The Power of Prayer

Do you believe in the Power of Prayer? Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy? They should sing praises. Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord. This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have committed will be forgiven. So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.

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James the Arminian

As a Calvinist I can sniff out Arminians through my computer screen. James is an Arminian who wants to be able to manage his religious life for himself: “Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” The Rational: God will follow my lead.

Totally not true! It is not that easy because God is unfair.

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The Tongue

So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things. [...] And the tongue is like a fire. [...] But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. 9 We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God.
What is your reaction to the way in which James describes the tongue? Is the tongue hard to control? How do you react when someone gossips about another? What is the effect of words that are spoken in love?

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Faith and Works

James lists two great “friends of God” whose faith was exhibited in righteous action, Abraham and Rahab.
Who? – Yes, the Holy Hooker!

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True Religion

James writes: “What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.”
What do you think?

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