Sermon – “Here’s What You Do!!!”

9 Do not [g]grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be [h]condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. 12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into [i]judgment. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 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 sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 [j]Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, [k]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save [l]a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

14 Do all things without [d]complaining and disputing,[e] 15 that you may become blameless and [f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the [l]Sabeans [m]raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and [n]consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

So we have been marching our way through the book of James just rolling through more next week we’re going to finish it up with James Chapter Six wait that was a test nobody. We’re going to finish it up today I’m laughing because Rizana sent me a text early in the week and actually I guess it was Tuesday and said as Or any chance you could have the know what the message is going to be for next week he said because they were not going to be here and everything ready and of I well boy there were six chapters and aim to tell you right away but there’s not. Going anyway but you know what the very next morning I didn’t have it then I told I’m just working on that this weeks but God is so faithful because when you open this word out he will speak to you so I was able to least give or a hint of what next weeks is going to be. But God is always faithful His Word speaks to us that strengthens us it encourages us and I just thank the Lord for his work so we will finish up James this week here’s what you do James is sets a practical book it is a book of guidance for you know how we as Christians should live our lives I mean they’re just so much practical teaching in the book of James and I enjoyed the book of James you know were to control our tongues were just how we’re to live for him I’m going to be reading from verses nine through twenty James Chapter five here’s what you do. Of course it begins with a do not but it actually is a do when you look at it don’t just tear apart or do not grumble against one another brother and lest you be condemned behold the judge is standing at the door my brother and take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience indeed we count them blessed who endure you have heard of the perseverance of job and seen the end intended by the Lord that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful but above all my brother and do not swear either by heaven or by the earth or with any other oath but let your yes be yes and your no no next you fall into judgment is anyone among you suffering let him pray is anyone cheerful let him sing songs is anyone sick let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed sin he will be forgiven confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much Eliza was a man with a nature like ours and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months and he prayed again and heavens gave rain and the earth produced his fruit brother and is anyone among you if any one among you wonders from the truth and someone turns him back let him know that He returns a sinner from the error of his ways will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins they got at his blessings to the hearing and reading of His Holy Word let us pray gracious lord we do thank you and praise you for your word we thank you that your word will encourage us whenever we’re down it will strengthen us when we are weak. We thank you that this word is words of life it is truth in Father we believe it we believe that you inspired every word in the scriptures and father know that we can live by them and stand by them may they speak to our hearts today father may your truth be proclaimed and may go forth over the airways and just into our ears and our hearts may we receive what you have fours for your glory in your honor in Jesus’ name amen it says the lodge was a man with a nature like ours so what’s that mean. It means he was human right he was a man just like us he was in the Divine Spirit sent down from God He was a man with a nature just like ours and yet what did it say he prayed earnestly fervently. Because he prayed in faith he believed he trusted God He trusted that God would do what he had prayed for. Versus thirteen and fourteen through fourteen to list a lot of the to do things that we should do how we should respond to the circumstances and conditions in our lives things that we encounter this is how we should sponsor them but it does begin as I said with one do not we are told not to grumble do not rumble do not grumble and complain now disavow bit of testimony or sharing here confession here one up I’m going something and if I’m working on a vehicle were building something or whatever and when I have problems I don’t really grumble Dewani I growl. You know. I growl if something’s not going right so confession here but it says Do not rumble you know it seems that there is an excessive amount of grumbling and complaining in our society today in our world today just turn on the news if you will or does. This into the your neighbors or listen to your coworkers people complain about the government they complain about the economy they complain about paying taxes they complain about the weather we’ve all recently probably complained about the weather we’ve grown with a little bit about the weather too much rain not enough rain it’s too hot or is too cold we grumble you know even in some churches the congregants complain the sermon is too long to sermon is too short the music is too modern The music’s too old fashioned The people were too cold the Pew people were too friendly the pews are too hard to pews or too soft I mean we could go on and on and on people complain sin H. are the Israelites in the Old Testament they are an excellent example of those who love to complain and grumble aren’t