JAMES, THE WORLD’S PASTOR
Today’s 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 of 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 confirmation 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. 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 it’s 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!! We humble ourselves in the sight of You Lord, and know that You will lift us up. We thank You Lord, our Prince of Peace, our King of Kings. Oh merciful and heavenly Father, we bow to You with thanksgiving and praise for the glory of the day You have made. Thank You Jesus, for Your everlasting, enduring love for us!! Be well and warm, fellow saints. May you feel Him holding you in the palm of His hands, today.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19 NKJV
Fernando Ortega – Give me Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rZ8k9m2hwo
Amen. Prayed your prayer in agreement.
Love the hymn you chosed to share.
Thanks Nan. It was a toss between that and “I Stand in Awe of You,” which was also running through my head this morning–maybe tomorrow.
Amen!! We humble ourselves in the sight of You Lord, and know that You will lift us up. We thank You Lord, our Prince of Peace, our King of Kings. Oh merciful and heavenly Father, we bow to You with thanksgiving and praise for the glory of the day You have made. Thank You Jesus, for Your everlasting, enduring love for us!! Be well and warm, fellow saints. May you feel Him holding you in the palm of His hands, today.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19 NKJV
Fernando Ortega – Give me Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rZ8k9m2hwo
Sorry for the double post.
The previous–next link does not seem to be working.
Thank You, Lord, for your goodness in every way. We ask for your grace on all your people. You are so good to us always. You wash us, protect us, provide for us… yet You are the One to whom we all are accountable. Please help all of us to submit to You and obey You in the things You have given us to do.
Thank You for those who stand up for righteousness in this world. Please bless them and strengthen them, and use their efforts to bring more into your Kingdom, we ask in Jesus’s great name, amen
Amen Rob
Amen
Amen!
Amen
Imagine being a brother or sister of Jesus! Wisdom and knowledge abound in today’s reading. Thank you Mainse family for keeping this study going.
William Booth on the sanctity of human life: “All who are not on the rock are in the sea.”
May God bless and keep us all safe from evil and harm this and each passing day, I ask in Jesus name.
“… As a Nation, we must remain steadfastly dedicated to the profound truth that all life is a gift from God, who endows every person with immeasurable worth and potential. Countless Americans are tireless defenders of life and champions for the vulnerable among us. We are grateful for those who support women experiencing unexpected pregnancies, those who provide healing to women who have had abortions, and those who welcome children into their homes through foster care and adoption. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the wonderful gift of life and renew our resolve to build a culture where life is always revered.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 22, 2020, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.”
From:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-national-sanctity-human-life-day-2020/
Yes Rob. Today is the forty-seventh anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
Amen Rob for this information!
Love that quote, Lynda.
God bless you Marilyn; May God grant you many more Happy Birthdays; have a great time celebrating;…
May the Grace and Mercy from our Lord God Jesus Christ Almighty flow over,around and through you dear Marilyn forever and always;
in Jesus Name we Pray amen amen amen
Having a hard time with internet today. Lots of work going on in my area & condo. Tried to send link for “Humble Yourself in the Sight of the Lord” chorus by Maranatha singers but had to given up!
“Humble Yourself in the Sight of the Lord” by Maranatha Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU8MAQKSbEI
Good afternoon my fellow bloggers l just want to say today is my birthday and thanks David for today s reading
Ahhh!! Happy Happy Birthday dear Marilyn!! I pray you have had a most wonderful day and that your year ahead is full of God’s blessings!!
Wishing you a very blessed “Happy Birthday” Marilyn ! 🙏🏼💐
Happy birthday Marilyn Bosse the Lord Bless this day and always:)
God bless you Marilyn; May God grant you many more Happy Birthdays; have a great time celebrating;…
May the Grace and Mercy from our Lord God Jesus Christ Almighty flow over,around and through you dear Marilyn forever and always;
in Jesus Name we Pray amen amen amen
First of all, Happy Birthday, Marilyn! Many blessings on your special day and in the year ahead!
I also wanted to share in further response to David’s comments on healing – when I found out about the mass in my ovary last summer and knew I was in for surgery and much more testing, I felt strongly led to follow the instructions which are in our reading in James 5 today. I had the pastor and the elders of my church pray for me and anoint me with oil. Praise the Lord, the surgery was completely successful and the subsequent tests all revealed there were no issues or concerns anywhere else. I can’t thank Him enough for my healing! And many thanks also, to those of you on this blog who also prayed for me when I asked for it at that time.
I had a similar thing happen to me a few years ago and everything turned out well. PRAISE GOD
Happy birthday dear Marilyn hope you are having a blessed day.❤️
Eleanor M.
Amen to all the posts and Happy Birthday Marilyn. Trust you had a great day!
Happy Birthday Marilyn God Bless You
God bless you Lynda and Deanna; yes let us always thank the Lord for everything in our life and in the lives of others;
just wanted to mention to me I have always thought we were brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
Happy Birthday Marilyn; so nice to be able to wish you a good day; Praise the Lord for computers and the internet;
would appreciate prayers in regards to an issue with a key at church; it was taken back from me, unable to do the things I like to do for the Lord so asking for prayer and ask the Lord to give me something bigger and better to do in His Kingdom
Bless our children; in Jesus Name we Pray amen
Praying for God’s leading for you, Sah. Sometimes His plans are different than what we know or understand, at the time. Perhaps it is His doing to make changes at the church and have keys returned. Do not lose heart. New doors are opening for you.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Phil 4:13 NKJV
Yes, sometimes tough things in life are all in the plan of God for our lives and up ahead we can look back and see why things have happened that way. Amen!