Real Faith for Real Life Faith Service Worship Vision
There may be times when you find it difficult to reconcile God’s truth to your own opinion or worldview, God’s truth is eternal, it does not change, our understanding of the truth does change as we allow God to work in our hearts and minds. These sessions are not about opinion, they are about learning truth, the truth contained in the Bible, together we are going to focus on how we apply God’s truth, black & white in a grey world. To set godly priorities, grow in Christian character and live according to God’s standards so that we are a living witness to others. Notes from previous sessions are available from the Bible Study Section of www.ashingdonelim.co.uk.
Session 7
31 May 2011
Faith in All Circumstances James 5:13-5:20 Recap The overarching theme of James is the reality of our faith is shown in how we act and is shown by what comes out of our mouths and off our tongues. In every chapter James writes about things that should not be coming out of the mouth of a person of faith. In Chapter 1, James tells us that our tongue should be slow to speak (1:19). In Chapter 2, James tells us to not be hypocritical with our tongues by speaking words of comfort without works that comfort. In Chapter 3, James tells us that the tongue is wicked and that it is often used to curse men and that those who teach need to be very careful because they will be judged on the teaching that comes from their tongue In chapter 4, James tells us that the quarrelling that comes from our tongues, really reveals our evil desires. (4:1-2). He also tells us to not slander with our tongues (4:11) or speak presumptuously about the future like we control it (4:13-17) James shows that a false faith or a faith that needs to grow can be checked with what comes out of our mouths. But a real faith can also be seen by what comes out of our mouth.
A tongue of real faith In this last part of Chapter 5, James wraps things up with 5 things that should be coming from the tongue of someone who has a real faith. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 13
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 17
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:13-20) 19
James talks about some different circumstances of life that each of us will face and what should be coming out of the mouth of a person of faith who finds themselves in those circumstances.
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Pray when your in trouble
What is your favourite song or hymn and why do you like it?
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray (James 5:13a)
Do you ever find yourself singing songs of praise as you go through the day?
The word translated as “trouble” in the NIV, could also be translated as “suffering.” In times of trouble and suffering, James tells us that we need to be praying to the Lord with our tongues so we can be strengthened and endure. Paul uses this same word when he tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5 to “endure hardship.”
Singing is a simple way for us to connect with and worship our God. He is the provider of every good and perfect gift. He is the One who meets our needs when we seek His kingdom and righteousness. He is the One who paid the price for our sins so we might experience eternal life. He is the One who has brought circumstances into our life so we can rejoice in them.
Do you find it easy or difficult to turn to God in times of trouble or suffering?
Don’t just sing, sing praises to Him.
We all will face circumstances that bring suffering into our life. All of us have faced, and will face, times of trouble and times of suffering. James told us at the beginning of this letter to take joy in trials because they produce perseverance which God uses to mature and complete us so we don’t lack anything.
The Chris Tomlin song, “How can I keep from singing” How can I keep from singing Your praise How can I ever say enough How amazing is Your love How can I keep from shouting Your name I know I am loved by the King And it makes my heart want to sing
Can you think of a time when God give you peace in the midst of trial or suffering?
It is when we focus on His love and what He has done in providing salvation, our times of suffering can change to times of joy and happiness and it makes our hearts want to sing.
Being a Christian and following the Lord’s will does not mean that we will not suffer. Most of the writers of the Bible went through suffering, some more extreme than others. For example, Paul suffered and he told Timothy that he was going to suffer and that he should endure.
Remember the story of Paul and Silas when they were in Philippi. As they were preaching the gospel, some of the people caused an uproar.
Paul also told Timothy (2 Timothy 3:12) that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 22
That is one of the reasons that the Lord has given us the ability to speak to Him, to pray. When we rely on Him He is able to strengthen us to His glory and to our ultimate benefit as He matures and completes us.
How do you deal with trouble or suffering? Are you most likely to glorify God or complain about the situation?
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:22-25) 25
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
They were beaten and flogged and suffering, but they prayed and the Lord strengthened them and gave them peace and brought them to a place of joy and happiness where they were singing hymns to the Lord.
That is a test to show us areas we may need to grow in or maybe even, it is showing us the reality, or falseness, of our own faith.
Do you focus on what you don’t have, or on what the Lord has given you? We need to rejoice and sing praises to the One who has provided so much for us.
Praise when you are happy
What are you thankful for today?
Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. (James 5:13b)
God can strengthen us even in the midst of trouble and suffering so that we are joyful and can sing His praises even when our circumstances, from a worldly view, should not be joyful.
The root word translated here as songs of praise is where we also get the word Psalms, which are pieces of music or sacred songs. It is amazing to me how songs can express our emotions in ways that mere words cannot. And most of the time singing is joyful.
Sing praise to the King. Give Him the glory for what He has done. Remember that everything we have is from Him.
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Call when you are sick
The Lord told Israel through Isaiah in, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.” (Isaiah 1:15)
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15) 14
Why? It was because of their sin. But, John tells us, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
In verse 14, the first word translated sick ἀσθενεῖ (asthenei), indicates that it is a person who is very sick physically and in a very weakened condition, without any strength. It is not a person who has a cold. Perhaps this person is so sick they can barely even concentrate in prayer themselves. They should call for the elders of the church and the elders stand in the gap for this sick person and pray for him.
The Lord purifies us from unrighteousness and restores the righteousness we received by the blood of Jesus for our daily living. This is like when the Lord was washing the disciples feet and Peter did not want his feet washed. Jesus said that if you don’t you have no part with me. Then Peter said, then not just my feet, but my hands and head as well. Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. (John 13:10)
There is a problem with the translation of these verses in most English bibles - the word in verse 15 translated as “sick” is a different word than the word translated as “sick” in verse 14. The word translated in verse 15 as “sick” is κάμνοντα (kamnonta) which is talking about depression or the weariness that comes from sickness, toil or burden.
If we have trusted Christ and received Jesus as our Saviour, we are clean in terms of our eternity and standing before the Lord in regards to our eternal life. But as we go through this life, we are going to sin and we need to confess that sin, have our feet washed so to speak, so that we can continue walking in righteousness and so that our prayers and our physical life are not hindered by the unrighteousness of sin.
This is not a blanket promise of healing for anyone who calls the church leaders and offers up prayers in faith. But, I do believe that anyone who is very sick and weakened should be calling the leaders of the church to pray for them and anoint them.
And when we do, we are cleansed and restored and our prayer life can be powerful and effective. Look at the example James gives in the next verses.
Look at the last part of verse 15. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. If a person who is sick and has been made that way due to sin in their life, if they call for the elders of the church and by the prayers of the elders and the anointing of oil, which is symbolic for the Holy Spirit, and their sin is shown to them and they confess, they will be healed This promise is for those who are sick because of sin and recognise their sin and confess and repent.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. 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. (James 5:16b-18)
Confess your sin
When we confess our sins, God cleanses us from unrighteousness, He makes us righteous and then when we pray for one another, our prayer is powerful and effective just like Elijah’s. Confession of sin and prayer go hand in hand.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16) Now this is not just confession to the church leaders, but he says that we should confess to each other and pray.
Finally, James ends with one last thing that the faithful should be doing with their tongue and this I believe is our greatest privilege and responsibility.
Do you have a person in your life that you can be open and honest with and accountable to?
Tell others the truth
Do you have a person you give permission to ask you hard questions?
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)
Is there a Christian you are close enough to, to confess your sins and have them pray for you and with you? We are all going to face times when we sin. We need to confess not only to God, but to someone else as well so that we can have help in overcoming sin and to be praying for us. Sin is a hindrance to our relationship with the Lord and damages our walk and witness.
God’s desire is for everyone to know and live in the truth of His word and the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
When was the last time you shared the Gospel? 3
Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:3 that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” And he wants you and me to share that truth with others. Paul tells us in Romans, speaking about people who have not yet heard the gospel, How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
What stops you from sharing the truth with others? This is the greatest use of our tongue and a person of faith needs to be growing in faithfulness to be able to share the truths of God’s word and the gospel of Jesus Christ in loving ways.
Conclusion To be able to do this, to be able to use our tongues as people of faith, to tell others of the truth of the gospel, is going to require that we are praying and confessing sin so we are being cleansed of unrighteousness and we can effectively be used of the Lord to share this awesome truth and have the privilege leading someone else into eternal life instead of the eternal death, the separation, that awaits all those who die without the Lord. To be able to use our tongues as people of faith requires that we are a person of faith. Not just of faith in general, but faith in Jesus Christ. John 1:12 tells us that “all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” God wants all of us to be living a Real Faith for Real Life.
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