My Friend James: Sing Praises

A great deal of the remaining verses of James 5 have to do with faithful prayer, especially for the sick. We’ll get to that next week. Today, I want to focus on this little admonition in James 5:13.

James 5:13 [NLT] Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

We do pray for the sick – a lot. Like me, you probably get prayer requests via email, from announcements at church, off posts on Facebook, and directly from friends and family. Maybe, like me, you have a prayer group that texts each other asking for prayer. You may even have special prayer time at church, where you give prayers for those suffering all types of trials.

Since James devotes six verses in James 5 to praying for the sick, we know it is important. But, equally important is the latter part of verse 13: “Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.”

James was not just offering a cool suggestion. We are told that praising God is a sacrifice we should participate in regularly. Hebrews 13:15 [NKJV] Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.

Why? Because Hebrews 13:15 starts with “therefore” we know that the verses ahead of this give us the “why?” we are seeking.

Hebrews 13:10-14 [NLT] talks about Jesus being our better sacrifice and having been sacrificed outside the camp. It says we should go outside the camp to meet Him and then, verse 14, tells us, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”

We should offer the sacrifice of praise because (1) Jesus is our sacrifice for sin and (2) This world is not our home. Many praise songs do offer gratitude for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and tell of our joy in knowing that there is a better world coming, where there are none of the wars, pain, evil and suffering we must endure in this life.

But praise time is not just for church services. Hebrews tells us to offer “a continual sacrifice of praise to God”. [NLT] Great times for praise are when you garden or take a walk, clean house or drive to work, or any time you see the beauty of nature, or feel appreciative for a new day.

And may I suggest that you put your heart into it? I am often on stage at church, playing some percussion instrument during the song service and I am appalled at the demeanor and facial expressions of those in the congregation. Many of them look more like they are angry, or just ate a lemon, rather than being in the act of praising God. I realize that not all congregational songs are truly praise songs. A few are laments. But I am talking about the ones that no one can dispute as being intended for praise.

Hebrews 13:15 [NKJV] Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.

And even if your church only uses traditional songs (no praise music), those songs and our signing are meant to declare the glory of God, to praise Him and to connect us to one another.

If a church frowns on lifting up hands or repetition in praise songs, we typically respect that and don’t push the envelope. Don’t we? But how you sing and praise at home is exclusively between you and God. Nobody else’s business.

As someone who loves to sing but can’t “carry a tune in a bucket”, I do a lot of lip-synching at church when I am in a crowd. Not always, but often. I usually am either playing congas or have a tambourine or shaker in my hands, so lifting up my hands in worship isn’t an option, even if my church approved it.

However, in my car, in my home, in my garden and on long walks, I crank up the tunes and belt out the praise songs that I love, lifting up my hands (See Psalm 63:4) and even dancing when I feel moved to do so. David danced before God enthusiastically (See 2 Samuel 6:14), so I feel I am on solid ground with this.

I am partial to music by Tribl and Upper Room, which I follow on YouTube. If you look them up, I must warn you that there is repetition, lifting of hands, emotional displays and even dancing in some videos. If that is not your thing, I understand.  I also have a Christian playlist on my phone by Casting Crowns, Amy Grant, Matthew West and others.

What are your favorites songs or groups? Please share in the comments here on via Facebook or LinkedIn.

Whatever music moves you, from traditional hymns to modern praise, our friend, James is clear: If you are happy, you should sing!

Thank you for continuing to join me in the study of the book written by my friend James. As we wrap this up, please let me know where you think we should go next.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org or leave a message in the chat.

My Friend James: Heavy Sigh

James 5:9 [KJV] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. It seems like “grudge” is being used as a verb here. Does it mean “don’t hold a grudge” against each other? The New King James says, “do not grumble”. Which seems to me to say something entirely different.

The Greek word used here means “to sigh, to groan”. We sign or groan when we get frustrated or impatient with something, don’t we? So, I wonder, is James saying that we should not allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to frustrate us to the point of sighing or groaning about it?

The writer of Hebrews uses the same word here: Hebrews 13:17 [KJV] Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.

So, while Hebrews tells us not to cause those who rule over us any grief (same Greek word as is translated “grudge” or “grumble” in James 5), James tells us not to be grieved by our brethren.

James 5:9 [CSB] 9 Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!

It would seem that our friend James is really counseling us to be patient with one another and also not to be the kind of person that causes grief to others. That’s fair.

Interestingly, the Bible also offers us acceptable “groaning” as Christians.

