James 5:7-20 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 10, 2012


 *MAY 14 - JAMES 5:7-20 - WISDOM THROUGH PATIENT EXPECTATION*


 *1. 5:7 (5:7-8) PATIENT WAITING. “Be patient therefore, brethren, until
the presence of the Lord. Lo, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit
of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter
rain” (NNT). **Patient endurance*: this is a Kingdom principle that we
whole-heartedly subscribe to, Father! Write in on our hearts. Help us to
make it second nature. Cancel out the “cave in” spirit. *Hallowed be your
:name.*


 *2. 5:9 NOT GRUDGING. “Murmur not, brethren, against one another, that you
be not judged: lo, the judge stands before the doors.” *Envy and bitterness
are the basis for murmuring. We fail to discern the body of Christ in this,
Father. Forgive us for our selfishness and short-sightedness that tends to
bring on this sin. *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 5:11 (5:10-11) ENDURANCE: EXAMPLE OF JOB. “Lo, we call them blessed
that endured: you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end
of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.” *We thank
You Father, for the example of Job and the prophets in the grace of
endurance. We want to be like them in this respect. We want to be conformed
to the image of *Jesus*! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 5:12 NOT SWEARING. “But above all, my brethren, swear not, neither by
the heaven, nor by the earth, nor any other oath: but let your :yes be yes,
and the no, no; that you fall not under judgment.” *It is not in word only
that we are justified, but in action also. Help us Father, to say and do,
without the emotional and valueless oath. O forgive us that we so often
fail to live simply and faithfully for You! *Our :daily :bread Give us this
day!*


 *5. 5:14-15 (5:13-16) PRAYER AND CONFESSION. “Is any among you sick? let
him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, having
anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 and the prayer of :faith
shall save the weary one, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.” *Help us to remember Father,
that sometimes there is a distinct connection between sickness and
confession of sin. May we not overlook this possibility when all else
fails. *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!*


 *6. 5:17 (5:17-18) PRAYER: EXAMPLE OF ELIJAH. “Elijah was a man of like
passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it
rained not on the earth for three years and six months.” *Your servant
Elijah inspires our faith Father, especially that he was a man of like
passions such as we. *Jesus* also was tempted in all points such as we, yet
without sin! In Christ, we too can overcome! *And bring us not into
temptation!*


 *7. 5:19-20 RESTORATION. “My brethren, if any among you err from the
truth, and one convert him; 20 know that who converts a sinner from
theerror of his way shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a
multitude of sins.” *In the light of this Father, make us finders of lost
sheep; restorers of those who have stumbled and lost the way. Make us like *
Jesus*! *But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: **5:16 (5:13-16) CONFESSION OF SIN: BASIS FOR HEALING. “Confess
therefore your :sins one to another, and pray one for another, that you be
healed. The supplication of a righteous man avails much it its working.” *What
an encouragement Your Spirit has given us here, Father. We hear it, and
will walk in it!


 We marvel at the nuggets of truth that appear in every Biblical passage!
God by His Spirit has arranged this through His chosen Bible writers. Jesus
completely held forth the divine inspiration of the entire Old Testament.
Humanitarians, liberals and modernists use this to point out in their
estimation - the non-divinity of Jesus. They are *entirely wrong* - and
their thinking and words concerning this are truly blasphemous! And
*what*will then be their response when they appear before the Great
White
Throne of our Lord Jesus at the end of the coming Millennial age? Silence!
Absolute and complete silence! And the Lake of Fire for them with the
Beast, False Prophet, Satan and his angels and demons, and all those who
bought into their lies and deception. Make no mistake! God is *not* mocked.
Whatever a man sows - *that* shall he also reap. The Spirit through Paul *
clearly* enunciated this in the latter part of the Book of Galatians.


 As Paul reasoned of righteousness, self-control and judgment* to
come*before Felix (Acts 24:25), he was terrified! Good initial
response.
Unfortunately, he did not follow-through!


 The various lessons of this closing passage of the book of James have been
used by many believers living the last 2000 years. We today can still
profit greatly from meditating upon it, and then - contrary to the example
of Felix - acting upon it. James singles out Job and Elijah especially for
his closing word. *Patience* - and *earnest prayer*: these are the two
lessons they leave for us. How we need like them, to practice *both*.


 Not too long ago I included at the suggestion of my wife Marie some
information on Obama's Medicare. Two of my friends faithfully informed me
that this information was not correct. Much of the actions of our President
have been hurtful to our country. But it is not necessary to impute
incorrect information to him also. I regret that I had not checked out
“Snopes” on this information so that it could have been omitted from
sending out. Again - “To err is human - to forgive is divine!” Please
extend forgiveness to me in this lapse. - Jim


 *Our Psalm for the day: 134. COME, BLESS THE LORD. “Come, bless the LORD,
all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! 2
Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD
bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth” (ESV). *What a blessing
of rest comes upon us through the words of this

 Psalm, Father! We receive Your blessing out of Zion. *Hallowed be your
:name!*



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