The Book of James
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
That being said, if you’re new to our church, you’ve come at great time, because today we are starting a new expositional study in the NT book of James.
And to be honest, while I’m always excited to start a new study, I believe our study of James could become the most fruitful study we’ve ever walked through as a church.
I say that primarily because of all the letters in the NT, James is probably the most multifaceted when it comes to what it means to practically live out the Christian faith.
In fact, in a many respects the book of James is what you might call a “Letter of Conduct”.
In other words, it’s a letter that on multiple levels describes how Christians should relate, react, and respond to the world they live in. Which is of extreme importance if we want to grow and walk in our relationship with Jesus in a way that is pleasing to God and brings glory to Him.
And I don’t know about you, but I want to live that kind of life. So that when I stand before the Lord one day I will here Him say these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Amen?!
And so to get us started down this path, our focus today will primarily be of an introductory nature.
Which means our goal today is to simply obtain a general understanding of what our study will entail in the weeks to come.
And so, to help us do that, today we are going to ask and answer three critical questions.
The first question we’re going to ask, and it’s kind of a two part question, and it’s this:
Question #1 - Who wrote the book of James and who was it written too?
This is an important question because it helps us establish the legitimacy and context of the book.
And when I say legitimacy, I’m talking about the credibility of the book. And credibility is important because if we can’t trust the person writing the book, then it’s going to be difficult to put our hope and faith in what is written. And so legitimacy is important.
And when I say context I’m talking about when it was written, why it was written, and who it was written too.
Why is that important?
It’s important because context helps us uncover the meaning and purpose of the book. Which helps us determine not only what it meant for Christians then, but also what it means and how it applies to our lives today.
This leads to a second quesiton we’re going to ask:
Question #2 - What will we learn in this study?
To be honest, we’re going to learn a lot about what it means to be a Christian. And what I think you’re going to find is that this study is going to challenge your faith in ways you wouldn’t expect. And for some of you, maybe even cause you to reevaluate what your life as a Christian should or shouldn’t look like.
A final quesiton we’re going to ask today is:
Question #3 - Why is this study so important?
It’s important because when it comes to your relationship with Jesus, you’re either moving forward or your moving backward. And James’ goal is to help us move forward. And so if you want to grow in your walk with Jesus and you want to experience more of what God has for you, then this study is for you.
So, with that as our basis this morning, let’s jump into our first quesiton as we ask and answer the question:
QUESTION #1 - Who wrote the book of James and who was it written too?
Let’s start with who wrote the book. And this is important because as I said a moment ago, authorship provides us with credibility.
So, who wrote James. Well, if you were to ask the average Christian that quesiton, more than likely they would say that James was written by James who was one of Jesus’s disciples.
And that answer would make sense, because when Jesus chose the twelve disciples, there was a James mentioned among them. We see this in Luke 6:
13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
And so based on the fact James is one of Jesus’s disciples, one might easily assume the James who wrote the book of James is that James.
But if you thought that you would be mistaken. Because according to Acts 12, the disciple James, who was one of the twelve, was killed long before the book of James was written. We know this because in Acts 12 after Peter was arrested for preaching the gospel, we read this:
1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword,
Notice what Luke says. He says in the beginning days of the church, James, the brother of John was killed. Which is the same James we just read about in Luke 6 that Jesus chose as one of the twelve disciples.
Which means the author of James can’t be James the disicples, since according to modern scholarship, the book of James was written at least 10-20 years after his death. So, it’s not him.
So, who is this James guy that wrote the book of James? Was it King James? Sorry, that would be incorrect as well. So, who wrote it?
Well according to most NT scholars, the most likely candidate for authorship is James, the brother of Jesus.
Now, when I say that, some of you might be thinking, “What you talking about pastor? I didn’t know Jesus had a brother?”
Well, he actually had more than one brother. We know this because when Jesus started his ministry and people were trying to identify who He was, they started putting two and two together, and we see this play out in Matthew 13, because Matthew writes:
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
So, according to this passage, not only did Jesus have one brother, he had four younger brothers that Mary conceived following the birth of Jesus, the second oldest being a brother named James. And to be honest, I think that surprises a lot of people. And it surprises them for a couple of reasons:
First, it’s a surprise because it’s not something people are taught or generally consider. And so when it’s pointed out, it kind of takes us off guard.
Secondly, and I think one of the main reasons it’s not generally taught, is that it works against one of the main dogma’s of the Catholic Church.
