JAMES, THE WORLD’S PASTOR
Suggested Reading: James 3-5
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here you can see the ruins of what some consider to be the Pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem. This is the southwest corner of the Temple Mount. It may have been to this height which Satan brought Jesus in the time of Jesus' temptation. Jesus, the Man, did as James said. He submitted to God, resisted the devil, and the devil fled from Him! According to the Jewish historian Josephus, James was executed by the authority of Ananus, High Priest, by being thrown off this pinnacle.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: James 4:7, 5:16
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you…Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 3 focuses on that “little member that boasts great things,” the tongue. James has a definition of a “perfect man” as “one who does not stumble in word” (the tongue). It’s encouraging to note that James is human as he says, “We [includes himself] all stumble in many things.” James tells us that “No man can tame the tongue.” So-o-o do we just give up!!! Never!!! Our key verses have the answer as to how not to be “hung by the tongue!” Firstly, “Resist the devil.” Secondly, “Confess.” Thirdly, “Pray!” Fourthly, we should daily present our bodies (that would include our tongues) as living sacrifices, “Holy acceptable to God!” (Romans 12:1).
James 4 exhorts us to “Lament and mourn and weep!” When is the last time we experienced this depth of sorrow over our sins? “Repent” was in the first recorded words of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-2) and Jesus (Matthew 4:17), as well as in Peter’s response to the question he was asked on the birthday of the Church! (Acts 2:37-38). Pastor James teaches, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up!”
James 5 will spill over into my PERSONAL WORDS section below.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I ask for Your free gift of grace so I may learn daily to give over to You all the members of my body, in particular, that unruly member, the tongue. Thank You, Jesus, for the gift of Your brother James as a Pastor to the Church of all times and all places. I pray for these mercies from Your most gracious hand, in Your Name, Jesus, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
James 5 – I always look for words which are repeated such as “be patient” (twice). This blog is intended to help “establish” our “hearts” (5:8). May it be so for us all! Now I encourage everyone to read again James 5:13-16. The Pastor gives the protocol for a joyful, clean and healthy life. In my years as a Pastor, I put this into practice constantly. Every Sunday the Elders and I would offer to pray over anyone desiring healing. We would place olive oil on those asking for anointing. Many testified to God’s healing power. When I began travelling as an Evangelist in the 1970s, I would insist that Pastors and Elders be involved in praying for the sick. For a period of five years, from about 1972 to 1977, I would ask who in the congregation had a medically documented healing. If so I asked people to stay behind to tell me about it. I discovered approximately 40 people who had letters from their doctors which attested to a miraculous cure. I asked each one, “Who prayed for you and where were you prayed for?” Of course many said that people everywhere were praying for them. Then I would ask them, “Were you prayed for and anointed with oil by your Pastor and the Elders of your local Church?” In 100% of these cases the answer was, “Yes!” For this reason I discourage people from traveling many miles to be prayed for by an evangelist. The evangelist’s job (like Billy Graham) is to get people to believe in Jesus for the salvation of their never-dying souls. The job of the Church is to do as Pastor James instructs us. Amen! Amen! and Amen!!!
Yours, as an Assistant Pastor to James, Jerusalem’s first Pastor,
David
P.S. Recently I shared with blog readers about my faith for healing of the physical condition with which I was diagnosed. I had presented myself for healing at the altar of the local Church. I’ve personally experienced God’s power to heal when I was a 19-year-old college student. I was prayed for by fellow students, and as the Doctors would not allow me to be moved from my dorm room, two Pastors/Teachers came into my room. They prayed fervently because the medical doctors had told them that I would be “carried out feet first,” or in other words, they expected me to die. I don’t have room here to give the details, but its sufficient to say that as they anointed me and laid their hands on my head, my 105+ fever dissipated. I was delirious, but at the same time it was like a beautiful cooling shower was falling on me. I got up, dressed, got in my ’47 Plymouth car, and drove to the hospital Emergency Department. I announced that I was well and that God had healed me. I did elect for surgery which would make it impossible for the same thing to happen again. I benefited from God’s healing power and from the good works of skilled medical practitioners. James is my very, very Senior Pastor! Amen again!!!
Amen! Thank you, David Mainse, for sharing your healing story with us. How great is our God! And for the great links… they represent the gift of guidance God has provided for us in scripture. Repent, be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for your sins will be forgiven and you will be filled with the Holy Spirit. We cannot assume everyone partaking in this blog has taken this step but encourage you, now, to go to church, speak to a pastor, and make the arrangements to do so. It is the greatest gift, will start you on a strong walk forward with Jesus, and ultimately change your life. We are truly blessed and we serve an awesome God! Stay warm, everyone, and God bless you and Norma-Jean in Florida, dear David!
I, ve been healed of a short leg , and healed of a broken elbow bone that was broke completely off I had to have surgery to have it wired back on I 2 and half weeks after bring anointed with oil my elbow was healed , please put a briddle on my tongue only to say words of encouragement and good things , and use me Lord Jesus to say words of life through the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name Amen .God bless are of you who read these comments and prayers that God eill grant you floods of His favor and healing In your body soul and spirit in Jesus name Amen 🙂
Amen Pastor David!! To establish ourselves in the Word has clearly been a top priority with this blog. Granted, it takes practice and daily commitment. The anointing of oil for the sick by elders, combined with following treatment plans, are clear. No one can do it alone, unless deserted or unwilling. I pray for elders, families and friends to uphold those who are weak and ill, those who are elderly and for the disabled mentally and physically. To remember to pray fervently and to visit, if possible. May our Lord give us the patience and understanding to cope with their illness and the tongue to lend nurture, kindness, support and love. In Jesus’ Holy Name, I pray! Amen!!
