Date: 10-31-14
Text: — James 5:13 — Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. [NIV84]
The Big Idea: When we are filled with cheer, happiness, delight, we are to sing.
Throughout this week’s devotions, I’ve been asking more questions than making statements about our walk with Jesus. I think I am following James’ lead in this week’s passage as He opens up with some questions, and because James spends the bulk of this passage on the praying, I find it interesting that we may run by this little phrase in v. 13 above: “Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”
Lifestyle worshipers, do you? Do I? Do we sing songs of praise when we are happy? Ok, many of you know I do not like this word, “happy”, and I have my reasons, but I do understand the Word teaches this: When we are filled with cheer, happiness, delight, we are to sing…. And we are not just to sing any songs, but indeed we are to sing songs of praise.
Avoiding any triteness or pietistic theology, do we sing our praise to the Lord? “Come on everybody, stand up and sing one more ‘hallelujah’!” Your thoughts?
Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.— Ephesians 5:1820 (NASB95)
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.—John 4:23-24 (NIV84)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.—Colossians 3:16-17 (NIV84)
Lord Jesus Christ, I shout for joy. You have been merciful to me and I praise Your Holy Name.
Pastor Mike