And for those of you who are Catholic, settle down, because I’m not trying to bash the Catholic church, I’m just pointing out an obvious fact and truth about the Catholic Church.
You see, one of the four main dogmas of the Catholic church is the perpetual virginity of Mary. Which states that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ.
And it’s an important doctrine in the Catholic Church because it’s what allows the Catholic church to claim that Mary was sinless.
The problem with that is that the Bible doesn’t teach that. In fact, the Bible tells us that while Mary was a virgin prior to conceiving Jesus, she did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus. We know this based on what Matthew tells us. Look at what Matthew says in Matthew 1:25
25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
In this passage Matthew says that Joseph did not “know” Mary until she had given birth to Jesus. So, what does that mean? Does that mean they didn’t meet until after Jesus was born? No, because that wouldn’t make any sense. So, what does it mean?
What it means is that Joseph didn’t have a sexual relationship with Mary until after Jesus was born. Because in the Hebrew, “to know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
And so another way to translate this passage would be, “but Joseph didn’t have sex with Mary until after she had given birth to Jesus.”
The implication then is, after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary had sexual relations which resulted in Jesus having siblings.
And the evidence for that is all over the NT as Jesus’s siblings are mentioned at different points.
For example, at one point Jesus’s family, including his mother, had thought He’d gone crazy, and so they sent people to get him. The Gospel writer Mark tells it like this:
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”
Mark says Jesus’ mother, and his brothers, were looking for him. Which tells us that Jesus had siblings, one of them being James who would have been the second oldest.
So, a great question would be, “Why is it so important we understand that James is Jesus’ brother and the James is the one who authored the book of James?”
It’s important because it gives the book of James an extreme amount of credibility. Credibility based on two important facts about James now that we know which James we are talking about:
Fact #1 - James was Jesus’s little brother.
Obviously we just established this. But to think of James as Jesus’s little brother gives us an entirely different perspective of James.
I mean think about it. The guy who wrote this book didn’t just follow Jesus around for a few years like the 12 disicples, but he actually grew up with Jesus and knew Him his entire life.
Which meant they more than likely shared a bunk bed together. Went fishing together. Played games together. Fried bugs with a magnifying glasses together. That they did what brothers do.
Which again, when you think about it is kind of cool.
But it was probably a challenge as well. Because being Jesus’s little brother probably came with some expectations.
I love how Comedian Michael Jr. describes it as he talks about how much pressure there must have been for James.
I mean think about, James gets in trouble, maybe talks back to his mom, and the first thing Mary says is, “Come on James, why can’t you be more like Jesus?”
How many times do you think he heard that? And how frustrating that would have been, because James wasn’t James Christ, He was just James.
Not only that, but when James had a problem, like most kids he would go ask his mom and dad for advice. Which would then lead Mary and Joseph to say, “Well James, what would Jesus do?
James don’t you have your WWJD bracelet on today?”
That would have gotten old real quick right?
And then as Michael Jr describes it, more than likely James was like most little brothers. He looked up to his big brother Jesus. He wanted to go where Jesus went, follow Him around. Be that annoying little brother, right? But the problem with that is one time James followed Jesus and he almost drowned.
I’ll let you think about that one for a moment.
My point is, how awesome and challenging would it have been to grow up with Jesus.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok, that’s cool pastor. But how is that relevant to us? Why is this info so important?”
It’s relevant because if anybody could find fault with Jesus. If anybody could say, “No, he didn’t live a sinless life. No, he’s not somebody you should listen to. No, he’s not who He said He was.” It would be James, right? Because James knew Jesus in a way nobody did and saw a side of Jesus very few did. He saw Jesus grow up. He saw the truth of who He was. And in the end knew for a fact that Jesus wasn’t just his brother, but He was the resurrected Lord and savior. The spotless lamb of God.
In fact, the Bible documents Jame’s interaction with Jesus following the resurrection. Paul tells us about it in 1 Corinthians 15:7
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
Paul says following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his little brother James and clarified to James who He really was..
All that to say, more than maybe anybody, James knows exactly who Jesus is and what a Christ like life looks like.
And so for me, that makes what James has to say beyond important. For me it’s vital.
This leads us to another credible fact about James:
Fact #2 - James was the leader of the Jerusalem church.
We learn this in the book of Acts, specifically when important decisions needed to be made in the Jerusalem Church, and it appears James is the one everybody turns too.
