Read God's Word, James 5, starting at verse 13.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.
Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
Is anyone among you ill?
Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.
The Lord will raise them up.
If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other
so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,
and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Again he prayed and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crops.
My brothers and sisters,
if one of you should wander from the truth
and someone should bring that person back,
remember this,
whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way
will save them from death
and cover over a multitude of sins.
I'm going to pray and then we're going to look at God's word.
And before we do,
I just want to make just a brief comment about this text.
We've been looking through James.
This is the last one in the series.
This is probably the hardest part of James.
It's one of the hardest parts in the New Testament
and it's one of the hardest parts in the whole Bible.
It's a difficult passage.
And as we go through this,
you may be thinking,
I've got a question here.
I'm not quite sure about that.
So please,
please do talk to me afterwards.
Come back if you've got any questions
or if something wasn't clear,
please come and ask as to what it's all about.
Having said it's difficult,
we can ask for the Holy Spirit to help us
to bring light to his word and to our lives.
So let's pray for his help right now.
Father, we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit
to understand your word.
where there is confusion,
you would bring clarity.
And we pray, Father,
that we would learn much this morning
and be encouraged and built up.
And I pray that there will be nothing
that I say
that would bring any kind of distress
to any person here,
but rather that your word
and the words that I speak
would only lead to building up
and to great encouragement.
Father, please be at work.
We ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So what do you think
is the best thing you could do
for someone in the church family?
What do you think would be
one of the most helpful things you could do?
You might think,
in practical ways,
that I could maybe make a meal for somebody.
I could go visit them.
If they've got children,
I could look after them.
What would you think you could do
that would help someone in your church family?
Well, James tells us here
the answer to that question.
Look at verse 19.
My brothers and sisters,
if one of you should wonder from the truth
and someone should bring that person back,
remember this,
whoever turns a sinner
from the error of their way
will save them from death
and cover over a multitude of sins.
As members of God's family,
we're called to watch out
for our brothers and sisters.
We're to turn each other
from wandering away from God
and to turn each other back
to the Lord Jesus.
That is the best thing
we could do for one another.
And how are we going to do that?
Well, James gives us
the answer through this text.
Pray.
Always pray.
Look at verse 13.
Is any one of you in trouble?
Is anybody here suffering?
Are you going through trials?
Are you going through struggles?
Well, you know what?
Pray.
Pray for each other.
Is anyone here happy?
Is life going well for you?
Are you content?
Well, pray for them.
Offer songs of praise.
Thanksgiving to God.
You see, God wants His people to pray.
And the Father delights
when we cry out to Him in prayer.
And one of the best prayers
that we can pray for each other
is to pray
that those who are turning
and wandering away from Christ
will turn back to Christ
and be forgiven
and be restored.
Prayers that turn people
who are walking away from Christ
and turn them back to Christ
so they can be forgiven
and restored.
So two big prayers
that we are encouraged
to pray for one another.
Here's the first one.
Pray for healing.
Look at verse 15.
It tells us there
that the prayer offered in faith
will make the sick person well,
the Lord will raise them up.
And then in verse 16
we get something similar.
It tells us in the middle of 16,
Pray for each other
so that you may be healed.
So we're to pray for each other's healing.
But this healing
is much more than just
physical healing.
Look at verse 14.
Is anyone among you ill?
Is anybody sick?
Let them call the elders of the church
to pray over them
and anoint them with oil.
So this anointing with oil
was symbolic.
It was a way of kind of
setting the person apart,
saying we're going to pray
for this person
and commit them to the Lord.
So anoint them with oil
in the name of the Lord.
Now before we get into
the detail of that,
let me just say two things
about what it's not saying.
Okay?
It's not saying
that elders have
special healing powers.
As with any healing,
look at verse 15.
It tells us that the prayer
is offered in faith.
So it's not the elders demanding,
but the elders entrusting
to God's good and perfect will.
We offer the prayer in faith.
And as verse 15 also tells us,
it is the Lord
who will raise them up.
It's not the elders,
but it is the Lord
through prayer
that will raise them up.
So the elders don't have
any special healing powers.
That's the first thing
it's not saying.
The other thing
that it's not saying
is that if you stub
your big toe
or if you suffer
a little bit of man flu,
that you're to call
the elders.
It's not saying that.
Elders are not a replacement
for South Dock.
Yes, we should pray
if we're sick
and yes, we should pray
if we're not feeling well,
but it doesn't mean
to say we call the elders
for every little illness
that we might have.
It seems to be
in this context
that the illness
is serious
and is related
to turning away
from God.
So look again
at the beginning
of verse 14.
Is anyone among you sick?
Let them call the elders.
Well, why call the elders
if somebody is sick?
Well, the elders of the church
are shepherds
who care for the sheep,
God's people.
