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James 5: We must be Patient in our Tribulations. Weep & Howl for your miseries that are coming on you!. Isa 13:6 Wail (“howl” KJV), for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
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Weep & Howl for your miseries that are coming on you! Isa 13:6 Wail (“howl” KJV), for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Jer 25:34 "Wail (howl), shepherds, and cry! Roll about in the ashes, you leaders of the flock! For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled; you shall fall like a precious vessel. Micah 1:1-8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches,
Ruin of the Rich • Riches corrupt • Garments moth eaten • Gold & silver corroded
Abuse by the Rich: they broke the Royal Law of Lev 19 The cry from the reapers has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (armies)! Rom 9:29 Lev 19:13 'You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning.
Heaped up treasure in last days Luke 12:20-21 "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?‘ "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Corroded riches will eat your flesh like fire! Matt 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Unaware like a fattened sheep Living life like an animal that lives only for the day – no thought about the future or misuse of others Not aware that the day of God’s judgment was coming soon when they would be slaughtered by the Romans
God will soon bring judgment • Many of the wealthy Jews were severely persecuted in AD 70 • The riches that brought them such pleasure became a liability LORD of hosts (Sabaoth) is used about 70 times in Jeremiah, 50 in Isaiah, and 24 in Malachi – mostly about God’s destruction of the Jewish nation because of their sins.
Who are these “rich”? • Probably Jewish, but not believers in Christ • James 2:6-7 “Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” • Introduces “brethren” in 5:7,9,10,12,19 The abuse caused by rich Jewish unbelievers is introduced to encourage the believers to suffer patiently through their persecution
Murdered the Just • Jews, as a nation, had murdered Jesus • Rich Jews were killing “just” believers through abuse Historians record that a few years later Jews stoned James – James the Just – to death!
The Single-minded view: Vengeance is God’s • Deut 32:35,41,43 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.' • Ps 94:1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs-- O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! • Rom 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. (see also Heb 10:30)
Examples of patience: waiting on God The prophets Job & Elijah The farmer Prayers for the sick
The Farmer: waits patiently for God to send the early & latter rains • Early rains germinated the seeds • Latter rains matured and ripened the fruit Farmers had to patiently wait for God to end their stressed out days waiting for the rains to fall
Warning for us • You too be patient • Establish (strengthen) your hearts • Do not complain against one another – that you be not judged! When our patience runs thin, we tend to begin complaining about others, blaming and judging them! Single-minded believers trust that God knows what He is doing, and continue to love one another
Patience of the Prophets Samuel – Micaiah – Elijah – Elisha - Jeremiah – Ezekiel – Daniel – John • Spoke an unpopular message • Suffered ridicule and hatred from people • Many waited years before God vindicated their message • Even then, many people blamed the prophets for their troubles
Example of Job • Asked for wisdom to understand why he was suffering • Suffered through the unjust accusations of his “friends” • Didn’t lash out at those who falsely accused him
The end intended by the Lord • God helped Job understand his sufferings • God helped others learn through Job’s sufferings • God showed Job compassion and mercy Job was single-minded and knew that God was responsible for all that happened to him. He trusted God would eventually resolve his issues.
But above all…do not swear! Many people are tempted to swear during the pressure of trials Matthew 5:33-37 33 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' 34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Common Jewish practice to swear – not by Yahweh – but by heaven or earth or anything else so that they didn’t have to keep the oath!
Not good to make too many oaths • God holds us responsible for oaths we make (Zedekiah in Ezek 17:13-19) • Many are made in pride, calling God to be on our side! • We are weak – tend to break them • Better to just say “yes” and “no”
Responding to what God gives us • Anyone suffering? • Let him pray • Anyone cheerful? • Let him sing psalms • Anyone sick? • Let him call for the elders to pray Single-minded people know God is involved and involve Him in their response!
Prayer makes a difference • Elders pray over him • Anoint with oil in name of the Lord • Prayer of faith will save the sick • The Lord will raise him up • If the sickness was the result of sin, God will forgive the sin • Confess your trespasses to one another • Pray for each other – that you may be healed
God uses sicknesses • To impact our lives • Turn us from sin (Job 33:19-28) • Make us examine ourselves (1 Cor 11:27-32) • To prevent us from slipping (Job 33:18,29-30) • To impact the lives of others • Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kg 4:18-37) • David & Bathsheba’s 1st son (2 Sam 12:18) Sickness is one of the tools God uses to reach our hearts
God Responds to Prayers • Abraham’s request to save Sodom for only 10 righteous (Gen 10:22-33) • Moses’ request to forgive the sins of the people (Ex 32:32-35) • Hezekiah’s request for additional years (Isa 38:1-6) • Parable of the persistent woman (Lk 18:1) God has multiple pathways for some events of life, and the pathway He chooses can be influenced by our prayers
Elijah’s Powerful prayers The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (5:16 NASB) • Elijah wanted to heal the spiritual sickness of the nation • He prayed to stop the rain, and prayed again to start it 3.5 years later (1 Kg 17:1; 18:42; Lk 4:25) Elijah asked and he did receive, because he didn’t want to spend it on himself (4:1-3) – he wanted to save others
Join God in Seeking the Lost Sheep • Single-minded people think like God • God wants to save sinners from death and cover multitudes of sins • If that’s our goal too, we won’t have arguments and fights, but the fruit of righteousness that is sown in peace by those who make peace • If it’s not our goal, then we are double-minded and need to work on our own goals and motives
As we leave Bible School… • Let’s commit to go home more single-minded, convinced that God is working in our lives in everything – that we might share his holiness • Let’s refuse to show partiality, let God’s word control our tongues, and learn to be more patient like the prophets • Let’s commit to be doers of the word – at home, in our ecclesias, and on the job – looking for ways to serve one another through love. Faith without works is dead!
Become Doers of the Word Not just hearers
