Healthy Church
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, I come to You now to pray and to hear You speak to me from Your Word. Guide me today.
Read James 5:13-20
[13] Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. [14] 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. [15] 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. [16] 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. [17] 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. [18] Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. [19] My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, [20] remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What does James say about the power of prayer?Having addressed at length specific attitudes and behaviors of this community in crisis, James concludes by reminding them of the disciplines and practices which can both strengthen their own personal faith and help their church to be healthy. James emphasizes the personal disciplines of prayer when in distress and joyful praise when happy (13); and the shared community practices of compassionate leadership, pastoral care for the sick (14), restoration and forgiveness (15) and confession and intercession (16). Believers should not underestimate what God will do when faith is exercised (17,18). Above all, James challenges his readers to be proactive (19,20). When things go wrong in church life, or our own spiritual journey takes a few hits, how easy it is to drift away from Christian fellowship. How often do we see brothers and sisters around us fall away and not feel any responsibility or care? James is waking us up to each other and inspiring us to stand by each other because steering the wayward back is another blow against the evil empire!
Apply
Can we read James and not rethink the way we care for each other? The challenge is to pray and, then, care for someone.
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, You are the source of all my strength. I can do all things through Your power working in me.
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