Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

James 5:12-20

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:16a

My preparation for teaching this upcoming Sunday 25AUG on James 5:12-20 continues and this morning my focus today is a commentary-assisted review of the text, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition series volume for this book. First, the commentary describes v12 as a "hard-left" (off course from key topics patience in previous verses and prayer in next verses).  It shares, referring us to James 3 where he is talking about taming the tongue: "faith that perseveres is trustworthy in speech. The words from our mouths should be so consistent and dependable that they guarantee reliability." 

Excerpts from the commentary on 5:13-18, in a section entitled Prayerful in Sorrow:

• We are reminded again that patience and waiting on the Lord requires prayer; when you are hurting, happy, anxious, etc.; prayer with the elders who will pray over you
• Use of oil in v14 discussed as symbolic, as setting apart someone who is sick as needing attention and care from God; "[t]his is the only place in the New Testament letters where anointing a sick person with oil is even mentioned, and many healings occurred without anointing. The emphasis is on praying and not just to pray with the elders but, according to James 5:16, to pray with the church."
• Confess sins to one another and pray for one another - v16a
  
• On the power and effectiveness of prayer - v16b - the example of Elijah in vv17-18, is provided per the commentary to help us learn the secret to power and effectiveness in prayer (John 14:14): "to ask for something in the name of Christ is to ask for something according to His Word and for His glory. So when you pray, you need to start by making your wants God’s wants."
• We should also pray to change our desire to His desires
  

 Excerpts from the commentary on 5:19-20, in a section entitled Loving Towards Sinners:

• These two verses describe "the seventh and final characteristic of faith that lasts."
• Look out for brothers and sisters in Christ
• V19 specifically describes "earthly restoration"
• Commentary emphasizes the doctrine of eternal security and how this is accomplished through community; we must look out for one another  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome incredible God who has given me incredible, supportive and Christ-like community in my family and in my church-thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You saved me and give me such a community.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.   Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments[.]"

Daniel 9

I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments[.]" Daniel 9:4

I continue my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 9:1-19 as I lean on my commentary for this text, which outlines the following divisions:

I. Let Your Prayers Flow from Your Study of the Scriptures (9:1-2): The commentary referring to v1-19 as "one of the most remarkable prayers in the whole Bible," as it includes "(1) corporate confession of sin and (2) recognition of the greatness, awesomeness, righteousness, and holiness of God as expressions of his character."  Daniel intercedes on behalf of a a sinful Israel.  The commentary shares how Daniel prays based on his understanding of God and scripture, including the Pentateuch and Jeremiah, the latter of which Daniel knew of because Jeremiah preceded him.  Daniel specifically refers to Israel's exile of 70 years (v2) which is from Jeremiah 25:1-14 and 29:1-11. The commentary describes how Daniel leans on prophecy from Jeremiah and does the math - "knows the end of God’s judgment of exile on his people is coming[,]" as he was exiled in 605 BC and the date of his writing here is from 538 BC.  The commentary for this division wraps by sharing that "[c]onfidence in the promises of God did not move [Daniel] to complacency. It drove him to action and to his knees. Immersion in Scripture will energize prayer!" As we grow in understanding of scripture, so too will our prayers "become richer and more soundly based on who God is."

II. Let Your Prayers Humbly Take You into the Presence of God (9:3): V3 gives us a model how we are to approach God in humility as the commentary describes Daniel as he "turned to the Lord with a heavy heart, a burden he could hardly bear," and how his prayer is similar to the prayer Jesus prayed to His Father in the garden at Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-44).  The commentary describes this posture of how to approach God in prayer: "[i]t is truly unconscionable that we would ever think to burst into God’s presence in arrogance or pride, in hubris or vainglory. When we know our sins and the sins of our people, we will approach God on our knees and with our faces to the ground. Only then can we turn our faces to the Lord with our prayers and pleas."

