Conversations With God Series

INTRODUCTION

• Today we conclude our True Religion series with a message that is last but not least in James' thoughts.

• James is famous for his down-to-earth, practical teaching.

• Throughout the book, James hits on many issues about putting one's faith into action.

• After all the practical moral teaching found in the book of James, James shifts gears to something vital in the life of one who belongs to Jesus.

• Our message today is entitled, Conversations with God.

• If one is going to walk with Jesus, we MUST be in constant conversation with Him.

• We call this communication prayer.

• Prayer is an underutilized gift we have from God.

• Prayer is how we connect with God, express ourselves to God, and seek answers and guidance from God.

• Imagine being in a relationship where there was no communication. Would that be a great relationship?

• If we followed all that James has offered us thus far and fail in prayer, we would be moral people with no relationship or connection with God.

• Where do you turn when things are rough? Who do you offer praise to when things are going well?

• As James concludes his letter, he moves from a further warning against the abuse of wealth into a broad appeal to prayer.

• Suffering?

• Sick?

• Sunk in sin?

• The construction of these scenarios in the form of rhetorical questions points to the inevitability of these circumstances arising.

• Prayer is the answer.

• Sometimes we think we have the answer; sometimes, we try to go it alone without God.

• James reminds us that prayer is the answer!

• In verses 13-18, the word pray, prayer, and prayed is used in each of the verses (except verse 19).

• Let's turn to James 5:13-15 for our opening thought.

James 5:13–15 (NET 2nd ed.)

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.

14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint 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.

SERMON

I. Reasons to pray.

• In verses 13-15, we see that James offers four instances (and there are more) for one to communicate with God.

• Prayer is not just closing your eyes and bowing your head but communicating with God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NET 2nd ed.)

17 constantly pray,

• When you love someone, you want to communicate with them as much as possible.

• You want to share your sorrows and joys with the one you love.

• The first instance where James directs us to pray is when we are suffering.

• The context of the book of James is set behind people who were persecuted, and maybe because of the pressure they faced, at times, they were turning on one another.

• James teaches his readers how to react to the changing circumstances and difficulties one faces.

• The word "suffering" from verse 13 was used in conjunction with the troubles and calamities that the Old Testament prophets faced at the hands of others. It includes ill-treatment, oppression, and loss of property.

• The word deals explicitly with oppression at the hands of others.

• The readers of this letter were all too familiar with this issue.

• When others are oppressing us, there are many ways in which we can react.

• How do you react?

• Anger, spite, or vengeance?

• I know my initial reaction may often be to get angry or look for some way to get back at the one who causes my suffering.

• Some folks like to make God the scapegoat for their issue.

• James gives us the proper way to react, to pray!

• God wants us to have a conversation with Him when we are being oppressed.

• Who better to go to than GodGod?

• When we are faced with these issues, what stops us from going right to prayer?

• Could it be an issue of trust?

• Do we not trust that God will care for things in His time?

• I know we want it when we want it; we want to see the person who caused our issues to suffer now.

• Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh because he knew that God would gladly accept the people's repentance of that dreaded city.

• The Psalmist appeals to God to take care of the enemies throughout the Psalms.

Psalm 46:1 (NET 2nd ed.)

1 God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble.