Bro. David's Weekly Word
Weekly Word from Bro. David
March 31, 2016
From The Pastor's Heart:
For several months now from the book of James we've been thinking under the heading: CHRISTIANITY IN SHOELEATHER for good reason! You talk about being practical! You talk about being personal! You talk about being pertinent! The book of James is all three!
Practical, Personal and Pertinent
Now today from James 5 we're going to learn what to do when sickness strikes. Pastor James tells us when sickness strikes to call for God's people to pray.
Verse 14, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him ...” He's not talking about somebody who has a headache or an ingrown toenail or a pain in their knee. He's talking about somebody who is so sick that they cannot get out of bed.
That's why he says “to call for the elders and let them pray over him.” They have to call because they're too sick to attend a worship service, too sick to attend Sunday school, too sick to attend prayer meeting.
The Greek word he uses here that's translated “call” means “to summons, to call to one's side, to invite, to take the initiative to call” for the elders, the spiritual leaders of the church.
Now let me ask you, “Who is it that is supposed to call when sick?” Those who are sick! When you get sick, don't sneak into the hospital without telling anybody and then later complain that nobody showed up to visit and pray with you! If you don't call, then don't complain! Your calling for the spiritual leaders of the church is the first step toward healing!
That's where to start when sickness strikes: call for God's people to pray! Psalm 50.15, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me.” Somebody says, “Pastor, just how long are we to pray?” Until you get an answer! Pray and keep on praying until you hear from heaven!
James 5.16b, “... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When I was fighting cancer I didn't just want anybody praying for my healing I wanted righteous people praying for my healing! And do you know why? Because the prayers of righteous people accomplish so much! They have more power in their prayers. They have more punch in the prayers.
When you're so sick you cannot get out of bed, enlist righteous people: people that walk with God and love God and serve God! Those are the people you want praying for you because their prayers accomplish so much!
First James says to call for God's people to pray. Next week we will see that James says to cooperate with God's laws of healing.
New Sermon Series:
This coming Sunday April 3rd we are beginning a new series of messages on "Breaking The Lies That Bind". You have heard about the ties that bind, blessed be the ties that bind, but there are lies that bind in a negative sense. Lies that we have believed all of our lives, our culture has taught us, even some that our parents have taught us. They are lies that affect us adversely. We want to replace those lies with the truth of God that will set us free, and will break the chains, the oppression of discouragement and self-doubt and free us to be what God would have us to be, to know the abundant life in Jesus Christ. And the only thing that will break a lie that is binding you, that is putting you in the bondage of fear or the bondage of worry or the bondage of self-defeat or of frustration, is the truth. The truth will break the lies that bind. In fact, look at what Jesus said in John 8:32;
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
In the weeks ahead you will not want to miss any of these messages as they will truly set you free from some of the lies that bind God’s children. The following are the titles for the next few weeks and will give you some insight to what we are about to discover as God’s people.
1. It Doesn't Matter What You Believe As Long As You Are Sincere
2. Satan's Four Spiritual Flaws
3. Because I Am a Christian, Life Should Be Fair
4. Since I Am Saved by Grace, My Works Are Unimportant
5. Because I Am A Christian God Will Protect Me From Pain And Suffering
6. I Should Be Able To Change Overnight
7. I Should Be Able To Change Overnight
8. Since Everything in My Life Is Going Wrong, I Must Be Out of God's Will
Upcoming Events at Aspen Park:
April 3 –Adult 1 Sunday School Class Cookout
April 8 – 10 –Youth DNOW Weekend.
April 17 –Aspen Park Community Festival
April 23 –Women’s Ministry conference at the church
April 29–30 –Young Men's Bible Study Retreat
May 8 –Mothers' Day
May 19 – 21 –Tentative Dates for Branson Trip
Easter Celebration:
My congratulations go out to everyone that had a part in our Easter Celebration here at Aspen Park. This past Easter was truly an uplifting service! God showed up! Thank you to each and every person that was here and participated as we celebrated the Resurrection of our Risen Lord. Blessings, Brother David
Word for the Week:
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: -Phil 1:6
God is moving at Aspen Park, in a very special and sweet way. See you Sunday for Worship and Bible study.
Blessings,
Bro. David