Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 1

 Peter's Greeting to the Dispersed Brethren & Sisteren Part 1

1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter (like James) is writing his letter to all the Jewish converts to Christ Jesus our Lord who because of extreme persecution i.e. their very physical lives being in danger in Jerusalem fled to various other cities, as is written here by Peter with these words, "Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," (1 Peter 1:1) (KJV). This little English phrase 'scattered throughout' is translated by the Greek word diaspora meaning dispersion, that is, (specifically and concretely) the (converted) Israelites resident in Gentile countries: - (which are) scattered (abroad). Note: "Scattering of the Jews from the land of Palestine into other parts of the world. The term 'dispersion' is also often used to describe this process. The diaspora took place over several centuries. While its exact beginnings are difficult to date, two major events greatly contributed to it. In 722 B.C. the Assyrians captured the Northern Kingdom (Israel). Following this victory, the Assyrians resettled large numbers of the Israelites in Assyria (2 Kings 17:6). In 586 B.C. the Babylonians captured the Southern Kingdom (Judah) and followed the same policy of resettlement. Many of the residents of Judah were transported to Babylon (2 Kings 25:8-12). While some of these persons later returned to Judah, many of them remained permanently in Babylon. Later other wars fought by the Greeks and Romans in Palestine helped scatter more of the Jewish people. The result of the diaspora was that by NT times as many Jews lived outside of Palestine as lived within the land. In almost every city Paul visited on his missionary journeys, he found a Jewish synagogue (Acts 14:1; 17:1,10; 18:4). The diaspora thus helped pave the way for the spread of the Gospel." (Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary). So, we see then that the dispersion of the Jews began long before our Lord Jesus Christ ever came to the earth 🌎 and that the land of Palestine has always belonged to the Jewish people and is part of the Jewish Nation. These brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ were most likely spoken of by Luke in Acts 8:1-2, as it is written here, "At that time a great persecution arose against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him." (Acts 8:1-2) (NKJV). As we see this occured right after the murder of Stephen (which was witnessed by Saul who would later become a Jewish convert to Christ himself and change his name to Paul the Apostle). Every Jewish convert to our Lord Jesus Christ was extremely hated during that time by the remaining unconverted Jews. It is no different for we converted Gentiles today who live and move and have our being in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:28), but we live among unconverted people of every ethnicity and they are doing the same things to us as the unconverted Jews did during the time the Apostle Peter 🖋 penned this first letter ✉, for let us recall, remember, and realize the reason for the constant hatred and persecution as written by the Apostle Paul with these words, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) (NKJV). The natural man 👨 or woman 👩 is the person simply still dead in their trespasses and sins and have not yet been resurrected from spiritual death by our Lord Jesus Christ, as He said of Himself, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26)(NKJV). Outside of the 'new birth' (John 3:3-8) there is no connection to God at all and the persons who are still disconnected from God see those of us who are connected to Him as their enemies i.e. light vs darkness, as it is written, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.' Therefore 'Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.'" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) (NKJV).

Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of 1 Peter 1:1, "All those who really have faith in Jesus Christ are ‘strangers of the Dispersion’; scattered throughout the world, and dwelling dispersedly in an order of things to which they do not belong, ‘seeking a city which hath foundations.’ The word ‘strangers’ means, originally, persons for a time living in an alien city. And that is the idea that the Apostle would impress upon us as true for each of us, in the measure in which our Christianity is real. For, remember, although all men may be truly spoken of as being ‘pilgrims and sojourners upon the earth’ by reason of both the shortness of the duration of their earthly course and the disproportion between their immortal part and the material things amongst which they dwell, Peter is thinking of something very different from either the brevity of earthly life or the infinite necessities of an immortal spirit when he calls his Christian brethren strangers. Not because we are men, not because we are to die soon, and the world is to outlast us; not because other people will one day live in our houses and read our books and sit upon our chairs, and we shall be forgotten, but because we are Christ’s people are we here sojourners, and must regard this as not our rest. Not because our immortal soul cannot satisfy itself, however it tries, upon the trivialities of earth any more than a human appetite can on the husks that the swine do eat, but because new desires, tastes, aspirations, affinities, have been kindled in us by the new life that has flowed into us; therefore the connection that other men have with the world, which makes some of them altogether ‘men of the world, whose portion is in this life,’ is for us broken, and we are strangers, scattered abroad, solitary, not by reason of the inevitable loneliness in which, after all love and companionship, every soul lives; not by reason of losses or deaths, but by reason of the contrariety between the foundation of our lives, and the foundation of the lives of the men round us; therefore we stand lonely in the midst of crowds; strangers in the ordered communities of the world. Ah, there is no solitude so utter as the solitude of being the only man in a crowd that has a faith in his heart, and there is no isolating power like the power of rending all ties that true attachment with Jesus Christ has. ‘Think not that I am come to bring peace on earth, but a sword’—to set a man against his own household, if they be not of the household of faith. These things are the inevitable issues of religion—to make us strangers, isolated in the midst of this world." Here also is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:1, "To the sojourners - Upon earth, the Christians, chiefly those of Jewish extraction. Scattered - Long ago driven out of their own land. Those scattered by the persecution mentioned Act 8:1, were scattered only through Judea and Samaria, though afterwards some of them travelled to Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch. Through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia - He names these five provinces in the order wherein they occurred to him, writing from the east. All these countries lie in the Lesser Asia. The Asia here distinguished from the other provinces is that which was usually called the Proconsular Asia being a Roman province."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 61