Thank you for this beautiful testimony Pastor David. God is able to do miracles, He did this in the past, and is still doing it.!!
Blessings to one and all.
Okay this might be my imagination but I swear the trees in the background of today’s photo looks like a person on their knees praying, looking upward to God. If anyone else can see that in the shape of those trees let me know.
Amen sister
It took me a minute, but I DO see the praying figure in the trees in the background of today’s photo!. Thank you for pointing that out!
Got it.
I see it too, in the trees. Thanks for pointing that out.
Yes, I can see it too!!! Awesome!!!
I also see it Donna , Amen.
Yes, Donna I also see a cross a ways underneath in the stone.
Thank you David M for sharing your healing testimony when you were just 19 yrs old. The power of fervent prayer through Christ Jesus is awesome! May all of us blog readers be blessed by this truth…
For those of you who are suffering – I pray in the name of Jesus that the hand of God would reach down upon you and that you would feel his perfect divine touch and know that you are healed… In Jesus precious name – AMEN!
Thank you for your prayer David.
I don’t know the bible well. It sure has been a pleasure reading your comments Pastor David about James. The scripture is so powerful! The fire of my tongue, the lack of confession of my sin and the ever presence of the Lord in my life are things that I forget on a daily basis, (can’t believe that I have to relearn these points a zillion times over – how frustrating). Your teaching allows the bible to jump out to me at times especially now in James. Also, Pastor David, thank you for the cross referencing, pictures and personal testimony that you have for us daily. These really help. God is moving all of us closer to Him through this time that we spend together. What a blessing! Too great to ever describe. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus thank you for the patience that you have for us. Thank you for all the answered prayers on this blog. Thank you for all the bloggers. Thank you for Pastor David, Jesus. You are using him and his team to change us. Amen. Enjoy another day with the Lord you guys, my friends in Christ. The joy, joy, joy!
Always blessed to hear of your healings David. And as I spend time meditating on the whole book of James, I repent and confess that I have failed in many ways. I need to read that book over and over again. One thing I did right was to ask the Pastor and elders of the church to anoint and pray for me before my operation, and although I didn’t have a physical miracle, I had a medical miracle, and all of you were such a vital part of it. Thank you again. Would you please pray for my dizziness which I have quite often since my surgery. Thanks so much. And thank you for that admonition yesterday, Doreen. Am learning so much from your blog, David and may it establish our hearts in Jesus Name. Amen!
Hi Ger, I understand the dizziness as I too sometimes feel it after my surgeries. It takes time and you have been through a lot.
Will be praying for you dear sister in The Lord.
Amen Sister Donna M. And thank you for your prayer this morning David Loewen. I read this after I submitted my request and the Lord reminded me of this verse in Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” God bless you.
Amen!
Amen, Ger!!
I’m such a nervous Nellie. Can’t understand all the cruelty that has happened to God’s prophets and now James has been thrown off of a high structure. There must be something I’m not getting and maybe not supposed to.
I know that Christianity is the only way to live our lives so I’m sticking with it!
Praise God!!
Nancy xoxoxo
GOOD AFTERNOON FELLOW BLOGGERS , TODAY IS MY 50TH BIRTHDAY . THANKYOU BROTHER MAINSE FOR YOUR LIFE AND YOUR TESTOMONY , WE ALL HERE ON 100WORDS.CA ARE ALL PRAYING FOR YOUR HEALING , GOD DID IT ONCE AND HE CAN DO IT AGAIN . PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLO
Happy Birthday, Marilyn! God’s continued blessings to you!!
THAT LAST WORD WAS FROM WHO ALL BLESSING FLOW . AMEN AND AMEN.
Wonderful passage today. I too need to read it over and over……sometimes the tongue wags too much!!! Lol
Thank you Pastor David for great testimony of healing.
Blessings on this frigid day around Toronto. Enjoy the warmth of Florida Pastor David and Norma-Jean.
How very powerful todays scripture . I am remembering my mom telling me when I was a little girl TO TURN MY TONGUE 7 TIMES BEFORE SPEAKING. How very wise she was. So much good can come from our mouth , but sadly also it can become a terrible weapon.
Thank you Rev. David M. for your healing testimony and for todays prayer.
Blessed day everyone.
xxxx Carole.
Thanks to those who reply to my request. I am glad I did not imagine it and others could see the shape as well. It may just be a coincidence but then again, maybe it is just one of those little signs God plants in our lives to remind us He is very aware of our lives, right down to knowing who is reading this blog and looking at these pictures.
Dear Pastor David, I thank you so much for your encouragement. I really appreciate this testimony and the reference to Pastor James. Thank you and God Bless you!
Thanks Catherine for your comforting words. I just remembered my doctor telling me also that low blood count can cause dizziness which could be my situation as well. Your prayers helped to trigger my memory. God bless.