day. Think about it they were in bondage for nearly four hundred years and they crowd out the god to grumbled and they complain and finally God delivers them from bondage in Egypt sets them free from their slavery to take them out into the worst when they provided for them but yet what the day do they grumble to complain they had no meat they longed to go back to Egypt for their pots of stew they grown would have complained about the manner that God sent for them every day every day. They grumble to complain you know we Christians have been freed from slavery to. We have been set free from the slavery to sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ so why is it that sometimes we see seem so one happy and ungrateful when selfish we should not ever grumble and complain. But too often we don’t hesitate to share our unhappiness or discontent with things sometimes a sump but I know some people it seems a big grumble and complain about everything they don’t like. Just like the Israelites of old they’re just experts a grown women complaining God hates a grumbling and complaining heart. Complaining and grunt grumbling are opposite of joy and gratitude and the peace of God wants us to have he wants us to be content grateful and joyful that’s what God desires for each and every one of us contentment gratefulness and joyfulness for Libyans to fourteen through sixteen here is a do. Do all things without complaining and disputing. That you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world so dared to be different holding fast the Word of Life so that I may so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I may not run in vain or labor in vain so in the midst brothers and sisters in the midst of grumbling and complaining if you are with a group of people or with just one one and their growing complaining don’t be part of it don’t join in it. You know what I’m talking about it’s easy to join right in it go right along with them don’t do it. Say how thankful you are say how blessed you are how joyful it is how you want to complain about this country I am so thankful to live in this country so blessed joy to live in this country don’t complain but give Joy give grace give peace. Because that was a do but there’s more do’s James ask Is anyone among you suffering. What is advice if you’re suffering. Pray pray that’s a do pray he moves rage from advising Christians not the grumble to saying that if you are suffering here’s what I want you to do I want you to pray. Any kind of suffering. Whether it be a physical suffering or an emotional suffering or of persecution or whatever suffering pray pray imagine what it would do for the attitudes or attitudes if every single time we even thought about Roman and complaining. Would have thought came into our mind before it came off of our lips if we stopped and prayed. Think about death for a moment don’t even let it come up for your lips but instead go to prayer. How would that change our lives how would that change the lives of those that watch us. Think about it every tom. Well assist put it like this imagine if every time that every person is country went to complain about Donald Trump instead of complaining they prayed. Wow man wouldn’t he be prayed for. But we could do same thing is we complain about the others the other side we complain about politicians Ah I have. But I should be praying for them. I’ve complain about situations. But I should be praying for. Said to complain about that coworker that treated you miserably Let’s pray for that coworker. You don’t need to go up and say Compellent I’m going to pray for you just do it. Pray for them. James mentions the suffering of job if you’re suffering pray and he mentions Joe you know the account of job and the suffering that he endured. Is probably one of the greatest examples of suffering that we we could ever find a job was a rich farmer who lived in the Land of Oz It’s north east of Palestine in Job Chapter One says that he was blameless before God He was a righteous man. You know there are Bible scholars that the bait whether the judge whether Job was an actual person or just a legend but job is actually mentioned as a historical figure in eyes easy kewl chapter fourteen and then here in the book of James he is an actual person he lived he actually experiences experienced the things the job shares he experienced it he was real I want to read from Job Chapter one Verse thirteen through nineteen. Now when there was a day when his sons and daughters begin to job sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house and a messenger came to job and said the oxen were plowing into donkeys feeding beside them when the Sabian is raided them and took them away indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword in I alone have escaped to tell you while he was still speaking another also came and said. The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them in I alone have left scape to tell you while he was still speaking another also came and said the Chaldeans form three bands raided the camels and took them away yes and killed the servants with the edge of the sword and I alone have escaped to tell you while he was still speaking another all. So came and said Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house and suddenly a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house and it fell on the young people and killed them they are dead and I alone have a scape to tell you for man escape to tell to bring job this dreadful news that he had lost in one day’s time all those things he lost all of his livestock the camel the sheep the herds and his children all in one day on imaginable. How one could survive that. You know when you really read and you think about that it almost seems unfair. Why would God allow a blameless man he’s called a righteous man to endure such hardship we could say why in Job Chapter one Verse eight it says in the Lord said to Satan Have you considered my servant job that there is none like him on the earth blameless an upright man one who fears God and shuns evil. And you know. As I read that and I’m working on this and thinking about that