For example, in Acts 15 as Paul and Barnabas arrive to testify before the Jerusalem church about how God was using them to reach the Gentiles. Something Jewish Christians weren’t sure was possible. After giving their testimony, look at who responds and gives direction:
13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
And then he goes on to say:
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
Luke says after listening to Paul, James spoke up and confirmed what Paul had said, and then gave the Jewish Christians instruction on how they needed to move forward in accepting the Gentiles.
We then see another example of Jame’s leadership in Acts 21 as Paul stops in Jersualem on his way to Rome, and the first person he goes too for advice and direction is James. Luke writes:
18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Luke says Paul went to see the leader of the Jerusalem church, which was James, the brother of Jesus.
Which again gives great credence to what James has to say, because not only is he the Lead Pastor of the Jerusalem church, but the Apostle Paul also recognizes and submits to Jame’s leadership.
All that to say, when we comes to the book of James, the fact that it was written by James, the brother of Jesus, the Lead Pastor of the Jerusalem Church, and the friend of Paul should say to us, “This is a book we need to pay attention to.”
Everybody with me?
This then leads to the second part of our quesiton, “Who is this book written to?”
Well, let’s find out as we move into the first verse of this book. Because in this first verse James is going to answer that quesiton. Look at what he says:
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
As James opens this letter, he begins by identifying himself. And what I want you to notice is how he introduces himself. Notice he doesn’t say, “James, the brother of Jesus”. He doesn’t say, “James, Lead Pastor of the Jerusalem Church.” No. Instead he says, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ...”
So, ,what does that tell us out of the gate? It tells us that James is a humble man. A man who sees himself as no better than anybody else. Which is important because it’s that attitude of humility that sets the tone for everything James is about to say.
Which takes us back to who James wrote this to as he writes:
“To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”
So, a couple great questions would be, “Who are the twelve tribes, and what is the Dispersion?”
Let’s start with the twelve tribes.
The twelve tribes obviously are meant to point us to the twelve tribes of Israel, but in the context of the NT, it is meant to not just identify the people of Israel, but the chosen people of God. In other words, the twelve tribes symbolically represents anybody who has put their faith in Jesus and is now a part of the Kingdom of God.
Which then leads us to the reference to the “Dispersion”.
The word dispersion is translated from the Greek word “diaspora” which literally means “to sow” or “to scatter”.
And so the implication then here is that James is writing to the chosen people of God who have been scattered throughout the earth.
In other words, as James writes this letter, the intended audience is anybody who has put their faith in Jesus throughout the earth.
Which means this letter is intended for all Christians, not just in Jame’s time, but all time.
Which means, as James pens this letter, he has current and future Christians in mind who would be scattered throughout the earth living their lives for Jesus.
Which again is what makes this book so important for you and I. Because not only is it written by a credible servant of Jesus, it’s written for people who follow Jesus. It was written for you and me.
Which leads us to our second quesiton this morning. Because now that we know who wrote it and who it was written to, it would be helpful to know:
QUESITON #2 - What are we going to learn in this study?
In a way that’s a loaded question because as I said earlier, the book of James is a multifaceted book that covers a range of topics, nine to be exact.
So, in order to wet your appetite, I want to give you a teaser of what’s to come in the weeks to ahead. So here is a glimpse into four of the nine theological topics James will cover in this letter. The first being:
Eschatology - When I say eschatology, I’m talking about theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. Which is something most Christians find interesting and tend to have quite a few questions about. And while James isn’t going to go into great depth, he’s going to give us an eschatological lens to process life through.
In other words, what he’s going to teach us will be based on an eternal versus temporal perspective. Which I think is going to be very helpful for us since most Christians tend to base many of their decisions, reactions, responses, and behavior on the now. Which is what often leads to bad judgment, poor decisions, and a disillusioned view of our faith.
As a result, James is going to challenge us to learn to think with an eschatological mindset. A mindset that will help us navigate life, our challenges, and our faith in a much more healthy and productive way.
And this is especially going to be helpful for us in chapter 1 as we look at how eschatological perspective helps us when we face trials. Because the fact is, you and I are either coming out of a trial, are in the middle of a trial, or are getting ready to go into a trial. And so having a right perspective on trials is going to be helpful. More on that next week.
This leads to a second topic James will cover:
Faith and Deeds - To be honest, this subject matter is probably one of the most controversial aspects of the book of James. In fact, it was this specific aspect of James that brought great controversy between Martin Luther and the Roman Catholic Church and led to the Reformation.
