James Life in Two Words Part II

 

James

Life in Two Words Part II

 Prayer and Praise keep our focus on our eternal God

No matter how much trouble you have, Pray

No matter how much happiness you have, Praise 

James says

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy?

Let him sing songs of praise. James 5:13

 

Paul say it this way

Be joyful always; pray continually

Paul adds

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.        

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Thanksgiving should be in our times of Prayer and Praise

Thanksgiving should be in our Trouble and Happiness

If you are like me, today is a day of Prayer for the things that are troubling me

Today is also a day of Praise for the happiness I have

Today I am so thankful God will never leave me or forsake me

 Deuteronomy 31:6 Hebrews 13:5

 

Life in Two Words Part II

 

There are two spectrums to life…

 

The one is Trouble.

 

Trouble is everywhere, problems, misfortune,

disturbances, afflictions, suffering and distress.

 

Trouble challenges our peace

and brings on worry.

  

Trouble comes in little packages

and comes in overwhelming sizes.

 

James tells us if we are in trouble…

 

 PRAY

 

At the other end of the spectrum,

 we find life can make us Happy.

 

To be Happy is to be merry or cheerful.

 

Like Trouble, Happiness comes in little

things as well as overwhelming events.

 

James reminds us to respond

to both Trouble and Happiness…

 

Is any one of you in trouble?

He should pray. Is anyone happy?

Let him sing songs of praise.

James 5:13

 

Are you Happy?  Than James says…

 

 “Sing songs of praise.”

 

In 2013, Pharrell Williams came out

with a song that got him a Grammy

and got everybody clapping and dancing.

 

He sings…

 

It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say
Sunshine she's here, you can take a break
I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don't care baby by the way

Huh, because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do

 

YouTube is filled with people clapping their

hands and dancing in the streets to his song.

 

Maybe you are one of those who has got

caught up in singing the line that says…

 

  “Happiness is a truth”

 

God created us with the ability to feel.

 

Our emotional abilities are wonderful.

 

Trouble opens up a realm of emotions that bring tears.

 

So James says…

 

 Pray, because God cares about your trouble.

 

Crying, even wailing throughout the Word of

God has touched the heart of God for His people.

 

God Cares

 

God has also in making us in His image,

 gave us the emotional ability to be Happy.

 

James says…

 

 Don’t wait on your happiness, celebrate it.

 

 Turn up the music and

“Sing songs of praise”.

 

Although there are times of overwhelming

trouble and times of overwhelming happiness…

 

Our lives should never lose sight of Happiness in the

times of Trouble and Trouble in the times of Happiness.

  

  God is in both.

 

Sandy and I were in a car accident,

car accidents are trouble.

 

I looked to Sandy and said are you ok?

 She said, Yes,

 

I said are you at peace? And

 
She said, Yes.

 

Things in our lives were changed and we

had a lot of troubling things to deal with.

 

Prayer and asking God for help gives a release to

see the things in that time that made us happy.

 

 Life is sometimes more trouble than

 happiness or happiness than trouble.

 

But it is always a mixture…

 

Not to make us luke warm but

to never lose perspective of both.

 

At the loss of a loved one, Solomon says…

 

It is better to go to a house of mourning

than to go to a house of feasting ,

for death is the destiny of every man;

the living should take this to heart.

 Ecclesiastes 7:2

 

It is in those times of trouble…

 

 We should take a good look

at life and make the most of it. 

 

It is also good to remember in times

of eating and making merry…

 

 To keep in mind eternity over

our short term earthly happiness.

Luke 12:18-20

 

What is the take away?

 

Prayer and Praise keep our focus on our eternal God.

 

No matter how much trouble you have…

 

Pray

 

No matter how much happiness you have…

 

 Praise 

 

James says…

 

Is any one of you in trouble?

He should pray. Is anyone happy?

 Let him sing songs of praise.

James 5:13

 

Paul says it this way…

 

Be joyful always; pray continually

 

Paul adds…

 

Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

Thanksgiving should be in

our times of Prayer and Praise.

 

Thanksgiving should be in

our Trouble and Happiness.

 

If you are like me…

 

 Today is a day of Prayer for the

things that are troubling me.

 

Today is also a day of Praise

for the happiness I have.

 

Today I am so thankful God will

 never leave me or forsake me.

Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5

 

 

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.