III. Let Your Prayers Be Characterized by Honest and Full Confession of Sin (9:4-14): Here the commentary shares how "[p]hrase after phrase comes right out of Scripture. There are allusions to Leviticus (26:40) and Deuteronomy (28:64) and Exodus (34:6) and Psalms (44:14) and Jeremiah (25:11)."  The commentary describes Daniel's humility and his solidarity with Israel in using "we", "us" or "our" more than twenty times when he confesses Israel's sin.  He knows that Israel's punishment is deserved and he does not exclude himself from Israel's predicament but instead bears their burden as he "feels responsible for the people under his care."  At this point in Israel's exile, the people should be driven to their knees in confession and repentance but they are not - except Daniel.  The commentary appropriately quotes Billy Graham when he says "[t]o get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees."

IV. Let Your Prayers Move to Petition and Pleas Grounded in God’s Character (9:15-19): The commentary describes how Daniel moves from confession and repentance to petition and pleas as he intercedes on behalf of Israel. Daniel requests mercy not because Israel is deserving but so that God's can be seen as merciful and glorified in how He keeps His covenant with His people. Prayer is emphasized as the commentary wraps for the text: "we should note the important role prayer played in the past but also in the present. In the past, in the garden of Gethsemane, our Lord was troubled and wept in prayer as he prepared to take on the sins of the world and to bear in his own body the judgment and wrath of God. But now, as Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25 tell us, we have an intercessor in heaven, a great high priest, who pleads our cause before “the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands” (Dan 9:4).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are great indeed, as Your mercies are great and they are new every morning as You provide not just mercy but also for all things and You are faithful.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your mercy nor how You provide.  My sins are great and they continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Daniel 2

 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. Daniel 2:30

I pause in my study of Hebrews to study Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 2 as I lean on a commentary for its observations for v1-30. The commentary for this text highlights a few key themes, including how prayer is not just important but "essential" as it refers to Amos 3:7 and how Daniel and his companions prayed for God to intercede, not just for themselves but for all of the wise men of Babylon (v18).  The commentary also points to how it is implied in the text that Daniel must have had such peace about laying his concerns (including his life and that of his companions and all the wise men of Babylon) at God's feet that he was able to go to sleep (v19).  Daniel's response in song of praise (v20-23) is also highlighted, including key attributes of God: "eternality (v. 20); his omniscience and omnipotence (v. 20); his sovereignty over the nations (v. 21); his gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (v. 21); his revelation and knowledge (v. 22); his faithfulness to his people (v. 23); and for answering Daniel’s prayer (v. 23)." The commentary wraps by highlighting how Daniel gives all the credit to God for the gift Daniel has in interpreting dreams - building on my post yesterday.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good and You hear and answer all of my prayers - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You intercede and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Romans 8

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:34

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter twelve God is for Us, which covers Romans 8:31-39.  My focus today is Romans 8:34, which my commentary refers to under the heading Who Will Condemn Us. God wants to understand that we are not condemned and He is Judge - no one is able to bring a charge against us as believers have been cleared, justified, and seen as righteous in His eyes.  We have an Advocate like no other and He has interceded on our behalf.  My commentary wants us to see how this verse gives us great peace: "[t]his is a most comforting passage for the saints.  It is hard to imagine anything more peace giving than to know you are the subject of Christs intercessory prayers....When you stumble and fumble, remember that Christ is praying for you--unceasingly, fervently, and successfully."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are intercede and pray for me - even when I don't pray at all or enough. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You intercede for me. My sin continues....worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they 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 person is powerful and effective.

2 Kings 18-20, Isaiah 36-39, and 2 Chronicles 32

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they 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 person is powerful and effective. James 5:15-16

Day 190 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as this morning the focus is what my commentary* refers to as the "last years of Hezekiah's reign".  These last years included an Assyrian invasion of Judah, Hezekiah's tribute to Assyria in response, Hezekiah's illness and miraculous healing from God, Hezekiah's initial gratitude towards God for this healing, Hezekiah's lingering pride issues and Hezekiah's repentance from such pride, descriptions of Judah's prosperity during Hezekiah's reign, envoys (as a test) from Babylon, and another invasion from Assyria and Hezekiah's reliance on God during this subsequent invasion.  Ultimately, Babylon overtakes Judah but not in Hezekiah's lifetime.    

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Hezekiah is far from perfect, nor are any of us as we all sin and need a Savior and God's message though Isaiah provides faithful believers with great hope for how He intervenes in the lives of those who trust Him.  Hezekiah goes to God in prayer and for counsel.

