James 5:15-16

"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."

I guess the first the person who comes to mind when I think of a righteous man who prayed and had quite an effect is Elijah, but there are so many more. God says when we knock the door will be opened. That is so amazing. Sometimes what's on the other side of the door isn't quite what we expected, but, nevertheless, he does answer our prayers in his all-knowing, perfect intentions to protect us, mold us, and carry us to be with him one day. He works all things for our good.

A sin to confess to you all is one of worry. It not only hurts me, but it hurts those around me. I worry about things in the future, like silly projects, that can't be completed until certain dates. God knows of them and cares. I need only ask him to put me at peace, but I continue to fret. Please pray that my faith would be stronger, that I would trust that he will do exactly what he says he will. O, me of little faith! Our God has so much strength to give, if only I would ask more!

Love you gals.

James 5:13-14

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 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."

I am reminded that I should be praying continually. There is always, always something to thank God for. In our happiness and joyful moments, in our quiet content moments, in our distress and under even a modicum of anxiety, we should call out and talk to God. He is ever-present...so near to help us and he delights in hearing our voices. If anything is good or noble and we think on it, it is an opportunity to thank God, and if there is anything that is oppressing us or causing anxious thoughts, it is a time to seek God in prayer. I want to have this constant communion with him, but I so often fall on my own mind and hands to get things done, to distract myself from these soul cries. Often, when I do call out to him, I find I am thirsty, and then I go to his Word. Oh, Lord, please give us hearts that long to praise and adore you, to rely heavily on you, hearts that know we are nothing without you...

James 5: 4-6

Today's reading made me think about the way I should treat others. Unfortunately, sometimes I put myself above others selfishly, trying to only benefit myself. When I do this I am not thinking about others like I should! God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, which is such a simple statement, but one of the hardest things to actually put into action. I want to do my best to put myself in the postion of others around me, and try to focus on how I would like to be treated.

There are so many small ways that we can do this that we don't even think about sometimes! I know some specific ways that I'm going to try and work on are things like the way I drive. If someone cuts me off or does something rude on the road, I don't need to think negatively or make a point to make sure they know they made me mad. Instead, I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they didn't mean it, or are just having a rough day, and say a little prayer for them. I feel like our reactions to little things like that can make an impact on that person's day. I know that the way I'm going with this is probably a little different, but overall this section made me thing about selfishness and our attitudes towards others. God put us first, so we should show the same selfishness to those around us. :)

Ladies, tonight I would appreciate some of your prayers. I had a doctor's appointment today in the cities for some pain in my chest that I've been having for a while, and was planning on going back to school afterwards, but my doctor wants to check out my chest further by having an ultrasound taken tomorrow to make sure there's nothing in there! So I'm at home for the night, and a little nervous for tomorrow. I'm pretty sure it's nothing serious, but I would still appreciate your prayers! I hope you all are doing well and are having a great week so far. Love you all! :)

Jessica

James 5: 1-3

Today's reading goes really well with a presentation I had to give about a portion of the Sermon on the Mount a few weeks ago for my Religion class. My section was Matthew 6:19-24 - Treasures in Heaven.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

In the world we live in it's almost impossible not to make our earthly possessions one of our most important priorities. Everywhere we look we see things that we wished we had, or we do have, but aren't satisfied with. God gives us so much to be thankful for, but instead of thanking Him and putting Him first, we indulge in everything we want and need. Unfortunately for us, these things will only be here a short time and will be completely forgotten only in a matter of time.

God is telling us that we can't let our wanting and 'need' for these unimportant things get the best of us, because when they do, we can't give our whole heart to our Heavenly Father, the one who gave us all these things in the first place!

In my presentation my partner and I talked about how quickly everything can be taken from us. We used the example of the tragedy in Japan, because within days people lost everything they had. We need to focus on the things that we can take with us to Heaven like our faith and love for our God! In the end, that's all we'll have - our Precious Savior, the only thing we need. :)

Praying that you all have wonderful week!

James 4:14-17

Good morning girlfriends!

Another week in James flew by and I am realizing how weak I am to study God's Word when the frustrations in life hit hard: work schedules that aren't ideal, sickness, to-do lists that are ever growing. The last couple of weeks and also the next two months are going to be a flurry of such things, I think. I have had the craziest, most run-me-over type of cold that I've had in a few years. It's kept me stranded in bed sleeping as much as I could, to now not letting me sleep much through the night because of the unrelenting coughing. That, combined with working both jobs and planning somewhat frantically for all the big move details coming up (so fast!)...has left me with the usual excuse that "I couldn't find the time or energy to keep up!" You'll have to forgive me for that, because even as I say it, I know it's my biggest pet peeve excuse because in our lives, we MAKE time for what's important to us.

