait, we are called to live faithfully, making decisions that reflect our hope in Christ and our commitment to His kingdom. [54:05]
2 Peter 3:8-9 (ESV): "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
Reflection: How can you cultivate patience in your daily life as you wait for God's promises? What decisions can you make today that reflect an eternal perspective?
Day 3: The Power of Faithful Prayer
Effective prayer involves faith, the power of the Holy Spirit, and alignment with God's will. James encourages us to pray for healing and to use the name of Jesus, emphasizing that prayer is a powerful tool for both physical and spiritual well-being. Effective prayer is not complicated but requires faith and a heart aligned with God's purposes. When we pray in faith, we invite the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, bringing about God's will in our lives and the lives of others.
James highlights the importance of praying with faith, believing that God hears and answers our prayers. He also encourages the practice of anointing with oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit's power. This act of faith demonstrates our reliance on God's power and our trust in His ability to heal and restore. By praying effectively, we participate in God's work and experience His presence and power in our lives. [01:02:29]
James 5:15-16 (ESV): "And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: What specific area of your life do you need to bring before God in prayer today? How can you align your prayers with God's will and invite the Holy Spirit to work in that situation?
Day 4: The Healing Power of Confession
Confessing our sins to one another brings healing and accountability. This practice helps us overcome persistent sins and strengthens our community. It's not just about seeking forgiveness from God but also about creating a support system that helps us grow in holiness. By confessing our sins to one another, we open ourselves to God's healing and the support of our Christian community, which helps us to overcome our struggles and grow in our faith.
James emphasizes the importance of regular confession as a means of healing and accountability. When we confess our sins to one another, we break the power of secrecy and shame, allowing God's grace to bring healing and restoration. This practice also fosters a sense of community and mutual support, as we bear one another's burdens and encourage each other in our walk with Christ. [01:06:28]
1 John 1:9 (ESV): "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reflection: Is there a sin or struggle you need to confess to a trusted friend or mentor today? How can you create a habit of regular confession to experience God's healing and accountability in your life?
Day 5: Pursuing the Lost with Love
James urges us to go after those who have strayed from the faith. This is a call to be proactive in our relationships, showing love and concern for those who have wandered away. It's about being a part of their rescue and helping them return to a life of faith. By pursuing the lost with love, we demonstrate the heart of God, who desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance.
James highlights the importance of community and mutual care in the Christian life. When we see someone straying from the faith, we are called to reach out to them with love and compassion, guiding them back to the truth. This pursuit is not about judgment but about restoration and reconciliation, reflecting God's desire for all His children to be in a right relationship with Him. [01:11:04]
Galatians 6:1-2 (ESV): "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Reflection: Who in your life has strayed from the faith and needs your love and support? How can you reach out to them today with the goal of guiding them back to a relationship with God?
Well, good morning, CLC.
You guys look good today. It's good to see every one of you that have joined us.
And just before we dive into James chapter five, I need to mention something to our guys, our men.
Several years now, we have participated with some other churches in a men's unity retreat, be whites and blacks and Hispanics. It's going to look a whole lot like heaven at Lake Geneva. That's Friday, the 16th of August, Saturday, the 17th, Sunday, the 18th, and that's coming right up.
Today is the deadline to register, but one of the organizers and leaders, Mike Evans. Mike, are you in the room right now?
Can I see your hand? Don't see his hand, but he will be in the lobby right now and he will be there after service. So if you would like to register, we'd love to have you go and be a part of that for this year.
All right. Carlton already had us do the moans and groans, but it really wasn't fake. I really hate to see this one end. It's been a wonderful, wonderful series hearing from Pastor Brent and Pastor Chris and Pastor Jason. And I hope I can do it justice as we close today.
We left right out of "At the Movies" and went into what Brent was calling a deep dive in James. And it literally has been that. I still can't wrap my mind around it. There are 108 verses. He's told us this several times, but 108 verses in James and 54 of them contain an imperative, a command, something that we must do. That's amazing.
