Daily Bible Reading – 10.15.2021
James 5:12-16, Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James starts this section by telling us there is no need to swear on the Bible or our grandmother’s grave or anything else we choose to swear by. Instead, as followers of Jesus, we should be people who simply say what we mean. We should follow through with what we say. We should value our word as an extension of who we are. To break our word is to break our integrity. Our Yes should mean Yes and No should mean No.
Then he offers some holy ways in which we can use our mouths for good. We should pray when we are in trouble. We should sing songs of praise when we are filled with joy.
If you are sick, ask your family, friends, small group, pastors, to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of Jesus. With those whom you can absolutely trust, confess your sins and pray for each other so that you may be completely healed both physically and spiritually.
There is much good that we can use our mouths to accomplish. Praying. Singing. Encouraging. Asking. Confessing. This gives us a picture of a healthy church and small group environment where we confidentially listen and share as we build one another up.
When our children were younger and not speaking appropriately to each other, we had them memorize this verse:
Ephesians 4:29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Question to Consider:
What are the words and ways that you can increase the positive and wholesome talk in building others up?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 4:15, Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”