More on James 5:16...

I remember in Dr Young's sermon this weekend he made special mention of the Greek translation for the word for prayer in James 5:16... He said it was was a special term that meant 'a specific' request, not a broad, general prayer request.

I looked up James 5:16 and identified prayer in the Greek as it's used in that verse.

It's deesis from the root word deomai.

My wife and I were just discussing recently the need to make our prayers more specific, so hearing Dr Young mention this same topic reinforces my urgency to work on my prayer life.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I thank You for Prayer. Where would we be without prayer...? I don't even want to consider a life or world without it.

Father God, one of my prayers today is just to do a better job with my prayer life. Help me to be in the Word more and show me what You would have me pray for.

I want to control my thought life better. When something comes to my mind that invokes anger, annoyance, or any negative thought let me be quick to take that thought captive and pray for the situation or circumstance immediately. That is one of my greatest weaknesses.

With that in mind Lord, this morning I lift up my son's tennis coach at school. For years I have harbored negative thoughts and feelings for and toward him because he has been so discouraging to many of my students. Instead of praying about the situation I have stayed angry and negative, myself. I am sad for what that anger has done to me and how it has effected my witness. How can You work through me and bless me when I am negative and harboring ill thoughts towards someone else...?

You can't work through a cracked vessel.

Lord I lift up coach Langner to You, today. I am very sorry for any negative comments or feelings I have had toward him. I don't want this issue to hinder my relationship with You any longer, my King.

I am repentant regarding this issue Lord and at my first opportunity I am going to apologize to Coach Langner and ask forgiveness from him.

Lord please restore me and help me to deal with my anger and negative feelings towards the challenging relationships in my life.

I love You Lord and want to honor You completely with my thought life. Lord I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

James 5:16

One of my favorite scriptures about prayer has always been: "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

Yesterday, we watched Dr Ed Young preach a sermon about prayer and he explained this verse in great detail...

He explained what exactly a 'righteous' man was... And I know for a fact that am not one. I am sick. I am sin-sick. I have strayed away from the Truth...

The answer is prayer. The prayer of faith... What is that? It is not a matter of how MUCH faith we have.

It is faith in what...? -GOD...

The Greek word for Prayer in this verse means a specific prayer for a specific sin.

An Effective prayer is one that has energy and power.

What is Righteous...? How do we become righteous...? This is how it works...

We become righteous when we confess our sins and become 'ok' with God. Then we become 'ok' with ourselves. Then we become 'ok' with others... We ask forgiveness... Then we become righteous.

Prayer for Independence

I listen periodically to a christian radio station called KSBJ... It's 89.3 on the FM tuner here in Houston. I overheard a little survey they were doing recently where they were asking listeners:

What are we Declaring Independence from this holiday...?

I thought, Hmmm... That's a good concept. I mean, of course we need to always and forever remember that the Fourth of July is a celebration of the birth of our Nation, a time when our forefathers declared they were independent from the rule of the British Crown. But, that's an excellent idea for us to take a moment to declare our independence from something, at least one thing that is keeping us in bondage.

For me that would be.... Busy-Ness

I've suffered from being too busy for as long as I have blogged and before. Remember the acronym for 'busy'..?

B....Being

U....Under

S....Satan's

Y....Yolk

Today I am definitely declaring independence from 'busy-ness'. -And it's going to stick this time..!

Of course, I'm going to begin by praying about it... Then BELIEVING that God will answer my prayer.... You see, that's my problem. I always HOPE that God will answer my prayer. Sadly, I've been a little weak in the faith department...

In my personal studies I just finished Hebrews and I've just started the book of James. You know, James has much wisdom.... James 4:10 Says for us to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and HE will lift us up.

James 4:14 tells us that our lives are like a vapor that appear for a moment and then vanish away... Wow, that verse really motivates me to make my 'moment' here on earth to count for something meaningful. Right now I'm wasting my 'moment' in 'BUSY-NESS'. T

My favorite verses from James Chapter Five, are Verses 15-16 -The prayer of faith will save the sick... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous an avails much....

BUSY-NESS is a sickness. But praise the Lord: The prayer of Faith will save the sick....!

To be continued...