You see what you have to understand is one of the reasons the Reformation took place, which resulted in the Protestant movement, was because of this subject matter of faith and works.
Because for Martin Luther, faith and faith alone was the only way a person could be saved and be made right with God. However this flew in the face of Catholicism which basically taught that faith and works are both necessary for salvation, which is what Luther was fighting against especially when it came to indulgences. So, what are indulgences? In the Catholic Church indulgences are a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins by performing certain works or rituals.
And what’s interesting is the defense of indulgences by the Catholic church was largely based on the book of James. In fact, it so bothered Luther that Luther was once quoted as saying that James was a”right strawy epistle” which he would just as well remove from the canon of Scripture.
And to be honest, as brilliant as Luther was, his distaste of James is a little confusing since Jame’s focus and intent in no way undermines the doctrine of justification by faith. Because Luther was right about salvation. He was right in saying that it’s by faith and faith alone in Jesus can a person be saved. In fact, the Apostle Paul makes that very clear in Galatians 2 where he writes:
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
So, why the confusion?
The confusion comes when you don’t take into account that Jame’s focus isn’t justification by faith, but the evidence of faith.
In other words, what bothered James is when somebody who claimed faith in Jesus didn’t act like a Christian. Because if a person truly put their faith in Jesus, then their life should bear fruit of that through the works that they do. James puts it like this in James 2:14-17
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
The point James is making here is that if you say you have saving faith, then the way you live your life and how you treat people ought to reflect that.
And so as we move into chapter 2 we’re going to look at how James says the life of faith should look, and just how our works and faith should line up. And to be honest, I think you’re going to be very challenged by what we learn.
This will lead us then into the topic of:
Ethical Teaching: Speech - When it comes to this topic, James is going to touch on the topic of the tongue. And when I say tongue I’m talking about our speech and the words we use.
You’ve heard the saying, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.” I don’t know who came up with that saying, but they had no idea what they were talking about, because that’s not true. Because words are powerful. And according to James, the tongue is one of the most deadly weapons on the planet. He puts it like this in chapter 3:
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
And if you don’t think that’s true, all you have to do is turn on the television or log on to Facebook to see how ruthless and merciless people are when it comes to what they say. And how harmful words can be. And for James, this isn’t just a non-Christian problem. This is a Christian problem as well. In fact concerning the misuse of the tongue, James says of believers:
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
And so as we go through this series, how we talk and speak to one another and to those in our life is going to be a topic of conversation.
One final topic I’ll mention that James will cover is the topic of:
Human Nature: And by human nature I’m talking about our propensity to sin. And what he’s going to help us see, is that while the Devil and his demons are a real threat, our own sinful nature is a threat as well. A nature that is constantly trying to pull us back into a wordly way of living.
And again, for James, this is a problem and is not an excuse for the Christian who continues to fall back into an old way of living. In fact, James says there’s a way to overcome those sinful desires if we truly desire too.
And I don’t know about you, but I’d like to know what that looks like. How does a person overcome their own flesh? How does a person resist the temptations of this life in a way that continues to grow us and draws us closer to God?
As we move into James we’re going to discover that.
All that to say, if you want to grow in a deeper understanding of how to navigate trials. If you want better understand what your life as a Christian should look like. If you want to learn how to talk in away that uplifts others and brings glory to God. And if you want to learn how to overcome the passions of your flesh. Then James is a book for you.
Which now leads us to our final question for today:
QUESTION #3 - Why is this study so important for me?
I think that’s a great question, and while there would be a number of reasons, I’d like to offer you two to consider. Because unless I miss my guess, I’m going to say:
Reason #1 - When it comes to your current trial, you’re thinking about giving up, you’re on the verge of giving up, or you’re given up.
And when I say give up, I’m talking about your ability to stand strong. Your ability to keep moving forward. You’re ability to face the trial with the confidence that you’re going to pull through.
FOR EXAMPLE:
For some of you, you’re about to give up on your marriage. You’re about ready to throw in the towel.
For others, you’re not sure if you’re going to be able to withstand the financial storm your facing.
For a few, your current health battle doesn’t feel very hopeful.
Or maybe your wondering how much longer you’re going to be able to deal with that situation or co-worker at your work.
It could even be your beginning to give up on God. You’re beginning to quesiton where He’s at in all of this. You’re asking questions like, “God why have you allowed this? God, why aren’t you fixing this problem? God where are you in the midst of my storm?”
