Author: Ryan Hoffer

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

James 5:20 (NLT)

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WANDERING AWAY

 

Have you ever strayed from the path you were on and suddenly found yourself off course? Of course! This happens to many of us in causal activity – like shopping or sight-seeing. But James cautions those that wander “away from the truth” (v.19) – a sort of spiritual drift.

 

Most physical wandering is the result of one of two things: 1) a deviation from the proper route or 2) aimlessness. The Psalmist states that the Word of God is “a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). It lays out the proper route for the Christian life. The Westminster Confession of 1646 puts it like this:

The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.

 

That is to say, the Bible is a sufficient guide for faith and life. Those who have fallen into error started out by neglecting the Word of God. In theology, the term for a deviation from right teaching is “heresy.” Not coincidentally, this term derives from a Greek word meaning “choice.” When we consistently choose our way instead of The Way (the historic name for early Christianity), we are at risk of falling into error. God has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to help guide us along.

 

We can also help others that are prone to drifting. Ecclesiastes 4:10 states, “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” To this sentiment James would agree, for he stresses the restorative ability of Christian community.

 

Heed these final words of James. Choose today to stay the course of our Savior and to encourage others that walk alongside you.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16b (NLT)

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UNANSWERED PRAYER

 

James states that “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” Yet, why is it that some prayers seem to go unanswered or, even worse, unheard? This arises from our misunderstanding of God’s will. It has been stated that God only answers prayer in three ways: yes, no, and not now.

 

How sweet the affirmative answer of God. When our Lord was passing near Jericho, a blind beggar pleaded with him to restore his sight (Lk 18:35-53). This request the Lord granted stating, “Recover your sight, your faith has made you well” (v.42). As a result, he “followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God” (v.43).

 

God sometimes answers our requests with a “no.” Consider that even our Lord Jesus received this response from the Father. On the night that he was betrayed Jesus prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Mt. 26:39).  When our Father answers us in this way, we ought to imitate the submission of the Son stating, “I want your will to be done, not mine” (Mt. 26:39).

 

Sometimes a “no” turns out to be “not now”, although we don’t always understand it in the moment. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for a son, but she was barren. When they were “both very old” (Lk 1:7) the angel Gabriel came to tell them “God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John” (Lk 1:13). How long had this God-fearing couple considered their request denied when in fact it was delayed?

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…

James 5:14-16 (NLT)

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INTERCESSION AND CONFESSION

 

Intercession – the act of saying a prayer on behalf of another person – is an important part of prayer. James touches upon the role of intercession in verses 14-16. Firstly, those that are sick benefit from the healing prayers of others in the church. This ought to be a common grace among a body of believers as such prayers “offered in faith” have the power to heal (v.15).

Paul instructs his companion in ministry, Timothy, to pray for others. In 1 Timothy 2:1 he states, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” Many prayers for healing have been answered in the lives of people at NorthStar. I cannot count the times that I have called on people for whom we were praying and miraculous progress had been made. Or the times I have prayed for those in the throes of addiction who were restored to their former sanity. On interceding for others the Bible says, “this is good and pleases God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Confession, likewise, ought to be a frequent practice among faithful Christians – specifically, confession amongst one another. In the years since the Protestant Reformation took place, confession has diminished into something of a relic of Roman Catholicism. This has resulted in an overemphasis on confession taking place internally between God and oneself. It is true that “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). However, James makes clear that confession of one’s sin to another believer has the power to result in healing. This is clear for two reasons: 1) it creates an opportunity for intercession 2) there is a humility involved in confession that is fatal to pride.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

…Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

James 5:13b (NLT)

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ARE YOU HAPPY? PRAISE GOD!

 

One of the ways we go about expressing our thankfulness is through singing! Did you know that the Bible contains over 180 songs? The Jews celebrated through music; the early church did likewise. The Roman Governor Pliny, writing to the emperor Trajan in 112 A.D., noted that the first Christians “had become accustomed to meeting before daybreak, and to recite a hymn among themselves to Christ…” Thus, the corporate singing of praises has been a vital mode of worship since the inception of the church. James encourages the continuation of that practice as proper for the happy Christian.

It is fitting that this appeal to the cheerful believer follows the previous address to the afflicted, for we are to communicate to our Lord in all seasons – feast and famine. Yet often we forget to give him due praise for seasons of peace. The apostle Paul reminds us “always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances…” (Thessalonians 5:16-18). Are you happy? Praise God! Thanksgiving is as much a part of prayer as our desperate petitions.

Have you given thanks for answered prayers? A good rule of thumb is “if its small enough to pray about its small enough to give thanks about.” Those times that we casually prayed for sunny weather or a favorable outcome ought to be followed up with an expression of gratitude. This will not only cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving, but it will reinforce the precious sovereignty of God in every aspect of our life – big and small.

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray…

James 5:13a (NLT)

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THE POWER OF PRAYER

 

Have you prayed about it? Likely you have heard that remark from a well-intentioned friend after laying your heart bare. The straight-forwardness of it almost offends the sensibilities, although the answer is almost always a resounding “no.”  And yet James – speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – boldly entreats us to consider this most basic principle: pray about it.

The truth of the matter is that we often get so distracted by the pain of affliction that we forget where our strength comes from. But worrying about it is just a form of praying to ourselves. We were not meant to become resigned to the hardships of living the Christian life. In Psalm 50:15, the Lord tells us; “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Calling upon him is, in essence, the business of prayer. Therefore, if you are suffering hardships, you should pray. He is able to deliver you and in doing so you will bring glory to His name.

Take a moment today to reflect these words of James 5:13. Consider the hardships that you are facing and ask yourself whether you have submitted them to the Lord in prayer, who hears and cares. The apostle Peter, who walked with Jesus, would put it like this: “Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” The question is: have you prayed about it?

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.