 Praying in Faith Part 6

James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James concludes his discourse to the scattered Jewish converts to our Lord Master and Savior Jesus Christ by reminding them of how he has warned them repeatedly in his letter of the sins that could so easily plague them (and we true believers today and those of every era and generation since James 🖋 penned this letter all those years ago) such as the sin of showing partiality or the sin of 🗺 worldliness or the sins that proceed forth from the tongue 😝 or the sin of boasting and many others. The Apostle wanted them to be watchful for themselves and for other true brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ so as to prevent ourselves and others from falling as the author of Hebrews so eloquently wrote with these words, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) (NKJV). Since they and we all have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to look to in all our times of trouble, testing, and temptation we should also and always while we remain here on the earth 🌎 as sojourners and pilgrims look to keep ourselves from falling back into our old sins and when we see any other true brother or sister 'in Christ' doing so we must do as James the Apostle declares with these words, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20) (KJV). The little English phrase 'do err' in verse 19 is translated by the Greek word planaō meaning to (properly cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue): - go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way. The little English phrase 'the error' is translated by the Greek word planē meaning somewhat the same as 'do err' and that is objectively fraudulence; subjectively a straying from orthodoxy or piety: - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error. The little English phrase 'shall save' is translated by the Greek word sōzō meaning (as used here) to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively). The little English phrase 'shall hide' is translated by the Greek word kaluptō meaning to cover up (literally or figuratively): - cover, hide. In other words, the Apostle James is writing to those Jewish converts to Christ back then and to us now that there are some of us true believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who go astray from Him, that is, who wander away back into our old sins that He Christ has cleansed us from and washed us from in and by His Blood because we feed the flesh more than we feed our spirit man 👨 or woman 👩, for we should always heed the words written to us by the Apostle Paul declaring these truths, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:1-11) (NKJV). Some saints stray from true orthodoxy and piety by being deluded and decieved, however, when through hearing a word spoken by a true brother 'in Christ' in a sermon or reading a word from the Word of God on our own or being led to a passage of Scripture by another brother or sister in Christ that brings conviction of sin to the inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 of the erring saint then that brother or sister is then turned back 🔙 from their err and they are often times delivered from physical death being rendered by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, for He will not allow His own to continue to blaspheme His Name instead He will take them home to heaven as the Apostle John declares with these words, "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." (1 John 5:16-17) (NKJV). The sin or sins that could lead to physival death are surely different for each brother and sister 'in Christ', however, the Apostle James declares that the brothers or sisters 'in Christ' who are responsible for leading the wayward son or daughter of God back to the right path i.e. the truth of the Gospel of Christ and of the Word of God will for themselves cover up a large number of their sins and even perhaps of the sins of the wayward child 🧒 of God.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 5:19-20, "This epistle concludes with an exhortation to do all we can in our places to promote the conversion and salvation of others, James 5:19, James 5:20. Some interpret these verses as an apology which the apostle is making for himself that he should so plainly and sharply reprove the Jewish Christians for their many faults and errors. And certainly James gives a very good reason why he was so much concerned to reclaim them from their errors, because in thus doing he should save souls, and hide a multitude of sins. But we are not to restrain this place to the apostle's converting such as erred from the truth; no, nor to other ministerial endeavours of the like nature, since it is said, 'If any err, and one convert him, let him be who he will that does so good an office for another, he is therein an instrument of saving a soul from death.' Those whom the apostle here calls brethren, he yet supposes liable to err. It is no mark of a wise or a holy man to boast of his being free from error, or to refuse to acknowledge when he is in an error. But if any do err, be they ever so great, you must not be afraid to show them their error; and, be they ever so weak and little, you must not disdain to make them wiser and better. If they err from the truth, that is, from the gospel (the great rule and standard of truth), whether it be in opinion or practice, you must endeavour to bring them again to the rule. Errors in judgment and in life generally go together. There is some doctrinal mistake at the bottom of every practical miscarriage. There is no one habitually bad, but upon some bad principle. Now to convert such is to reduce them from their error, and to reclaim them from the evils they have been led into. We are not presently to accuse and exclaim against an erring brother, and seek to bring reproaches and calamities upon him, but to convert him: and, if by all our endeavours we cannot do this, yet we are nowhere empowered to persecute and destroy him. If we are instrumental in the conversion of any, we are said to convert them, though this be principally and efficiently the work of God. And, if we can do no more towards the conversion of sinners, yet we may do this - pray for the grace and Spirit of God to convert and change them. And let those that are in any way serviceable to convert others know what will be the happy consequence of their doing this: they may take great comfort in it at present, and they will meet with a crown at last. He that is said to err from the truth in James 5:19 is described as erring in his way in James 5:20, and we cannot be said to convert any merely by altering their opinions, unless we can bring them to correct and amend their ways. This is conversion - to turn a sinner from the error of his ways, and not to turn him from one party to another, or merely from one notion and way of thinking to another. He who thus converteth a sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death. There is a soul in the case; and what is done towards the salvation of the soul shall certainly turn to good account. The soul being the principal part of the man, the saving of that only is mentioned, but it includes the salvation of the whole man: the spirit shall be saved from hell, the body raised from the grave, and both saved from eternal death. And then, by such conversion of heart and life, a multitude of sins shall be hid. A most comfortable passage of scripture is this. We learn hence that though our sins are many, even a multitude, yet they may be hid or pardoned; and that when sin is turned from or forsaken it shall be hid, never to appear in judgment against us. Let people contrive to cover or excuse their sin as they will, there is no way effectually and finally to hide it but by forsaking it. Some make the sense of this text to be, that conversion shall prevent a multitude of sins; and it is a truth beyond dispute that many sins are prevented in the party converted, many also may be prevented in others that he may have an influence upon, or may converse with. Upon the whole, how should we lay out ourselves with all possible concern for the conversion of sinners! It will be for the happiness and salvation of the converted; it will prevent much mischief, and the spreading and multiplying of sin in the world; it will be for the glory and honour of God; and it will mightily redound to our comfort and renown in the great day. Those that turn many to righteousness, and those who help to do so, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 60

