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James 5:19-20

¹⁹My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, ²⁰you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Reflect

Father Flanagan started a home for orphaned and troubled boys in Nebraska in 1917. One of their symbols is a boy carrying another smaller boy on his back and the phrase “He ain’t heavy, Father. He’s m’ brother.” Over the years, Father Flanagan had seen numerous examples of boys helping each other in a fashion similar to the picture he saw in a publication so he asked for and received permission to use the drawing. They have since turned it into on of the most recognizable statues around.

The saying “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”, champions an attitude that we should have as Christians toward others. If we see a brother or sister living a life that is not pleasing to God, we should stop and help them. Sure, it takes effort. The weight of their problems could weigh you down. It may even get a little messy. You may be made fun of. But you can be sure, that because we have a faithful God who is always there with us, we can answer, “He’s not heavy…he’s my brother.”

Respond

What can you do to help a brother or sister who has wondered from the truth?

If someone wanders from the truth, can they always be brought back?

Why is it up to us to bring our brothers and sisters back to the truth?

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James 5:13-18

¹³Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord.

¹⁴Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.

¹⁶Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. ¹⁷Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! ¹⁸Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again.

Reflect

How often do you pray? How often do you ask others pray for you? I’m as guilty as the next person. Toward the end of the service on Sundays, I often notice that although we do have people standing by to pray with anyone who want prayer, not many take advantage of the opportunity. Are all our lives perfect? Do we not need prayer?

All through chapter 5, James talks about the difficulties of life and so now, beginning in verse 13, he tells us how important prayer is to our life. We have the awesome privilege to have a personal relationship with a God who loves us. He desires that we come to him with our requests. He can’t answer a prayer that isn’t offered!

Respond

Why do you think James directed us to call for the elders of the church to pray over us?

Why is it important to confess your sins to each other and in prayer?

What does it mean to offer an earnest prayer?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.

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James 5:10-12

¹⁰For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord’s plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy.

¹²But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned for it.

Reflect

When the world starts crashing down on me, I try to remember Job. If you don’t know who Job is, you should read his story. (It’s found in the Bible, the book of Job!) Anyway, here is a guy who had it all. He had arrived. Then over a short period of time he lost everything. I mean - everything - his family, his possessions, his health. His future even looked pretty bleak. But Job knew for certain something that we all struggle with from time to time. No matter how tough it seems, God is always faithful. God is perfect - He doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t forget. He keeps his promises.

So, if life seems a little (or a lot) hard, always remember that the one who is perfect has a plan for you and He will fulfill it in His time. Keep the faith.

Respond

Why is it important that we have heroes of faith to look to?

Who do you look to as an example of a faith hero?

What do we always need to remember when life gets tough?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.

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James 5:7-9

⁷Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen. ⁸You, too, must be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

⁹Don’t grumble about each other, my brothers and sisters, or God will judge you. For look! The great Judge is coming. He is standing at the door!

Reflect

On a flight from Japan to California, our plane broke down in Alaska. We spent almost two hours on the runway before they finally let us off the plane. We ended up staying overnight in the airport. What do you suppose people started doing after a few hours? Of course - they started complaining. It seemed like the longer we were there, the more people complained. Of course, as soon as we got back on the plane to leave, people stopped complaining.

That’s a lot like our Christian life today. When things start getting a little tough, we get impatient for Christ’s return. We want Jesus to act now, on our terms, in our time. But James tells us that we need to be patient. Jesus will come - in His time.

Respond

What happens to our witness when we start grumbling and complaining?

What else can we do other than complain about our current circumstances?

How can we build each other up instead of grumbling about each other?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.

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James 5:1-6

¹Look here, you rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. ²Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. ³Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment. ⁴For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

⁵You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every whim. Now your hearts are nice and fat, ready for the slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and killed good people who had no power to defend themselves against you.

Reflect

Whew. I’m glad I’m not rich. Life looks pretty grim for those rich people! But maybe we are the people James was talking about. Even the poor people in America have multiple TV’s in their home. We have cell phones and regular phones, fast internet and personal computers. We live off of credit cards and drive vehicles with high monthly payments. We send both parents into the working world and sacrifice our kids to the daycare gods. We purchase clothing made by child labor in sweatshops in some third world country. We demand competitive products and services and look the other way as companies pay sub-minimum wages to “undocumented” labor and then get mad that they are here using services that we pay taxes for. Life just isn’t fair is it?

If you think about it, rich is really subjective. If material comforts get in the way of our spiritual life, we are like the rich people James is talking about and to use a Biblical phrase: Woe to you.

Respond

What are some ways we can guard ourselves from allowing the desire for material things to run our lives?

What attitude should we adopt so we won’t be identified with James’ “rich people”?

What can you do if you are on the receiving end of someone like this?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.

The final message in a five week study on the book of James, this is our lead pastor, Bart Wilkins teaching on James, Chapter 5 in his message entitled, “Faith Works In Our Broken World”.

Direct link to podcast.

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James 4:13-17

¹³Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” ¹⁴How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

¹⁷Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Reflect

Have you ever heard the saying, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”? It came from an eighteenth-century Scottish poet known for his poems in Scottish dialect, Robert Burns. You might have heard of another of his poems - Auld Lang Syne. The idea that he captured in his poem “To A Mouse” was that no matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it.

And that’s the problem. We sometimes get so wrapped up in our plans that we miss the important things in life. Why do we let our plans control our life so much? We don’t even know what tomorrow will bring! We need to take a step back and start looking toward helping others. If we were as concerned with others like we are concerned for ourselves, our life would be a lot more joyful! As it says in verse 17 - It is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it!

Respond

Why is it important not to get so wrapped up in our own life?

Is it really worth it to stress about tomorrow? What does God say about his provisions for you?

What aspect of your future are you holding on to that you should give to God?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.

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James 4:11-12

¹¹Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it. ¹²God alone, who made the law, can rightly judge among us. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to condemn your neighbor?

Reflect

James isn’t saying anything new here. Jesus covered that subject in Matthew 7:1 - Stop judging others and you will not be judged. Apparently, the lesson is hard learned! I am sure we all could think of people who call themselves Christians but criticize and judge others behind their backs. Maybe we ourselves have been guilty of that! James said that by condemning and criticizing others, you are condemning God’s law. Have you thought about what law that is? I’ll give you a hint - it isn’t the Mosaic law. It’s the universal law of love that James spoke about in James 2:8 - Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord’s royal command found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

You see - we don’t show others we are Christians if we don’t practice love for others. Stop criticizing and start loving.

Respond

What kind of an example are people who proclaim Christ as their Savior but tear down their neighbors with unkind words?

If you have hurt someone by your words, ask forgiveness and practice love.

What did Jesus say the most important commandments were?

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If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.