I confess that I haven't made time for THIS most important thing. I was a Martha this week, to the fullest extent. Lord, forgive me!!

Our section for this past week in James was just so perfect for where I'm at right now. It's a great reminder for me to keep all this planning and dreaming within God's will for me, for hubby and I. It's so difficult, when so much is soon to change and it feels as if your livelihood is at stake, to trust that God still is in control and that he wants to - and will - make the ultimate plans for us! It's wrong of me to think I can handle by myself even the trifles of my life. God sees the small areas of our lives also, the hidden places we're trying to fuddle with and make work out. He has a plan for those places too and a good one at that!
What I understood about this section in James is that my human pride and trust in myself is the main culprit for getting me into major trouble. Pride starts so much wrong and leads us away from God rather than to him! Pride makes us boastful; pride makes us think we can plan and plan and God will just bless whatever we feel like doing!; pride weakens our view of right and wrong because we start to think everything we do is right all the time.
I desperately don't want that pride in my heart. My prayer today and for hubby's and my unknown future is that I would be humble and trusting, that I would refuse to question His goodness in our life and His priority to take care of us in His best way! I want my eyes to be open to the good and right ways I ought to live and ask for more of the godly strength to live it out.

God knew I would need these of His words at this exact time in our study of James. To me, that is just a beautiful detail of His magnificent plan - that he will always give us what we need, when we need it. And the plan is already set out - God doesn't "plan as he goes". :) Thank goodness for that!!

Girls, any and all encouragement or involvement in our study is much appreciated in the next couple of weeks. I am aware of my lack of discipline in this area (still), and could use any urging and reminders to find refuge where it matters when life becomes big and busy and bothersome. And if you could say a prayer that I could heal 100% from this cold/flu thing I've got :) that would be wonderful. It feels like it's in the last stages, but I don't feel like myself yet. And this beautiful spring weather we're having is beckoning me outside for a jog and I just want the energy to do so!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Leaning hard on Him with you,
Love, Cait

James 4:9-13 and an Update

Hello girls!
What a beautiful day! I am sitting at my little computer table in our living room by a slightly-open window and the birds are singing their songs and the sun is so bright and joyful today! :) I am home today, recovering from a cold that ran me right over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I literally have spent the last three days at work and then asleep in bed the moment I got home. It's been a tough weekend, but I was thankful to have the opportunity for all that sleep, because I'm feeling alot better! A wide array of things have kept me from checking in here as regularly as I'd like, and I've missed doing so, also! Another reason I am grateful for a quiet hour on this gorgeous day to catch up in my Bible and with you girls!
If you've been keeping up with the study templates for each week (I find them so helpful in making the most of the verse/s we read for each day!), then here are the final weeks' printables. Including this week, only 4 weeks left in our James bible study! I can't believe how fast it's gone... :( And I am excited for what the other ladies over on GMG.org will come up with for the next session's study! Since it will lead us into the (more relaxing and flexible) summer months, I hope you'll be interested in joining me again! Please comment on that note, if you would! :)

Week 9 Printable

Week 10 Printable

Week 11 Printable

When I read verse 9 about changing our laughter to mourning and our joy to gloom, I was puzzled, much like other times I've come across that verse. Once again, my trusty commentary cleared up my confusion as to why God would ask us, the salt of the earth, to behave depressed, and act sad and gloomy!? IF our joy (and laughter, delight, etc.) is in the things of this world, in the sinful nature we are to be putting off, IF we love and laugh over sin, THEN we ought to change it to mourning and gloom! God is saying here that he only wants our joy and excitement and laughter to be over good things, godly things, over lifestyles and choices that please and delight Him also!
I needed to share that, in case any of you girls also fould that verse hard to understand...
Also, today's reading set the stage for my week. In a sense, I really felt James was addressing me directly! Right now, Pete and I ARE making lots of plans to move to a new city, to work and "make money"; and that is all right and good if we're planning with the Lord's will in mind. All of our plans are meager attempts to orchestrate something that is so much bigger than us. I was reminded by verse 13 (and this week's upcoming verses) that God's plan will prevail. I don't want to do or plan anything without his guidance and blessing and of course, not without consulting him first!

This week, I pray that we all would let God guide our days, and that we would ask for his help in making godly decisions, knowing that he works everything for our good. Looking forward to hearing from the rest of you too!
Please say a prayer for me that I continue to feel like myself again, with more energy for all that's required of me in the coming days and weeks!
Love you all :)
~Cait