DailyPrayerChallenge.com

JAMES DAY 13 PRAYER

Pray that God will open your eyes to any sin in your life that is keeping you from all you have to gain from a full and intimate relationship with your Loving Father. Pray that you will do whatever it takes to stay and focused on getting rid of it. (James 2:10-11)

James 2:10-11 (New International Version)

¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, “Do not commit adultery, also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

JAMES DAY 13 CHALLENGE

As I may be appalled by other people’s behavior and too often judgmental towards my fellow brother and sister “sinners” James gives me a quick conviction that they are no different or any worse off than myself with my own guilty behaviors.

James lays out in these verses that a sin, is a sin, is a sin. There is no hierarchy of sins. One is not any worse off than the other. If we break one law, we break them all. Who am I to condemn the adulteress when I gossip? Who am I to condemn the homosexual when I myself slander? Who am I to look down upon the murderer when I can have hatred towards others? Who am I to judge the liar when I myself can manipulate, exaggerate and extend the truth?

This verse isn’t saying that we all should ignore sin in others. Accountability, in love, is huge. This verse is holding a mirror up to our own lives giving us a reflection of our own actions and ourselves when we see others and are ready to condemn. Let this verse speak to each of us boldly to take a look at ourselves before we look at others and truly realize the need of our loving Savior as a redeemer to the Father for us all!

SPECIAL PRAYER/CHALLENGE TO WIVES FOR THEIR HUSBANDS:

JAMES DAY 13 PRAYER

Pray that any sin in your husband’s life will be revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. Pray that no matter how small the sin, he will do whatever it takes to remove it out of his life to gain the intimate relationship with his Heavenly Father that he was created to have. (James 2:10-11)

JAMES DAY 13 CHALLENGE

There always seems to be this line that is often crossed for wives. On one side there is a partner, friend, lover and helpmate and all too often we cross over this healthy line as a wife to a line of being his mother! We, more than anyone, know our husbands. We know their habits, their “behind the door” actions and any imperfections they may have. With that knowledge we can either be a great asset to their spiritual growth and development or we can become a hypocritical nag that will condemn him for his sin thinking it’s so much worse than any sin we commit.

Click here to see the rest of today’s challenge.

Psalm for the weekend!

Folks, what I decided to do is to focus on the weekday on a daily prayer/challenge though James and give you our continued Psalm to work on over the weekend. Because of the decrease in hits on a weekend, I wanted to work to the best of my use of time and yours to keep the flow of James going and consistent. So, you’ll receive the James prayers/challenges Monday through Friday and for the weekend we will continue on with our Psalm of the week!!!

Here you go, a beautiful cry out to the Lord from David:

Psalm 17

A prayer of David.

¹ Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

² May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

³ Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

⁴ As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.

⁵ My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

⁶ I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

⁷ Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

⁹ from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

¹⁰ They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.

¹¹ They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

¹² They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a great lion crouching in cover.

¹³ Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

¹⁴ O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.

¹⁵ And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

JAMES DAY 12 PRAYER

Pray that you will not show favoritism to others. Pray that you will love your neighbor as yourself so as to be doing right. (James 2:1-9)

James 2:1-9 (New International Version)

¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

JAMES DAY 12 CHALLENGE

Favoritism; hummm, where would we find that? Well it certainly wouldn’t take me long to look around into my own life and see it first hand. Sadly, this happens with me more than I’d like to admit and I’m sure some of you can relate.

Are we friendlier to someone who has status, fame, a higher position, is more spiritual, successful, wealthier, good looking, older, younger, of a certain race, of a certain gender, popular, a person in authority, etc.?

When we find ourselves giving others preferential treatment we are sinning, period. As we have seen just from the first chapter of James alone, he certainly doesn’t beat around the bush. When we go out of our way to give someone better treatment because we deem them as “special” for all the wrong reasons, or because there is something we can gain from them, then we better have a little one-on-one with God and get our head straight in this area. Not only are we messing with our relationship with God, but also other people watch this behavior and frankly it doesn’t give Jesus a real good name!

As we go about our day today, let’s pay attention to our behaviors towards others and see if we can catch ourselves playing favorites.

SPECIAL PRAYER TO WIVES FOR THEIR HUSBANDS:

JAMES DAY 12 PRAYER

Pray that your husband will not show favoritism to others. Pray that he will love his neighbor as himself so as to be doing right. (James 2:1-9)

JAMES DAY 12 CHALLENGE

This is a very difficult topic. I have seen few people do what James calls us to do here well. I fall into this trap more often than I’d like to admit. Trying to impress people who have fame, money, a higher position, intelligence, success, or whatever is something we all struggle with whether we want to admit it or not. We can’t possibly in our flesh love everyone as ourselves equally all the time.

Click here for the rest of today’s challenge.