They've been given
spiritual oversight
of the church.
They're to ensure
that each and every one of us
are walking in the truth
and not wandering away.
And where people think
illness is related
to their wandering
away from Christ,
they're to call
the elders.
Let me try and expand
this a bit more.
Remember some of the issues
that James has been
addressing in the church.
Back in chapter 1,
we saw that some of the people
in the church
were overlooking
the most vulnerable people,
the widows
and the orphans,
and they've left them
in terrible distress.
Others have been
discriminating,
favouring the wealthy
over the poor.
They were tearing
each other apart
by their own words,
slandering one another.
Fights and quarrels
were existing
within the church
and perhaps worst of all,
we saw this
at the beginning
of chapter 5,
some were hoarding
their wealth
and were oppressing
the weak
and it seems
that some of them
even died
because of the injustice
and oppression.
Terrible things
were happening
in the church.
They were wandering
away from the truth.
So it seems
that the sickness
that is present
is related
to their wandering
away from Christ.
And the way
to see them healed
and restored
is to pray,
verse 15.
And the prayer
offered in faith
will make the sick
person well,
the Lord will
raise them up.
If they have sinned,
they will be
forgiven.
Now,
at one level
that seems
straightforward,
but maybe we're
sitting here this morning
and thinking,
well,
I'm not feeling
so well today.
I'm feeling
a bit sick.
I wonder
if that's related
to some particular
sin that I might
have committed.
Do I need
to call the elders?
Well,
let me give you
two answers
to that.
First,
you can read it
there on the screen.
In John's Gospel,
chapter 9,
verses 1 to 3,
it tells us here
that Jesus,
as he went along,
he saw a blind
man from birth.
His disciples
asked him,
Rabbi,
who sinned,
this man
or his parents,
that he was
born blind?
Oh,
sorry.
I've got it on the screen.
There we go.
Let me read it again.
Okay?
So,
Jesus,
as he went along,
he saw a man
blind from birth.
His disciples
asked him,
Rabbi,
who sinned,
this man
or his parents,
that he was
born blind?
So,
they're thinking
that the reason
he's blind
is because of
some sin somewhere.
Look at Jesus'
reply.
Neither this man
nor his parents
sinned,
said Jesus.
But this happened
so that the work
of God
might be displayed
in him.
So,
Jesus wants us
to be absolutely
clear that if we
have some illness
or sickness,
it doesn't always
mean that it's
the result of
some particular
sin.
We need to be
very,
very careful
about people
who claim
that you're sick
because of some
sin in your life.
Some of the
programs that you'll
watch on the
God channel
will tell you
that.
we need to
stay clear
of false
teaching which
says if you're
sick,
it's because of
some sin
in your life.
The second
answer that we
want to give
to the question
of sin and
sickness,
it comes in
1 Corinthians
chapter 11.
So,
in this context,
Paul here is
writing about
the Lord's
Supper and
he's really
upset,
he's annoyed
about what's
happening when
they share in
the Lord's
Supper.
So,
look at 1
Corinthians
chapter 11
verse 20.
So then,
when you
come together,
it's not the
Lord's Supper
you eat.
For when you
are eating,
some of you
go ahead with
your own
private suppers.
So,
it's like they
all gather
together in
somebody's house,
the wealthy
are all eating
and they're
leaving those
who don't have
much outside,
and they're
eating their
food.
As a result,
one person
remains hungry
and another
one gets
drunk.
So,
instead of
celebrating
the Lord's
Supper,
they're getting
drunk on
the wine.
Things are
in chaos
and disorder.
And Paul
responds to
them in
verse 13.
He says,
that is why
many among
you are
weak and
ill and
a number of
you have
fallen asleep.
So,
in this
context,
Paul is
making a
direct
connection
between
their sickness
and sin.
he says,
because you
have been
unrepentant,
because you
haven't turned
back to
God,
some of
the people
in the
church
had even
died.
That's what
it means
when it
said they'd
fallen asleep.
It
hadn't
mean they
fell asleep
in the
service.
They had
actually
died.
You see,
God takes
sin seriously
and sometimes
God in
love will
discipline
his people
so that
they turn
back to
God.
So,
go with
me back
to James
where we
were,
James
chapter 5.
So,
how are
we to
understand
this
sin and
sickness
issue that
we're looking
at here?
Well,
look at the
text carefully.
Chapter 5,
end of
verse 15.
It says,
if they
have sinned,
they will
be forgiven.
it does
not mean
their
sickness
is a
result of
sin,
but,
James is
saying,
it could
be
related.
So,
here's how
I think
this all
works out
in practice,
verses 14
and 15.
Let me
give you a
little scenario.
I don't
think there's
anybody called
Bob here.
I've tried to
think of a
name that
nobody has
called
Bob.
