James
Life in Two Words
Part I - Trouble
Life is summed up in two words, Trouble and Happy
The first word Trouble has a response, an answer, it is “Prayer”
Learn to talk to God like you would a best friend,
Who is with you for the day to give you a helping hand
His presence will give you peace
His voice with give you answers you would have never thought of
Don’t wait till you are in big trouble to pray
Pray without ceasing
Life in Two Words
Part I - Trouble
James in chapter 5 verse 13
sums up life in two words…
Trouble and Happy
The first word “Trouble”…
Jesus said in this world you will have trouble.
The trouble we have can be light or very heavy.
Trouble can come from nowhere like
a storm or it can come from our doing.
When trouble comes, something needs to be done.
Trouble has to be endured
and its level of difficulty varies.
For some of us we get all worked up when
the candy machine takes our money.
For others, it takes a lot before we
get out of the realm of Hakuna Matata.
James does not define the level
of trouble, he leaves it up to us.
Whatever your level of
trouble is there is one answer…
“Pray”
If you are like me…
Trouble is always with me,
maybe that’s why Paul writes…
Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
I am one of those persons who hates to ask
for help, but a good helper is amazing.
I amaze myself at what I can
get done by pure determination.
But I have to confess, it is so much
easier and fun when I have a helper.
Life goes so much better when you have a helper.
We have a Helper…
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26
The Holy Spirit is our Helper.
He is our Helper in times of weakness or trouble…
Even when we are not sure what to pray,
He prays for us.
God is with us always.
He lives inside the believer.
So we always have God’s help.
Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says…
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
Psalms 50:15…
…and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
When we pray we not only find God gives deliverance
but He is honored when His works are done in our lives.
Time and time again Jesus was in
trouble and He handled it with prayer…
During the days of Jesus' life on earth,
he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Hebrews 5:7
I have to confess my prayer life
suffers in times of suffering because…
I am too busy to pray.
I am too proud to ask for help.
I am too angry to ask for help.
I brush off my troubles as
“Don’t worry”, “Hakuna Matata”.
I forget God is with me.
When I have a helper with me, I ask for little
things like “please hand me a screw driver” and the
helper is so glad that in a little way they blessed me.
God is that way, God is blessed,
He is honored, when we ask for His help
in the little things and the big things.
Life is summed up in two
words, Trouble and Happy.
The first word Trouble has a
response, an answer, it is “Prayer”.
Learn to talk to God like you would a
best friend who is with you for the
day to give you a helping hand.
His presence will give you peace.
His voice with give you answers
you would have never thought of.
Don’t wait till you are in big trouble to pray.
Pray without ceasing.
Scripture Reading
James 5:13-16 NIV
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