And so I really like what one man described the book this way. He said, "James speaks especially to those who are inclined to talk their way to heaven instead of walking their way there." Have you known somebody that tried to talk their way into heaven? I don't think it's going to work like that.
So we're not just going to talk the talk. We're going to walk the walk. That's right. And I know that's a cliché that you've heard a dozen times, but it's true.
In fact, let me put it like this. Have you ever had a conversation with someone and just before you were ending the conversation, you remembered something that you had forgotten to tell them that was really important? Ever had that happen? Maybe it's your wife's grocery list, you know, or something that works like that.
And that's kind of how it is in James chapter number five. He's concluding his letter here, and there was something that was really important that he wanted to bring to their attention again.
Now, I'm going to say it this way. I don't expect you to remember all five. I'm using two-word phrases to describe these imperatives, but I don't expect you're going to remember all five of them, or even that you need to do all five of them. But I would be shocked if there's not at least one or two of these that the Holy Spirit wants to get your attention with today.
I forgot to ask you earlier. Do you remember? Everybody on our pastoral speaking team doesn't require this, but I just never have learned how to preach unless you talk back to me. Okay.
And since you haven't seen me up here in a while, you have forgotten how to talk back. Okay. So let's make sure we do some of that because if you really want to be a Christian, I believe this is how.
Okay, so let's start with the first one of those two-word imperatives. The first one is "embrace contentment." Would you say that with me? Embrace contentment.
Contentment. What stood out to me, and I'm almost embarrassed to say this, but as I, when I found out that I was going to be doing this last one of the series, I started reading it and thinking about it, and I was honestly shocked.
What stood out to me—that's probably the best way to say it—was how the American church ignores the danger of money and riches and how important it is for us to instead be content with what we have.
It was like it started in the very first verse, and it was like every other verse almost. It seemed like James was talking to us and calling us rich and talking about what we need to do with our riches.
Let's start in verse one of chapter five. He said, "Look here, you rich people." Pastor Brent pointed out to us almost every time he was up here that James was, you know, he was written to the church. He would address them as brothers and sisters, but not only was he addressing it to the church, but he starts right out from the beginning saying, "You rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on..."
That's the problem. Did you catch that? The very wealth you were counting on. You see, God doesn't mind if you have wealth. He's not opposed to you being prosperous in that sense.
But what is so dangerous for us is that when we start counting on our wealth, our money, our stuff, instead of counting on the word of God and what He wants for us. Thank you. That was a little bit better.
He said, "Your very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment."
And I would say to that, how much better it would be for us to move away from hoarding and greed. Then in the judgment day, it would be much better to give big now. That's why it's one of our core values at CLC that we would encourage generosity. Am I making sense?
Okay. So verse four says, "For listen, hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated out of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of heaven's armies."
He says in verse five, "You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter."
And then in the Message translation of that verse number five, he says, "But all you have to show for it is a fatter than usual corpse."
If I was holding a microphone, I would drop it right now and walk off the stage. I'm telling you, James knows how to talk.
Yeah. And so I would say to us, well, he goes on in verse six, "You have condemned and killed innocent people who do not resist you."
I don't think any of us want poverty, and that's understandable, but I'm starting to think after reading James chapter five that we probably shouldn't want prosperity either. Hello?
Because the consistent witness of Scripture is that money and Christians can be dangerous. And I heard somebody, I don't know, I wasn't sure who it was, but I heard somebody say, "I'm glad I don't have to worry about riches."
I hate to pop your balloon, but if you earned $38,000 last year, which is minimum wage in the state of Illinois, literally, if you earned $38,000 last year, you made more money than 90% of the world's population.
You're rich. That's who James was talking to. He was talking to people that would earn 90% of the world's population.
So find a neighbor that you haven't talked to since Carlton let you shake their hand and say, "You're rich."
I didn't tell you to ask them what their income was. This is just all you need to do. Just say, "You are rich."
