James 5:13-20 (ESV)
Is anyone among you
suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. [14] Is
anyone among you sick? 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. [15] And the
prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16] Therefore, confess your
sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. [17] Elijah was
a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. [18] Then he
prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. [19] My
brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him
back, [20] let him know that whoever
brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will
cover a multitude of sins.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are some situations in life when most people pray?
2. What should a person do when he or she is in trouble? Why? (5:13, 15)
3. What should a person do when he or she is happy? Why? (5:13, 15)
4. What should a person do when he or she is sick? Why? (5:14-15)
5. Why is prayer important? (5:15)
6. What is the effect of a righteous person’s prayers? (5:16)
7. What hinders Christians from praying with confidence?
8. What hinders Christians from confessing sins and praying for each other?
9. If we confess our sins to God, why should anyone else have to know about it?
10. What circumstances beyond our control can we affect through prayer?