Romans 8:22-23 [NKJV] 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only [that], but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

The people of God, along with the world He created, groan for the Kingdom and to exchange these mortal bodies for the immortal ones we are promised.

2 Corinthians 5:4-5 [NLT] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

So, if the condition of this world – the mess we have made of the planet itself, the oppression we see or hear about, the dysfunctional nature of so many human institutions or personal health issues due to the limitations of a mortal body – cause you to give out a heavy sigh or even a groan, that is no less than God would expect. It should lead us to pray “Thy Kingdome come” with earnestness and fervor.

But if your fellow brethren, who struggle as you do, cause you to give out impatient sighs and groanings, please be sure to cut them a break as they are likely dealing with the messes of their lives and this world just like you.

And try not to be the kind of person who causes others to groan, especially to your fellow brethren, even though they, like you, should be working on patience and understanding with one another.  We all may seem slow to change when others look at us and our spiritual progress, but we need to remember that God is working in each one at His own pace and ours.

We are so close to the end of our time in the book of James. Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together? I am considering the book of Matthew or the messages of John (not just his gospel but also 1, 2 and 3 John).

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Farmer Patience

In James 5:7-8, our friend, James, circles back to a theme from chapter 1, verses 2-4, where he says, 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In chapter 5, after giving the “what for” to the rich over how they treat their workers, we find James offering this counsel: James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James bids us to be patient. Like a farmer.

If you have ever had a garden, you know that there is a significant amount of time between the seed going into the ground and your opportunity to put tomatoes from your garden onto your hamburger or into your homemade salsa.

Recently, in getting seeds and plants for our church community garden, I noticed that some seed packets said, “45 days from planting to harvest” or “90 days from planting to harvest”. Not fast by modern standards of 2-day shipping or Door Dash delivery in 20 minutes. But at least you know what to expect.

God doesn’t give us that. James says, “the Lord is at hand”. But we are told we don’t know and can’t know the day nor the hour He is coming. We just have to wait patiently.

We don’t get an expiration date on our lives. We must work until that time comes – doing the things God asks us to do.

We don’t know when God will answer our prayers – prayers about oppression or work drama or anything else. We must wait patiently and remain faithful until the answer comes.

Perhaps James was thinking of these words of his brother, Jesus: Mark 4:30-32 [NKJV] 30 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 "[It is] like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 "but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

The Kingdom itself is sewn in small seeds planted in the garden of our community, our jobs, our children’s minds.

James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

We must be patient. Not just patient, but patient like a farmer, knowing that there is something going on, actually there is a LOT going, on under the surface while he waits. The farmer doesn’t dig up the soil to see what is going on under there. He knows that things are happening. He trusts the process. And while he waits he waters and weeds and fertilizes.

We too must actively wait. We too must be doing our part while we wait.

We are in the final chapter of the book of James. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on this book by the brother of Jesus for just a few more messages.

Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together?

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Que Sera, Sera

In 1955, Doris Day performed the song “Que Sera, Sera” in the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Man Who Knew Too Much”. It is about a woman who asks about the future (Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? What lies ahead?) and is given what always struck me a weird piece of advice. “Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see.” We live in a time where we tell our children “you can have the future you want if you are willing to work for it”. Did they really not have that concept in 1955?

As a Christian, I know the truth is that my plans may not be God’s plans, especially if I’m not submitting them to His will. I also know working toward our goals doesn’t guarantee success in this life because time and chance, as well as the actions of others can impact my life. I also know that success is more likely if I work hard toward viable, God-guided goals.

As you might expect, James has something to say about making our own plans for the future.

James 4:13-16 [NLT] 13 Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

“If the Lord wants us to” is the key phrase – the key guidance that James wants to impart. This act of submitting our goals to God’s will is something we should consider on both a macro and a micro level.

You see, sweet sisters, we cannot just give our futures to God. We cannot just give our big dreams, big moves, big life events to God. We must submit each day to Him. We must submit each hour, each thought, each moment, each breath to His will and purpose for us.

So, whether the moments of our days include potty training a toddler, working on a big project at the office, painting, training for a marathon, mowing the yard, washing dishes for what seems like the millionth time or asking for that raise or promotion you deserve, we must actively submit them to the will of God. Not that He cares if you prewash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, but He cares that you are a child of His whose thoughts turn to Him while doing a routine task, or who will take this time to sing a song of praise (even if your family prefers you do that in your head only).

And who doesn’t need to ask for protection when moving the yard or patience when potty training a toddler?

