Living by Faith | Living Your Best Life Week 5 | Pastor Andrew Cromwell
July 23, 2023 / Koinonia ChurchLiving by Faith | James: Living Your Best Life | Pastor Andrew Cromwell
James 5:1–20 ESV: 1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Hebrews 11:1 ESV: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is what you believe
AND
Faith is what you do
Four Areas to Live Your Faith
Money Management
James 5:1–5 ESV: 1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
Faith in money is demonstrated by .
Faith in God is demonstrated by .
Kill the idol of money by instead of .
Patience in Suffering
Patience: Ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people or circumstances without losing one’s temper, without becoming irritated and angry, or without taking vengeance. It includes the capacity to bear pain or trials without complaint, the ability to forbear under severe provocation, and the self-control which keeps one from acting rashly even though suffering opposition or adversity. From Baker’s Encyclopedia of the Bible
James 5:7-11 NIV: 7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- Patience with God: God, I don’t see what you’re doing.
James 5:8 NIV: You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
John 13:7 ESV: Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
My patience level reveals how much I trust in God.
- Patience with Others: People, I do see what you’re doing.
James 5:9 NIV: Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
James 5:12 ESV: 12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Authentic faith trusts God over the need to massage and manipulate the situation through half-truths and clever deceptions.
Authentic faith is ruthless in rooting out falsehood in our lives and speech.
Romans 1:17 ESV: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Pray More
James 5:13–14 ESV: 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
- The believer’s job is to pray in every circumstance.
- Pray when things are (5:13).
- Pray when things are (5:13).
- Pray when your body is (5:14).
2. Some prayers are better than others.
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- is better than Inconsistent
- is better than Inconsistent
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- -filled is better than Doubt-filled
- -filled is better than Doubt-filled
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- is better than Unrepentant
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- is better than Unrighteous
- is better than Unrighteous