PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• One of my favorite kinds of personalities is that of a no-nonsense, straight-shooter who just calls a spade a spade.
I love that personality type simply because there’s no ambiguity.
And while this personality style can come across as brash and in-your-face, I respect it because I think that’s preferable to head games and guessing games.
The more I read the book of James, the more I imagine that he was exactly this kind of straight-shooter.
He didn’t try to gloss over sin; he was direct about what was right and wrong and specifically about following God’s will.
He was a man of bold faith who wasn’t afraid to speak the truth of Jesus.
In James 5:13-20, we see a softer side of James…
A side that calls for prayers of the believer and the power of prayer.
In verse 13, he wrote, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
He then goes on to encourage us to pray for those who are sick (14-15)…
To confess our sins and pray for each other (16 — one of my very favorite verses in the Bible!)…
To remember to pray with the kind of fervent faith modeled by Elijah (17-18)…
Then verses 19-20, prayers for the prodigals and those who help bring them back to the truth.
While Jesus modeled prayer for us in “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13), this is a passage of Scripture also encourages a powerful way to pray.
It’s a good passage to study and learn from if you’re seeking to strengthen your prayer-life (and I pray you are!!!)
Today, as you pray, thank God for His divine word, and the way He used different voices and personalities to share His one Truth.
Thank Him for bold men like James who, while stern at times, encouraged the community of believers to seek God’s will above all else.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray effectively, for both yourself and others, and to pray with confidence and unshakable faith.
