James 5:16-17‏

16. "Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]."

Is it just me, or do you see the opposite also? I mean, we normally confess our spiritual achievements, or victory of one thing and then keep quiet about that other thing... you know... our faults. How long can I get away with raising my hand for a "unspoken" prayer? No, I need my friends... my Christian brothers and sisters to lift up to God specifically what I am tired of struggling with... can I get an AMEN. Now, what is this about the prayer of a righteous man? Let's continue...

17. "Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months. [I Kings 17:1.]"

James tells us two things about the man of prayer He is a righteous man (v.16). How would we understand a righteous man? Well, like Elijah, he is a right living man... not necessarily a perfectly blameless man. There was a time when that the prophet's imperfections were revealed. But he lived as a just and straight man. We could all agree that "bad" living makes for a "bad" prayer-life. How can anyone with the Holy Spirit inside of us pray with sinful thoughts of tomorrow on our minds? We just cannot talk to God strongly if we have not lived for God strongly. We cannot seek God in prayer, if we have not seeked Him in our walk. We cannot ask God to forgive us our sins if we do not forgive those who have sinned against us, either. Elijah prayed for such.

A righteous man has reverence in his dealings with God. The righteous man reverences the living God... not just on the Lord's Day but in his home too. Are there family prayers... do we go from family fun to family praying as naturally as the laughter of love becomes the mutual intercession of hearts made one before an almighty God?

A righteous man is a straight man as he deals with God. I mean, he is perfectly frank before the Almighty. There are times when our words outrun our feelings, but we are speaking to the Lord. The psalmist says, "I say to God my Rock, 'Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?'" (Ps.42:9)

I think we raise a righteous man higher than we should though... I mean, regardless of their stature and respect from his peers... before the Almighty God, a righteous man is desperately in need of a righteous God... and is not afraid to admit it in front of his fellow man!

Let's pick up with James verse 5:18 next time.

I love you.