grace

In the healing prayer, what is the role of oil?What is the role of the prayer of faith? What is the role of faith?What is the role of confession of sins? The role of the oil is symbolism in the sense that the Holy Spirit is being poured out upon the person. The role of the prayer of faith is to stand, without doubt, upon the word of God, and claim the promise of God with regard to healing. The role of faith is to please God, for "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him". The role of confession of sins is to truly repent and leave no obstacle to prevent healing in a sick person. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, (shall not be made whole).

What is the elder's role in prayer for the sick? What must be their spiritual qualifications for this ministry of prayer? I believe the elder's role in prayer for the sick is to first call upon God for wisdom in what the will of God for this person is. He must seek the wisdom of God to know possibly the reason for this sickness. Sometimes , sickness is a result of neglect of properly looking after the body. God also may have allowed this sickness , to bring this person to greater faith in the things of God, to bring him to a place where he can discover the will of God for his life. Having said this , however, the elder must be firm in his conviction, that it is indeed the will of God that "we prosper and be in good health, even as our soul prospers". Their spiritual qualification must be their own personal walk of God in believing for healing for the sick, and not to doubt the healing power of God.

According to V. 14, who is to initiate faith for the healing? Why might this be important? The person who is sick must initiate faith for the healing. This is important because, "Ye have not , because ye ask not". There must first be a desire in the heart of the sick person to be healed before he calls upon others to pray for him.

What does grumbling and complaining say about us? about our faith? about our patience? Grumbling and complaining tell us that we are discontent with the way God has ordered our lives. It further spells out that we are still operating in the flesh, with a desire to fullfill the desires of the flesh and the mind. Thus , leaving a lot of pruning to be done in our lives. It tells us that our faith is wavering, and that we are not really taking the Word of God as our final authority. Re; patience: It tells us that the fruit of the Spirit in lacking in our spiritual lives and we are not patient to the point in bringing perfection into our walk.

Lacking the patience to eagerly expect Christ's return can result in complacence, a loss of desire for the hope that is built up in our hearts. WE could be tempted to look at the temporary pleasures of life, that will certainly draw us away from the rewards of faithfulness. Patience is so vital because it helps us to persevere in our spiritual walk wanting to please the Lord rather than give into the world's enticements. Let's not be like the foolish virgins who had no oil for their lamps, and were not ready for the sudden coming of the bridegroom.

The Spiritual danger of our demand for luxury and comfort is that it puts SELF on the throne of our life, with a never-ending desire to put ourselves first. Then when God tests us , we are not ready for the trials in our life which bring maturity and discipline to us. AS stipulated by Magnus and others, this causes oppression to the hard- working class to produce materials without sufficient pay to meet their needs Be patient in waiting upon the Lord to provide for you. What God provides is everlasting, unlike the temporary things of life. What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

The danger that James is warning us about is presumption in thinking we have set our own course in life, being ignorant of God's timetable for man, for it is appointed unto man once to die and after this, the judgement. We can be humble in our planning in that whatever we do in word or deed, we should call upon the Lord for the right decisions and directions in life, for it is not in man to direct his own steps.

In what way does bad-mouthing a neighbour cause you to be a judge of the Law? By bad-mouthing a neighbour, what you are really doing is bringing an offence to the Word of God. Instead of being an offence to the Word , you should be honouring the Word, by lifting up your neighbour. Why is it tempting to bad-mouth others? It is tempting because , in doing so, you hope that you will be seen in a better light, or in a superior position than the one you are offending. Instead of honouring the body, you are dishonouring the body causing division and friction to the other members of the body.

These actions are vital inasmuch as we are to walk worthy of the Lord , unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. After all, we are admonished to live up to the standard Jesus has revealed to us, and His standard was to do always what the Father wanted Him to do. These things go against our nature because we were born into sin and thus slaves of sin and we are subject to the things that please the flesh. Drawing near to God seems to be the most difficult for me. I believe that one has to pay a high price to come into His presence, and have a burning bush experience (as one example). I believe that there are a few in the forum who could relate to the rest of us, just what the cost factor is in drawing nigh unto God. The scripture exhorts us to take up OUR cross and follow Him.

Why does James refer to church members as adulteresses? He does this because they are more into the World than for the things of God.They are trying to mix God with Mammon; they are unable to shake off the worldly influence from their spiritual walk. Adultery here leaving your first and best love for that which the flesh lusts after God is the aggrieved husband. Friendship with the world is wrong in that it will conflict with your love for God. "Come ye out from among them (The World) and be ye separate says the Lord and touch not the unclean thing". For what fellowship hath light with darkness? If any man love the world , the love of the Father is not in him. Jesus said, " The prince of this world has come and I have no part in him."

Is God against pleasure? God is against all delights of the flesh, that draw us away from the things He has prepared for us. However, kept in a proper balance, with the king- dom of God first in our lives , is acceptable to Him. Living to increase one's pleasure is a personal quarantee of missing out on what God has prepared for us. In the flesh dwelleth no good thing; they that are of the flesh are earthly minded, and they that are of the Spirit are heavenly minded. After Solomon got ALL of the pleasure that a man could wish for, his final conclusion was, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit". Sinful desires and affections stop prayer.

With what tool do peacemakers sow peace? We sow peace only as we are controlled and filled by the Holy Spirit, living in obedience to the Word of God, with the wisdom that is from above. Why does this produce a ripening crop of righteousness? Jesus was in favour with man and God. Wisdom enables us to make the right decisions in life, thus pleasing God and our fellow man. It can also be considered a fruit of the Spirit, that ungodly people can recognize and respect us for. In whom does this crop grow? This crop grows in anyone who will seek with all their heart and is open to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit in doing the will of the Father.