as I struggle with a FOR A BIT think and why why God would you even point job out. Why would you point Joe back and say Have you considered him. And the Lord gave me the answer. If you had a son that was a tremendous fighter I mean he was strong he was just amazing and you knew that he could defeat all the other fighters. What are you going to do you’re going to say my son is stronger than your son my son could take your son he could whip him in a fight because you knew. It might be a battle there might be a tremendous battle why don’t I feel that day. But you knew without a doubt that your son was going to be victorious Allman Brothers sisters that’s what God revealed to me he knew he knew that job would be victorious he knew the job would win in the end yes it’s going to be a battle but he proved the job would be faithful the job would not curse God all of his friends tell his wife and said curse God and die. But he would not he remain faithful to God after losing all course then Satan says yeah but you didn’t let me inflict any pain on him. So then he had permission to do that sores all over his body he torture he could do anything but take his life but yet job remained faithful one of the most amazing test of faith that you’ll find in scripture. Yes it’s hard for us and her and for night minds to understand that but it proved they got that God’s man job was faithful that he would remain righteous So who are moderate to question God Who are we to question the maker he has his reason but it proved. The job loved him. It True proved that he would remain true and pure in his relationship with God. Through all the suffering that the devil could throw at him. To those sisters we can do the same. We have faith like Joe we trusting God through every situation that may come our way through every trial through every persecution if we trust in God we too can be like Joe We can walk in faith we can stand on faith we can resist the devil was James tells us. Resisted. And door through suffering you know there are many times. You know I’ve had a few times in my life that I’ve hurt my back two years ago and then once in a while it flares up and all suffer with some pain. But I usually know that in another way in about a week or two at the most IT I’LL BE feel much better I’ll be able to get up and go and do and whatever but when I think a lot my wife goes through. Three back surgeries. And I know that she deals with pain every day. But that she grumbles complain now there there will be days which to tell me she had a bad day but she’s not grumbling and complaining when I look at how she’s able to. Still love the Lord praise him. Read his word praise it’s an inspiration to me because through suffering. She’s still serving God a loving God being faithful to him famous preacher Dr Dale moody. Told about a Christian woman who was always cheerful. And optimistic even though she was confined to her room because of illness she lived in an attic apartment on the fifth floor of an old rundown building a friend decided to visit her one day and brought along another woman a person of great wealth since there was no elevator the two ladies began to climb. Up were when they reached the second floor the well to do woman commented what a dark and filthy place her friend replied It’s better higher up when they arrived in the third landing the remark was made things look even worse here again the reply was it’s better up higher the two women found we reached the attic level the fifth floor where they found the bed ridden saint of God a smile on her face and she just radiated with joy the joy that filled her heart all. Though the room was clean of flowers or on the window sill the wealthy visitor could not get over the stark surroundings in which this woman lived and she blurted out it must be very difficult for you to be like this here without a moment’s hesitation to shut in responded It’s better higher up she was not looking at the temporal things this serve with the her eyes fixed on her faith fixed on that which is eternal she found the secret to true satisfaction brothers and sisters is better higher up. Whenever we’re suffering we’re going through that whatever we’re going through persecution suffering pain remember that it is better higher up. Keep our eyes on that the next to do James said Is anyone cheerful let him sing Psalms Proverbs seventeen twenty two says a merry heart does good like medicine but a broken spirit dries the bones cheerfulness merriness is a state of mind that is free of trouble. Is the opposite of affliction and pain and suffering and and I know that that’s a state we’d rather be in right that’s a state that we all want to be an cheerfulness free of trouble. The Greek word means to have the mind well to have the mind well is what that means but you know what we can have the mind well the matter what the physical condition. If Eason’s five seventeen through twenty says therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation but be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another and songs and him and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ this is a big to do to give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we can practice that we will do well here I found six ways to cheer up. Reflect on a funny or pleasant memory and get ready to giggle because your original cheerful feeling will always remain attached to that memory. All right someone would get mad at me but I have a memory that causes me to giggle. There was a certain man that used to have long hair and he was helping me one day work on my truck in this everybody know what a creeper is that’s one of the long flat thing that has wheels on all four corners and you can go on it you can roll back and forth under a vehicle. With this person I won’t say his name he had long hairs and I said well he’s under and he’s rolling back and forth rolling back and forth and next thing you know it sucks his head right down to the creeper because his hair got tangled up in that creeper I did not laugh on the outside. But I did get to go inside and I had the perfect opportunity that I could have said I’m going to need