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@Livingwater Study 12 GOING AFTER THE BACKSLIDER THE LETTER OF JAMES Scripture Portion: James 5:19-20 We should link together the two concluding verses of the Letter of James (verses 19-20) and Galatians 6:1-2. Why? Because both James and Paul were writing about the restoration of a backslider. Two ministries were committed to Peter by the Lord: first, he was to catch men (Luke 5:10); but second, he was to feed the flock (John 21:17). These two ministries are committed to every Christian –- the work of soul-saving and the work of soul-shepherding. All of us who belong to the Lord are to seek lost sinners, but we are to be ready also to restore our brothers and sisters when they wander away from Him. Cain once asked, ““Am I my brother’’s keeper?”” (Genesis 4:8-10). As Christians we are just that; we are responsible for our brothers and sisters in Christ. If they fail, fall or backslide we are to be concerned for them and go out after them, to bring them back to the Lord. See how

@Livingwater Study 11B..an effective prayer.. James 5:16-18 From part A of this study, We all want our prayers to be “effective,” so much so that when we focus on the “results” of our prayers, we lose sight of the incredible privilege we have in prayer. That people like us can speak to the Creator of the universe is itself an amazing thing. Even more astounding is the fact that He hears us and acts on our behalf! The first thing we need to understand about effective prayer is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to suffer and die on the cross to even make it possible for us to approach the throne of grace to worship and pray ( Hebrews 10:19-25 ). 2 . There is , however, a kind of prayer which is always effective . James tells us that it is possible to pray and to succeed in gaining God’’s gracious answer to our prayers. This is prayer that is ““powerful and effective””, and James goes on to give us an illustration of what prayer can do (verses 17-18). If we want to discov

@Livingwater Study 11A... THE SECRET OF EFFECTIVE PRAYER THE LETTER OF JAMES Scripture Portion: James 5:16-18 The Bible is filled with promises, encouragements and illustrations which emphasise the secret of effective prayer. It is said that James had knees that were worn down by his constant habit of kneeling. If so, we have the testimony of a man who had proved the secret of effective prayer in his life and practised what he preached. But notice the statement he makes in verse 16: “”The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”” –- in other words, it gets results. 1 . There is a kind of prayer which is not always , or very rarely , effective . The reason this prayer is ineffective and useless is because God does not hear it –- look up and compare Job 27:8-9; Job 35:13; Isaiah 1:15-16; Isaiah 59:2; Micah 3:4; Zechariah 7:11-13; Luke 18:11-12. How solemn! But notice: (1) Prayer with a wrong motive cannot be effective. We learn this from James 4:3, and how often w