BIBLE STUDY CORNER
Verse Focus James 5:16
PRAYER
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 (KJV)
There's no way of knowing on this earth how many times we have been put
under God's special protection or blessed because of the prayers of another.
Likewise we do not know how someone else's life has been affected because of
our prayers. Our mothers pray for us, so do our dads. We pray for our
children, and they pray for us. We have prayer circles at church. We form
prayer lists. Why? Because prayer is our direct communication with our
Heavenly Father for one thing. We pray because we have a need. We may need
special help or direction or understanding. We may need encouragement. We
may just want to say thank you to the Heavenly Father for what He has
already done.
However, we do not pray for ourselves alone. Jesus prayed for His disciples
and He prayed for all of us who believe in Him since. We must follow His
example and pray for one another. Maybe there's a friend in trouble, or a
child sick. Maybe there's a pastor who is discouraged, sibling who is
hurting, or someone else we want to reach out and touch God in prayer for.
Prayer is effective, and it must be fervent. It comes from the mouth only
after it is formed in the heart; this makes it genuine. Finally, we must
pray according to God's will. To know God's will we must live according to
God's will.
© copyright 2006 Thomas E. Kittrell