HonorBound Devotion: July 2, 2010
Read James 5:16 – 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.
How seriously do you want to be healed if you are sick? If you are willing to humble yourself to the point of confessing your sins, then healing could come. It is not the confession that is important as much as the humbling of your heart. I don't believe the Lord wants us to feel we have to confess our shortcomings in order to be healed. I believe what He is asking is for us to have a spirit of humility to confess that we do have weaknesses in our lives and we really need the Lord. Pride keeps us from admitting the truth about ourselves!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Showing posts with label Book of James. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book of James. Show all posts
Friday, July 2
Thursday, July 1
Healing the Unbelievers
HonorBound Devotion: July 1, 2010
Read James 5:15 – 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.
Is it okay to pray a prayer of faith for someone who has not himself come to faith? Absolutely! It is right to pray for the sick who have yet to know the Lord. If their health is restored and they see it as God working on behalf of your prayer, then they very well may believe. If they believe on the One who has healed them, they will be saved. The world needs to see our God as the Healer of their lives! Pray for the sick, and let God be responsible for the healings and the salvations!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:15 – 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.
Is it okay to pray a prayer of faith for someone who has not himself come to faith? Absolutely! It is right to pray for the sick who have yet to know the Lord. If their health is restored and they see it as God working on behalf of your prayer, then they very well may believe. If they believe on the One who has healed them, they will be saved. The world needs to see our God as the Healer of their lives! Pray for the sick, and let God be responsible for the healings and the salvations!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Wednesday, June 30
Pray in Faith
HonorBound Devotion: June 30, 2010
Read James 5:15 – 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.
God moves when faith is present. He is not moved by formality and organization. He does not seem to care about our pride and style. Come to Him in faith and you will get His attention. Faith will bring God right into the middle of your situation. So when you pray, be sure that you are praying in faith, believing for an answer.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:15 – 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.
God moves when faith is present. He is not moved by formality and organization. He does not seem to care about our pride and style. Come to Him in faith and you will get His attention. Faith will bring God right into the middle of your situation. So when you pray, be sure that you are praying in faith, believing for an answer.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Tuesday, June 29
Prayer in Times of Sickness
HonorBound Devotion: June 29, 2010
Read James 5:14 – 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.
Is there a correct process in praying for the sick? I don't think there is a wrong way to call on God for healing. I think the important thing is that you call on God. You should also call on others to pray with you. If we are not careful, pride will cause us not to request prayer from others. Maybe calling on others and the oil application is as much humility in prayer as it is a procedure of prayer. The main thing is to call on God in your time of sickness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:14 – 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.
Is there a correct process in praying for the sick? I don't think there is a wrong way to call on God for healing. I think the important thing is that you call on God. You should also call on others to pray with you. If we are not careful, pride will cause us not to request prayer from others. Maybe calling on others and the oil application is as much humility in prayer as it is a procedure of prayer. The main thing is to call on God in your time of sickness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Friday, June 25
In Times of Sickness
HonorBound Devotion: June 25, 2010
Read James 5:14 – 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.
The request for prayer during sickness is not a sign of weakness in the believer. It is an opportunity for several things to happen. It is an opportunity for love to be expressed by others in their prayers. It is an opportunity for humility to be practiced on behalf of the sick believer. It is an opportunity for miracles to happen in the sick person’s life. It is also an opportunity for unbelievers to see God work through prayer, people and pain. Lastly, it is an opportunity for God to express His power, presence and love to His people.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:14 – 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.