I’m just going to say, if that’s you or even remotely you, then the James series is for you. Because right out of the gate James is going to address the challenge of trials. And who better to talk with us through how to handle trials than somebody who not only lived out his faith, but died for it as well.
Because while we don’t have a Biblical account of it, church tradition recounts the life and death of James, who was also known as James the Just.
He was called that because he was known as one of the most righteous men in Jerusalem. In fact he was respected by all seven sects of Judaism.
As a result they would often ask his opinion of Jesus, to which he would reply that Jesus was the Savior.
As a result some believed in Jesus as their Christ, and they did so because of James.
As time went on James' influence became so strong that even some of the rulers believed, which horrified the scribes and Pharisees. They became afraid that soon the people would be flocking to Jesus as the Christ.
And then one day, perhaps because of his strict observance of the Law, the Pharisees thought they could get James to discourage the people from believing. They asked him to stand at the pinnacle of the temple on Passover and speak.
And apparently, James agreed.
They brought him to the top of the temple, and they shouted to him from below:
"Oh, righteous one, in whom we are able to place great confidence; the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one. So declare to us, what is this way, Jesus?"
Like any devoted disciple, James was ready to take full advantage of such a wonderful opportunity as this!
His words are memorable:
Why do you ask me about Jesus, the Son of Man? He sits in heaven at the right hand of the great Power, and he will soon come on the clouds of heaven!
The Pharisees were horrified, but the people were not. The began shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
The Pharisees, realizing the awful mistake they'd made, began crying out, "Oh! Oh! The righteous one is also in error!"
At this point they climbed the temple as the people shouted, reached the top, and threw James from the pinnacle of the temple.
Surprisingly it didn't kill him.
He rose to his knees and prayed the prayer he once heard his big brother pray. "I beg of you, Lord God our Father, forgive them! They do not know what they are doing."
At this the Pharisees on the ground began to stone him as he prayed, while those from the roof rushed down to join the execution.
One of the priests, however, a son of the Rechabites mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet (ch. 35), shouted, "Stop! What are you doing! The righteous one is praying for you."
But it was too late. A fuller (i.e., launderer) took out one of the clubs that he used to beat clothes and smashed James on the head, killing him with one blow.
You see James didn’t just say he believed, he lived it, right up to the point that he died for it.
So, if you’re going through a trial and you’re about ready to give up, I have a feeling James may have some good advice for you. Because he never gave up, not even when it cost him his life.
Reason #2 - Someday we will all stand accountable for the faith we said we had.
The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
The Apostle Paul says it in a similar but different way:
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
You see one day we will all stand before God and we will have to give an account for our life. And at the end of the day, you’re either going to have lived a life that demonstrated active faith in Christ, or you’re going to have lived a life that demonstrated no faith in Christ. And to be clear, there will be nothing in between.
Which means if we want to stand before God in confidence, knowing that the way we lived matched what we said we believed, then James has something to teach us about that.
And I don’t know about you, but on this side of heaven I want to fully understand what putting my life in Jesus means, looks like, and should produce in my life.
So that on that day when you stand before the righteous judge of all the earth, you will gladly hear the words:
23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Amen?
That being said, I’d like to close by giving you a couple of Next Steps:
Step #1 - Read and study the book of James this week.
I think something that’s going to be helpful for you going through this series is if you’re read up. And what I mean by that is that you’ve taken time to read and absorb what James has to say. Not only will be helpful for you, but it will prepare you for each Sunday as we take a deeper dive into what you’ve read.
Step #2 - Ask the Lord to open your heart to this study.
In other words, as you read, study, and we look at what James has to say week to week, ask the Lord to show you want needs to change in your life. As the Lord to do some spiritual surgery on you. Be open to what God may want to do in and through you.
Step #3 - Invite somebody to church next week.
Out of all the studies we’ve done here at MCF, I can’t think of a better book study for you to invite a friend to church for. Because the fact is, everybody is going through something. Everybody is trying to figure out what it means to live a healthy, productive, and meaningful life.
And the good news, wrapped up in one book called the book of James are all the answers we need to live a faith filled and purposeful life.
And so if you nobody that doesn’t know Jesus or somebody that needs some encouragement, this would be a great time to invite them to church.
Because I believe as we go through James, not only are we going to grow in our faith, but we are going to find more joy, hope, and purpose than we ever though possible.
Amen?
Let’s Pray