Category: Uncategorized
A Structure of James and Parallels to the Sermon on the Mount
These are the two charts I showed today: A chiastic structure for the book of James, showing the recurring themes of the letter, and a chart showing the parallels between James and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Chiastic-Structure-of-Jameshttps://www.encompasschurch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Chiastic-Structure-of-James.pdf
From http://www.slideshare.net/jenrivamonte/preaching-james
June 19th 2016 Bulletin
Fear of Failure When Praying for Healing
This past Sunday someone texted me a great question regarding prayer for healing during my sermon on James 5:13-18, and while I didn’t have time to answer it during the service I’d like to still answer it.
This is the question:
“What are some of the things you would say about people who are afraid of praying for healing because they are afraid that if the prayer failed, it will bring doubt to their own, the patient, and witness’ faith? I’ve seen people turning away from God because of this.”
There are two ways I want to answer this question: the first is what I’d say about such people, and the second is what I’d say to them.
Before I get to that, though, I’d like to say I understand the fear here, and I’m sorry that the asker has seen people turn away from God over this. I don’t know if this is the cause in this case, but I think a lot of damage has been done by televised “faith-healers” and those well-meaning charismatic Christians who proclaim that if we have enough faith God will heal (as if He’s obligated to, or He’s like a vending machine: deposit prayer and faith and out comes healing). When God doesn’t, then the blame rests squarely on the sick person (and often the one who prays too) for their not having enough faith.
What I would say about someone afraid to pray for healing because it will bring doubt to them and others if God doesn’t answer the way they expect, is that it seems they actually already doubt that God will/can heal, or expect that He won’t, and they’re afraid that it will confirm that doubt. So the issue is likely one of unbelief, which leads to disobedience.
It also sounds like their focus is on theirs or others’ faith, and not on Jesus Himself, which is the wrong focus and will actually kill their faith. Finally, it sounds like they have a consumeristic view of God (that is, what God can do for me as opposed to Him being my King and master), while someone who is surrendered completely to God will accept both the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ from Him. My guess is that this last reason is why people walked away from God when He didn’t answer the prayer with healing.
What I would say to someone afraid to pray for healing, assuming that the prayer was “offered in faith,” is that supernatural healing is not a science, and while healing is promised by God (James 5:15), He will always answer in accordance with His will which we don’t always know (see James 4:13-16). Also, I would encourage them to reframe the idea that the prayer for healing “fails” or “succeeds.” It could be that God has answered, just not in the way we expected Him to, like He did to Paul (2 Cor. 12:5-10), or it could be that we haven’t persisted in prayer enough about the matter (see 1 Kings 18:42-44 and Luke 18:1-8).
While it’s easier to just not pray for healing than it is to face disappointment with not receiving the expected answer, I would encourage them to keep praying, but with an attitude that is both expectant that God will answer by healing, and yet ultimately surrendered to His will. We won’t see God move in miraculous ways unless we pray, so we shouldn’t not pray, or be afraid to, until we see God move.
—
There are a lot aspects to this topic that I haven’t covered here, but I hope this was a helpful answer; there’s still a lot I don’t understand about divine healing to be honest. I do know that the more we focus on Jesus, and the more we become like Him, the more we will pray in accordance to His will and so will see Him answer the way we want more too.
June 12th 2016 Bulletin
This Weekend at WCAC
Busy weekend at Winnipeg Chinese Alliance Church!
Friday’s Joint Prayer Walk (7pm) will include singing, a very short encouragement on prayer, and a walk around the church praying for the different areas and ministries here – and to seek God’s direction for our future.
Saturday’s Annual Church Clean-Up (9am-3pm) is a lot of fun and also a joint effort; come help our building look more inviting to guests as we clean and fix it up (and if you have good handy-person skills, we need you!).
For Sunday’s Healing Prayer Service at enCompass (9:30am), pray that we would have a holy expectancy to see God move in the service, but especially as we pray for anyone who comes forward for healing prayer. Pray that God would prepare all our hearts for it!
And finally, Sunday afternoon’s painting of the enCompass sanctuary and hallways (1pm) will be a lot of fun – but come dressed for it. And, if you have extra dropclothes or newspapers at home, please bring those too.
Psalms of Lament
This morning I briefly talked about complaint to God as an appropriate alternative to complaining or grumbling about our neighbour (James 5:9), based on James’ exhortation to look at Job as an example of patience. Job does a lot of complaining amidst his patience, yet he does not sin his biographer says.
The Psalms are also full of complaints to God, crying out to Him with the expectation that He will act and change whatever situation the psalmist is addressing. There’s so many in fact that they’ve been given their own genre, called “Psalms of Lament.” These psalms have been used as prayer by the Church and by Jews for centuries.
The psalms of lament are Psalms 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 36, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89, 120, 139, 141, 142.
Psalm 10
Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
His ways are always prosperous;
your laws are rejected by him;
he sneers at all his enemies.
He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”
His mouth is full of lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.
He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent.
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.
He says to himself, “God will never notice;
he covers his face and never sees.”
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
The Lord is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
The Psalms of Lament help us to face our pain, face the struggles and ugliness of the world, and direct it in a way that is both honest yet hopeful that He who is returning soon will act on our behalf. Praying these psalms remind us of God’s sovereignty and ultimate goodness.
I’d encourage you to read them, and make them your own when you experience trials, injustices, and pressures in your life.
June 5th 2016 Bulletin
VBS Registration Form
Click here to download and print the regristration form for 2016 Cave Quest VBS!
https://www.encompasschurch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Registration-Form-Updated.pdf
Registration forms and fees are due by July 15th, 2016.