Bitter envy and selfish ambition are opposite of Humility, in that envy and selfish ambition are of the flesh, the world and the devil. Humility is a gift from the Lord. Denial of bitter envy and selfish ambition prevent healing because these things lead to strife and confusion in one's life. One is not being true to themselves, to allow these things to exist. Boasting about these would prevent healing, for whenever you are trying to look better than others, or get the better of others, things will fall apart. There will be disorder and confusion in your life.

The tongue is untameable because it is NOT subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. The tongue is of the flesh, sold under sin. As one of the forum stated, we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that by grace in us , we will think before we speak. Job prayed for a guard at his mouth, and to keep the door of his lips. The bible says be quick to listen and SLOW TO SPEAK.

James cautions those who want to become teachers in God's Word, because of the high standards they must set for themselves and the MODEL they must show in their own personal walk. They must maintain a high standard of righteousness, when they teach those who are not yet mature in the faith and who look to the teacher as one who knows God's Word. Greater strictness is appropriate because the teacher's leadership is vital to the spiritual growth of those under him. A higher standard should be set for the pastor, because he is the shepherd of the local body of believers. A year ago , my pastor fell and it caused the church to have a distrust in the leadership , and as such some left the church It also would affect the community around the church and put shame on the name of God for the church's presence in the community.

There is no contradiction between James and Paul as some would like to think. We are truly saved by GRACE-an unmerited favour from God; a work that only God could perform. If we add anything to it, then it is works and not faith, and Christ would have died in vain. A true work of salvation in a person's life will produce a christian who bears fruit for the kingdom of God. James is simply saying, " If you really are a christian , then there should be some EVIDENCE of it." Remember we are no longer slaves to the law, but willing slaves of grace.

The difference between the belief of a demon and the belief of a practicing christian is that the christian is in submission to the Lord God and the demons are in rebellion to the will of God. Demons clearly believe in God intellectually and recognize Him when he appears in their presence. However, they have NO relationship with God as they are forever FALLEN. We , however, have been adopted into God's family with full privilege. 2. I question the term, "non-practicing christian"-there really shouldn't be such a person. There are , however, sadly, religious people who call themselves, Christians, who have a form of godliness , but deny the power thereof. We are soldiers in God's army, and as such have to fight the ongoing battle to follow Christ every day of our life.

Showing favouritism toward the wealthy is a denial of mercy to the poor, as we were never instructed by God's Word to give to the rich, but to reach out to those in need; the kingdom of heaven is reserved for the poor and the poor in Spirit. Hardly will a rich man enter into the kingdom of God???? Mercy triumphs over judgement because there is AGAPE love in mercy. Blessed(happy) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Mercy does not require a payment back, but judgement results in a person being penialized-without mercy.

1.We are responsible for the poor and needy in our church community, because we are the body of Christ and if one part of the body is hurting, then we must identify with that hurt and do something about it. 2. To those outside the church community, we must respond as prompted by the Holy Spirit. We can't give to every cause, but we have to give when the conviction of the Holy Spirit prompts you (E.G. starving children in third world countries, the tsunami disaster, etc. . ) - I was hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me, in prison and you visited me.

1. Faith is dead if unaccompanied by action because it is just mere intellectual belief in theology; there is no evidence of a personal relationship with God. (E.G. we are His workmanship) 2.It might be alive in the sense that one's personal faith in the work of the cross , is evidenced in our daily lives as we reach out to others and fullfill the great commission.

1,The great commandment is the Royal Law because it was given by Jesus, our royal priest, who totally fullfilled the Royal Law by His sacrifice for all mankind upon Calvary's cross. 2. It is more royal than the Mosaic law because unlike man who could not keep the Mosaic Law, the God-man demonstrated the royal law in showing His perfect love for us, and for us to follow His example. 3. Showing favouritism toward a rich man breaks the royal law because it is a sin to be partial . In the royal law , we are to love all men equally. 4. It also breaks the royal law toward the poor person , because it does not place the poor person on the same level of love as the rich man.

. To show favouritism is to make one a judge, and to do such is to SIN. It should call for self-assessment to determine where we stand before a Holy God, in whom there is no favouritism. Favouritism makes one a judge with evil thoughts, because it is a sin to show partiality towards another person, and usually at the cost of the feeling of another soul. He that will be greatest among you shall be a servant of all.

1.If , indeed, I discriminate against people , it would be those who flaunt their corrupt lifestyle against God and against everything we hold as good. These might include people with immoral lifestyles, who try to impose their ungodly views upon other people. These also would include people who were brought up to believe the family as God ordained it, but now change their minds to be politically correct, at the cost of their souls. 2.I try to probably make an impression upon those with whom I work or other christians , with whom I value their opinion , so that they will think well of me- not sure now that this would be correct.

1. The tongue can no man tame. Job prayed that God would keep the door of his lips and put a guard on his mouth. He obviously knew the damage that his tongue could bring to him and others. Ecclesiastes says , "keep thy foot when thou enterest into the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools" . WE want to bring justification to our selfish acts, and defend our actions, but instead we end up making a fool of ourselves. God hates gossip and the tongue produces this type of poison. To care for the poor is an act of unselfishness, where you give out of your heart expecting nothing in return- but seen by God. 2. Our quiet time and worship are important, but they are actions that are personal and intimate between us and God. They do not have an external impact upon the world .

1. The perfect law that James mentions is the Law in our' hearts and mind instead of a written law. We no longer need to struggle with understanding the law because it is within us as seekers of God. 2 To define this law is to say it is the Agape love of God reaching out to people we come into contact in our every-day lives revealing to them the unconditional love of God. 3. The royal law and the law written upon our hearts should be exactly the same as we allow ourselves to be used by God. 4. It brings freedom as there is a natural outflowing of God's love from us to others- a love that states, " Thy sins and iniquities will I remember no more".