Monday, November 14, 2011
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. James 5:13
Have you ever been “in trouble?” I’m not talking about the kind of “in trouble” you used to get in with your parents or teachers. What I’m talking about is just difficulty that is just inherent with being alive. James asks this question in today’s verse. “Is any among you afflicted?” Is anyone here going through difficulties? I know all of us could answer yes to this question at some point in our lives. What does James tell us to do? Pray!
My mom is good at this. I remember whenever I had lost anything growing up I would do what any kid does–go ask mom! When I would ask her, she would most often say, “No, I haven’t seen that. Did you pray about it?” Usually I would roll my eyes and set out to continue looking for the lost item until I got so frustrated that I took her advice. More than once it was after I prayed that I found what I was looking for.
Someone may say, “Yeah, right. You would have found it eventually anway.” Who knows? Here is what I do know now. God is concerned with my life, and He wants me to pray when I run into difficulty.
God can turn trouble into triumphs.
James asks another question. “Is any merry?” Have you ever had a time in your life when you were just really happy. Maybe you got a great score on a test, a promotion at work, or a day off. Whatever the reason, big or little, James tells us to “sing psalms” when we are happy. Now why would He do that?
The psalms were songs of praise to God. James says that when we are merry we should be able to praise God during those times. Why? Because if it is something we should be merry about then it came from Him anyway. “Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from above, from the Father of lights in whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.” Songs of worship (especially ones that are based in scripture, or actual scripture put to music) can be a great way for us to express a grateful and thankful heart to God for what He has given to us.
Application: The application today is pretty simple. Do you have something to be happy about? Sing a song of praise to God!Are you going through a difficulty? It’s time to pray. Which one do you need to do today?
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
I’m Like always in a good mood and laughing and smiling and having a good time I’m always In a good mood..,I love to be happy because when I’m happy everything around me is in a happy mood too. Im not going through a difficulty…well right now I’m not and I hope it stays that way for a while hehe 🙂
I totally agree Mafalda!!!!!!! 🙂 I prefer to be ina happy mood instead of a bad mood! 🙂 I love ur story pastor ben! Cuz my parents do tht to! 🙂 ill ask mom where’s my phone? And my mom or dad will go…. I hvent seen it., did u pray ab
About it? And I’ll go no or yes and thts how I find my phone! 🙂 lol I acciendently hit post 😦 so I’m just finishing my other comment! 🙂 great Devo!!!! Love u guys!!! 🙂
This is cool when we are going through hard times pray and worship God and when we are going through good times still pray and and worship God. One of the cool things about God is that He is always with you.
Ryan- Aren’t you responding a little bit early? : )
I agree with the girls that I’d much rather be happy! But I know sometimes for me, it doesn’t always work out that way. Nobody’s perfect, therefore no one can have a perfect life. So we’re all going to run into trouble and difficulties. But James is saying when you are going through difficulties to pray! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing.” ceasing means coming to and end, so to pray without ceasing is just like praying without stopping! I think that’s cool, God is moved by persistent prayer!
Easier said than done, but when you pray it really does makes things better! Sometimes when I’m going through something difficult I’ll feel like I’m going through it alone, but when I pray it feels like I’m not going through it alone cause God is right there with me! 🙂
I think it’s cool that James is telling us that when we’re merry, or happy, to sing psalms! I love the book of psalms, it is so cool! But like Ben said, singing psalms doesn’t just mean the book of psalms. It means other music that worships God also! I know when I listen to music that worships God it definitely puts me in a great mood 🙂
I really like the devos today. God has opened my heart to what I need to do today to improve my relationship with Him and get the best out of these devotions! 🙂
I’m pretty much always in a crazy or good mood unless something happens to where I get pretty upset. I know I’ve definetly had difficulties throughout my life with things and I didn’t always turn to prayer first, but when I did I would kick myself saying why’d I wait so long to ask God? I have a lot to be happy about right now because I just feel so blessed latley. This month, being November and thanksgiving coming up, I’ve realized I have so much to be thankful for! I need to be praising God 24/7 for all He’s given me. I praise God all the time, but I’ve heard that I’m annoying when I sing, so sometimes it gets interrupted.. 🙂 lol but on a serious note, prayer and praising God is so helpful and great! I’m so glad I have the ability to do both!
I’m going to praise God all the way to Andrew’s school! & no one can stop me 🙂
i’d rather be in a good mood than a bad.im not in a difficulty right now.when something good happens im always like “thank u God! praise the lord!” its not really that great 2 be in a bad mood but at the same time it kinda is because u know God is there w/ u and he will answer ur prayers! pastor ben,which songs for the choir hv a solo or a duet other than beautiful surprise and his name is Jesus?
There is one other that has a duet- i already have that one decided on.
cool 🙂 who’s singing it? just wondering.
James 5:13 is awesome, it talks to both depressed people & really happy people! I can be both at times of course. Usually when I start haviing troubles my heart starts hurting, & then I realize who’s in my heart- Jesus! He’s with me always, so I know that prayer is the way to get thru the hard times. Sometimes I wonder when God’s going to answer my prayers, but He is always answering them 🙂 when I’m happy, I praise God! I get caught talking out loud sometimes thanking God just for making my life great. Honestly, I forget how awesome life is. Some people have so many hardships, and I don’t.. So I have a lot to be thankful for! So singing psalms or praising God in times of happiness is definitley reassuring to me, cause i know that even during bad times God can help me overcome it 🙂
Love you guys, I feel like I haven’t seen anyone lately, I miss talking to my h2o’ers everyday! I’m always here if anyone ever needs a friend, I know sometimes I do 🙂
You rock Lindsey. We missed you Wednesday and Sunday. TTYS!