 Praying in Faith Part 5

James 5:17-18 Elias/Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We just heard from the Apostle James how the effectual fervant prayer of a righteous man 👨 bears much fruit, well the Apostle now reminded those scattered Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord as he so reminds we brothers and sisters 'in Christ' today and of every era and generation of the efforts, exploits, and endeavors of the Prophet of God Elijah who was a weak sinful man just like we are today and in every era and generation of those who truly belong to Adonai/Elohim, as it is 📝 written, "Elias/Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." (James 5:17-18) (KJV). Somehow, those of us alive today who have come to our Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith falsely believe that those saints of God who lived hundreds of years and even thousands of years before we came upon the earth 🌎 were somehow different than we are, i.e. 'supersaints'. Reality is that they were vile sinners just like us, but the same God/Jesus whom we belong to did miraculous deeds through them. Why? Was it because they were special? Of course not, they were simply obedient and faithful. Is this word from the Word of God true or not? "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) (KJV). Well, if it is true and it is, then this same Jesus/God can do whatever He wills to do today as He did yesterday and as He will do forever, through the obedient faith and prayers of any righteous son or daughter of His. Is God/Jesus dead or is He alive for evermore? Let us not think that Elijah was not a wretched sinner, because he was, as well as King David, the Apostle Paul, Peter, John, James and all who came to belong to Christ Jesus our Lord just like we do. Let us stop this foolishness of arguing over whether God still answers the seemingly impossible prayers of His sons and daughters with miracles that cannot be explained by the finite minds that belong to all human beings. Brothers and Sisters 'in Christ' over the centuries have prayed for some of the most hopeless cases of people still dead in their tresspasses and sins to be born again and those sinners salvation by grace through faith happened. I just read 📖 that the women who was the star in the popular reality TV show Ink (Kate Von D) has made a profession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and she ended up going to a small Baptist Church not far from her home in Indiana. When she went the saints there told her they had been praying for her ever since she moved into her new home (how long they prayed I do not know). This may seem like nothing to many cynical minded folk, but God is God over everything happening within His Universe 🌌, so He does not miss the prayers of a one or a few, just like He does not miss the prayers of many. You know the people who are quick to discount miracles always do so until their little girl 👧 or little boy 👦 is sick unto death, then you better believe they are praying for a miracle from God to save the life of their child 🧒 just as they should be doing. God makes miracles happen every day in the life of His adopted sons and daughters, except many of us fail to see them (there are some we cannot see) because our faith is at such a weak and low state or condition. The Apostle James was originally writing to the new converts to Christ from the 12 Tribes of Judah who were being viciously persecuted which is what caused them to flee to various other parts of the world 🗺 during that time. The Apostle wanted them to know that Elijah was just like them and God received his prayers and answered in a Mighty way that could only be attributed, acknowledged, or accounted that God had shut up the rain for three (3) years and that at the faithful praying of Elijah, He (God) had brought forth the rain once again to the land. In other words, Brother James wanted them to know that they are not less of saints than Elijah, nor was Elijah a greater saint than they or us today, but they too can pray for big things they needed and for the protection they needed from the violent assaults coming from the devil through his two-legged devils and God would hear them and hear us.

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary had to say of James 5:17-18, "The example by which St. James proves the efficacy of a righteous man’s prayer is interesting and important in two respects:- (1.) It is the only evidence that we have that the great drought in the time of Ahab was prayed for by Elijah, and it is the only direct evidence that he prayed for the rain which put an end to it. We are told that Elijah prophesied the drought (1 Kings 17:1) and the rain; (1 Kiings 18:41) and that before the rain he put himself in an attitude of prayer, with his face between his knees (1 Kings 18:42); but that he prayed, and for the rain which he had foretold, is not stated. Whether the statement made by St. James is an inference from these statements, or based on independent tradition, must remain uncertain. We read in Ecclesiasticus of Elijah that by 'the Word of the Lord he shut up (held back), the heaven' (48:3); but that seems to refer to prophecy rather than to prayer. The difference, if there be any, between the duration of the drought as stated here and by St. Luke, (Luke 4:25) and as stated in the Book of the Kings, will not be a stumbling-block to any who recognize that inspiration does not necessarily make a man infallible in chronology. Three and a half years (=42 months= 1,260 days) was the traditional duration of times of great calamity. (Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:2-3; Revelation 12:6; Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5) (2.) This passage supplies us with Biblical authority for prayers for changes of weather, and the like; for the conduct of Elijah is evidently put before us for our imitation. St. James carefully guards against the objection that Elijah was a man gifted with miraculous powers, and therefore no guide for ordinary people, by asserting that he was a man of like nature with ourselves. And let us concede, for the sake of argument, that St. James may have been mistaken in believing that Elijah prayed for the drought and for the rain; yet still the fact remains that an inspired New Testament writer puts before us, for our encouragement in prayer, a case in which prayers for changes of weather were made and answered. And he certainly exhorts us to pray for the recovery of the sick, which is an analogous case. This kind of prayer seems to require special consideration. 'Is it, then, according to the Divine will that when we are individually suffering from the regularity of the course of nature-suffering, for instance, from the want of rain, or the superabundance of it-we should ask God to interfere with that regularity? That in such circumstances we should pray for submission to the Divine will, and for such wisdom as shall lead to compliance with it in the future, is a matter of course, and results inevitably from the relation between the spiritual Father and the spiritual child. But ought we to go farther than this? Ought we to pray, expecting that our prayer will be effectual, that God may interfere with the fixed sequences of nature? Let us try to realize what Would follow if we offered such prayer and prevailed. In a world-wide Church each believer would constitute himself a judge of what was best for himself and his neighbor, and thus the order of the world would be at the mercy everywhere of individual caprice (a sudden desire) and ignorance. Irregularity would accordingly take the place of invariableness. No man could possibly foretell what would be on the morrow. The scientist would find all his researches for rule and law baffled; the agriculturist would find all his calculations upset; nature, again, as in the days of ignorance, would become the master of man; like an eagle transfixed by an arrow winged by one of its own feathers, man would have shackled himself with the chains of his ancient servitude by the licentious employment of his own freedom, and would have reduced the cosmos of which God made him the master to a chaos which overwhelmed him by its unexpected blows.' The picture which is here drawn sketches for us the consequences of allowing each individual to have control over the forces of nature. It is incredible that God could be induced to allow such control to individuals; but does it follow from this that He never listens to prayers respecting His direction of the forces of nature, and that consequently all such prayers are presumptuous? The conclusion does not seem to follow from the premises, The valid conclusion would rather be this: No one ought to pray to God to give him absolute control of the forces of nature. The prayer, 'Lord, in Thy control of the forces of nature have mercy upon me and my fellow-men,' is a prayer of a very different character. The objection to prayers for rain or for the cessation of rain, and the like, is based on the supposition that we thereby 'ask God to interfere with the regularity of the course of nature.' Yet it is admitted that to 'pray for submission to the Divine will, and for such wisdom as will lead to compliance with it in the future, is a matter of course and results inevitably from the relation between the spiritual Father and the spiritual child.' But is there no regularity about the things thus admitted to befit objects of prayer? Are human character and human intellect not subject to law? When we pray for a submissive spirit and for wisdom, are we not asking God to 'interfere with that regularity' which governs the development of character and of intelligence? Either the prayer is to obtain more submission or more wisdom than we should otherwise get, or it is not. If it is to obtain it, then the regularity which would otherwise have prevailed is interrupted. If our prayer is not to obtain for us more submission and more wisdom than we should have obtained if we had not prayed, then the prayer is futile. It will perhaps be urged that the two cases are not strictly parallel. They are not; but for the purposes of this argument they are sufficiently parallel. It is maintained that we have no right to pray for rain, because we thereby propose to interfere with the regularity of natural processes; yet it is allowed that we may pray for wisdom. To get wisdom by prayer is quite as much an interference with the regularity of natural processes as to get rain by prayer. Therefore, either we ought to pray for neither, or we have the right to pray for both. And so far as the two cases are not parallel, it seems to be more reasonable to pray for rain than to pray for submissiveness and wisdom. God has given our wills the awful power of being able to resist His will. Are we to suppose that He exercises less control over matter, which cannot resist Him, than over human wills, which He allows to do so; or that He will help us or not help us to become better and wiser, according as we ask Him or do not ask Him for such help, and yet will never make any change as to giving or withholding material blessings, however much, or however little, we may ask Him to do this? The objection is sometimes stated in a slightly different form. God has arranged the material universe according to His infinite wisdom; it is presumptuous to pray that He will make any change in it. The answer to which is that, if that argument is valid against praying for rain, it is valid against all prayer whatever. If I impugn infinite wisdom when I pray for a change in the weather, do I not equally impugn it, when I pray for a change in the life or character of myself or of my friends? God knows without our asking what weather is best for us; and He knows equally without our asking what spiritual graces are best for us. Does not the parallel difficulty point to a parallel solution? What right have we to assume that in either case effectual prayer interferes with the regularity which seems to characterize Divine action? May it not be God’s will that the prayer of faith should be a force that can influence other forces, whether material or spiritual, and that its influence should be according to law (whether natural or supernatural) quite as much as the influence of other forces? A man who puts up a lightning-conductor brings down the electric current when it might otherwise have remained above, and brings it down in one place rather than another; yet no one would say that he interferes With the regularity of the course of nature. Is there anything in religion or science to forbid us from thinking of prayer as working in an analogous manner-according to a law too subtle for us to comprehend and analyze, but according to a law none the less? In the vast network of forces in which an all-wise God has constructed the universe a Christian will believe that one force which 'availeth much,' both in the material and in the spiritual world, 'is the earnest prayer of the righteous'. It is better for us that we should be able to influence by our prayers God’s direction of events than that we should be unable to do so; therefore a merciful Father has placed this power within our reach."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 59

