Wisdom for Praying

Introduction

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If you’re a dad - tell your wife you can’t take the kids to the beach again unless you buy a drone. Perspective - perspective changes everything!

Your Christian faith is not merely intellectual, nor is it transactional. (I exchange my good works for eternal life.) Your Christian faith is relational.

God

Your Christian faith is not merely intellectual, nor is it transactional. (I exchange my good works for eternal life.) Your Christian faith is relational.

Through faith in Jesus, God invites you into a relationship with Him that is life-changing. You can know God, you can experience His power, and you can see life from His perspective.

James - You are invited to pray to the God who not only sees everything but knows everything and has the power to do something about what He sees and knows.

merely intellectual.

The struggle of prayer - It seems so passive. We like action - to get things done - and to sit and talk to a God we cannot see and cannot audibly hear?

transactional. (I exchange my good works for eternal life.)

However, prayer is not passive. It’s active and according to this passage, prayer is one of the most important things you can do as a Christian.

Three ways to pray:

Pray continually

Recap: James gives us lots to pray about. Pray for wisdom in trials, pray for perseverance, pray that we will live at peace and not fight, pray that we wouldn’t discriminate, pray that we would be good stewards of our money, and pray for patience. If you think about what James has taught us, then you would conclude that there is not a season where we do not need to pray.

Apparently, James prayed a lot. Second century Christian author Hegesippus said James frequently found in the temple praying on his knees and begging for the forgiveness of people. Knees became hard like camel. Prayed so much because he had been forgiven so much. For all of his half-brother Jesus’ life, he denied that Jesus was the Messiah. But, Jesus forgave him. James wanted people to experience the forgiveness he experienced.

We need to pray continually (). - When you suffer, pray. When life is good, sing praise or pray.

Pray continually? Without ceasing? Is that even possible? We struggle to spend time with God, how do we pray without ceasing?

What we think about God in the tough times and the good times will determine how we speak to God and how often we speak to God.

In the tough times: God, where are you? Life isn’t fair. Why are you making my life so hard? If that’s your attitude, you’re not going to spend much time in prayer.

In good times: “God leave me alone! I don’t want you to mess this up! I don’t need you right now. All’s good!’

Instead, in tough times: “I need you. I need wisdom and to be reminded that you are at work and using the suffering to grow me. You waste nothing.” ()

In good times: “Every good gift comes from you. () I’m going to praise you in this good season, and I’m going to continue even if this good season ends and troubles come. Help me not to waste this good. Help me to bless others with the blessings you have given me.”

Power of prayer in every season:

In suffering: Reminds you that you are not in control, but God is. Continual prayer keeps you focused on God’s perspective.

In good times: demonstrates a grateful heart. Praise is a powerful encourager to others. Your praise gives others hope.

How do you pray continually?

Get the right perspective of God. He’s your good Father!

Let prayer be your first response instead of your last response.

Pray believing

3 questions: Is anyone among you suffering? Is anyone cheerful? Is anyone sick? The answer to all three: yes! What should you do: pray.

We naturally want to be prayed for when sick. Even if you are not a Christ follower, you welcome the prayers of people when you are sick. Serious sickness reminds us that we are not indestructible. When sick we hope that there is someone bigger than us who might take mercy on us.

James: Believe. If you are sick, believe God can heal. Pray boldly for healing. Difficult passage:

1. Call for the elders. James referring to serious sickness that could lead to death, perhaps someone bedridden (raise him up). Elders/pastors to pray. Note: not the apostles. The apostles were doing lots of healing! Instead, ordinary men who God uses to lead the church. (Elders aren’t the only ones who can pray for healing, but representing the local church as well as representing God.) (Times in ministry where I’ve taken church leaders to people’s homes for prayer. Beautiful times.)

2. Anoint with oil in the name of Jesus. Oil? Some commentators talk about medicinal value of oil used to relieve sickness. More likely, consecration. Oil used to anoint and set people apart. “We’re setting this person apart recognizing that he/she is in your hands and needs your grace. This person belongs to you. Work on his/her behalf.” A specific, bold prayer depending on the work of Jesus.

