GOT CHURCH? - 5

James 5: 13-16

Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the LORD; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 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.

THE CHURCH AT PRAYER

A vibrant, active and effective Church is on its knees in prayer, with its sleeves rolled up for action. The action that GOD calls His Church to, is care and comfort through prayer and  ministry. The ministry of the Church of the Living GOD takes its direction, through prayer, from GOD; it acts out the direction in service. Prayer is key to the vitality of the Church.

James was the author of this letter. He was the head of the first Christian Church in Jerusalem. James was the brother of JESUS. Five times, in the quoted Scripture from the letter of James, the words "pray" or "prayer" are used. James thought that prayer was so vital to the life of the Christian Church, that he stressed it in his letter. Why is prayer so important? because it is the vital like between GOD and man. It is through prayer that the Church receives direct guidance from GOD, confirmed by the Word of GOD. A Church that follows the direction of GOD will succeed and thrive; Church without prayer will die.

This vital link was a great gift from GOD to man. It unites the Church with its head, giving it life and strength. When two or three are gathered together in the Name of JESUS and are in prayer, agreeing together on anything, GOD is in the midst and the prayer is answered with action from GOD. In the verse from James, the agreement of the Church elders with the anointing of the Holy Spirit saves the sick and the LORD raises Him up; bodies are healed, souls are saved, sins forgiven when the Church fulfills its commission of service of the LORD.

EFFECTUAL, FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILETH MUCH. 

THE EFFECTUAL, FERVENT PRAYER OF THE CHURCH IN AGREEMENT ACCOMPLISHES MUCH FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD.