34—Forty Days with James: Prayer x 7

Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

James 5:13-18

• Prayer
  • 7x in this passage
  • "You must pray with all your might. That does not mean saying your prayers, or sitting gazing about in church or chapel with eyes wide open while someone else says them for you. It means fervent, effectual, untiring wrestling with God. You can be sure that this kind of prayer the devil and the world and your own indolent, unbelieving nature will oppose. They will pour water on this flame." – William Booth (1829-1912)
• Singing—music is not only an important part of culture, but touches our very souls.
• Elders.
  • It's assumed throughout the NT that churches are led by elders.
  • What if you don’t have elders? My opinion is that whoever functions in the oversight role is a person of prayer, and hence someone to be trusted to pray for you.
• Anointing
  • What about the Roman Catholic interpretation? The person summoning the elders is ill / weak – not likely to need extreme unction. This is a promise about life/restoration, not a preparation for death.
  • What about the charismatic / Pentecostal teaching about healing? This passage does not speak of anyone with a miraculous gift of healing.

• Probably this is a general principle, not an iron-clad promise.
• For more, see Q&A 752.
• Confession
  • Most churches ignore this passage! One wonders whether this is because members refuse to be open, or because church leaders themselves have something to hide.
  • Historically, the early church practiced a rather public confession. This eventually evolved into the confessional (in Catholicism). Then (in Protestantism) it virtually dropped out, or became confession only to God.
  • How honest are we—really? “…. The Christian faith calls for an open and voluntary confession of our wrongs, whenever we are wrong. This… is challenging and it may certainly be embarrassing for anyone who has to do it, but it is in fact an act of moral courage. For in confession we are called to do what no human does naturally and easily: to go on record against ourselves.” (Os Guinness, in Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2014), 80).
• Elijah: we can relate to him. Anyone can pray, not just apostles & prophets!

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