3. Confess your sins. Sin might not be the specific cause of your sickness, but sickness is a reminder of a broken world that is stained by sin. You might need physical healing, but more importantly, you need spiritual healing. (- Healing of paralytic - Jesus more concerned with your spiritual health than physical health.)

vs. 15? Really? Know how God heals: Sometimes instantly (baby and Staci), sometimes over time (Mr. Gerald), sometimes eternally (in death). God delivers us.

Sometimes God chooses not to heal in this life. James does NOT say the prayer of faith will ALWAYS save the one who is sick. Rather, James says the prayer of faith will save. In other words, believe that your prayers matter to God and believe that God responds to your prayers. Don’t stop praying! Don’t give up!

When God does not heal, He has a purpose. Think Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Paul prayed for God to take away the thorn 3 times! God did not answer the prayer in this lifetime. God used Paul’s sickness to remind him that His grace was sufficient. ()

When God does not heal remember:

He is still God.

He still good. (. Lack of healing doesn’t mean that God does not love you.)

He is purposeful. He’s at work in ways that you may not understand this side of eternity.

He is still the healer. ()

Pray believing that God alone has the power to heal, and if God does not heal, pray believing that He is still good and knows what He is doing. Point: pray knowing your life depends on it.

Pray humbly

James finishes h

Continual, believing prayer flows out of a humble heart. A heart that says, “I am completely dependent on God and recognize that I am powerless without Him. This kind of humble prayer is:

Communal - We’re not afraid to admit to each other that we need God. (5:16) Culture tells us not to admit our faults and weaknesses. Culture tells us to show our power and independence. God says there is freedom in being honest before God and people. There’s freedom in accountability - sharing your life with someone else who you are regularly sharing your struggles with so they can minister to you and help you find healing. For some of you, the reason why you can’t overcome a specific sin is because you aren’t willing to confess it. You’ve confessed it to God, but you haven’t confessed it to anyone else. You haven’t brought someone in to help you fight the battle. We weren’t meant to do life alone! Today is the day to come clean.

Inspired - Elijah? I’m nothing like Elijah! He was a great prophet! Elijah was a man like us. He was weak. He was sinful. He was depressed. Yet, God listened to him and answered his prayers. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful! Righteous = someone who is right with God who walks closely with the Lord. Elijah walked with God and was able to discern God’s will. He prayed according to God’s will. The closer you walk with the Lord, the more you will pray according to His will. The more you know God, the more you will know His heart. () Be inspired to walk closely with the Lord, to know His heart, and to pray according to His will! Elijah was not the one who ultimately had the power. God had the power. Elijah simply chose to abide in a relationship with God and experience that power. That power is available for you!

Hopeful - Don’t pray only for the physically sick. Pray for the spiritually sick. James final words are a challenge. Believers persecuted tempted to walk away from the faith. You’ve seen people walk away from the church. People walk away for theological reasons. They just don’t believe the same things we hold dear anymore. People walk away for moral reasons. They have a moral failure and are unwilling to repent. People walk away for relational reasons. They get mad at something someone said and they walk away. James says go after the wanderers. If a wanderer comes back it is evidence of the Spirit’s work - that he/she genuinely belongs to God. If a wanderer doesn’t return evidence that he didn’t belong to God in the first place. There’s grace for the wanderer and there’s hope for the church. God can put relationships back together. Pray for the for the physically sick, but also pray for the spiritually sick and go after them. You know someone who has wandered. Are you praying for that person? Are you going after that person with the love of Jesus? A reminder that we need a church! You need people who will go after you when you stray! Why you need LCG group and discipleship group.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, was a pastor, a shepherd. He wrote one letter, and as he finishes his letter, his mind is on the one who wanders. He’s so much like his older brother, the Good Shepherd, who came for wanderers. We had all wandered from God, but Jesus came after us. He prayed for us () that we wanderers would know there’s a better way - and that better way is Jesus - who prayed for us. Not only did He pray for us, He was the answer to His own prayer! The only way for us to receive the eternal life He prayed for was for Him to die in our place and rise from the dead three days later. He has made a way for you to live in a relationship with the God of all creation. Do you know Him? Turn to Him. He will give you access to the Father, He will make you righteous, and you will be able to pray and know the power of God.