“Que sera, sera” is not our Christian mantra. Sure, we cannot know the future apart from what God reveals in His word. But He doesn’t ask us to take a “whatever” attitude about it. He asks us for faith in His purpose.

Are lives are like the morning fog: here just a little while and then gone. But they count, they are important, they are given to serve and honor the living God – if only we will submit every aspect and moment of them to His will.

If the Lord wants you to, and He does, sweet sister, His glory will be made known in your small acts of service to your family, friends and neighbors. If the Lord wants you to, and He does, those you work with or train with will notice that you have something special going on within your character, words and work because you know you belong to Him.

But that can only happen if we actively, thoughtfully, and purposefully submit each small act and big project, each day, week, month and year, each moment, each word, each breath to His will, His purpose, and His glory.

Are lives are like the morning fog: here just a little while and then gone. But they count, they are important, they are given to serve and honor the living God – if only we will submit every aspect and moment of them to His will.

Next time, we will hit on the final verse of James 4 before we begin the final chapter of the book of James. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on this book by the brother of Jesus.

Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together?

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Do Not Traduce Your Brother

I learned a new word today, while seeking to dig into and fully understand James 4:11-12. That word is “traduce”.  It means “to speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation”.

We find it in this passage:

James 4:11-12 [NKJV] 11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

You see, the definition of the Greek word used in this scripture, which the KJV translates as “speak (or speaketh) evil” three times in verse 11 is “to be a traducer; to slander”.

It is a terrible thing to speak evil of your brother and sisters in Christ. We should find that obviously in contrast to Jesus’ explicit instructions in John 15:12 [NKJV] "… love one another as I have loved you.”

In case anyone doesn’t understand how to love one another, I Corinthians 13:4-7 spells out how love looks in action. Among those actionable traits of love, are many that are directly opposed to traducing one another. For example, “love does not behave rudely”. Speaking evil of others is pretty rude. Also, love “thinks no evil.” Not only show we show love by not speaking evil of others; but we must not even think it. Love “does not rejoice in iniquity” – and surely that means we would not spread actual sins, let alone make up any.

What is the danger of slandering, speaking evil of, others? James tells us that when we speak evil of others, we speak evil of the law of God. How is that? Well, James doesn’t expound on the connection, but perhaps Romans 14:4 gives us the key.  

Romans 14:4 [NKJV] Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

We are all servants of God, made for His service to do the work or works He specifically outlines for us. When step in to judge another, we are judging God’s work within that person. When we slander someone, we are doing even worse than that as we make God out to be an ineffective master.

Rather, we should understand that God is working in that brother and let His plan unfold with that servant as He wills it.

Let’s face it, we face enough condemnation and slander in this world. Peter both warns us of that and gives the cure. I Peter 2:12 [KJV] Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The words “speak evil” are from the same Greek word that James used. We will be slandered and traduced by those of the world. We must have our good works and honest conversation acting as shining a lights and standing in stark contrast to that slander.

Romans 14:4 [NKJV] Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

And no wonder we face slander and accusation in the world. The god of this world, Satan, is called the “accuser of the brethren”. [Revelation 12:10]

Let’s focus on honest conversation and good works and  on showing the kind of love that doesn’t even think evil of others, let alone slander or accuse them.

Let’s wrap this up by reading James 4:11 in the New Living Translation, that gives us a plain and direct version of this verse. Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

We have a job, dear sisters, and that is to obey the law. We don’t have time to be traducing each other.

We have just a little more than one chapter to go, but several more important concepts to cover. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Fight Club, Part 2

In our last discussion of James, we asked, “Where do fights come from?” – specifically fights and contentions within the body of Christ, according to James.  And we found the answer in James 4:1-4. Church wars come from lust – from wanting something that isn’t yours enough to fight for it. It comes from being willing to take it away from whomever currently is, or feels they are, the rightful owner of what we want. Fights among church brethren are often about power or position, and sometimes about the feeling that one has special knowledge that others must agree with, whether about one of the commandments or church doctrine or how to runs services or any tenant of Christian life.

Today, let’s discuss the cure for lust-driven wars among God’s people. The cure is two-fold. First, if we want to stop fighting among brethren, we must be humble – we must humble ourselves. The next few verses of James 4. James 4:6-10 [NIV] 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

You want favor from God? You want some particular power or influence in the body of Christ? Work at being humble. These verses tell us that we must grieve our own sins and wash our hearts with the precious blood of Jesus.