The request for prayer during sickness is not a sign of weakness in the believer. It is an opportunity for several things to happen. It is an opportunity for love to be expressed by others in their prayers. It is an opportunity for humility to be practiced on behalf of the sick believer. It is an opportunity for miracles to happen in the sick person’s life. It is also an opportunity for unbelievers to see God work through prayer, people and pain. Lastly, it is an opportunity for God to express His power, presence and love to His people.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Thursday, June 24
Matching Outward Expressions with Inward Feelings
HonorBound Devotion: June 24, 2010
Read James 5:13 – Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
It is okay to express outwardly what one is feeling inwardly. Too many times we are reserved where we should be expressive. If you are sad and hurting it will not shake the heavens if you let others know. Your witness will not be destroyed because you are honest about your feelings. Neither is it out of order for you to express happiness because of the blessings of the Lord in your life. The world needs to see people who are real and authentic. They need to see people who are blessed of the Lord and are not ashamed to express such. They need to see people who don't fall apart during difficulty. God's grace seen through your life is the best way for men to experience God's love!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:13 – Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
It is okay to express outwardly what one is feeling inwardly. Too many times we are reserved where we should be expressive. If you are sad and hurting it will not shake the heavens if you let others know. Your witness will not be destroyed because you are honest about your feelings. Neither is it out of order for you to express happiness because of the blessings of the Lord in your life. The world needs to see people who are real and authentic. They need to see people who are blessed of the Lord and are not ashamed to express such. They need to see people who don't fall apart during difficulty. God's grace seen through your life is the best way for men to experience God's love!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Wednesday, June 23
Promises are for Keeping
HonorBound Devotion: June 23, 2010
Read James 5:12 – Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
We should never make promises that are beyond our ability to keep. It is okay to say you will give it your best effort or that you will do something if the Lord wills you to do so. We never know what a new day is going to bring. Only God is eternal and never changes. We, on the other hand, change and our circumstances change every day. Only commit “yes” and “no” to those things that are within your power to affirm.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:12 – Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
We should never make promises that are beyond our ability to keep. It is okay to say you will give it your best effort or that you will do something if the Lord wills you to do so. We never know what a new day is going to bring. Only God is eternal and never changes. We, on the other hand, change and our circumstances change every day. Only commit “yes” and “no” to those things that are within your power to affirm.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Tuesday, June 22
His Compassion and Mercy
HonorBound Devotion: June 22, 2010
Read James 5:11 – As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy! Wow, how glad we should be that those attributes describe our Lord. We would be consumed if it was not for the Lord's mercy to us. In our deepest and most desperate trials He is there to love and protect us. In some situations it is only the Lord that can save us. He not only can save us in our time of trouble, He wants to save us. Call on the name of the Lord and He will answer you. Trust in the Lord and you will find Him to be trustworthy!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:11 – As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy! Wow, how glad we should be that those attributes describe our Lord. We would be consumed if it was not for the Lord's mercy to us. In our deepest and most desperate trials He is there to love and protect us. In some situations it is only the Lord that can save us. He not only can save us in our time of trouble, He wants to save us. Call on the name of the Lord and He will answer you. Trust in the Lord and you will find Him to be trustworthy!
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Friday, June 18
Job: A Bible Hero
HonorBound Devotion: June 18, 2010
Read James 5:11 – As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
We all need heroes in life. Real heroes are those who come up strong and persistent in trials and live life to the fullest. The scriptures are full of those people we should and could model our lives after. Has there ever been a more powerful example for us than Job? He gained great wealth, influence, power and happiness and lost it all almost instantly. He lost his wealth, children, fortune and the ability to trust the advice of his wife but never his confidence in God. He is to us an example of knowing that the game of life is not over and how to live when the chips are down. His convictions always kept his faith intact even when there were days and moments of doubt.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:11 – As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
We all need heroes in life. Real heroes are those who come up strong and persistent in trials and live life to the fullest. The scriptures are full of those people we should and could model our lives after. Has there ever been a more powerful example for us than Job? He gained great wealth, influence, power and happiness and lost it all almost instantly. He lost his wealth, children, fortune and the ability to trust the advice of his wife but never his confidence in God. He is to us an example of knowing that the game of life is not over and how to live when the chips are down. His convictions always kept his faith intact even when there were days and moments of doubt.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Thursday, June 17
Watch and Learn
HonorBound Devotion: June 17, 2010
Read James 5:10 – Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Sometimes the best way to learn something is to watch others and take note of how they respond in similar situations. The Bible is full of godly examples of people who responded both well and not so well to the tests of life. Study them and you can learn both what you should and should not do. Suffering is not pleasant, but it does produce in us the fruit of righteousness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:10 – Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Sometimes the best way to learn something is to watch others and take note of how they respond in similar situations. The Bible is full of godly examples of people who responded both well and not so well to the tests of life. Study them and you can learn both what you should and should not do. Suffering is not pleasant, but it does produce in us the fruit of righteousness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Wednesday, June 16
Making Full Use of Difficult Times
HonorBound Devotion: June 16, 2010
Read James 5:9 – Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
The second hardest thing in the world is to keep a good attitude. The hardest thing is to not let others know how you feel when you have a rotten attitude. Longsuffering and patience are fruits that need to be worked into our lives. The only way you can be proficient in these fruits is to experience the difficulties that give opportunity to practice them. The Lord is judging our actions as we go though those difficult times to see what fruit we are producing through trials. What is He finding on your tree today?
