13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
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Lord, Your Word says, “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much; is powerful and effective. Teach us how to be prayer warriors. Fill us with faith unstoppable, and a faith that is unchangeable, so that when we pray our prayers will be powerful and effective as we pray earnestly before You Lord. In Jesus Name, amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5&version=NKJV;NIV
Category: James
Yes or No *James 5:12
12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.
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Lord, show us where we are indecisive and where we compromise the truth. Give us the strength and courage to stand firm in Your truth. Help us to make good decisions and wise choices, so that we can stand firm in our yes or no.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5&version=NKJV;NIV
Patience *James 5:7-11
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
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Lord, Your timing is perfect. You are neither early nor late, but right on time. Help us to wait with patience and not grumble or complain when we don’t get what we want when we want it. Fill us with Your peace and faith. Help us to endure whatever trials and tribulations that may arise with a good attitude; fully trusting in You. Lead us to that place where we can rest in Your perfect compassion and mercy. In Jesus Name, amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5&version=NKJV;NIV
Harvesters *James 5:1-6
1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
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The key here is not all rich people, but only those who hoard; the selfish, greedy misers. People who have so much but won’t give or share what they have – whether it is food, clothing, shelter, money, or any type of goods. God gives freely and expects us to give freely as well. When we are open handed and give, God is then able to fill our hands again and again. But if we are closed handed then there is no opening for God to pour out His blessings on us. The warning goes out. The choice is ours to make.
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Lord, show us where we have been closed handed, so that we can open our hands to share the blessings You give us with those who are in need. May we give freely as You give freely.
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Lord, we lift up our cries of injustice. See those who oppose You, and hear those who speak against You. You, Lord God are a righteous and just Judge. Tend to our cries for we are brought low in deed. Rescue us from our persecutors for they are too strong for us. Lead us in the way everlasting that we may give thanks to You. In Jesus Name, amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+5&version=NKJV;NIV
The Lord’s Will *James 4:13-17
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
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Lord, remind us to say, “If it is the Lord’s Will, we will live and do this or that.” And not to make decisions on our own accord, but see You first. Remind us to commit our plans to You. Lord, keep us from boasting and bragging. Help us to do good, seek peace, and not speak against, slander, or judge others. Move in our hearts so that we will love each other especially those around us who are challenging.
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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4&version=NKJV;NIV
Judgment *James 4:11-12
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
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Lord, again Your Word says not to judge. We judge others so readily that we sometimes don’t even realize we are doing it. Reveal to us when we are judging others, lead us into repentance, and help us to stop judging ourselves and others. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness. For Your Word says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). In Jesus Name, amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4&version=NKJV;NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+1%3A9&version=NKJV;NIV
Wisdom *James 3:13-4:10
3 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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Lord God, when we pray may our motives be pure andmatch the will of God for our lives and the lives of others. Lord, humble our wills and unify our wills with Your will. Your will, O Lord, not mine be done on earth as it is in heaven. Not my will, but Thine be done. In Jesus Name amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3&version=NKJV;NIV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4&version=NKJV;NIV
The Tongue *James 3:1-12
1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
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Lord, forgive us for all the times we have used our tongues in hurtful ways. Help us to think before we speak; to consider the other person’s feelings and the implications our words will bring before we say anything. Give us the will-power we need to bridle our tongues, so that we may only bring glory and honor to You Lord when we speak or engage in any form of conversation. Lord, may our tongues bring forth life and not destroy or bring destruction. In Jesus Name amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+3&version=NKJV;NIV
Faith/Deeds *James 2:14-26
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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Lord God, forgive us our sins, in that our words and deeds do not match up with Your Holy Word. Forgive us Lord for not doing as we ought. Show us how to match Your Word to the way we live. Open our eyes to see spiritually and our hearts to receive Your truth. Show us what we are lacking or need to improve upon. Encourage our hearts, strengthen our souls to live life totally pleasing and acceptable to You Lord God. In Jesus Name amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2&version=NKJV;NIV
Favoritism *James 2:1-13
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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Lord, help us to be a doer of Your Word. Reveal to us where we need to improve. Help us to treat everyone fairly and not to show favoritism to anyone regardless of color, race, religion, education, wealth, or popularity. As Your Word says, “Love your neighbor as yourself, but if you show favoritism you sin.” Open our hearts to Your way and lead us in the way everlasting. In Jesus Name amen.
~~~
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2&version=NKJV;NIV
Inspired Lessons 