scissors but I didn’t I was very patient they kind in got him out there and propped it up and worked. On getting that heroin tangled but the biggest giggle came whenever he got on Tangled that it was like twelve. So it still causes me to giggle. So laughter is good for the soul and I won’t mention the name. Number two don’t awful lot like make a habit of thinking positive after all optimism isn’t born it’s a state of mind we choose to develop number three personal lives scripture by inserting your name in the God’s promises such as in Isaiah Chapter fifty four you won’t have that one on the screen fifty four ten it says for the mountain shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not be part it says from you but we can say my kindness shall not depart from Gary my mind is not depart from Barbara my mind is kindness shall not depart from Helen and so on and so on right nor shall my covenant of peace be removed says a Lord who has mercy on one Ronny born care or resent search your name there because it is for you. And it is for me thank uplifting thoughts whatever is true noble right impure and lovely an admirable an excellent and praiseworthy think on these you’ll find that in Philippians Chapter Four let God in on everything including the annoying little charity pleaders in your life because he cares keep in mind that earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy but to make us hunger. For more for what’s up higher right for what’s up higher because it is better lastly James says to do this is anyone among you sick let him call for the elders of the church and that them pray over him anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick in the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed sin he will be forgiven and you know that last part as you search out many different commentaries and teachers you’re going to find so many different opinions about one what type of sickness was he talking about is he talking about a physical sick sickness or is he talking about a spiritual sickness meaning as a sin that is separated. But I really think if you look at the Greek meaning of the word sick as it used in verse fourteen it means to be feeble to be diseased to be impotent and weak so I believe it’s sickness. As in a physical sickness. But the Greek Rita meaning of the word save as G.’s there also means to deliver or protect to preserve to heal to make whole so I believe that he’s saying if a person the sick. Anoint him with oil call for the elders pray you know I was going to say Usually if we get sick what’s the first thing we do. We’re going to call the doctor we’re going to go to the doctor we’re going to point we’re going to the doctor I’m going to go to the hospital we might get emergency room depends on how sick we are. But Ronnie says what’s the first thing we should do is pray number one I feel we should pray but I’m not saying don’t go to the doctor. But let’s pray first pray go ahead and call the doctor make an appointment but don’t forget to pray. Because God the prayer of faith will save the sick will help the sick help them recover and he talks about anoint him with oil. And you know even there is is he talking about again there’s so much debate about this last part some will say well that’s the annoying thing the symbolism of the spear but what did they use oil for in that day. They use it for medicinal purposes right. Everything they did they used it will that what happened with the parable the Good Samaritan bigots murder came by him what did he do he put oil the mixture of all mine in one of the man’s wounds bandaged him up took him to then right so they used oil. To anoint for healing for the sick so again I’m not saying don’t go to the doctor anoint with oil sick that healing but also pray there’s so much debate one. Teacher says well the way that the wordings so mixed up there it should say and what will then call for the elders to pray but the word read call for the elders to pray and then went with oil. My thought is doesn’t make any difference what sequence we do it just so we do it I don’t care if you call the doctor first and then pray I don’t care if you put the rule on first and then pray or pray and then put it all on but make sure we pray. Yes And with oil also. His Word tells us that by His stripes we are healed. And I believe that by faith and there are times where yes he may and by faith heal us physically. There might be that miraculous touch. But it may not always come to that because God may choose as he did with Joe. To see what we’re made of to see if our faith will remain true if will remain pure. Towards him so yes the testee may come James has revealed that to us number of times to this teaching in James but I will say this I can absolutely guarantee you that the most important thing you can receive that healing from by the stripes that he bore by the blood that he shed and that is the brokenness that happen with sin. Because there is a sickness. There is a sickness and that sickness is the death that sin cause the separation of God and man. And I can assure you without a doubt that if one believes on Jesus Christ believes that he suffered and died shed His blood that we can have life if you believe that with all your heart. You receive that. You will be healed of what separates you from God He will be here without sin as we talk with the kids a small in Sabbath school. There is no other way. There is no other way that is the reason Jesus died the set is free we aren’t going to find our way to that higher place heaven with God by our good works. We’re only going to find it through Jesus there is no other way he is the Way the Truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father except by me he took our punishment he bore punishment upon himself that we can be healed the broken relationship with the father can be healed that is the word for the day there is the most important thing we do. Is believe on Him and then allow his word to guide us and how we can live for him and share that wonderful news with all that we meet share the word how will they hear unless we preach how when they hear mess we live it amen amen.