Effective Praying
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Welcome! I'm so glad you've joined us this Thanksgiving weekend. Whether you're with us in person, watching online, in the classic venue, or on the Moon campus, it’s a joy to be together.
Prayer for the Suffering
James 5:13 says, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray."
We all experience different kinds of suffering—at work, in relationships, or through personal struggles. Our natural responses might be worry, fear, or even anger. But James reminds us that our first response should be to pray.
Prayer aligns our hearts with God. It gives us perspective and keeps us from reacting in fear or bitterness.
Some reasons we don’t pray?
Laziness – We're too busy or distracted.
Rebellion – We don't want to deal with our sin.
Arrogance – We think we can handle it ourselves.
Shame – We're too ashamed to come to God.
James says: Don’t wallow—pray. God may not remove the suffering immediately, but He will meet you in it. Often, He does His greatest work in us during the hardest moments.
Prayer for the Joyful
James continues, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
Praising God in good times acknowledges that our blessings come from Him. Failing to praise is like taking credit for what God has done. Let’s give Him the glory He deserves.
Prayer for the Sick
James 5:14–15 says:
"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord..."
Our church elders regularly pray for those who are ill. The oil isn’t magical—it’s symbolic. The power comes from the name of the Lord. Whether healing comes or not, we trust God's will.
Not all sickness is the result of sin, but James reminds us: if sin is involved, it will be forgiven. We see that in:
Job’s story – His suffering wasn't due to sin.
John 9 – Jesus says a man's blindness wasn't from sin, but for God’s glory.
We are here to glorify God, not just to pursue comfort. If your illness leads to deeper trust or a testimony of faith—then God is working even through that.
Confession and Community
James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
Relational brokenness hinders prayer. When we confess and forgive, it opens up the flow of prayer in community. Healing often follows honest confession.
Prayer from the Fervent
James gives us the example of Elijah:
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently…”
—James 5:17
Elijah wasn’t a superhero. He was human—like you and me. But he prayed passionately, and God moved. Scripture gives us more examples:
Hannah (1 Samuel): So passionate in prayer she was mistaken for being drunk.
Ezra & Nehemiah: Weeping, fasting, praying for God's people.
The Persistent Widow (Luke 18): Wore out a judge with her perseverance.
Are you passionate in prayer? What in your life drives you to your knees?
Final Words from James
James closes with a call to action:
"Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
—James 5:20
Maybe someone you love—your child, your friend—has wandered. Don’t give up. Pray passionately. Stay hopeful. Be ready to help bring them back.
So What Now?
As we wrap up our study in James, the core challenge is this:
Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.
What is God calling you to do with what you’ve heard?
Confess a sin?
Start praying more passionately?
Reconnect with someone?
Praise more freely?
Return to God yourself?
Take a moment. Ask Him. And take the next step.
Let’s not be people who hear the Word and walk away unchanged. Let’s do what it says.
SERMON DETAILS
Speaker: Jeff McNicol
Series: James: Real Faith for Real Life
Sermon Title: Effective Praying
Date: Dec 1, 2024
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
James 5:13–20
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