There's no
Bobs,
so we're
not thinking
of anyone
in particular.
So,
let's suppose
the elders
get a call
from Bob.
Bob.
Now,
Bob could
be a
member of
the
congregation.
Bob could
even be
one of
the elders.
And he
rings up
to say,
he's sick.
He's not
well.
And Bob
also knows
that,
well,
he's been
wandering
away from
Christ.
And he's
been ignoring
blatant sin
in his
life.
And in
response,
the elders
go to
pray for
his
healing.
And as
they pray,
opportunity
is given
for confession,
for repentance
to the
Lord for
any sin.
If the
sickness is
a result of
some sin,
they will
be healed
and forgiven.
You see,
sin is
serious.
God can't
ignore it,
especially
among his
people,
the church.
And while
it's not our
place to
judge and
condemn and
say,
well,
the reason
this person
is sick
is because
of what
they said
or what
they did,
sometimes
God in
his kindness
and in
his goodness
may cause
somebody to
be laid
aside so
that they
can examine
their own
hearts and
turn back
to him
in repentance.
The writer
to the
Hebrews put
it like this,
you can
follow it
on the
screen.
God
disciplines
us for
our good
in order
that we
might share
in his
holiness.
No discipline
seems pleasant
at the time
but painful.
Later on,
however,
it produces
a harvest
of righteousness
and peace
for those
who have
been trained
by it.
Now,
let me
please
underline
that not
all sickness
is related
to sin.
I want us
to be clear,
I want us
all to hear
that.
So if you're
here today
and you're
not feeling
well and
you're living
in right
relationship
with the
Lord,
don't be
thinking,
God is
doing
something
to me.
But
sometimes,
in a
serious
matter,
sickness
can be
part of
God's
discipline.
We need
to take
sin
seriously.
We need
to repent.
and
of
avail
of
God's
wonderful
forgiveness
of healing
and
restoration.
So,
sin
and
sickness,
repentance
and healing.
Look at
verse 16.
So in
the light
of all
of this,
verse 16,
therefore,
confess your
sins to
each other
and pray
for each
other so
that you
may be
healed.
God
and his
wonderful
plan
and
goodness
has
given
to
us
each
other
and
through
our
prayers
for
one
another
we
can
care
for
each
other
spiritually.
You see,
the church
is not a place
where we
hide our
sin and
where we
come
together
and we
pretend
how good
we are.
No,
the church
is to be
a safe
and secure
family
where we
can confess
our sin
and ask
others
to pray
for us.
That's what
verse 16
is saying,
therefore,
as you
come together,
confess your
sins to
each other
and pray
for each
other so
that you
may be
healed.
Instead of
condemning
and judging
and pointing
fingers,
we point
one another
back to
the Lord
Jesus
who forgives
all our
sins,
restores
us and
renews us
because in
Christ we
find a
fresh start
and a
new
beginning.
The sign
of a
healthy
and a
mature
church
is when
I or
you can
go to
another
person
and seek
help.
We can
go to
them and
say,
look,
you know
what,
I've been
really bitter
and angry
over these
last number
of days.
We can
share with
people our
struggles
with addiction.
Perhaps
we've been
watching porn
and we
know we
shouldn't.
We need
somebody to
help us.
We need
to be
honest about
covering over
issues where
we've been
lying or
there's been
deception.
Or maybe
it's going to
someone and
facing up and
saying,
you know
what,
I haven't
been loving
my wife
the way I
should have
been.
Will you
pray for
me?
Will you
help me?
We can
confess and
receive the
prayers and
support of
our brothers
and sisters.
The church
family is
not to be
a place
of
condemnation,
but a
family of
restoration,
of building
one another
up.
And as
we do
this,
we bring
healing to
our hearts,
healing to
our relationships
with one
another,
healing where
it applies
to our
bodies,
and healing
ultimately in
our relationship
with God.
Through
prayer,
as we
pray for
one another,
we turn
each other
back towards
Christ.
So,
the first
big prayer
we are to
pray,
pray for
healing.
The second
big prayer
to pray for
each other
is to pray
for restoration.
Look at
verse 17.
Elijah was
a human
being,
even as
we are.
He prayed
earnestly
that it
would not
rain,
and it
didn't
rain on
the land
for three
and a
half years.
Again,
he prayed
and the
heavens gave
rain,
and the
earth
produced
its crops.
Now,
I don't
think James
is going
and talking
about healing
and saying,
look how
wonderful
prayer is
here,
and you
know what?
With
your prayers,
you can
control the
weather.
you're off
to the
beach
tomorrow.
Stop
raining
now.
Or maybe
you want
a bit of
rain for
your flowers.
Start
raining
now.
I don't
think that's
why he's
talking about
Elijah here,
as we'll
see.