 Praying in Faith Part 4

James 5:16 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. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We have seen in the previous verses how the Apostle James exhorted and encouraged the brothers or sisters in our Lord Jesus' Mystical Body to go to the elders of the Body seeking prayer from them for their physical ailments or diseases, however, we now find him appealing to each one of them and us to seek out one another to confess to one another our sins against our Father in Heaven which may have caused someone's sicknesses, as it is written, "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." (James 5:16) (KJV). The English word 'Confess' that begins this verse of Scripture is translated by the Greek word exomologeō meaning to acknowledge or (by implication of assent) agree fully. The little English phrase 'your faults' is translated by the Greek word paraptōma meaning a side slip (lapse or deviation), that is, (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression: - fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass. Here is what Robertson's Word Pictures had to say of this, "Confession of sin to God is already assumed. But public confession of certain sins to one another in the meetings is greatly helpful in many ways. This is not confessing to one man like a Priest in place of the public confession. One may confess to the Pastor without confessing to God or to the Church, with little benefit to anybody." When you are able to be among a body of true and faithful believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is beneficial not only to the transgressor, but also to the rest of the body as we remember these words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatian believers in Christ when he wrote, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." (Galatians 6:1-5) (NKJV). When the Apostle James writes in James 5:16 these words, 'and pray one for another, that ye may be healed', he means that we should collectively lift up hands to our Father in Heaven 🙏 praying to Him for the brother of sister who is overtaken by a sin or tresspass praying 🙏 that he or she be healed from the desire of that particular sin, for our Father in Heaven does not just heal from physical malady, but He heals from spiritual malady or diseases as well (all sin is spiritual disease). The English word 'healed' used by the Apostle in James 5:16 is translated by the Greek word iaomai is a primary verb meaning to cure (literally or figuratively): - heal, make whole.