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:9 – Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
The second hardest thing in the world is to keep a good attitude. The hardest thing is to not let others know how you feel when you have a rotten attitude. Longsuffering and patience are fruits that need to be worked into our lives. The only way you can be proficient in these fruits is to experience the difficulties that give opportunity to practice them. The Lord is judging our actions as we go though those difficult times to see what fruit we are producing through trials. What is He finding on your tree today?
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Tuesday, June 15
Patiently Waiting For Him and On Him
Read James 5:7-8 – Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Life can be hard when you have little means and the economy is fragile. It is hard when you do what is right and it is rebuffed as wrong. All over the earth we see inequity, heartlessness, trouble and pain. It seems that the woes of this earth only get worse each rising day. If we are not careful we will look at the signs of the times and let them determine our outlook. All that we see today should not discourage us but cause us to look more intently for the Second Coming of Christ. We have to be patient and firm in our hope in the Lord. He is coming and in the hour men least expect Him.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Life can be hard when you have little means and the economy is fragile. It is hard when you do what is right and it is rebuffed as wrong. All over the earth we see inequity, heartlessness, trouble and pain. It seems that the woes of this earth only get worse each rising day. If we are not careful we will look at the signs of the times and let them determine our outlook. All that we see today should not discourage us but cause us to look more intently for the Second Coming of Christ. We have to be patient and firm in our hope in the Lord. He is coming and in the hour men least expect Him.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Friday, June 11
Share Your Blessings
HonorBound Devotion: June 11, 2010
Read James 5:5-6 – You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
Sad is the man who lives only for himself. The man who can live in luxury while others live in lack is wrong when it is in his power to relieve some of the load. When we have abundance we should be sure that there are not those around us who might need some consideration. Men who live selfish, indulgent lives are in the wrong. Men who are so selfish that they feel they have to push every person close to them away are really sad. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:5-6 – You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
Sad is the man who lives only for himself. The man who can live in luxury while others live in lack is wrong when it is in his power to relieve some of the load. When we have abundance we should be sure that there are not those around us who might need some consideration. Men who live selfish, indulgent lives are in the wrong. Men who are so selfish that they feel they have to push every person close to them away are really sad. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Thursday, June 10
Pay Their Wages
HonorBound Devotion: June 10, 2010
Read James 5:4 – Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
If someone works for you then you should pay them their wages according to the agreement made. People who work from one contract to the next many times live paycheck to paycheck. They don’t often have much reserve. For the man employing day labor, a loss of a salary may mean you have to put off a purchase. For a laborer the loss may affect dinner for his family. The man who labors is worthy of his wages. Act fair with others and God will bless your endeavors.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:4 – Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
If someone works for you then you should pay them their wages according to the agreement made. People who work from one contract to the next many times live paycheck to paycheck. They don’t often have much reserve. For the man employing day labor, a loss of a salary may mean you have to put off a purchase. For a laborer the loss may affect dinner for his family. The man who labors is worthy of his wages. Act fair with others and God will bless your endeavors.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Wednesday, June 9
What is Your Greatest Investment?
Read James 5:2-3 – Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. We have such a ridiculous sense of value. We measure wealth by home appraisals, only to have houses get old, lose value and cause us to be frustrated. Men think gold, stocks, rubies or diamonds will survive the inflation of life. How God must shake His head at our foolishness. The greatest investment in life is to win souls. He said, “He who wins souls is wise.” On the other side, the man that ignores or loses souls in his pursuit of money is foolish.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. We have such a ridiculous sense of value. We measure wealth by home appraisals, only to have houses get old, lose value and cause us to be frustrated. Men think gold, stocks, rubies or diamonds will survive the inflation of life. How God must shake His head at our foolishness. The greatest investment in life is to win souls. He said, “He who wins souls is wise.” On the other side, the man that ignores or loses souls in his pursuit of money is foolish.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Tuesday, June 8
What Wealth Cannot Buy
HonorBound Devotion: June 8, 2010
Read James 5:1 – Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.
Wealth itself is not a bad thing and people who have it should not be looked down on for their financial success. The problem with wealth comes when people think it can insulate them from hard times. There are a lot of wonderful comforts that wealth can buy. But there are also a lot of things all the money in the world cannot purchase. It can get you the best doctors, but it cannot buy healing from a deadly disease. Wealth can buy you a house, but it cannot buy a happy home. Wealth can make life appear better, but it cannot assure you of it always being so. We have assurance in Christ that He will be with us always even when good times are not.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 5:1 – Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.
