Bro. David's Weekly Word
Weekly Word from Bro. David
April 7, 2016
From The Pastor's Heart:
We have been learning from James 5 what to do when sickness strikes. Pastor James showed us last week, when sickness strikes to call for God's people to pray. Today we will see how we are to cooperate with God's laws of healing when sickness strikes.
When you're so sick you cannot get out of bed, James told us to 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 much!
Now James adds something here to their praying; he mentions anointing with oil. Verse 14, “... and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” In the Bible there are two distinct words that are translated “anoint”. One is a SECULAR use and the other is a SACRED use. Let me show you the difference.
Acts 10.38, “how God anointed (exrisen) Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power ... “ In this verse you find the SACRED term that's translated “anointed.” Now that's not the word James uses here. He's not talking about the anointing associated with religious ceremony. The word James uses is the SECULAR word that meant to massage, to rub as you would rub something into the skin.
The word James uses was used to describe the athletes when they would get a rub down with oil to relax them. One historian wrote, “Olive oil was the best of all remedies for paralysis. “ We find this word used in Mark 6.13 when Jesus sent the apostles out ministering, “they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."
In the Bible, oil is used symbolically to depict the presence of the Holy Spirit. Here's what one person wrote, “By anointing the sick person with oil, the elder used a tangible substance to declare that the Spirit of God is coming upon the infirmed to bring His healing power.” “Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Vs. 14 Could “anointing him with oil” refer to getting the best medical attention possible? Absolutely! Suppose I'm up here one Sunday preaching and, suddenly, I collapse; I faint and fall over. If that happens I don't want a deacon to stand up and ask, “All right does anybody here have any oil in their purse or in their pocket so that we can anoint the pastor? "
No! I want somebody to call 911 and make sure I get the best medical attention that's available and those of you that are righteous I want you praying like you have never prayed before. And if I make it to the hospital alive, if you feel led by God to anoint me, come on!!
By the way, verse 15 indicates that it’s not the lack of faith of the sick that keeps them sick. It’s the lack of faith on the part of those who are doing the praying.
Next week we will mention one last thing James says to do when sickness strikes and that is to commit to the will of God.
Upcoming Events at Aspen Park:
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
Help the Youth Go to Camp:
Bro. Mitch is doing a wonderful job with the youth of our church and he is to be commended for going above and beyond the call of duty. He does this because God has placed the youth of our church on his heart and I know that you are indeed grateful as am I. The youth will be going to the Faith Week camp this summer for their camp experience with several of our sister churches from the Tulsa area.
The cost of the camp is $300.00 and if you, your class, or your organization would like to help them get to camp by giving a total scholarship of $300.00 or a partial scholarship of any amount, it would be greatly appreciated. Begin praying now for our youth as plans are coming together for a great week of being totally immersed in the word of God.
How to Fill Up a Church:
Did you know that 94% of all first time guests come to church because a layperson invited them to worship with them at their church? Have you ever wondered how can we fill our building up each week with people that need to know the same Jesus we know? Simple: invite, invite, invite. Don’t stop inviting your lost friends and family then, when they come sit with them, go out to eat with them, have them over to your home for a meal and make sure they feel welcome at Aspen Park, because after all we are representing Jesus to the lost community. Let’s fill Aspen Park up not for our glory but for the glory of our risen Savior.
New Sermon Series:
Last Sunday we began a new series of messages on "Breaking The Lies That Bind". Our first message was It Doesn't Matter What You Believe As Long As You Are Sincere and this next Sunday we will see Satan's Four Spiritual Flaws. Please make it a point to be in Worship each Sunday as we discover the lies that truly bind us, not only as a church but also a nation.
Word for the Week:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”.
- 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV
Remember I love each of you and look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we continue to see the Lies That Bind from God’s Word.
Because of Calvary,