James 5:13-16 - Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 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 5:17-18 - Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
For so many the new year brings an ending and then hope of a new beginning. But changing a digit in the date doesn't change a thing. However, changing your heart does. If you are looking for true change for this new year, start by changing your heart first.
If you are in trouble...pray.
If you are happy...rejoice and praise our Lord.
If you are sick...call on the elders to pray and anoint you.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Guess what...if you have accepted Christ as your Lord, no matter where you are right now, no matter what is going on in your life...you are a righteous man. You are made righteous because of the work that Jesus did on the cross.
Elijah was a man..just like us? Have you ever considered that? So many times we forget that many of the men in the Bible who did great and amazing things...were men just like us. Elijah prayed and it did not rain for three and half years? I can't remember any time that my prayers affected the weather at any level.
But I do know that prayer has changed my heart, that prayer has helped me in times of struggle, that prayers have helped me when I was sick and that when I have confessed my sins to others, the prays of those others have brought healing to my heart.
I hope that this new year that you look inwardly, pray and let Jesus change your heart.
Lord we come before you today asking for changed hearts. Lord search us and reveal those areas that need confession and healing. Lead us Lord in our transformation and set in us a desire to become more and more like you each day of our lives. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
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