Prayer and Trust

Introduction:

· The State of Prayer

WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT THESE TWO PRACTICES LOOK LIKE IN DAILY LIFE.

I) The Power of Prayer

A. An Invitation To Pray

i. Who should pray? Those who are cheerful! (vs. 13b)

1. Prayer isn’t just for those who are hurting, suffering

2. Singing helps us to “pray” our thankfulness and joy to God

ii. Who should Pray? Those who are suffering and weak (vs. 13a, 14a)

1. Suffering = hardship: Job loss; financial; marital problems; lonely; bullied

2. Sickness = weakness: Physical; emotional; spiritual

3. APPLICATION: how to pray: writing? Reading prayers? Psalms?

iii. How to pray? Call the Elders (vs. 14b)

1. APPLICATION: “I didn’t want to bother…” NO! Elders are clled to pray!

2. APPLICATION: Elders meetings are Prayer meetings

3. Anointing with Oil was symbolic of God’s power to healà bolster faith

4. APPLICATION: After the service, the elders are available to pray

B. The Promise of Prayer

i. God brings healing through Prayer (vs. 16)

1. God uses prayer as the means to accomplish His Will

2. God uses medical professionals as the means to answer his prayer

3. ILLUSTRATION: Doug Dawson – did God answer that prayer?

ii. God “saves” the one who is sick through prayer (vs. 15)

1. The word “saves” refers to more than just physical healing

2. Sometimes the healing God brings is His presence, comfort, Peace

iii. God provides an intercessor when we don’t know HOW to pray

1. We don’t always know HOW to pray, What to pray for?

2. QUOTE: Christ prays for us when we are negligent, ignorant, Berkoff

THE SECOND THING JAMES TALKS ABOT HERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY.

II) The Practice of Accountability

A. The Invitation to Mutual Accountability

i. Confessing our sins to one another (vs. 16a)

1. Sin doesn’t cause sickness, but at times sickness is related to sin

2. Weakness, suffering = opportunity for self-examination & reflection

3. APPLICATION: we are to confess NOT just to God, but to others

ii. Calling the erring back from Sin (vv. 19-20)

1. While some need to be “gracious” with truth, others need to see that love without truth isn’t really love!

2. APPLICATION: Some of us have taken this extreme riskàrebuffed,

3. BUT: Be encouraged! God uses this to bring back the erring (vs. 20)

B. An Example of Prayer and Accountability (vv. 17-18)

i. Elijah is an example of bold prayer

1. Elijah illustrates how God answers bold prayers (vv. 16b, 17a)

2. APPLICATION: Do you pray like with this level of boldness?

3. “But Elijah was a prophet…” – NO – “a nature like ours!”

ii. Elijah is an example of accountability

1. BUT WHY? Elijah wasn’t just praying randomly, but to see the restoration of sinful people!

2. But the people, king, wouldn’t do it!

iii. God, in Christ, hears the prayers of His people and raises us to Life

1. God is faithful to sinful, stubborn, rebellious people like us

2. We may not be healed – but we will BE RAISED!