No Turning Back F.R.O.G

[Growing Pains, our faith will be tested but we can and will endure by holding on to Christ and the good gifts that He gives us: - Salvation/His Spirit

- Wisdom from Above

- His very Word.

We also talked about Good Produce

Because we have be saved by grace through Faith in Christ alone, our life will be producing good. Our produce, what comes from our life will be good. Good work like Loving All People and Speaking truth and life.

To continue on that idea turn with me to chapter 5.

Background:

James has been hinting at something throughout the whole book when it comes to trials, suffering, serving, and loving. In Chapter 5, he wraps it all up by helping us understand that we are better together. The division needs to come to an end and we need to help, encourage, support, give truth, confess, and pray for one another so we can stand firm in truth.

So the main idea for tonight is knowing that

Active Faith is a Faith that is Standing Firm. James 5

James 5:12–20 (ESV)

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 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. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James, I believe, kind of in a way is going back to how his book started, and is bringing things to a close. Trials and suffering go hand in hand. He has this understanding that the time and place the dispersed people where in was one that was going to be difficult and not just physically but spiritually as well. James just before this in verses 7-11 wrote to people who were being oppressed, and mistreated, and then goes into talking both about physical and spiritual suffering and what he leads them to do.

Those things are:

Pray, Confess, Keep

- Active Faith looks like praying continually.

In this last nine verses 12-20 a variation of the word pray is used 7 times. Whether that be pray, prayer, prayed. Seven times. That’s big deal, anytime something is repeated in scripture you should begin to think man the author is really trying to communicate something about this.

That thing in this passage is prayer. James is trying to help us understand that prayer is an essential part of enduring suffering, difficult season, trials.

Prayer is Depending on God.

You are giving to God your worries and concerns because you know He listens to, cares for you, loves you, and wants to lead you, and you are also listening to Him to hear how he answers.

Also, my study said it this way, prayer is the ultimate way to tame one’s tongue.

Maybe your situation is not good and all you want to do is complain, be fearful - then pray. What does Paul say Phil 4:6

Philippians 4:5–7 CSB

Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

When we depend on Him, through prayer and give him the things we worry and fret about, His peace. The peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Maybe there are people in your life that you are mad at, maybe you just want to put someone in their place in a way that is not so loving - then pray.

How many of you know when life is difficult, or you are mad, frustrated, or your stressed you have a shorten fuse, and it is easier to go off on someone. Its easy to just let your tongue and mouth say whatever it is regardless if it is hurtful. Like you’re having a bad day, and somebody just does something dumb, maybe even super small, and you just let them have it right.

When you pray with humility, it allows you to think and see from God’s perspective instead of your own.

I hate that we are kind of jumping over James 4 and we talked about it a little last night when we said that We should submit to God, well James 4 really hits on having the right motives and being humble know that you don’t know it all but trusting and depending on God because HE does know it all.

Paul told 1 Timothy 2:1-6

1 Timothy 2:1–6 CSB

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

Prayer is powerful because we have a powerful God! Not that it just always changes your situation, but that it changes your perspective. God who hears our prayers can definitely change our situation, as we see and know, but prayer is communication with God, He uses that to grow our relationship and our intimacy with Him, and James even goes onto say that The prayer of someone who is righteous, or if you will has Active Faith is very powerful. And he uses this example of Elijah, saying how Elijah was just an ordinary man not a super Christian, just like you and i, yet he prayer earnestly or fervently, that word fervently or earnestly in the greek is prayer. So it’s like it could be read like this “he prayed, to God he prayed.” There is a desperation, passion there to talk to God and to depend on Him. Its like James is encouraging believers and followers of Christ that our prayers could be effective just like Elijahs.

In this context, James is calling for us to pray for one another. He says if anyone is suffering? Experiencing physical or emotional pain. Then pray. Depend on God to provide, Depend on God for Strength, Depend on God for healing,

But then He goes on, is anyone among you sick? That word sick there has the idea of either physically ill or spiritually weak because He goes to say the prayer of faith will save, he doesn’t just say heal, but uses the greek word sozo, save, a word that means heal or save. Heal or save from what? healed from what was keeping them down, and or saved if they had committed sins.

Justin that is a lot what are you saying,

I am saying Active Faith looks like praying individually, and together. Believing in God to do His will in the situation whether that is physical or spiritual healing. Love what the

CSB Study Bible: Notes (Chapter 5)

Prayer is not a magical incantation or a guarantee of healing, but when offered fervently by a righteous person, God will respond in a way that best fits his good purposes.

So pray. Talk and listen to God. Depend on Him to do what only He can. Maybe there is someone in your life that needs physical healing, keeping seeking God, or there is someone that needs salvation, or who is weak in faith and needs to be strengthen…PRAY.

Another important part James talks about here is confession.

- Active Faith looks like confessing our sins to one another.

Confession goes hand in hand with prayer because if we have sin in our life it will definitely effect our prayers.

IF there is sin in our lives, it can cause our prayers to be ineffective.

Isaiah 59:1–2 (CSB)

Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save,

and his ear is not too deaf to hear.

But your iniquities are separating you

from your God,

and your sins have hidden his face from you

so that he does not listen.

James said there is healing when we confess our sins and pray for one another.

Here is a dangerous cycle,

When we sin: it hurts us, when we hurt, we hide it, to hide it is sin which leads us to hurt, hide, sin.

but if we would confess the cycle changes,

when we sin: it hurts us, we confess, we find healing and freedom.

SNAKE STORY

Don’t let anything keep you from walking in the freedom that Christ has purchased for you, and be unashamed. I mean there are probably some of you who have started following Jesus but haven’t got baptized. No you don’t have to be baptized in order to be saved but it is a bold public confession that Jesus paid your sin debt and so you are going to live for Him. Man if that is you jump in! Take the the step and put your faith into action tell Cason or your leader I’m ready to be baptized.

Lastly James ends by telling us,

Active Faith looks like keeping each other in the truth.

James 5:19–20 NLT

My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Keeping each other to both know the truth and practice the truth.

James’ entire book is helping people understand that Right Belief leads to Right Living.

We are not only called to be alert and watchful in our personal faith but also to be alert and watchful for our family, the family of God. We do this and receive this in love.

Sometimes when others around us get off and aren’t aligned with God’s heart/word our tendency is just to talk about them instead of talk to them.

This only leads to more divison and hypocrisy.

Sometime when we get off and aren’t aligned with God’s heart/word our tendency is to be defensive rather than receptive.

This only leads to more division and pride.

This is why healthy confrontation is so hard because we, people, struggle on both ends, but if we loved people the way that christ calls us to without hypocrisy and trusted God to lead in humility. These conversations and situations would go a whole lot better. Not saying it will be easier, but that it would be healthier.

AS we continue to pray(depend on God), confess (are humble and honest), and keep each other in the truth (because we love each other), our faith grows stronger where we understand that life with Jesus following His example and having active faith is far more worth it than anything else where we declare He is the only way and I am never turning back.

“I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning Back”

I have heard this song sung as people were getting baptized, but the History

So what is God speaking to you?

Pray - Get with your group and pray together. Do you need to pray? Do you need prayer?

Confess - Don’t let sin grow! Give it to the Lord and be bold to share it with others so that you can begin to heal. Do you need to confess. Maybe you have repented and confessed Jesus as Lord but its time to go public with your faith and be baptized. Share.

Keep - Hold each other accountable in the truth. Or maybe you need to give or receive hard truth in love?

Don’t go another day without being obedient to Christ, follow His spirit because I promise you it is far more worth it to follow Him rather than yourself.