Wealth itself is not a bad thing and people who have it should not be looked down on for their financial success. The problem with wealth comes when people think it can insulate them from hard times. There are a lot of wonderful comforts that wealth can buy. But there are also a lot of things all the money in the world cannot purchase. It can get you the best doctors, but it cannot buy healing from a deadly disease. Wealth can buy you a house, but it cannot buy a happy home. Wealth can make life appear better, but it cannot assure you of it always being so. We have assurance in Christ that He will be with us always even when good times are not.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Friday, June 4
Through Silence We Sin
HonorBound Devotion: June 4, 2010
Read James 4:17 – Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
There are many ways to sin in life. They range from lies to murder. We could note them but never exhaust the list of sins, so I will not try to do so. Then there are the sins we can commit by not acting on the right things in life. When men know the things that are right and they are silent and unresponsive, it is also a sin. When the opportunity to do good is neglected it is as bad as knowing to not do evil and still doing it. As men we need the courage to not only refrain from sin but the courage to speak up for righteousness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 4:17 – Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
There are many ways to sin in life. They range from lies to murder. We could note them but never exhaust the list of sins, so I will not try to do so. Then there are the sins we can commit by not acting on the right things in life. When men know the things that are right and they are silent and unresponsive, it is also a sin. When the opportunity to do good is neglected it is as bad as knowing to not do evil and still doing it. As men we need the courage to not only refrain from sin but the courage to speak up for righteousness.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Thursday, June 3
Boasting About Greatness
HonorBound Devotion: June 3, 2010
Read James 4:16 – As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Boasting and bragging is foolishness. The weakest men are those who build a wall around themselves of their exploits and strengths. If a man has to tell someone how great he is, it is probably an indication of how small he really is. He may convince some with his flowery description of himself but he will be exposed when he has to produce. Too many men over-promise and under-deliver in life. It is much better for a man to boast only in Christ and never exalt his feats. Greater is the man who humbles himself and allows God to exalt him.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 4:16 – As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Boasting and bragging is foolishness. The weakest men are those who build a wall around themselves of their exploits and strengths. If a man has to tell someone how great he is, it is probably an indication of how small he really is. He may convince some with his flowery description of himself but he will be exposed when he has to produce. Too many men over-promise and under-deliver in life. It is much better for a man to boast only in Christ and never exalt his feats. Greater is the man who humbles himself and allows God to exalt him.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Wednesday, June 2
The Yielded Man
HonorBound Devotion: June 2, 2010
Read James 4:15 – Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
The man who lives his life yielded to the Lord’s will is a wise man. Rare is the man that lives such a yielded life on the purposes of Christ. This man will find that he will have an abundance of happiness. No man can find true joy if he struggles to take control of his life with his own hands, while ignoring the hand of God. Real strength is revealed in a man strong enough to submit to the will of God in everyday life.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 4:15 – Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
The man who lives his life yielded to the Lord’s will is a wise man. Rare is the man that lives such a yielded life on the purposes of Christ. This man will find that he will have an abundance of happiness. No man can find true joy if he struggles to take control of his life with his own hands, while ignoring the hand of God. Real strength is revealed in a man strong enough to submit to the will of God in everyday life.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Tuesday, June 1
What Tomorrow Brings
HonorBound Devotion: June 1, 2010
Read James 4:13-14 – Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Sadly many men think that their destiny is in their own hands. These men believe that in their own power they can determine when they will do something or how they will manage their life. The truth is we have no idea what will be revealed by the receding darkness of a new day. It only takes one visit to the doctor and the words of some disease to turn a sunny day cloudy. Life that is firmly held in youth seems but a fleeting moth in old age. A good euphemism for one’s life is “As the mist arises from the ground in the morning and is burned off quickly by the sun.” Never assume you know the outcome of your life by what is happening today. Live each day as if it is the last one you may have because it could be the very last one you live.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
Read James 4:13-14 – Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Sadly many men think that their destiny is in their own hands. These men believe that in their own power they can determine when they will do something or how they will manage their life. The truth is we have no idea what will be revealed by the receding darkness of a new day. It only takes one visit to the doctor and the words of some disease to turn a sunny day cloudy. Life that is firmly held in youth seems but a fleeting moth in old age. A good euphemism for one’s life is “As the mist arises from the ground in the morning and is burned off quickly by the sun.” Never assume you know the outcome of your life by what is happening today. Live each day as if it is the last one you may have because it could be the very last one you live.
– David Raley serves as the Field Representative for Light for the Lost.
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