In the last part of James 5:16, which reads, 'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much', means that any son or daughter of our Lord Jesus Christ has the ability to pray in faith through Christ Jesus our Lord and to expect God the Father to hear and answer prayers. The little English phrase, 'The effectual fervent' is translated by the Greek word energeō meaning to be active, efficient: - do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in). The liitle English phrase 'availeth much' is translated by the Greek words (polu ischuei) meaning to have much force or strength 💪. Example, Moses, as it is written, "Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah (Burning), because the fire of the LORD had burned among them." (Numbers 11:1-3) (NKJV), and the Apostle Peter and John along with many other brothers and sisters after they were forbidden to declare the Name of Jesus, as it is written, "So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 'For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.' And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:18-31) (NKJV).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 58

Praying in Faith Part 3

James 5:15 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. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James continues his exhortation to all those scattered Jewish believers in our Lord Jesus Christ at the time of his writing this letter (and it is to and for each one of we true believers today and of every era and generation that has come after James' penning of this letter) that their/our faithful prayers reach the Throne Room of God our Father, as it is written, "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 5:15) (KJV). According to His Sovereign will some sick brothers and sisters in Christ will be healed by Him and some will not, for many of us have known of very faithful sons and daughters of God being sick unto death and their healing did not come, but that which is far better than a temporary physical healing from 🤮 sickness down here came and that was their being present with our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the brothers and sisters in Corinth with these words, "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee/down payment/earnest. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)(NKJV). This is a promise from our Father in Heaven to each of us His sons and daughters that according to His will (not ours), He 'shall raise him up' and this little English phrase translated by the Greek word egeirō meaning to rouse or raise up from disease, that is, to be healed completely from the physical or mental or spiritual disease. This is done by our Father in Heaven because He loves us His sons and daughters, but also because He stills has a purpose for us down here on the earth 🌎. Remember King Hezekiah, as it is written, "In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the Prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.' Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, 'Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the Word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: 'I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the House of the LORD. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.'" (2 Kings 20:1-6) (NKJV). The Lord God of Israel not only delivered King Hezekiah from his sickness unto death, but He used King Hezekiah and the army of Israel to defend against, and destroy, and defeat the king of Assyria and protect the great 🏙 city of Jerusalem from destruction for the sake of His own sake and for the sake of the covenant with King David, as it is written, "Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, And said: 'I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, With whom My hand shall be established; Also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him.'" (Psalms 89:19-23) (NKJV). Note: 'You who think 🤔 that Israel is wrong in what they are doing to completely destroy 'Hamas', read Psalms 89 and then read it again and again. Also, you who think that any Nation or Nations will (as the Iranians say, 'wipe Israel off the map 🗺') read Psalms 89 again and again. I love you Israel and more importantly Elohim/Adonai loves you immensely."

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 5:15, "The prayer offered in faith, or in the exercise of confidence in God. It is not said that the particular form of the faith exercised shall be that the sick man will certainly recover; but there is to be unwavering confidence in God, a belief that He will do what is best, and a cheerful committing of the cause into His hands. We express our earnest wish, and leave the case with Him. The prayer of faith is to accompany the use of means, for all means would be ineffectual without the blessing of God. This must be understood, as such promises are everywhere, with this restriction, that they will be restored to health if it shall be the will of God; if He shall deem it for the best. It cannot be taken in the absolute and unconditional sense, for then, if these means were used, the sick person would always recover, no matter how often he might be sick, and he need never die. The design is to encourage them to the use of these means with a strong hope that it would be effectual. It may fairly be inferred from this statement: (1) That there would be cases in large numbers where these means would be attended with this happy result; and, (2) That there was so much encouragement to do it that it would be proper in any case of sickness so make use of these means. It may be added, that no one can demonstrate that this promise has not been in numerous instances fulfilled. There are instances, not a few, where recovery from sickness seems to be in direct answer to prayer, and no one can prove that it is not so. Compare the case of Hezekiah, in Isaiah 38:1-5. Perhaps there may be a particular allusion here to sins which may have brought on the sickness as a punishment. In that case the removal of the disease in answer to prayer would be an evidence that the sin was pardoned. Compare Matthew 9:2. But the promise may be understood in a more general sense as denoting that such sickness would be the means of bringing the sins of the past life to remembrance, especially if the one who was sick had been unfaithful to his Christian vows; and that the sickness in connection with the prayers offered would bring him to true repentance, and would recover him from his wanderings. On backsliding and erring Christians sickness often has this effect; and the subsequent life is so devoted and consistent as to show that the past unfaithfulness of him who has been afflicted is forgiven." Here also is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 5:15, "Prayer over the sick must proceed and be accompanied with, a lively faith. There must be faith both in the person praying and in the person prayed for. In a time of sickness, it is not the cold and formal prayer that is effectual, but the prayer of faith. We should observe the success of prayer. The Lord shall raise up; that is, if he be a person capable and fit for deliverance, and if God have any thing further for such a person to do in the world. And, if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him; that is, where sickness is sent as a punishment for some particular sin, that sin shall be pardoned, and in token thereof the sickness shall be removed. As when Christ said to the impotent man, Go and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee, it is intimated that some particular sin was the cause of his sickness. The great thing therefore we should beg of God for ourselves and others in the time of sickness is the pardon of sin. Sin is both the root of sickness and the sting of it. If sin be pardoned, either affliction shall be removed in mercy or we shall see there is mercy in the continuance of it. When healing is founded upon pardon, we may say as Hezekiah did: Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption, Isaiah 38:17. When you are sick and in pain, it is most common to pray and cry, O give me ease! O restore me to health! But your prayer should rather and chiefly be, O that God would pardon my sins!"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


