A Prayer for Endurance - James chapter 1 - Episode #23

The Prayer Podcast with Jan L. Burt

Well hello there, thanks for joining me for this episode of The Prayer Podcast. We are jumping feet first into a new series on the podcast - straight from the book of James. Now I know what you may be thinking, if you are like me…when the Lord leads me to the book of James, I know I am about to take a long, hard look in the mirror and be faced with the reality that I’ve got some spaces and places in my life that need to be submitted more and more to Him. I’ve learned that as call to study the New Testament book of James is a call to be changed, to be sanctified, to be further conformed to the image of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Anything that does that is a good thing, in my opinion. And so today we embark on a new prayer series on the show, with the certainty that it will be a very good use of our time. Ready? Let’s get started.

James chapter one, looking at the CSB version today. In verse one James refers to himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some translations use the word slave rather than servant. I think it’s worth noting this, right from the get-go in this new series. We’ve got a tough calling, and if nobody ever told you that following Jesus as His disciples means that you are His servant, a slave to Christ, I guess today is your lucky day cuz here it is, directly from the pages of the Bible. James reminds us, by means of describing his own relationship with God, just how serious the business of the Christian life actually is. We are servants, all of us who claim Jesus as Lord, and we are also slaves to Him, for Him, for His Kingdom, for His purposes, and our life is no longer our own. Those days are over once you are in Christ. You have a higher calling, and there simply isn’t wiggle room. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am enslaved and this is simply a non-negotiable. That’s where we begin, this is our starting point when we open up the book of James. Does this not completely level the ground? Nobody is higher, nobody is greater, nobody is less than. All who are followers, disciples, believers are the same in this respect. The great equalizer of being a Christ follower is that we all are alike in our servanthood, all of us are called to be slaves to Christ. If we bear this in mind, like have it top of mind, as we read this book, and allow this book to read us, we will find those parts and portions of James that are hard to swallow become super easy to digest…if we will but remember the foundation, this starting point. We serve Him, are enslaved to Him, and that sets the tone for all that comes at us in this book.

Verses 2 through 4 say this: Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

To quote the armed forces, I ask for permission to speak freely. Permission to speak freely, sir?

Have you longed for more maturity in your walk with the Lord? Have you prayed for someone in your family, maybe your spouse or your children, to be more mature? Do you feel as if there is something you are lacking, that life has lost it’s zest, that there is more, you know there is, but can’t quite seem to grab hold of it? Have you felt your faith is being tested, and you don’t know why? Are the trials in life bringing you down?

James chapter one, verses one through four.

As I pray for you based on these verses, I hope that you find answers to all these questions and more…because truly, what we find in this book is a treasure beyond worth, so long as we are willing to grab hold of it and make it our very own.

Lord, I come to You today as Your servant, enslaved to You, grateful for my position in Your Kingdom. May I be a servant who does not consider herself better than her Master. May this be true for all who listen to this podcast. For the one struggling with the trials of life, I ask that You would bless them with great joy, revealing to them that these trials and tests they are enduring are producing endurance in them. Do that for us all, Lord. Grant us endurance and the ability to remember, right in the middle of struggles and hard times, that these are the exact things that produce endurance. Help us to remember that, and comfort us when the sting of life hurts, whether those hurts are a little or a lot. May we consider it cause for great joy, in spite of the sting, because we trust You and we know that Your Word is true. For anyone who feels as if life has lost it’s zest and they want life to the full, but feel as if it’s somehow missing, out of reach, lacking, would you prove Yourself true to them as this passage states: would You make their endurance complete, having its full effect, so that they will be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Remind them of Your love, draw them close even in the middle of life’s storms, and let them know that endurance is on its way and once it takes full effect in their life, they will be mature and complete, lacking nothing. For those who have experienced this and know it to be true, help us to share about it, to encourage our brothers and sisters, and to rejoice with them as they yield to Your work in their lives. Knit Your people, Your Church, close together and deliver each of us and all of us from the enemy’s schemes and tactics. Lord, as we study the book of James, I am praying that You will meet us here, mature us, encourage us, convict us, comfort us, renew us, restore us, and in our maturing, as our endurance grows to its state of full completion, will You lead us to others we can encourage, bless and disciple, for Your honor and Your Kingdom? And Lord, be glorified in us, Your people who bear Your name. In Jesus Name I ask this - Amen.

Thanks so much for listening today. I pray this has blessed, challenged, and encouraged you and that you receive every single thing the Lord has for you, settling for nothing less than His absolute best. I’ll see ya back here next time. Bye bye!