James 5:16 KJV [16] “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”      To be right with God, we must confess our sins to Him, but we must also confess our sins to one another. We do not hear a lot of teaching and preaching on that today. We promote testimony services, but what about confession services? If we had more confession services, we would have more testimonial services. I’m not talking about airing out our dirty laundry because there are things …

James 5:15 KJV [15] “and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”      James is not giving us a blanket formula for healing the sick. Many believers have fallen sick with a terminal illness and passed away. It was the Father’s will for them to leave us, and no prayer was going to heal their body. Prayer is not to accomplish our will but to accomplish the Father’s will.      The key phrase in verse fifteen is “if he have committed …

James 5:14 KJV [14] “Is any sick among you? 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:”      It is a blessing to have a church family. I don’t know how a saved person can make it without being part of a local New Testament Church. I know many would criticize that statement, but it is the truth. I joined the church immediately after being saved and baptized, and the Lord has given me the desire to be a part of the church …

 James 5:13 KJV [13] “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”       Is it possible to be afflicted and be merry at the same time? It was for Paul and Silas in the book of Acts. They had been beaten with many stripes and thrown into the inner prison. They suffered affliction for their faithfulness in preaching the Gospel. Even though they were afflicted, they were not through serving God. The Bible says in chapter sixteen that they began praying and singing praises to God. We don’t know what they were singing, …

James 5:12 KJV [12] “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”      Our word should be our bond. As Christians, we should be people of integrity. When we give a direct answer to someone, they should be able to take it to the bank. People should be able to trust what we say because we prove ourselves trustworthy. When we answer, there will be no need for earthly oaths and swearing. I’m …

James 5:11 KJV [11] “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”      The book of Job contains the conversations between God and Satan, Job and his wife, Job and his so-called friends, and Job with his Creator. The problem with Job’s friends is their lack of awareness of the conversation held in the first chapter and their lack of knowledge regarding the blessings that would take place in the final chapter. It’s a lesson …

James 5:10 KJV [10] “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”     The prophets of old are heroes to all of us. We love to hear the Old Testament stories of how the Lord called and used them. Their messages were bold and straightforward. Their visions and miracles left us in awe of the mighty power of God working through ordinary men. No matter how impressed we may be, we must not forget their suffering. The prophets faced great affliction for the message they delivered. …

James 5:9 KJV  [9] “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.”      I have never understood the purpose behind holding a grudge. I am not saying I am above committing this sin, but it makes no sense to spend our days in bitterness toward another person. It is sad when two brothers in Christ are at odds with each other. We should not allow ourselves to become bitter because of the way others treat us. I would be foolish to think I could live in this world any length of …

James 5:8 KJV  [8] “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”      This verse opens with James reminding us to be still. Don’t get in a hurry, don’t try to get ahead, or worry about the outcomes of life. Just be patient and wait on God. Trust Him even though you may not be able to see or understand what is going on.      Secondly, he reminds us to be strong. We are to establish our hearts. We need strong Christians in this world today, because society is as unstable as water. …

James 5:7 KJV  [7] “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”      The early believers had to live their lives amid difficult circumstances. They faced severe persecution for their faith in Christ. Because their outlook was so dark, James encouraged them with an up look. He reminded them that a better day was coming for the child of God.      The admonishment in this text is to be patient. It is a …