You know, just a few months ago, the last part of our Senegal campaign, it seemed like for a while there I was making trips every other week almost.
And one of the things that surprised me, stood out to me, as many times as I go and work with international churches, was seeing these pastors and men of God that for five or six days straight wore the exact same shirt.
And the reason they wore the exact same shirt was not that they were in love with the fashion. It's because they didn't have anything else.
In fact, some of those guys, the year before when I went to Senegal, they were still wearing the same shirt. And the year before that. Because they are living in poverty.
Whereas some of you—and I'm not pointing fingers at anybody—but some of you this morning before you came to church stood in front of a full closet and said, "I don't have a thing to wear today."
Admit it. Admit it.
See, James is trying to get your attention. You are rich. Say that again. You are rich.
I'm sorry, I messed up. Say it like this: I am rich.
You didn't cooperate on that one. You knew it was true, but you just sat through it, sat on your hands. Say it.
I'm going to give you one more chance. I am rich.
All right. All right.
So, because you are rich, James' advice for you would be to avoid unnecessary acquisition. Don't buy stuff that you don't really need.
Why is that true? Because acquired wealth can bring unwelcomed problems to your life.
I love how Ralph Waldo Emerson, the famous American, he said, "A man builds a fine house, and now he has a master, and a task for life. He is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair the rest of his days."
Some of you bought a house and you could say everything that he just said.
Yeah. First, you get some stuff, and then you take care of that stuff, and then you have to repair that stuff. I mean, it just goes on and on. Just an endless cycle.
In fact, often the things that we think we own in reality own us. It is true.
But the Apostle Paul said, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have."
By the way, this is not an argument or a doctrinal dissertation about whether Christians can prosper or whether God wants us to prosper. I'm not getting into that.
What I'm simply trying to tell us is there's a danger there. There's a danger that we can be so wealthy with this world's goods that we forget what the real purpose of that is.
Okay. He says, "I know how to live on almost nothing, or I know how to live on with everything. I've learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it's with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."
And that's why I say today, contentment is a choice. You choose to be content. You decide to be content.
James is challenging all of us. I told you you're not going to want every one of these, but here's the first one. He's challenging us to embrace contentment. It's one of the essentials of the Christian faith.
Embrace contentment. Does that make sense?
Okay. Let's move on to number two then. Two more words, essential words: "Wait patiently," James says.
And I'm not talking about long lines at the grocery store. I'm not talking about trains delaying your trip to church today.
It's one of the things that I dislike about the south suburbs because I can't go anywhere without running into a train. I mean, not literally running into it, but you know what I'm talking about.
Although today, I did outfox them because today they went left and I went right.
Yeah. But James was not talking about delaying your trip. He was talking about a very specific event.
I don't know if you already know what it is, but let's keep moving. He says, "Dear brothers and sisters," there's the reminder that we're talking to the church. "Be patient as you wait for the Lord's return."
That's the main—the word "return" there is the main word in Greek that was used to describe the second coming of Christ. And that's what James is talking about.
"Wait patiently as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You too must be patient. Take courage. For the coming of the Lord is near."
Okay. Now, those of you that have been around CLC, you know that I grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in a Pentecostal church, which means I had two strikes against me right from the beginning.
But I grew up hearing a lot about the second coming as a kid. I heard about it quite often. Maybe you did too.
Anybody in the room did—was anyone here that remembered the Left Behind series?
Anybody remember that? Okay. Quite a few of you.
And for many of us, that Left Behind series, all 16 books in the series, put some fear in us about the coming of the Lord.
And personally, for me, I don't think it was fear as much as decisions that I made, an urgency that influenced my decisions.
In fact, probably you don't know this, but I'll let you in on a little secret that I skipped my senior year of high school because I thought Jesus was coming soon.
And I wanted to get into Bible college and prepare myself so I could start ministry. And I didn't have time to waste two more years in—or waste another year in high school.
That was my attitude back then, which I'm ashamed to admit. And by the way, I did finish high school by quarter. I finished by correspondence.
