Harvest Community Church

Wrapped up our Pivotal Series yesterday with a great morning. I hope that you have all enjoyed the time we have spent in the book of James. Yesterday we spent our time talking about how our faith gets played out in our words. Instead of my normal Monday morning rants I thought I would post some extra Bible passages I came across in my study James 3. Enjoy…

Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21)

There is one whose rash words are like swords thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Prov.12:18)

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and defiles a person. (Matt.15:18)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that give grace to those who hear. (Eph. 4:29)

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. (Matt. 12:36)

Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (Prov. 16:24)

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (Col. 3:8)

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (Prov. 21:23)

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. (Rom. 12:14)

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Prov. 15:1)

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (Prov.29:20)

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. (Prov. 18:13)

These verses are a sobering reminder of the power that sits in the tongue.  Ponder them this week and consider speaking life into someone this week by inviting them to join you this week at Harvest.  See you Sunday.

There is power in Prayer.

James has been taking us on a journey of faith and what living real faith looks like. Part of living our faith in Jesus is believing in the power of prayer. In this short 5 verse section of chapter 5, James gives us some instruction of prayer as a believer. First he shares with us three times we should pray.

1. Pray in troubled times “Is any of you suffering? Then he must pray” (v. 13)

2. Pray in Happiness “Is anyone cheerful? Then he must pray” (v. 13)

3. Pray in Sickness “Is anyone among you sick?” (v. 14)

Three examples of when we should be praying as believers. Part praying as believers is coming before our Almighty God and offering that prayer in faith. James tells that when we offer our prayers up in faith we get results.

“and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

I know that verse may be hard to swallow for some. Perhaps you have a loved on who is sick, or maybe you are hurting and you have committed everything you have to prayer and coming before God full of faith. And yet nothing seems to be changing, they’re still sick and you are still hurting. All I can say is this, God has a plan. He is faithful to those who believe and have faith. We may not understand now but everything will be used to further His Kingdom and bring Him glory. James does give us hope in our prayers. He reminds us that “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (v. 16)

There is power in Prayer!

Please share with us when you have see or experience the power of prayer! God is amazing and does amazing things, share your story!

James 5:7-12

If only we could bottle a virtue like steadfastness so we could pull out a flask and take a sip when we feel ours fading in the midst of a trial. Wouldn’t that be great? Seems like it would, probably isn’t, and either way…we can’t. Three words: “establish your hearts.” These three words in James 5:8 offer a gem of divine wisdom. We’ve discussed the context of James– the trials that will certainly beset us as Christians. We’ve seen that in the midst of these trials we have a faith that is productive. We are saved by faith alone, but true faith is not alone: it changes us.

I was listening to a David Crowder song with these words about Jesus: “Yeah he loves us, oh how he loves us”. Do you realize that?  Is your heart fixed upon that truth? You are loved by God.  Jesus’s death for us on the cross showed the depth of God’s love for us. If your faith is anchored in Jesus the Messiah, whose death has earned you freedom from sin, then you have a new life. You have God’s own Holy Spirit dwelling in you, empowering you to live this new life in the Messiah.

What’s more, God is on a mission in our world, and you have been invited into his plans. In part of God’s plans for our world, we have the assurance of the scriptures that Jesus the Messiah will come back again someday. It’s a fact. Have you thought about that lately?

My wife left for a couple days on a women’s retreat recently. When she left I didn’t trash the house. I didn’t fall back into my old bachelor tendencies of cleaning only when necessary, leaving clothes on the floor and dishes on the counters. I knew she was coming back, so I cleaned up the place for her arrival.

“Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)

Are you convinced that Jesus will return someday? Are you living to be ready for him? Maybe you need to pray through this verse today and ask God to help you fix your heart on the reality of Jesus’s love, and of his return.

How many of you have plans for the future? I know I do! There are plenty of things that I want to do or accomplish in this life. James, gives us a very serious reminder about how we go about in pursuit of those plans and goals in our life. I think all too often we are so eager to spout off our goals, plans and ideas about our future that we forget to have that all important discussion with God.

“13Come now, you who say,”Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.”

I can still remember “fighting” through college courses in Human Biology because I was determined to follow my dreams and to follow my desires to go into the physical therapy field. I can also remember telling everyone what I was going to do. Literally boasting that I was a double major and that sports and physical therapy were part of my future. Look at me now, God broke me and showed me how He could use me in a better and in my mind more exciting way! I wonder, what is it that kept me, keeps us from coming before the Lord and earnestly seeking His will? Fear, pride, self-reliance?

I also think James uses these words to speak to us about a far greater issue. One of arrogance! The fact that we could ever fathom knowing more about the future of our life or more about anything for that matter than God is astounding. Yet we can see people everyday who live and act as if they absolutely know what tomorrow will bring. James isnt asking us to not plan for our future, or to not have goals, I think he is asking that we simply include God in the decision making.

“17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

In the end, we need to couple our faith with an active obedience. Once we know God’s plan for our own lives we need to be obedient to it and follow Him!