Equipped for Life James 5:13-20

Scenario 1: Suffering v13a

Pray for it to end Suffering Matthew 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” Suffering

for joy & strength if it doesn’t Pray for it to end for joy & strength if it doesn’t Acts 4:29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence...” Suffering

“Don't pray for the persecution to stop “Don't pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn't pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power.” Heavenly Man, 287

Scenario 2: Satisfaction v13b

Sing praise songs or psalms that exalt God with or without music so that others can hear Satisfaction

Sing praise Satisfaction Ephesians 5:18–20 ...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father Satisfaction

Sing praise Satisfaction Judges 8:34 Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side Satisfaction

Sing praise Satisfaction Luke 17:12–18 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed... Satisfaction

Sing praise Satisfaction Luke 17:12–18 ...Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” Satisfaction

Sing praise Satisfaction Tragedy: That God gets more of my attention when my life is painful than when it’s pleasant Satisfaction

Scenario 3: Sickness v14-18

Pray Psalm 103:2–3 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases Sickness

Confess your sins to one another Pray Confess your sins to one another 1 Corinthians 11:29–30 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. Sickness

Confess your sins to one another Pray Confess your sins to one another John 9:1–3 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Sickness

Pray Confess your sins to one another Call the elders Sickness

Does this prohibit getting medical help? Isaiah 38:20–21 “The Lord will surely save me; so we will play my songs on stringed instruments all the days of our life at the house of the Lord.” Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” Theological Issues

Why doesn’t God always heal? 2 Timothy 4:20 ...Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. Theological Issues

Why doesn’t God always heal? 2 Corinthians 12:7–9 ...to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me... Theological Issues

Why doesn’t God always heal? 2 Corinthians 12:7–9 ...And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Theological Issues

Why doesn’t God always heal? Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better Theological Issues

Scenario 4: Sin v16,19-20

When I sin: confess to God & others (v16) 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sin

When others sin: Confront (v19-20) Matthew 18:15–17 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Sin

When others sin: Confront (v19-20) Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Sin

suffering: pray satisfaction: sing praise sickness: pray, confess, call the elders sin: confess and confront Summary

Equipped for Life James 5:13-20