Establish Your Hearts // James 5

JAMES 5 // Establish Your Heart

 

As part of our faith here, we believe in what is called the immanent return of Christ where Jesus can return at any moment and we who are followers of Him will be “caught up” or raptured before the Great Tribulation.  (1 These. 5:1-2; 4:17; Matt. 24:36-44.

 

There is hope and comfort in this promise, yet there is this warning of being watchful, and ready and there should also be a motivation for holy living and to be ready for His return.  To what James says “Establish Your hearts”.

 

The book of James here to help us, not to condemn us, but rather to shape us and to make us ready for that moment, not to to scare us or to discourage us…but he has some tough love here…and its good for us to hear him out…in chapter 5 he ends with what I would call 7 ways to establish your heart for the coming of the Lord.

 

#1.  Do the good that you know you should do. (4:17)

What James is referring to is what many in the church call sins of “omission”.  It when we avoid doing the good thing that God has told us to do. 

Regardless of the reason, the result is you miss the mark, you miss your potential, something is left UNDONE, UNFINISHED and James says…to establish your hearts for the return of the Lord, don’t leave anything undone, unfinished, don’t hesitate, don’t put it off, don’t ignore the good that God is commanding you to do. 

 

#2.  Do not store up your treasures here on earth. (5:1-6)

James is echoing the words of Jesus and yet kind of building off of it a more severe warning…the dishonest and exploitation of the poor to become rich will become your accuser and when you are living in self-indulgence and the pleasures of the world, you’re just fattening up yourself for the day of slaughter…quite alarming imagery.

Examine your intentions behind why you spend money, evaluate your spending habits and consider how much value you place on earthly treasures.  Consider your generosity towards others, but most of all be careful that you don’t enter into eternity worshipping Wealth and riches and trade the inheritance of the saints for the inheritance of this world. (Eph. 1:18-19)

 

#3. Do not grumble against one another. (5:9)

Grumbling against one another is not only looked down upon, it severely grieves the heart of God and puts us in danger of judgment….

Look, God wiped out an entire generation of people in the wilderness because of grumbling…

How do you handle a disagreement, a conflict?  

Do you grumble over poor communication in your relationships with others?

Do you grumble about the unfair treatment you see in the world?

Do you grumble when others get favor and you don’t?

James is saying you don’t want to enter into heaven grumbling about the people you will be spending the rest of eternity with OR the God who you will be worshipping!

 

#4.  Develop the Perseverance of Job (5:10-11)

The story of Job is is an epic drama that unfolds in heaven and on earth...God picks a fight with Satan at Job’s expense...all that Job knew, was the devastation of his circumstance, the deterioration of his body and the despair and sorrow of all that he was losing in the test…That’s the STORY of Job, but the PERSEVERANCE of Job is that even faced with all of this…He stayed humble, He kept worshipping, and he remained holy and blameless.

James wants us to consider the perseverance of Job when we face our trials, when the invisible reality of our suffering is trying to shake us, and prove to us that God doesn’t love you…James wants us to be reminded that God is merciful and compassionate and will never leave you alone in your suffering!

 

#5.  Do not over promise and under deliver on your commitments (5:12)

 

Trust is a crucial foundation to any relationship and when we over promise and under deliver, we can damage our reputation and no longer become trustworthy.  And James is saying don’t throw God under the bus. …don’t use God to build up your own credibility… Don’t say God told me to do this and then not do it…don’t make promises in God’s name….just let your yes be yes and no be no…So, don’t be foolish in your promises, but THINK THROUGH and FOLLOW THROUGH on every promise and commitment you make to God, to yourself and to one another…

 

#6. Filter everything through prayer (5:13-18)

James is saying the first thing you should always do is “Look Up” don’t look around, don’t look down, don’t even look within…LOOK UP!

• Are you suffering —- PRAY TO GOD
• Are you enjoying life — PRAISE GOD FOR IT!
• Are you sick — CALL THE ELDERS, the men who are standing representing God, and let them pray over you…

Be careful  to filter your life through anything before you filter it through prayer

…give God a chance first!  Communicate your needs to the Lord

…seek His wisdom and guidance

… surrender control and live with confidence in God first

…align your emotions and your decisions and your  perspectives with God first

… Prioritize God’s power, provision and purpose for your life!

James is saying to establish your heart for the return of God,  you better be looking up!! Or you might miss it!

 

#7.  Live with grace for one another (5:16; 19-20)

There is a growing need for us to embrace sinners and what James is referencing is specifically “the Backslider” with the love of the Gospel…we are facing social, emotional and psychological issues in unprecedented measures…that are wiping the next generation right out of the church…so many are turning away from the faith…

What James is saying is we need to build a culture inside the church of mutual confession, bearing one another’s burdens and sin….the church exists not for self-righteous people who come together and celebrate how perfect they are…but rather the church exists for the sinner,

every Sunday should be a party for the prodigal, every time we gather it should be a dinner party with Jesus for the tax collector, the prostitute; our services should be filled with the fragrance of those who are anointing God with oil from a broken alabaster jar…the church needs to become a house of worship that offers…

•  hope when there is none.
• encouragement when it is needed most.
• kindness despite being surrounded by hate.
• compassion in a world that have become victimized by terrible injustices.
• patience when the circumstances shout revenge.
• A helping hand to dust them off,  so they can regain their strength and flourish in life.
• Utlimately to offer them the forgiveness and redemption through Jesus.

 

If the rapture took place today? And Christians were removed from the earth, would the world be relieved? Or would it be the most devastating moment in all of human history? Not just because of the shock of a mass exit of people from the earth, but the despair of losing those who represent the glory and beauty of God’s presence here on the earth…losing those who carry the only true message of hope that restores, love that redeems and peace that passes all of our understanding …

 

I ask the question as we conclude the message of James…Have we as the church established ourselves and our heart as the beautiful , pure, spotless and glorious Bride of Christ?