May 29th 2016
Why Pray?
James 4:2-4 (NIV)
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Do you ever grumble because you do not have something you want and you just suffer through your pain and complain, because you do not have what others have? Could it be that, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” Do you find it difficult to pray for the righteous stuff that you know you ought to pray for? In this country it is difficult not to seek more stuff that is wanted, not actually needed so it is stuff “that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Well then join the “what’s in it for me club.” Are you seeking friendship with Jesus or with the worldly people all around us? As the selected verses from James tell us, “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
James also wrote about how righteous prayer “may” result in healing of both your body and, more importantly your soul. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:15-16) This healing is also capable of healing the body and soul for others. James wrote “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” The big question then becomes “are you a righteous man or woman?”
Paul wrote about how you, yes you, can be and in fact are a righteous person! It is NOT obtained by your goodness or self-righteousness it is a gift to ALL who do not deserve it! This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24) Did you get that proclamation written by Paul, as revealed to him by Jesus, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe?” Yes, all you have to do is believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man! If you believe that, then you are a righteous member of mankind?
Next let us read what Jesus revealed to John to assure His followers. Moreover, the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:22-24) If you believe Jesus is who He said He is, then you know and love the Father who sent Jesus to die for your sins! Then the Good News, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
Now you (we) who claim to follow Jesus must work on becoming more Christ-like, by as Paul wrote by shedding the worldly desires, or “Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast” the old yeast, which is through and through us as worldly desires, and then we put on our yeast free (or diminishing) desires to continue to be worldly! Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:6-7) The perfect sacrifice has been made; therefore, we who believe in the Son of God are free from judgement by God the Father.
Now let us return back to prayer and how some people who believed in the Son of Man got to pray directly face-to-face to Jesus. As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:35-38) Can you imagine being able to pray to Jesus face-to-face? Like this blind man was able to do. This man received an immediate answer for his prayer. Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." (Luke 18:42) Do you believe that Jesus is still in the business of healing physical distresses?
Here is another account of an immediate cure given by Jesus, but this time it is healing for someone else, not the person who is praying. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (Mark 7:25-30)
Notice in this account Jesus is willing to heal someone being prayed for who was not one of the chosen people, nor was the person who was praying. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Here Jesus is saying that He came to heal the “children” or the Jews not the Gentiles. After the Jews refused to accept Jesus perfect sacrifice for them, then salvation was offered to the Gentiles too. This woman and her child were Gentiles, and yet, Jesus healed her daughter.
Praying for unsaved people may still be honored by Jesus! The person praying must believe that God exists before their prayer for someone else may be honored. Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) As these people mentioned above had faith in Jesus and believed He could heal them or a loved one, the person praying also must have faith in Jesus/God!
So, Why Pray? If you have faith your prayers will be answered, and you “may” receive what you prayed for! God grant prayer requests, but His answer could be Yes, or No, based on His superior knowledge of your true need! Have faith, and pray!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
James 4:2-4 (NIV)
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Do you ever grumble because you do not have something you want and you just suffer through your pain and complain, because you do not have what others have? Could it be that, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” Do you find it difficult to pray for the righteous stuff that you know you ought to pray for? In this country it is difficult not to seek more stuff that is wanted, not actually needed so it is stuff “that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Well then join the “what’s in it for me club.” Are you seeking friendship with Jesus or with the worldly people all around us? As the selected verses from James tell us, “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
James also wrote about how righteous prayer “may” result in healing of both your body and, more importantly your soul. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:15-16) This healing is also capable of healing the body and soul for others. James wrote “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” The big question then becomes “are you a righteous man or woman?”
Paul wrote about how you, yes you, can be and in fact are a righteous person! It is NOT obtained by your goodness or self-righteousness it is a gift to ALL who do not deserve it! This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24) Did you get that proclamation written by Paul, as revealed to him by Jesus, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe?” Yes, all you have to do is believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man! If you believe that, then you are a righteous member of mankind?
Next let us read what Jesus revealed to John to assure His followers. Moreover, the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:22-24) If you believe Jesus is who He said He is, then you know and love the Father who sent Jesus to die for your sins! Then the Good News, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
Now you (we) who claim to follow Jesus must work on becoming more Christ-like, by as Paul wrote by shedding the worldly desires, or “Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast” the old yeast, which is through and through us as worldly desires, and then we put on our yeast free (or diminishing) desires to continue to be worldly! Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:6-7) The perfect sacrifice has been made; therefore, we who believe in the Son of God are free from judgement by God the Father.
Now let us return back to prayer and how some people who believed in the Son of Man got to pray directly face-to-face to Jesus. As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:35-38) Can you imagine being able to pray to Jesus face-to-face? Like this blind man was able to do. This man received an immediate answer for his prayer. Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." (Luke 18:42) Do you believe that Jesus is still in the business of healing physical distresses?
Here is another account of an immediate cure given by Jesus, but this time it is healing for someone else, not the person who is praying. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (Mark 7:25-30)
Notice in this account Jesus is willing to heal someone being prayed for who was not one of the chosen people, nor was the person who was praying. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." Here Jesus is saying that He came to heal the “children” or the Jews not the Gentiles. After the Jews refused to accept Jesus perfect sacrifice for them, then salvation was offered to the Gentiles too. This woman and her child were Gentiles, and yet, Jesus healed her daughter.
Praying for unsaved people may still be honored by Jesus! The person praying must believe that God exists before their prayer for someone else may be honored. Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) As these people mentioned above had faith in Jesus and believed He could heal them or a loved one, the person praying also must have faith in Jesus/God!
So, Why Pray? If you have faith your prayers will be answered, and you “may” receive what you prayed for! God grant prayer requests, but His answer could be Yes, or No, based on His superior knowledge of your true need! Have faith, and pray!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|