1

• And Satan trembles when he sees the weakest
  saint upon his knees
• 1 Th.517
• Prayer is a hedge
• Paul did not spend every minute in prayer
• His success came from habitual prayer
• Lesson Do not stop praying w. regularity in
  every circumstance of life. Dn.610
• Ro.1212 Ep.618 Col.42

2
Prayer Gods Hedge

• 1. We may pray at any place
• This hedge is portable
• 2. We may solicit any blessing
• This hedge is profitable
• 3. We may pray for any person
• This hedge is positive
• James took prayer seriously

3
I Pray For Wisdom, Ja.15

• 2-4, Summary persist in endurance until it has
  accomplished all that it can accomplish
• 1. Trials will come, 2b (When)
• 2. Trials come in varieties, 2c
• a. Economic (26)
• b. Physical (514)
• c. Church (519-20)

4

• 3. Trials call for a proper response, 2a all
  joy!
• Does not say, Enjoy the trials
• 4. Trials can bring blessings, 3-4
• a. There is purpose in it all
• b. They give us steadfast endur- ance
• c. After time, this makes us mature

5
Ja.15, wisdom

• In view of 2-4, no wonder!
• (Lk.171-4, 5)
• We must ask God, 5
• Endurance by itself would not supply wisdom
• 1 K. 3

6
God gives wisdom

• 1. He gives to all
• The giving God
• 2. He gives liberally
• The generous God
• 3. He does not reproach
• The gracious God
• He offers an open hand, not a clenched fist

7
Ja.16-8, ask in faith

• 1. Doubters need not apply, 6
• If we believe He cant Mk.65
• Doubters are like a wave, 6 Aimless
• Doubters do not receive anything, 7
• 4. Doubters are double-minded, 8
• A divided-heart. Opposite of liberally (5).
  Ct. Mt.2237

8
II Pray Without Worldliness, Ja.41-4

• 1, wars and fights come
• a. Ja.314-16, a chronic state
• b. Christians were degenerating to level of
  Jews (filled w. lust, seeking
  pleasure, jealous)
• c. If Christians spent as much time
  praying as they do grumb- ling, they would
  soon have nothing to grumble about

9
Desires for pleasure cause wars, 1

• a. James explains how fights get started and
  escalate
• b. desires for pleasure...war in members
  Ro.723
• c. Explanation I want my way
• d. There is nothing that makes us love a man
  so much as praying for him

10
Lust, murder, covetousness, and fighting . . . (2)

• . . . do not get us what we want
• James explains why prayers are not answered

11
Failure to ask does not work (2) Mt.77

• 3, nor does asking amiss
• a. Spend it on pleasures
• b. The problem is in us, not God
• c. Selfish prayers are no prayers
• Mk.1035-40
• d. The real tragedy of our prayers is not
  that God so often refuses to grant them. The
  tragedy is we so often ask for the wrong
  thing

12
Worldliness is spiritual adultery (4)

• James expresses shock
• a. Surely you know! (127)
• b. World system of satan

13
III Pray For Weak And Wayward, Ja.513-18

• Two types of prayer
• 1. Miraculous
• 2. Non-miraculous (providential)
• a. Non-miraculous 13, if suffering,
  pray
• b. Miraculous 14, if sick, call for
  elders to pray . . .
• Col.414

14
Anoint w. oil, 14b

• Oil healed some ailments, Lk. 1034
• Mk. 613, a symbolic act. Jn. 9
• James credits the cure to prayer
• Spiritual gifts apostles hands, Ac.818
• One was healing, 1 Co.129
• Not all had these gifts, 1 Co.1228ff

15
Spiritual gifts were natural for elders

• W/o revelation, they would lack instructions to
  guide the flock
• If not miraculous, why call for elders? (Any
  Christian could pray for the sick)
• Miraculous gifts are not available today
  anointing w. oil no longer needed as a symbol
• 15, prayer of faith will save the sick
  (healed). Mt.1719-20

16
Non-miraculous prayer for sinner, 15b-16a

• Forgives (salvation) prayer for one another
  heals (spiritually)
• 16b, the prayer of a righteous person has great
  power as it is working (ESV)
• The prayer of a righteous person has great
  effectiveness (NET)

17
Non-miraculous prayer from miracle-working prophet

• 17-18, prayer can change the weather
• Elijah had miraculous power (1 K.1717-24)
• This is not what James tells us
• Elijahs nature was like ours (17)
• 1 K.1842-45, cloud is natural means

18

• James arrangement
• a. Ask (15-6)
• b. Ask (42-3)
• c. Pray prayer prayed (513-18)
• 2. James assurance
• a. Gods love wants the best for us
• b. Gods wisdom knows what is best
• c. Gods power can accomplish it