Bible Text: James 5:7-13 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: mighty
James 5:1-3 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
SAVING OR HOARDING?
Live in submission to God
Live in awareness of and response to God’s grace
Live in sensitivity to the needs of others
Live with a view toward eternity
We are warned about the dangers of self-indulgence
James 5:4-6 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabbath You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
James 5:7-13 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful… Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms…
Patience
Grace and Work
Real faith includes doing and serving.
MATURE Christians live for Jesus FIRST and all else second.
Action is the fruit produced BY living faith.
If there are no positive behaviors, then the professed faith is dead, not real.
Patience is developed BETWEEN the times of rain, the early and latter rains!
God does not always PREVENT suffering; rather, He helps us THROUGH suffering! Remember the examples of:
MOSES
DAVID
ELIJAH
JEREMIAH
DANIEL
Perseverance
James 5:11 You have heard of Job’s perseverance.
Prayer
Are any among you suffering? THEY SHOULD PRAY.
Are any cheerful? THEY SHOULD SING SONGS OF PRAISE.
BEFORE we enter into battle
PRAISE GOD
Psalm 47:1-4 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.  He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.  He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves.
DURING the Battle
PRAISE GOD
Psalm 47: 5-7 God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.  Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!  For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
AFTER the Battle
PRAISE GOD
Psalm 47:8-9 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
God Reigns
God is Holy
God is King
God is Exalted