 

James Expounds on Faith Volume 57

 Praying in Faith Part 2

James 5:14 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: KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James now writes to those scattered Jews who have now come to our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in repentance and faith exhorting those brothers and sisters in Christ Mystical Body that are sick from any diseases to take themselves to those true, trustworthy, and triumphant 🧓 elders in Christ Body with prayer request, as it is written with these words, "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:" (James 5:14) (KJV). The prayer of one true man/son of God 👨 through our Lord Jesus Christ reaches the Throne of our Father in Heaven, as it is written by the writer of Hebrews with these words, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16) (NKJV), therefore, we must expect that the prayers of many faithful men/sons 🚹 of God will definitely reach His 👂 ears and according to His will in the matter of the sickness be eradicated even sooner than the one sick brother or sister praying alone. The annoiting with oil 🛢 was something our Lord Jesus Christ gave to the Apostles as He sent them out two by two giving them power over the enemy (the devil 😈), as it is written, "And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. Also He said to them, 'In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!' So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them." (Mark 6:7-13)( NKJV). There was and is no power in the oil 🛢 to heal sickness, but the power resides from the faith and faithfulness of the son or daughter sick 🤮 and from the elders in Christ Body praying over the sick 🤮 brother or sister. The Apostle Paul was such an example of strong faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and true faithfulness to Him, remember one occassion when he was on the Island of Malta, as it is written, "In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary." (Acts 28:7-10)(NKJV). This same Apostle Paul spoke of brother Epaphroditus who was very beloved by him, yet he was very sick on one occassion and although in Paul's letter, he does not write that he 🙏 prayed for him, yet it is certain that the readers of his letter would know that cretainly he did, as it is written here in this letter to the brother and sisters in Philippi, "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me." (Philippians) 2:25-30 (NKJV).

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of James 5:14, "Which is often the case; the bodies of the saints, as well as others, are liable to a variety of diseases; they are sick, and sometimes nigh unto death, as Epaphroditus was: and then, let him call for the elders of the Church; in allusion to the elders of the congregation of Israel, Leviticus 4:15. By these may be meant, either the elder members of the Church, men of gravity and soundness in the faith, persons of long standing and experience; who have the gift and grace of prayer, and are not only capable of performing that duty, but of giving a word of counsel and advice to the sick. It was a kind of proverbial saying of Aristophanes the grammarian; the works of young men, the counsels of middle aged persons, and the prayers of ancient men. Or rather officers of Churches are meant, particularly pastors, who are so called in Scripture; these should be sent for in times of sickness, as well as physicians; and rather than they, since their prayers may be the means of healing both soul and body: so in former times, the prophets of God were sent to in times of sickness, for advice and assistance. It is a saying of R. Phinehas ben Chama that 'whoever has a sick person in his house, let him go to a wise man, and he will seek mercy for him.'' And it follows here, and let them pray over him; or for him, for the recovery of his health: anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord; which some think was only done in a common medicinal way, oil being used much in the eastern countries for most disorders; and so these elders used ordinary medicine, as well as prayer: or rather this refers to an extraordinary gift, which some elders had of healing diseases, as sometimes by touching, and by laying on of hands, or by expressing some words, and so by anointing with oil; see Mark 6:13 which extraordinary gifts being now ceased, the rite or ceremony of anointing with oil ceases in course: however, this passage gives no countenance to the extreme unction of the Papists; that of theirs being attended with many customs and ceremonies, which are not here made mention of; that being used, as is pretended, for the healing of the souls of men, whereas this was used for corporeal healing; that is only performed when life is despaired of, and persons are just going out of the world; whereas this was made use of to restore men to health, and that they might continue longer in it, as follows." Here also is what John Wesley said of James 5:14, "This single conspicuous gift, which Christ committed to His Apostles, Mar 6:13, remained in the Church long after the other miraculous gifts were withdrawn. Indeed, it seems to have been designed to remain always; and St. James directs the elders, who were the most, if not the only, gifted men, to administer at. This was the whole process of physic in the Christian Church, till it was lost through unbelief. That novel invention among the Romanists, extreme unction, practised not for cure, but where life is despaired of, bears no manner of resemblance to this."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 56

