Walking With God Today 07/23/08

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he committed sins, he will be forgiven.”  James 5:15 (NKJV)

This “prayer of faith” is the prayer that is offered by the “elders” in behalf of the one who is sick.  We must remember that faith is a gift from God, as is grace, and it is faith to pray seeking God, His will, and His healing.  There are far too many professing Christians who think that ‘faith’ is something that must me generated from ourselves; that it comes by our own strength, and spirit.  It comes from God who gives it.

So the ‘prayer of faith’ is prayer that has come to God seeking God, His will, and His care.  To pray is an act of humility on our part in the first place.  The act of prayer says, “I know that I am unable to handle this situation”, or “I know that I am in need of God’s grace and mercy”.  The one who has called for the ‘elders’ seeking their prayers has realized their need of repentance, and need of forgiveness.

We need to realize that some sickness can be caused by bitterness; which some members of the Jewish Christians may have experienced due to the persecution they have experienced; and uncontrolled anger.  When we allow these things to take hold in our lives they can make us sick.  That calls for repentance and faith.  The call for prayer is their step, and ours toward deliverance from that form of sickness.

There are other sicknesses for which we can receive healing, but we must first of all seek the council and the will of God; and His glory.

Anger, wrath, bitterness are all evils in life that can grab hold and take control if we don’t stand our guard against them.  Anger is a God-given emotion, but it is one which we must control.  Someone has said, “You can tell a man’s character by what makes him angry.”  I have a feeling and more than a feeling, I know that being cut off in busy traffic, and becoming angry, is not one that shows a good character.  Becoming angry over injustices we see; such as: the murder of millions of unborn babies; injustice in the courts toward those who are poor;  injustice in the financial world where the poor are charged double interest rates thus, practically graranteeing that they will be unable to pay their debt.  Even those things, making us angry, needs to be dealt with quickly, and cautiously.

Forgiven sins is a wonderful gift from God.  The ‘elders’ to which the sick have sent request for prayer, and requested their presence, cannot forgive sin.  Only God can forgive our sins.  No man has that authority.  If we have been sinned against, then we forgive those who have “trespassed against us”, but the real abiding forgiveness comes from God.

When we turn to God for forgiveness, then He forgives us, makes us clean, and gives us eternal life through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

Walk With God Today.

-Tim A. Blankenship