Terry Storch

Writing about life, leadership, faith, and anything else I find interesting.

James 5:13-18 - Just A Human?

 

James 5:13-18 - Just A Human?

Do you ever find yourself in awe of someone? That person you know or know of that is just amazing at whatever they do? Maybe you are thinking about someone that is so amazingly gifted; you just can never see yourself being like them or operating like them. We have nearly made it through the book of James, and he is someone I read about, and look at his life and am in total awe of. There are people in the Bible like the Apostle Paul, King David, Simon Peter, and so many others. My guess is we all have these thoughts and feelings that, in some way, we could never be like them, or can find ourselves stuck believing there is just something different about them, and they have something I don’t. 

James responds to this type of thinking, and this mindset right in the middle of his closing thoughts. James used the example of Elijah;

“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” - ‭‭James‬ ‭5:17-18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Elijah was a human being...

Elijah was a man with human frailties...

Elijah was as human as we are...

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours...

Elijah, for instance, human just like us...

Five different translations, and five ways to read this amazing man who did so much was as human as we are. As I sit here and process this, I believe our enemy, Satan himself uses a powerful tool of comparison, an instrument of shame, a means of doubt that leaves us in a place where we look to others and put them on some type of pedestal and say we could never be like that, or we just are not capable of fill in the blank. 

I once heard a pastor say in a message, “you want to be like me, but you are not willing to do the things that I do.” Let that sink in for a moment. Those people, those humans that we look too, those humans that we can put on a pedestal and never be like...are we doing just that. We want to be like them, but we are not willing to do the things that they do? I believe this is ultimately true, the work, the effort, the commitment, the discipline can often be a separator for us. We want the results without putting in the energy and work. Check out how James opened this thought. 

“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 ‭5:13-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This stream of thought that comes out of James is telling us we need to be continually praying. We must be centered in and around God with our lives. No matter what, our first response and only response needs to be focused on God. So, those people, those Humans we look up to and want to be like, Elijah, Paul, Ruth, David, Esther, Peter, they were centered. They were simply humans like us.

Jesus said, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We must move out of the mindset of “I’m just a __________.” Or “I could never __________.” Listen to Jesus' words, nothing will be impossible for you. Yes, we are just a human, but so was Elijah, so was Ruth and David and Esther and Paul. We must center our lives around Christ, live a life for Christ, in Christ, and from Christ and that my friends is the way to be able to pray down rain, heal the sick, free others from bondage, and for ourselves to live in freedom. Jesus never promised this side of heaven that life would be simple or easy or free from pain. But Jesus did model for us a centered life, and a life dedicated to mission and purpose, a life that was prayerful and others focused. Lord, may we abide in you, may we center our lives around you today God, and be reminded that yes we are Humans, but we have the power of the Holy Spirit alive and living in us. Lord remind us that nothing is impossible if we have the faith, and it’s your will. Amen. 

other writing
John 20 - The Gospel

John 20 - The Gospel

The Gospel, the Good News! Jesus, Son of God, was born of Mary, lived as the Son of Man, died, and rose to life to rescue the world and bring about a new life. The central message of the gospel. Jesus, the centerpiece! John 19 & 20 cover the brutal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this scene, I can not imagine how the disciples felt. John describes them as overjoyed...but those words just fall short of what I can imagine this moment was like.

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

The day of Jesus' crucifixion fulfilled 28 Old Testament prophecies. Scripture was fulfilled! Beyond that, trying to wrap my mind around what happened this day, on the cross, and fully grabbing the magnitude of the cross is mind-boggling.

Sure, we can dumb this down or simplify it to a place where I just don’t believe it is anywhere near accurate. We can get into penal substitution and argue over was God full of love or was God full of wrath and hate that he killed his son. To me, John 3:16 is pretty clear on the love part.

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

In John 18, we come to the great betrayal. Judas came with the soldiers, officials, and chief priest and Pharisees. We know the scene. But this morning, I saw something I don’t remember reading and surly don’t remember learning about.

“So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 is Jesus looking heavenward and praying to God the Father. So much beauty and mystery in this prayer. One thing that jumps out to me is that Jesus, fully God, and fully man prayed. Jesus is God fully. Why did he need to pray, He was One with the Father, He was God...and yet he prayed. This is so powerful;

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭17:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

By the end of John 16, Jesus had done countless miracles, preached some amazing sermons, transformed so many lives, and developed a close and personal relationship with his disciples. So, when reading these verses, I am just utterly confused on so many levels.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:28-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

Jesus’ time on earth is quickly coming to a close, and he finishes up his last sermon or teaching to his disciples as they walk to Gethsemane. This final teaching was a heavy one that no doubt left his disciples with a heavy heart. Jesus said it this way;

“...None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus goes on to say;

John 15 - Constant Growth

John 15 - Constant Growth

We were built for growth, constant growth. From birth, all the way until our death, we were designed by God for constant growth. The problem is, we often can find ourselves stuck in a belief, a phase, or a part of life where we stop growing.

One of the most brilliant investors embodies this understanding. Charlie Munger, at 96 years old, is still learning and growing as a person. I love this quote:

“Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant.”
- Charlie Munger

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 opens with Jesus, saying, Don’t let your hearts be troubled. And the chapter closed down with Jesus saying Don’t be troubled or afraid.

A message that needs to resonate with our spirit and our inner self. This was such a good reminder, reading through John 14 over and over. This passage lifted off the screen.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

The world today seems so volatile and chaotic. Everywhere you look, whatever we read and see on TV just seems to be troubling. Last night, I noticed my lovely wife Tweeted this;

“I can’t be the only one who watches the news and is simply embarrassed right now, right? (Dear Jesus, we tap out. Come on back.)”

I find this first humorous, but then I also find it sad. It’s true, watching the news as a Christ-follower is pretty embarrassing. In John 14, we see Jesus…

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

Summarizing John, chapter 13, looks like this. The Lords Supper takes place. Jesus washes the disciple's feet. Jesus calls out Judas, and Satan enters him. Night comes, Judas leaves, and Jesus says he must go, and where I am going, you can not come. To cap it all off, Jesus also calls out Simon Peter and tells him that he will deny and completely disown Jesus three times. Whoa, a really full chapter, and historical day.

Nestled in the wrap up of the day is the parting message Jesus leaves his disciples, a message Jesus is sharing with us right now.

 
thoughtsTerry Storch