 Praying in Faith Part 1

James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James now makes a turn from writing to those scattered Jews who have now come to our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in repentance and faith to them being faithful and strong in prayer and praise on all occasions and no matter what their circumstances. James begins his discourse with these words, "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms." (James 5:13) (KJV). The first response the Apostle gives to affliction for these early believers and we true believers today and of every era and generation is to lift up 👆 our selves entirely to our Father in Heaven through prayer. This English word 'afflicted' is translated by the Greek word kakopatheō meaning to undergo hardship: - be afflicted, endure afflictions (hardness), suffer trouble. Unlike the false, fraud, and fake gospel being declared by the popular false prophets of the prosperity gospel, the real Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and true faith in Him never brings popularity or great profits, but instead affliction from those who still belong to the devil 👿 is brought upon many of us who are the true adopted sons and daughters of God. Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote to Brother Timothy (and it speaks to us too), "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:1-5) (NKJV). Then the Apostle turns from those suffering hardship to ask the question, Is any merry? For not all of God's children are suffering hardship at the same time ⌚, for some during certain seasons are 'merry' and this English word is translated by the Greek word euthumeō meaning to cheer up, that is, (intransitively) be cheerful; (adverb) more cheerfully: - be of good cheer (merry). There are many seasons in every true believers sojourn and pilgrimage here on the earth 🌎 where we are walking and living with joy unspeakable and full of glory (it really should be all seasons of our lives down here), so James declares that we should rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ always singing praises to Him for His love to us and goodness to us and His guidance of us and His protection to us. The Apostle Paul wrote such truths to the true believers in Rome and the true believers in Ephesus with these words, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: 'For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.' And again he says: 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!' And again: 'Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!'" (Romans 15:9-11)(NKJV) and these words to those in Ephesus, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:15-21) (NKJV).

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary had to say of James 5:13, "The subject of this verse was probably suggested by that of the preceding one. Oaths are not a right way of expressing one’s feelings, however strong they may be, and of whatever kind they may be. There is, however, no need to stifle such feelings, or to pretend to the world that we have no emotions. In this respect, as in many others, Christianity has no sympathy with the precepts of Stoicism or Cynicism. It is not only innocent, but prudent, to seek an outlet for excited feelings; the right and wrong of the matter lie in the kind of outlet which we allow ourselves. Language of some kind, and in most cases articulate language, is the natural instrument for expressing and giving vent to our feelings. But we need some strong safeguard, or the consequences of freely giving expression to our emotions in speech will be calamitous. This safeguard is clearly indicated by the rules here laid down by St. James. Let the expression of strongly excited feelings be an act of worship; then we shall have an outlet for them which is not likely to involve us in harmful results. By the very act in which we exhibit our emotions we protect ourselves from the evil which they might produce. The very mode of expressing them moderates them, and serves as an antidote to their capacity for evil. Prayer and praise, or (in one word) worship, according to St. James, is the Christian remedy for "allaying or carrying off the fever of the mind." In all cases in which the mind is greatly agitated, whether painfully or pleasantly, whether by sorrow, anger, regret, or by joy, pleasure, hope, -the wise thing to do is to take refuge in an act of worship. Mental excitement is neither right nor wrong, any more than physical hunger or thirst. Everything depends on the method of expressing the one or gratifying the other. It will be easy in both cases to indulge a legitimate craving in such a way as to turn a natural and healthy symptom into a disease. Neither a heated mind nor a heated body can without danger be kept heated, or treated as if it was at its normal temperature. The advice of St. James is that in all cases in which our minds are agitated by strong emotion we should turn to Him who gave us minds capable of feeling such emotion; we should cease to make ourselves our own center, and turn our thoughts from the causes of our excitement to Him who is the unmoved Cause of all movement and rest. We need not tie ourselves to the distribution of prayer and praise expressed in the text. It is the most natural and most generally useful distribution; but it is not the only one, and perhaps it is not the highest. The precept will hold good with equal truth if we transpose the two conclusions: 'Is any among you suffering? let him sing praise. Is any cheerful? let him pray.' 'In everything give thanks,' says St. Paul; which involves our frequently giving thanks in suffering. This was what Job, to whom St. James has just directed his readers, did in his trouble. He 'fell upon the ground and worshipped: and he said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:20-21). And the Psalmist teaches much the same lesson as St. Paul: 'I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth'. (Psalms 34:1). But if praise is as suitable as prayer for suffering, prayer is as suitable as praise for cheerfulness. He who is cheerful has indeed great reason to bless and praise God. He has a priceless gift, which is a blessing to himself and to all around him, a gift which makes life brighter to the whole circle in which he moves. We most of us take far too little pains to cultivate it, to retain it when it has been granted to us, to regain it when we have lost it or thrown it away. Yet cheerfulness has its dangers. The light-hearted are apt to be light-headed, and to be free from care leads to being free from carefulness. The cheerful may easily lose sobriety, and be found off their guard. The remedy is prayer. Prayer steadies without dimming the bright flame of cheerfulness; and just as thanksgiving sweetens sorrow, so supplication sanctifies joy. 'Is any suffering? let him sing praise. Is any cheerful? let him pray.'"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…