So parents, if your kid tries to play that trick on you, you just, you know, and quote Pastor Jerry, you just tell him he finished by correspondence.
Okay. So how did I get into all that?
Well, about a year and a half after I had started in Bible college, I met this beautiful blonde down here on the front row. And she was almost as beautiful then as she is now.
What did I say? I really thought Jesus was coming and I needed to get into ministry, as I said.
And part of that was I was worried about Jesus coming because I didn't want to go to heaven while I was still a virgin.
Is this too much? What I mean was, I didn't want to go to heaven without experiencing marriage.
That may not have been James' reasoning, but he does emphasize waiting patiently for the coming of the Lord three times in the space of just three verses.
I've already read two of those verses. Here's the third one. It's in verse number nine. He says, "Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged for. Look, the judge is standing at the door."
He's talking about the coming of the Lord. And he said, "You need to be aware of this. You need to live, you know, like Jesus is coming. You need to live with eternity in mind because He is coming."
Let me ask you a question. I'm not going to tell you to talk to your neighbor. Just, I want everybody to think about this for a second and tell me, when was the last time you heard a message about the coming of the Lord?
Serious, because He is coming again. In fact, James goes on to say in verse 10, "For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering."
For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. And I'm just inserting this. I don't think you have to go that far back to the book of Job. I think there's examples around us even now.
One of the real privileges that Chris and I have had in the last several years was the opportunity to meet a man that we prayed for before we met him.
And the reason we prayed for him was churches all over America were praying. Pastor Farshid in Iran, he was a pastor there and was imprisoned for his faith.
Not because he had done anything wrong, but was sent to prison for five years in the worst prison in Iran. And not only was he imprisoned there, but he was beaten on a regular basis. He was starved. He was interrogated. He was in solitary confinement.
And the worst thing of all, when we met him and got better acquainted a few years back, we learned that he lost his family in the process. His wife and two children are no longer walking with the Lord.
And yet, we saw him again just last month. And he promised that he will come to CLC next year. I'm looking forward to it already.
But when we talked with him, he would say, I'm sure if he was here he would say, with Job or anybody else you could compare in Scripture, just wait patiently because it will be worth it.
I believe it will be worth it. And you can see, James says, you can see how the Lord was kind to Job. He's talking about Job now, not Farshid.
But Pastor Farshid could say the same thing. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
Let's move on to the third imperative. The two-word phrase is "pray effectively." Would you say that with me? Pray effectively.
We all know that prayer is an important part of our walk. So James says it like this in verse 13. "Are any of you suffering hardships? Anyone in the room suffering hardships?"
My goodness. We're a blessed church. If you are suffering hardships and you just didn't want to raise your hand, you should pray.
"Are any of you happy? Anybody happy in the room?"
Okay. Almost as many. "You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? Good. Don't infect the rest of us. You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord."
Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick and the Lord will make you well.
I still remember one day driving into the parking lot. I was listening to a Christian broadcast on the radio. And the pastor that was preaching came to this verse that I just read to you from James 5.
And he said, evidently, back in that day, the anointing with oil, the oil that they used to anoint people, had medicinal value.
And so he said, "James said you should lay hands on them and anoint them with oil because the oil would make them well."
I'm not going to tell you who the pastor was that said that because I was thinking the whole time he was saying it, how can you be that smart and think that?
The oil wasn't used because it was going to make you well. The oil was always a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
And the reason that James says you need to anoint with oil is because you want the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work when you pray for people.
Okay? Such a prayer offered in faith, he said, will heal the sick and the Lord will make you well.
And so I would say to you that praying effectively is not complicated, but it's dependent on the oil of the Holy Spirit and using the name of Jesus, he points that out, and offered in faith according to God's will.
That's what's involved when you pray for the sick. Amen.
You know, in the Old Testament, God gave His people a healing covenant in Exodus chapter 15, verse 26.
I don't know if you've read this before, but Moses, the Lord speaks to Moses and said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you."
