English Message

What can Christians do in TIMES OF TROUBLE?”
Pastor Hideki Kusunoki
Japanese Christian Church of the Inland Empire
TODAY’S TEXT : James 5:13-20

 Our church is small but when it comes to problems we have countless issues before us.  Who doesn’t?  Just look around us.  There are health issues, financial issues, relationship issues, communication issues, leadership issues, Sunday school issues, pastoral issues, etc.  What is your real concern for this week?  I felt like I had so many that I just could not count them anymore.

Being a Christian does not mean we are trouble free. However, the Christian has an advantage as a believer in God who controls the universe.  We have confidence in God for whatever happens in and around our lives.  It is either God’s plan or God’s approved test.  We have this life on earth, and each day challenges come to our life. By trusting in God through these challenges, we can get closer to God.  It is our human nature to forget God if everything goes well.  We feel that we did it all on our own. Self –sufficiency is the worst enemy to a believer.  We were made to be dependent on God. When challenges come our way, God has a special purpose for each trial.

What the purpose of trouble and what can we do about it?  Let take a look at today’s text.

Here is the answer to my question.
V13 -  “Is any one of you in trouble?”  “Trouble” In Greek (Kakoparthia) means “suffering”.  James uses suffering once here as a verb and it should be translated as follows: “Is anyone suffering?” called the “present continuous” tense. James employed a distinct usage of the word “suffering”.

The answer, James said, is “to pray”.  “Pray” or “prayer” is mentioned seven times between verses 13-20.  James had a nickname -“Camel Knees”.  He had big knots on his knees from praying for hours on end.  “Pray” is used in the “present middle imperative” tense.  He was not talking about a one-time prayer but rather a present continuous prayer. He wrote, “If you are suffering, keep on praying”, just like he did while he was in the ministry.

What can we do in prayer?
1. Call your deacons and elders to pray over you.
2. Ask them to anoint with oil.
3. Pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. The prayer offered in faith on another’s behalf

Note: when we offer prayer in faith, the receiving party does not require faith.  When Jesus prayed and healed Lazarus or the paralytics, the receiver did not know who Jesus was.  One who prays for the sick must have faith in God.  Faith itself does not heal anyone.  Please listen carefully here - some faith teachers have faulty theology.  Faith itself has no power to heal.  We have faith in God and because of God’s power and His mercy, we can be healed.  God, who gave faith to those who pray for the sick, heals people.  There is no healing ministry in the bible, rather healing takes place only when one has faith in Jesus (NT).  The power is in the name of our God, Jesus, not in our faith itself.  That’s why even the mustard seed of faith can move a mountain.  Faith itself has no power, but rather the object of our faith is important.  And the object of our faith must be Jesus - the power source.
V16 Pray to each other  so that you may be healed.
Confession to each other does not bring salvation.  It brings healing to sinful man. Confession itself has no power – again, like faith itself has no power to heal. Confession demonstrates one’s humility and total surrender to God.  God is not looking for our confession as an act of faith.  He is looking for our heart to be humbled and broken.  The true confession is demonstrated by confession to each other.  Here is a rule of confession.
 (1) If we have sinned against an individual, we must ask him or her to forgive us.
 (2) If our sin has affected the church, we must confess it publicly.
 (3) If we need loving support as we struggle with a sin, we should confess that sin to      those who are able to provide that support.
 (4) If, after confessing a private sin to God, you might still feel as if you had not been forgiven.  Don’t depend on your feelings.  However, we may wish to confess that sin to a fellow believer and hear him or her assure us of God's pardon.  In Christ's kingdom, every believer is a priest to other believers.

Confession to each other maintains a healthy relationship with God.  Confession is not a therapy, it is called a ministry.

V17-19 - wander from the truth.
Can we wander from God after we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord?
The answer is absolutely “NO!”  Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us.  Once you become a child of God, He does not change His mind.  Do you know why?  According to Jewish adoption law, a Jew can disown his own biological child but not an adopted child.  As Christians, we have been adopted by God through Jesus Christ. God can not disown us. Remimber Jesus was born as a Jewish.
C.S.Lewis said in his book “Mere Christianity” -"Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor - act as if you did.  As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets.  When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.  If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more.  If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."

When the toy companies begin to market their toys they are mindful of the divorce rate. If the divorce rate goes up then the sales go up.  Kids have 4 parents instead of 2, kids have 6 grand-parents instead of 4.  Toy sales reflect the divorce rate.  However, as materialism increases, so does rebellion.
In the same manner, the more toys we have on earth, the more headaches we have.
Materialism never solves the problem.  It enlarges and expands the problem.
It is not toys we need, we need more time on our knees before God.  Prayer brings peace with God and Peace in your heart . Shall we pray.

The Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer.  The results are often greater than we thought were possible.  Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails.  This approach is backward.  Prayer should come first.  Because God's power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it — especially because God encourages us to do so.(Life Application Study Bible.)

V20 - Cover over a multitude of sins.
Do you remember sins which you have committed since you were born? No one can confess all sins which we committed against God.
"Hatred stirs up strife, but love hides all transgressions"—that is "love refuses to see faults" (Proverbs 10:12).
Love covers over a multitude of sins. (1Peter 4:8)