(YG) Prayer

Christianity is a life style not what we do on Sunday or Wednesday

Be mature is the theme of James, which covers many topics that pertain to the church today

Be a person of your word.

If you say you are going to do something, follow through and do it

2. Pray about everything

The mature Christian doesn’t complain to others but takes their problems to the Lord

1. (V12) Do not swear

Matthew 5:34–37 “But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

a) Do not swear or take an empty oath (It has no power)

Swearing by something is useless, there is no power or authority in it

e.g, I swear on my mothers grave, has no power or authority

b) Making an oath requires you to keep it

Jephthah’s oath

A judge who made a oath with God, if you give me this victory, I will sacrifice the first thing that comes out my house

It was his one and only daughter

He sacrificed her as a perpetual virgin

c) Be a man or woman of your word

If you say you will do something, make sure you follow through

I can remember my dad always making promises that he never kept

His word is no good to me, even today

2. (V12-15) Prayer

a) Throughout the book of James, he has taught us, how not to use the the tongue

Speaking evil of people

Gossip and slander

Groaning and complaining against one another

Swearing by this or that

All of that type of speech is and rebellion against God

JAMES NOW TEACHES US HOW WE OUGHT TO USE OUR TONGUE 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”

This means constant fellowship with God through prayer

2.1 (V13) Is there anyone who is suffering?

James gives us direction, in times of suffering, take it to the Lord in prayer

This is a sign up Christian maturity

The temptation is to grumble and complain to anyone who will listen to our problems

James 5:9 “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.

A spiritually mature Christian doesn’t get worked up about their problems

They remain controlled with their tongue and they take it to the Lord

Wait upon Him for an answer

a) Suffering

The word afflicted, means suffering in difficult circumstances, which describes our Christian walk

There are many examples in the Bible of suffering for righteousness

The disciples suffered for Christ

Paul faced great suffering because he was faithful to Christ

2 Timothy 2:9 “for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.”

2.2 Let him pray

a) In our suffering, we must pray, but it doesn’t mean God will answer the way we think he should

Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane and he began to pray as He was in great distress

God didn’t deliver Him from His suffering, but the Father gave Him the strength

Paul wasn’t spared from his thorn in the flesh

2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

b) Often times God answers our prayer with His strength and new perspective on the issue

The reason I bring it up because I see prayer can be misunderstood

When praying, we must remember the example Jesus gave us, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven

Or when He was in the garden before His crucifixion, Not my will, but Thy will be done

2.3 Let Him sing songs

a) Praise God through singing of songs

In the OT, we find different examples of great victory, followed by singing and dancing in a form of praise to God

Psalm 50:14 “Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.”

Ephesians 5:19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”

b) Praise god through prayer

I will begin all my prayers with praise because of who He is

Then thanking Him for what He has done in my life

Praise comes from a heart gratitude because I recognize I am undeserving