If you've ever sung the song, "I am the God that healeth thee, I'm the Lord your healer." I love that song, and it came right there from Exodus 15:26.
But the New Testament, as we know already, is a better covenant than the covenant of the Old Testament because He promises not only to heal us, but He promised that He would also heal, or excuse me, He would forgive our sins.
That's a promise from God, folks. Amen.
And if you—this is James 5:15—if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
Why is that important? Well, have you ever sinned since you got saved? If you have, then you know why it's important for Him to forgive your sin.
I definitely know why that's important because it's His promise to heal us and to forgive us.
Let's move on. Number four. The fourth of these imperatives is to "confess regularly." Would you say that with me? Confess regularly.
And I've got to admit to you, this next verse in James is one that I really didn't understand for probably 30 or 40 years of ministry because he says in verse 16, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that..."
That's so important. The reason that you confess your sins to each other and pray for each other is so that you may be healed.
I think we all understand that we confess our sins to God. You don't have to confess sins to someone else. You confess your sins to God and He will forgive you, okay?
But we confess to each other in order to be healed. Sometimes I've prayed for the same sin. I've asked forgiveness repeatedly. "Lord, here I am again. I blew it again. I said something I shouldn't have said. Did something I shouldn't have done and I need your forgiveness."
And He's gracious and good to forgive. But how much better to do what He's saying here because the reason it's better is I'm still struggling with the same sin.
I'm even reminding the Lord, "Yeah, I did it before. I did it again, okay? But I'm still struggling."
That's why when we confess to people that we trust—I wouldn't do this with just anyone—but if you call to someone that you trust and confess to them so that you can be made whole from your sins, why is the confessing important?
Well, the confessing to people is important because they're going to hold you accountable. I've practiced it.
Now that I've learned what it was all about, I've practiced this with, you know, got a friend that I trust and I explained to him, "I need you to hold me to this. I don't want to keep falling in the same way."
And the next time I saw them, they said, "Hey, how's it going with the thing that we talked about?"
Well, if I know they're going to be asking me, "How's it going?" I don't want to say, "Well, blew it again."
If they're going to hold me accountable, I want to make sure that I've got a good account to give them, okay?
And they will pray for us. That's probably even bigger than the hold me accountable is the fact that now, not only am I praying that I can overcome that issue, whatever it is, but they're praying for me.
And you say, "Okay, no biggie." Yeah, it is a biggie. You look at the next part of the verse.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power. And that word "power" is the same word that we get our English word "energy" from.
When you confess and now they're praying for you, there's some energy being released in their prayers and it produces wonderful results.
So much so that he goes on to say in verse 17, "Elijah was as human as we are." I love that.
I hope somebody—I hope that this is the one that you take with you, that the Holy Spirit will stir up. Because I think too many of us think that we can't do what somebody else can do.
"I can't pray as good as sister so-and-so. I can't, you know, I can't do this as well as someone else."
But the reality is Elijah, who performed seven different miracles in the Old Testament, was just as human as you are.
So when you come to a problem or an issue, instead of saying what you can't do or what you don't have, how about you say, "I'm nothing special, but Elijah was just as human as I am. So if he could do it, I can do it."
Hello? If he can do it, I can do it. And he was as human as we are because ordinary people can make a difference.
And yet, when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. Then when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
That will work. Take that verse with you and use it regularly. Amen.
Number five, we're ending the book of James with two final—not just two final words, but two final verses in 19 and 20.
He says, "My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God."
Before we close, I just want to tell you what I sensed from the Lord as I was preparing this.
I really felt like the Lord told me about two someones. I'm calling them someones because I don't know who it is. I just had this sense that this was going to be the case today.
And I believe that I'm talking to someone, and there was a time in your life that you walked closer to the Lord than you are today.
If you'll admit, if you'll be honest with yourself, you're not as close to God right now as you have been at some period in the past.
And I believe if that's you, I'm going to ask everyone to close your eyes. Just, I don't want anyone to be embarrassed.
But if you think that you're the one that I'm talking about and you want to be included in this prayer, would you just lift your hands so I can see who I'm praying for?
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My goodness, thank you. Thank you. Yes, thank you. All around the room.
Father, I thank you for men and women who raised their hands to indicate they want to be closer to you.
And Lord, you told us in James that if we would seek the Lord and draw near to Him, that you would draw near to us.
And so I thank you for people that raised their hand today because they want to be close to God.
And I'm saying today, you can be as close to Him as you want to be. Make it happen. Help them, Lord. Help them to trust you in a new and fresh way.
In Jesus' name, amen.
I also sense—I told you there were two someones. I also sense that I would be talking to someone today and, as James had pointed out, you know someone.
Instead of me praying for you, I'm wanting you to pray for someone that you know here in the room or here watching online.
And they have wandered—that person that I'm talking to. I'm talking about maybe it's a loved one. It could be a relative. Might be someone that you're close to, friendship-wise.
And they've wandered. You know that they've wandered away from God. They didn't intend to wander, but it happened.
And you're here today so that you could be a part of their rescue. I think God wanted to get your attention that instead of just hearing the message, that you would realize you need to do something about their spiritual condition.
And if you want to, if you want to say that that's you, someone's come to your mind, let's pray right now.
In fact, why don't you stand with me and let's pray together.
Father, I thank you for your word that is forever settled in heaven.
And I ask that you would speak to someone in this room or someone online and stir them about a friend or a family member or a relative that they know has wandered.
And I ask that today you who know who they are, I'm praying that you would reach out to them this week.
Reach out to them. Trust God to bring them home.
In Jesus' name, amen and amen.
Let's worship the Lord together.
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You see, God doesn't mind if you have wealth. He's not opposed to you being prosperous in that sense. But what is so dangerous for us is that when we start counting on our wealth, our money, our stuff, instead of counting on the word of God and what he wants for us." [46:04] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Contentment is a choice. You choose to be content. You decide to be content. James is challenging all of us. I told you you're not going to want every one of these, but here's the first one. He's challenging us to embrace contentment. It's one of the essentials of the Christian faith. Embrace contentment." [53:34] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power. And that word power is the same word that we get our English word energy from. When you confess and now they're praying for you, there's some energy being released in their prayers and it produces wonderful results." [01:09:23] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God." [01:11:04] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You need to live, you know, like Jesus is coming. You need to live with eternity in mind because he is coming. Let me ask you a question. I'm not going to tell you to talk to your neighbor. Just, I want everybody to think about this for a second and tell me, when was the last time you heard a message about the coming of the Lord?" [59:41] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "I think there's examples around us even now. One of the real privileges that Chris and I have had in the last several years was the opportunity to meet a man that we prayed for before we met him. And the reason we prayed for him was churches all over America were praying. Pastor Farshid in Iran, he was a pastor there. And was imprisoned for his faith. Not because he had done anything wrong, but was sent to prison for five years in the worst prison in Iran." [01:00:22] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "I think we all understand that we confess our sins to God. You don't have to confess sins to someone else. You confess your sins to God and he will forgive you, okay? But we confess to each other in order to be healed. Sometimes I've prayed for the same sin. I've asked forgiveness repeatedly. Lord, here I am again. I blew it again. I said something I shouldn't have said. Did something I shouldn't have done and I need your forgiveness. And he's gracious and good to forgive." [01:07:20] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Praying effectively is not complicated, but it's dependent on the oil of the Holy Spirit and using the name of Jesus, he points that out, and offered in faith according to God's will. That's what's involved when you pray for the sick. Amen." [01:04:08] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Ordinary people can make a difference. And yet, when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. Then when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. That will work. Take that verse with you and use it regularly. Amen." [01:10:36] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I believe that I'm talking to someone and there was a time in your life that you walked closer to the Lord than you are today. If you'll admit, if you'll be honest with yourself, you're not as close to God right now as you have been at some period in the past." [01:12:10] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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