The second step toward curing wars in the church is one that should help us with becoming more humble. That step is to realize that the rightful owner of anything we want is not the person who currently has it, but rather God Himself.

James 4:12 [NIV] tells us, There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor? The power that your neighbor in the faith has, whether information or position, comes from the Just Judge whom your neighbor must answer to. If you fight over something you want, you’ll be answering to Him as well.

James may have been echoing what he’d read in the Psalms. David makes a similar point on who owns all we want and about the need to purify ourselves in order to receive the blessing or gift we desire. Psalm 24:1-5 [NIV] 1 Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior.

Rather than fighting or arguing, we are directed to humbly ask for what we want. We are told to ask the One who owns it all – not just things but also power, wisdom, authority, position and everything else.

James 4:12 [NIV]There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?

What is the cure for wars in the church? Humble recognition that God is the rightful owner of anything and everything, and humble seeking (and waiting for) God’s gift of what we seek.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James. We have just one and a half chapters to go, but several more concepts to cover.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

My Friend James: Fight Club, Part 1

In our last discussion of James, we asked, “Where does wisdom come from?” and found that we can test that wisdom’s source by asking some questions about the makeup of that wisdom.

Today, our friend, James, both asks and answers this question: “Where do fights come from?”. Today, I’ll address where they come from and the damage they do. Next week, we’ll talk about the cure.

James 4:1 [KJV] From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

The Greek word translated “fightings” can mean war and battles, or, as it is used in 2 Timothy 2:23 and Titus 3:9, it can mean quarrels, contention, or strife. The subsequent scriptures in James 4 tell us that our friend is more interested in troubles within the body of Christ, than in the Roman army taking over new territory.

James tells us that fights within the body of Christ come from lusts or desires for pleasure. We get in fights, cause strife, create drama in the body of Christ when we want something purely for ourselves and our own pleasure. Maybe it is a leadership role within the congregation. Or a desire for more authority over the church. Or to get the congregation to agree with some “new” or “more accurate” truth we want them to adopt.

These types of troubles come when we get our self esteem from power, position or praise, rather than from knowing that we are the much loved daughters of God. How does this happen to us – that we forget who we are and focus on what we have/can get instead?

James explains that in verse 4: You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

When we spend too much time immersed in and, thereby, influenced by the world around us that is all about getting and having and looking good, we can lose sight of who we really are and the primary goal of our earthly lives.

I am not going to tell you not to listen to secular music or have hobbies or read fiction or watch TV. A Christian woman can do that and still maintain a deep relationship with God. God isn’t asking for 24/7/365 prayer, Bible study and fellowship with believers. He sends us into the world, after all, to be lights there. We ought to be bringing the truth and love of God to all our secular interactions [work, sports, hobbies, etc.] to be an example of living in the world but not being of the world [John 17:14]. We cannot do that if we remain apart from it. We can’t know what is going on in the world or understand the struggle of those unbelievers we hope to influence if we aren’t out there in the world at all.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

What we have to do is guard our hearts and minds against buying into the schtick the world pushes on us – especially the schtick that having things will make us happy and that having power is the measure of success. The lust for things and power is what is tearing the world down and it can take us down as well.

But don’t be fooled, sweet sisters, if the only people you are around is church brethren, Satan will use this very human lust for power, influence and things to cause division in the body of Christ. Satan will use human nature pull us toward fighting to be the praise leader or pastor, or to being angry that a new believer seems to be getting more spiritual or physical blessing than you. Satan is crafty and aggressive. He will attack with these human lusts no matter where you are in your spiritual walk. He doesn’t stop or hold back. What happens is that we get stronger. We become better fighters. Our armor gets more difficult for him to penetrate.

We have to spend enough time with God, the Bible and fellow believers to be armored up against the lies of Satan and the pull of this world. [For more about the armor we should put on daily, see Ephesians 6:13-18.] That amount of time might be different for each of us. But what is sure is that we need time with the Father and His Word every day.

Sweet sisters, the fight is on, but it should be a battle with Satan and human nature, not a battle with our brethren, neighbors or coworkers. Where do things contentions, fights and battles come from? Lust.

It isn’t wrong to want good things,  or positions of service, of course. But lust, a word that means to set your heart upon, long for or covet, is something our Father was concerned enough about to address in the 10 Commandments. [See Exodus 20:17.] It is something we must guard against if we don’t want strife in our churches.

Next time, we will discuss James’ cure for lust that causes fights in the church.

I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on the book of James.

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org