http://bible.com/events/48855600

James and the Power of Prayer
Prayer is not a last resort for the powerless.
It is the first weapon we have from an all-powerful God.

‭‭James‬ ‭5:13-16‬‬
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 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. 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. 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.

-In trouble? Pray
-Happy? Sing songs of praise to God
-Sick? Ask the elders to pray over you
-Sinned? Go to God in prayer for forgiveness

No matter what your situation – no matter what – go to the Lord immediately.

-Prayer is ultimately about coming to Him
-Prayer does something in me, as I pray
-Prayer does something in us, as we pray together
-Prayer is powerful

“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:16 (The Message)

Prayer is not a last resort for the powerless.
It is the first weapon we have from an all-powerful God.

Verses for further study/reflection:
Philippians 4:6-7
1 John 5:14
Mark 11:22-25
Matthew 18:19-20
Romans 8:26-27

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:5-13‬‬
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

‭‭James‬ ‭5:13-16‬‬
Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48855600

James and the Power of Prayer
Prayer is not a last resort for the powerless.
It is the first weapon we have from an all-powerful God.

‭‭James‬ ‭5:13-16‬‬
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 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. 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. 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.

-In trouble? Pray
-Happy? Sing songs of praise to God
-Sick? Ask the elders to pray over you
-Sinned? Go to God in prayer for forgiveness

No matter what your situation – no matter what – go to the Lord immediately.

-Prayer is ultimately about coming to Him
-Prayer does something in me, as I pray
-Prayer does something in us, as we pray together
-Prayer is powerful

“The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:16 (The Message)

Prayer is not a last resort for the powerless.
It is the first weapon we have from an all-powerful God.

Verses for further study/reflection:
Philippians 4:6-7
1 John 5:14
Mark 11:22-25
Matthew 18:19-20
Romans 8:26-27

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:5-13‬‬
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

‭‭James‬ ‭5:13-16‬‬
Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48849730

James and the Power of Patience
“Be patient and stand firm because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:8

‭‭James‬ ‭5:7-11‬‬
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

-This is not just a call to patience in general, but rather a command to be patient in suffering.
-Farmers don’t plant seeds and expect instant crops. They wait. That’s the visual here.
-In essence what James is saying is, “Don’t give up (be patient) and as you are enduring, encourage yourselves, strengthen your hearts (stand firm).”
-The reality of Christ’s return is a promise that we are not alone in our suffering. He is with us now through the power of His Spirit, and He is coming back!

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:10-13‬‬
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Applying these truths in our lives today:
1. STOP being surprised
-we cannot be surprised when hard times come in our lives
-“consider it joy when you face trials” (James 1:2)
-Jesus said “in this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)
2. START standing firm
-Don’t be surprised. Hard times will come. Challenges will come. This broken world will experience more brokenness. Be patient. Stand firm.
-We can stand firm, because our eyes are fixed on Him.
-We can stand firm, because His promises are true.
-We can stand, because His Spirit is within us. And this is not the end.

Verses for further study/reflection:
Romans 12:12
Galatians 6:9
Romans 8:25
Ephesians 4:2
Psalm 37:7-9

‭‭James‬ ‭5:7-11‬‬
Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner. Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY