Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. 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. 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. 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. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 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.
Comments: I think that this passage is maybe why James is called the ‘Proverbs of the New Testament’. As I read these verses the challenges strike home to my heart. But as a child brought up rightly does not always turn out true to his training so I can’t see that all of these are absolutes. The above statement does not in any way diminish the importance of the challenges.
- Be prayerful in suffering; be joyous in praise.
- Pray for the sick as individuals and as a church. But I see extremely Charismatic preachers wearing glasses or hear of them having heart surgery.
- Pray for forgiveness. If repentance is real it works!
- Maybe Elijah did wondrous things by faith, and we must be faithful, but there are martyrs murdered every day around the world.
- Seek to bring the wavering person back to their early faith – for failure to return means death – and it is not talking about the grave!
Prayer: Thank You for the lessons which You have taught us from the book of James.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. I had to chuckle at your comment about Charismatic preachers wearing glasses, and having heart surgery!! I often think of John the Baptist who “stuck his neck out” and criticized Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, and then had his head removed. Jesus knew all about this situation, but He did not run to John’s rescue. He allowed John to be killed, even though Jesus grieved over this. Then the situation where Peter was released from prison by an angel, and at that same time James was killed by the sword. God has a plan, and He does what He knows is best in each situation. We need to trust Him no matter what may happen., which is not always easy to do. It is easier said, than done. God bless you.
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