God's words concerning Assyria:

‘But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came.’ 2 Kings 19:27-28, Isaiah 37:28-29

‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the Lord. I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’ 2 Kings 19:32-34, Isaiah 37:33-35

Assyria is ultimately turned back.  For me the takeaway today is how God responds to prayer.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is ALWAYS listening and responding to our prayers - thank You Jesus!  I know You love me!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin - worry and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. v7

I continue to ask in prayer that God turn me into a prayer warrior, particularly because of my role as a father and husband, but also because of my love for Christ and others and a desire to serve.  I have been asking God to help me pray for more needs, more of the time.

This morning, through Jesus' words in John and via John Piper my thoughts on prayer are somewhat redirected - not so much away from my and others' needs - but focus more on spiritual/eternal needs vs physical and earthly needs.

V7 and similar words in v16 challenged me this morning to better understand what Jesus means by telling us that essentially we will get everything we ask for in prayer.  I already knew this was not true in an earthly sense - God is not a vending machine.  Jesus places several very important conditions on when we can expect Him to delivery what we ask for, and we must understand these conditions.

John Piper helps us understand these conditions and other important aspects of prayer.

1. Prayer is fruit bearing: "If you are not devoted to fruit-bearing, you have no warrant for expecting answers to prayer. Prayer is designed for fruit-bearing."

2. Prayer is not for gratifying natural desires: "[natural desires] should always be subordinate to spiritual desires; kingdom desires; fruit-bearing desires; gospel-spreading, God-centered desires; Christ-exalting, God-glorifying desires."

3. The words of Jesus abiding in us prepare us for fruit-bearing prayer.

4. The more we are saturated by the words of Jesus, the more our prayers will be answered. 

Piper encourages us to take heed in Psalm 37:4.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who has grown in my heart and life - giving my a life of peace and joy - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I worry and I have much more sin - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Luke 22

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. v41-44

John Piper refers to Jesus' prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane as "The Greatest Prayer in the World".  This prayer serves as an excellent reminder that prayer works, as Jesus prayed for strength to be obedient in going to the cross. Verse 43 tells us that "[a]n angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him".  Luke's account here and the other Gospel accounts of this prayer also tell us that: (1) we should pray with passion and fervor, and that we should demonstrate our complete dependence on Him for the needs and concerns we have (Luke 22:44),  and that (2) we should be persistent in our prayer, demonstrating trust that God hears our cries and will respond (Jesus prayed three times see Matthew 26 and Mark 14).  

On a similar note on prayer: Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" is also highly instructive in terms of how we should approach prayer.  I found this post particularly relevant as it discusses how Jesus' prayer in John 17 gives us a blueprint for prayer during the teen years - it ends with:

"When parents pray over an open Bible, the words of Scripture wrap themselves around the desires of our hearts and give us the words we don’t have. Jesus ends his prayer for his disciples by offering himself, totally set apart for the Father’s will. Perhaps this is what our teens need most: parents with a single-minded determination to follow him. We will not do so perfectly, but our own stumbling progress toward discipleship puts us on the same road as our teens — and what a joy it is to be traveling toward Christ together."

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus You are an awesome God and I need You desperately - I cannot live without You - You sustain me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and grace.  I worry and I lash out at others - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouse to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

2 Samuel 24

Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped. v25 

According to the Macarthur Bible Commentary, the Lord is angry with David for "some unspecified sins".  So He allows Satan to incite David against Israel - see 1 Chronicles 21:1.  Although there is no mention of any specific sin committed by Israel, we all know Israel has a long history of turning away from God and all of us will never cease sinning - hence WHY God had to send His one and only Son (John 3:16).

In 2 Samuel 24, David attempts to intercede on behalf of Israel and we see that David's intercession on behalf of Israel is successful.

We ALL need intercession.  We all need Jesus.  Others may provide intercessory prayer - which is powerful.  But first and foremost we need Jesus.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has interceded on my behalf and willingly gone to the cross for me and everyone - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an incredible gift - the greatest gift of all time.  I am easily distracted by the world.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses for Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.