Rare Breed- Integrity Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Rare Breed- Integrity Part 2
INTRODUCTION
I know that it is hard to believe that we are in lock down again. We all hoped it would be over by now, not getting worse and killing more people. We are here if you need us. Call my cell if you need anything. 505-435-2515
ILL- Talking white Macaw at zoo- the look on kids face when they realized the bird said “hello”.
Birds can mimic sounds- but there is no real communication or relationship. (except for Jafar and Iago in Aladdin.)
God created us to have a relationship with him. Walked and talked in Garden of Eden.
He had a special relationship with many people in Old Testament.- Job, Abraham, Moses, David, Prophets.
Exodus 33:11
11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
Gave opportunity to all through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1:1-2
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
Hebrews 4:16
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
How do we use tongue with integrity? Return to why God gave us the ability to communicate in the first place.
How do we react when times are tough?
READ James 5:12-20
12 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.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,
20 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.
PRAY
Reaction (13-18)
What should we do with our tongue? = Pray
5 Reasons to Pray
Suffering (13a)
Suffering (13a)
James 5:13
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Those in the church knew suffering.
James 1:2–3
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Pray, don’t complain or get bitter.
Prayer helps us to “consider it all joy”
Celebrating (13b)
Celebrating (13b)
James 5:13
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Praise to God is opposite of boasting.
It acknowledges the source.
It gives God the glory for the great things going on in your life.
Usually we are in one of these types of phases in our life. We are either suffering or celebrating.
Count your blessings and praise God.
Healing (14-15)
Healing (14-15)
James 5:14-15
14 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. 15 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.
Call on Elders= Overseers= Pastors
Acts 20:28
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Spiritual leaders of the church.
Anoint with Oil= only mentioned twice in NT and does not tell us why.
Olive Oil- may have had medicinal purpose but nowhere in scripture do Elders have responsibility of being medical doctors.
Spiritual reason= represents God’s favor through anointing of Holy Spirit. Symbolic purposes. It is symbolic of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we just need something physical to reinforce the spiritual which cannot be seen.
ILL- Tara’s gallbladder surgery about 15 years ago.
Confession (16)
Confession (16)
James 5:16
16 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.
In Context- Sin that caused the sickness. (Not all sickness)
Still in context of calling elders to pray for sick.
Holding on to unconfessed sin affects your prayer life.
It does not hold eternal consequences.
But it does hold earthly consequences.
Confess to those who can pray with you so you may be healed.
God does not always heal the earthly consequences, but he can.
Miracles (17-18)
Miracles (17-18)
James 5:17-18
17 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. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
Elijah- example of righteous person.
Not righteous because he was perfect- he was like us.
Not righteous because of title- there were many prophets that spoke untruth.
Righteous because he obeyed God in faith.
Some natural disasters are punishment for sin.
2 Chronicles 7:13–14
13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
America is not Israel- but this truth is found in relation to many nations.
EXP- Jonah at Nineveh
God blesses nations that bring honor to him and he punishes nations that dishonor him.
Pray for the miracle of the eradication of COVID-19.
The church has not returned to God.
We have not seen brokenness because of our sin.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
James 4:8
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
2 Thessalonians 2:3
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
CONCLUSION
How are you communicating with the God who created you to have a relationship with him?
How are you communicating with the God who created you to have a relationship with him?
Sin separates.
Jesus reconciles.