As James wraps up his letter, he remind us to lean into our Savior throughout the day by calling us to pray, pray, pray! Prayer is our lifeline and will keep us connected to Jesus throughout our day.
Pray, Pray, Pray!
When should we pray?
Pray anytime is James answer!
Lord, as we go throughout our day, let us lean into you fiercely in prayer. Let us praise you in our joys and in our sorrows knowing that you are the same God who will see us both the good and the difficult. We praise you for sending rain not just on the righteous but the unrighteous too. You shower your love on everyone. We pray that as your ambassadors on this earth, we will not be silent, but speak up in love and let others know that you are the one that showers them with blessings and will protect their souls and encourage them during the difficult times. With you at our right hand, Lord, we will not fall. So let us hold onto you tightly and ask for your guidance in our decisions today. In the One who says come to me, ask and you will receive,and offers to be our savior – Amen!
James 5:13
Lord, you are our God. We know that you created all things and take care of all you have made.
How often to we miss the opportunity to come to you because we are too busy sharing our troubles with others?
We ask others to pray for us and give us guidance but do we come to you with our troubles by ourselves? Oh, Lord, help us not forget that you are always there and asking to carry our burdens for us. May we go to you when we feel burdened and allow you to carry them.
May we praise you when things are going well and not only run to you when we are in trouble.
Lord, we want to build a relationship with you and so we pray that communicating with you will not only become habit, but that you will become the first one we run to in all circumstances.
In Jesus’ powerful name – Amen!
James 5:14
Is anyone sick? Lord, there are so many who are sick and suffering. We lift them all up to you now and continually. We beg for them to get well physically. We pray for their families who are caring for them.
We put our faith in you and not the timing or the process you choose to heal. Let us have the faith of a mustard seed and trust that you will heal the sick whether on earth or in heaven. Let us be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and trust that you will take care of us and our loved ones.
Give us the courage to continue to pray for healing even when some of our loved ones have not been healed physically. Let us call the elders to pray over and anoint them with oil.
In the One who was anointed before He walked to the cross so we could be eternally healed – Amen!
James 5:15
A prayer offered in faith….so does that mean that we can offer a prayer without faith?
As your brother closes this letter, he seems to be reminding us of what he said in the beginning:
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Let us not doubt you and your power, Lord! Let us cling to you even when it seems like all hope is lost and the devil is trying to pry our fingers off of you. We know he will attack us and try to keep us from you, but we know you are all powerful and will hold us close in the midst of his attacks.
As we are praying with faith and waiting for you to answer, help us not be deceived as satan whispers that we don’t have enough faith for you to answer our prayers.
The faith of a mustard seed that’s it…that’s what you say, but trusting in your will and timing and having patience to wait on you in the midst of suffering and pain is what we need. Help us when are belief starts to waiver. Remind us in your Word daily of your power and strength.
As the Pharisees were shocked by how you healed and forgave sins, we can trust that satan is trying to rock our faith by making us think that you only forgive but will not answer our prayers of wellness.
We pray boldly in the One who will make the sick person well and raise them up in His timing – Amen!
James 5:16
Lord, how wonderful that you did not make us to live in isolation but created a body of believers to grow day by day by serving you and others.
Let us be there for each other. Let us build a community of trust, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and caring so that when someone is finally ready to confess their sin they know they will be welcomed by the church body like the Father welcomed the prodigal. Let us encircle that person with your love and cover them in prayers.
Let us be willing to humble ourselves and let others pray over us.
We praise you because we know you hear the prayers of those who love you!
In the One who through prayer takes our petitions before the Father – Amen!
James 5:17-18
Lord, so often we look at figures in the Bible like Elijah and are awestruck by their lives. We almost put them on a pedestal somehow believing that they are so much better than we are. And yet here we are reminded that he was human being just like we are!
He didn’t work through his own power but allowed your power to work through him!
This same power that is alive and well in the Holy Spirit that resides in us worked through Elijah.
Let us humble ourselves to you in the same way Elijah did so that you may powerfully work through us as well. Jesus said that when He left He would send a Counselor to guide us and through Him we would do more than He did.
That concept is so hard to grasp until we realize Jesus humbled himself to you, His Father, and let your power and might work through Him as well.
As a body of Christ, if we choose to work in your power and might, the world would see your glory in powerful ways. Oh, Lord, may we humble ourselves to you and allow you to work through us!
In the One whose power will work through us, if we let it -Amen!
James 5:19-20
James wraps up his letter by reminding others to do what you did to him, Lord.
Your own brother did not believe in you. He wandered from the truth. You brought him back and saved him!
Praise you, Lord, for gently turning your brother and us! You call each of us to you and cover over all our sins.
Lord, may we like James be so humbled and thankful for how you’ve saved us that we will reach out to others in the same way.
In the One who calls us to be fishers of men and love like He did – Amen!
- Back to the Basics! - February 24, 2020
- Blessing Others with a Valentine’s Day Heart Attack - February 10, 2020
- Are You Willing to Be Humiliated? - December 9, 2019
It has only really been in the last year or so that I have better understood the power of prayer and how important it is in my relationship with God. Thank you for walking us through James 5.
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