#22
Part 2
In Part 1 we read James 5:13-17
And talked about suffering Here in part 2, we will talk about the cheerful, sick and sins,
Go back and read James 5:13-17
{{{ We are told anyone who is cheerful; is to sing praises.
I don’t seem to find any cheerful among us,
Do you see any one walking around singing praises to GOD?
Do you go through your day singing praises to the Lord God?
Next we are told if anyone among you sick;
Then he must call for the elders of the church and the elders are to pray over the sick one, anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord.
But what we see happen is the sick run to anyone anywhere and ask for prayer and then run to the medical profession to be healed.
GOD’s word tells us the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick,
and the Lord will raise him up,
and that if the one who is sick has committed sins, they will be forgiven them.
(( Elders in the church: What does it take to become Elder in the Christian church?
Titus 1:5-9
¶ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
So an Elder is and is to be:
a. Above reproach;
He lives in a way that gives no cause for others to think badly of the church or the faith or the Lord.
b. The husband of one wife.
c. Sober-minded, Disciplined, Not a Drunkard;
He exercises self-control and mastery of his appetites.
He prizes freedom from enslavements to such a degree that no bondage is yielded to. self-controlled;
He is sensible.
He is prudent.
He is reasonable.
He has good judgment.
He sees things as they really are.
He knows himself well.
He understands people and how they respond.
He is in touch with reality, such that there are no great gaps between what he sees in himself and what others see in him.
d. Respectable;
He is honorable and dignified.
He comports himself in situations so as not to step on toes unnecessarily.
He does not offend against propriety.
e. Hospitable;
He loves strangers.
He is given to being kind to newcomers.
He makes them feel at home.
His home is open for ministry.
He does not shrink back from having guests; he is not a secretive person.
f. Able to Teach;
He knows biblical doctrine well and is able to explain it to people.
He is astute enough theologically that he can spot serious error and show a person why it is wrong and harmful.
g. Not Violent;
His temper is under control.
He is not given to quarreling or fighting.
He has a conciliatory bent. His feelings are not worn on his sleeve.
He does not carry resentments.
He is not hypercritical. h. Gentle;
He is not harsh or mean-spirited.
He is inclined to tenderness.
He resorts to toughness only when the circumstances commend this form of love.
His words are not acid or divisive but helpful and encouraging.
i. Not Quarrelsome, Arrogant or Quick-Tempered;
He is peaceable.
He is lowly in his demeanor, not speaking much of himself or his achievements.
He counts others better than himself and is quick to serve.
He sincerely gives God the credit and honor for any accomplishments.
j. Not a lover of money, nor greedy for gain:
He puts the kingdom first in all he does.
His lifestyle does not reflect a love of luxury.
He is a generous giver.
He is not anxious about his financial future
He is not so money-oriented that ministry decisions revolve around this issue.
k. A good manager of his own household, a steward; his children are faithful, not insubordinate;
He is the leader of a well-ordered household.
If he has children, they are submissive
(not perfect, but well-disciplined, so that they do not blatantly and regularly disregard the instructions of their parents).
His children revere him.
He is a loving and responsible spiritual leader in the home.
He respects and tenderly loved his wife, if he is married.
Their relationship is openly admirable.
l. Not a recent convert;
He is a mature believer.
There are evidences in his life that humility is a fixed virtue and not easily overturned.
m. Well thought of by outsiders;
He meets the standards of the world for decency and respectability
(as the standards of the church are higher and they are is desire).
n. A lover of good;
He loves to be involved in doing good.
More than merely doing good, he has a bent and love to see goodness done.
o. Upright;
He cares about whether people are treated fairly.
He wants to see justice in the world at all levels.
p. Holy;
He is a person of devotion to Christ with a life of prayer and meditation.
He loves worship and has a deep personal relationship with the Lord.
A long list to say an Elder is to be a man of GOD who puts others before himself, and can display authority wall not having to speak of it.
If you look at the Elders in your church, do they hold these attributes?
Over the last several decades in most churches these attributes have been ignored, and it seems the qualifications have changed to the wealthy, the powerful and the good speaker, no mater if they love the Lord or not. Men who seek a position, power and wealth.
If you are going to these men for prayer all that can be said is good luck, their hearts wont be in it and GOD will not listen to them, not until they repent and turn to Him for their own needs. }}}
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
{{{ confess your sins to one another?
In today’s church if you do so your chances of being gossiped about and belittled are great.
This is why the Lord said
“The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
If you are going to confess your sins you need to make sure the person you are confessing to is a righteous man.
But before you ever do that make sure you have confessed to the Lord Himself. }}}
James 5:19-20
¶ My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Are you righteous?
Do you strive to become righteous as Christ is righteous?
Matthew 6:33
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”