14+++Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15+++and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
16+++Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
17+++Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
18+++Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
Observe, that the saving of the sick is not ascribed to the anointing with oil, but to prayer. In a time of sickness it is not cold and formal prayer that is effectual, but the prayer of faith.
The great thing we should beg of God for ourselves and others in the time of sickness is, the pardon of sin. Let nothing be done to encourage any to delay, under the mistaken fancy that a confession, a prayer, a minister's absolution and exhortation, or the sacrament, will set all right at last, where the duties of a godly life have been disregarded.
To acknowledge our faults to each other, will tend greatly to peace and brotherly love. And when a righteous person, a true believer, justified in Christ, and by his grace walking before God in holy obedience, presents an effectual fervent prayer, wrought in his heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, raising holy affections and believing expectations and so leading earnestly to plead the promises of God at his mercy-seat, it avails much.
The power of prayer is proved from the history of Elijah. In prayer we must not look to the merit of man, but to the grace of God. It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Thoughts must be fixed, desires must be firm and ardent, and graces exercised. This instance of the power of prayer, encourages every Christian to be earnest in prayer. God never says to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek my face in vain. Where there may not be so much of miracle in God's answering our prayers, yet there may be as much of grace.
Many will utter a PRAYER, many will promise to PRAY, which is fine, WHEN it is done so IN FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS, which INVOKES the SUPERNATURAL POWERS of THE LORD, HIS GRACE, and MERCY! Alas, many PRAY insincerely, and without BELIEF that their PRAYERS will be answered, according to *GOD'S* WILL! We must never forget, or ignore that HIS WILL SHALL BE DONE, and that sometimes, it IS of HIS WILL that we suffer, which may be temporary, or not! In PRAYERS OF FAITH, we TRUST HIS WISDOM, and WILL, even in sickness, and failing health; for we know NOT HIS PLAN for any of us, at least in particular contexts! So, FAITH MUST BE TRUTHFUL, and SOLID when PRAYING unto HIM, along with THANKS, GRATITUDE, PRAISE, and WORSHIP, and then, we must REJOICE FOR HIS PRESENCE in our lives; RIGHTFULLY placing HIS POWERS PROMINENTLY OVER all which is of us, or this world!!!
BELIEVE TO RECEIVE, according to HIS WILL! TRUST HIS decisions at ALL times, in all matters, and also TRUST HIM to lead us through! STAND FIRM IN FAITH, and may *GOD* BLESS those who seek HIM in TRUTH, and SPIRIT!!!
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