The example
of God,
of introducing
us to
Elijah as
a man who
prayed about
rain,
is because
Elijah was
used by
God to
turn people
who were
wandering
away from
God,
back to
God,
through
prayer.
You see,
verses 17
and 18
relate to
one of the
most incredible
accounts in
the Old
Testament.
So I'd like
us to go
back and
look at
that,
if you
keep your
finger in
James 5
and go
back to
1 Kings.
I hope
some of you
managed to
read
chapter 18.
I sent a
note out
about that
in the
week.
I hope
you're able
to read
it.
If you
did,
you'll be
blessed
because it
will help
you now.
So we'll
go back
to 1
Kings 17
and I
haven't got
a page
number so
if someone
could help
me out
again.
3-5-9
to 1
Kings
chapter 17.
So as
you're looking
that up,
let me set
the scene
here.
The king
at the
time over
God's
people Israel
was the
evil Ahab.
He was
worse,
the worst
king that
had ever
been.
His wife
was the
notorious
Jezebel.
What she
did in her
past time
was to
round up
all of
God's
prophets,
kill them
and then
replace them
with false
prophets.
They had
no time
for God's
words.
And as a
result,
God's
people were
on this
downward
spiral,
drifting
further
and
further
away
from
God.
They've
been
committing
spiritual
adultery.
They've
been turning
from the
one true
God to
other
gods
and living
as they
pleased.
And it's
into this
context that
Elijah arrives
and now
speaks
and now
prays.
So chapter
17,
verse 1.
Now
Elijah,
the Tishbite
from Tishbi
in Gilead,
said to
Ahab,
remember he's
the evil
king,
the one
who's
ruling
over
God's
people.
As the
Lord of
God of
Israel
lives,
whom I
serve,
there will
be neither
dew nor
rain in
the next
few years
except at
my word.
No
rain.
Why?
Well,
God is
disciplining
his people.
Sin is
serious and
it can't
be overlooked.
God's
desire
that they
would
return to
him,
be restored
and be
forgiven
or something
much worse
could happen.
Well,
after that
prayer,
about three
years later,
the people
still haven't
turned back
to God
and Elijah
calls all
the people
of Israel
together
and Ahab
and all
the false
prophets
and he
gathers
them together
at a place
called Mount
Carmel.
Look at
chapter 18
verse 21.
Chapter
18
verse 21.
Elijah
went before
the people
and said,
how long
will you
waver
between two
opinions?
If the
Lord is
God,
follow him.
But if
Baal,
one of the
false gods
is God,
follow him.
Decision
time.
You've
been
drifting
and doing
your own
things.
Who are
you going
to follow?
Well,
after calling
all the
people
together,
Elijah gets
the false
prophets.
You might
know the
account where
all the
false prophets
come together
there to
build an
altar and
they kill
a bull and
they put
the bull
on top.
Elijah does
exactly the
same.
He builds
his altar,
he slaughters
a bull and
he puts it
on top and
then he
challenges
them to
pray.
Verse 24,
Then you
call on the
name of
your God
and I
will call
on the
name of
the Lord.
The God
who answers
by fire,
he is
God.
Then all
the people
said,
what you
say is
good.
Right?
So they're
all going
to pray,
whoever
answers with
fire upon
the altar,
well that's
going to
be the
one true
God.
So the
false prophets
get to
pray,
they pray,
and nothing
happens.
They shout
louder,
they start
cutting
themselves,
but nothing
happens.
Their so-called
gods are
powerless.
They offer
them absolutely
nothing,
because wandering
away from
God leaves
us empty
and unfulfilled.
Now it's
Elijah's
turn.
To make
a point,
he gets
a whole
load of
water and
he pours
it all
over his
altar,
he digs
a trench
around it
and he
pours more
water on it,
so everything
is absolutely
sodden.
And then
Elijah prays,
but look
carefully at
what he
prays,
chapter 18
verse 37,
chapter 18
verse 37,
So here's
Elijah praying
for the
people who
have been
turning against
God.
Here's what
he prays,
Answer me,
Lord,
answer me,
so these
people will
know that
you,
Lord,
are God
and that
you are
turning their
hearts back
again.
Then the
fire of the
Lord fell
and burned
up the
sacrifice,
the wood,
the stones
and the
soil,
and also
licked up
the water
in the
trench.
When all
the people
saw this,
they fell
prostrate and
cried,
The Lord,
he is
God.
The Lord,
he is
God.
You see,
God's desire
all through
this is that
his people
would stop
wandering
and turn
back to
God.
But did
you notice
how they
turned back?
Look at
verse 37,
look at
the prayer.
Answer me,
Lord,
answer me,
so these
people will
know that
you,
Lord,
are God
and that
you are
turning their
hearts back
again.
God turns
the hearts
of the
people back
to God
as Elijah
prays.
And at the
end of the
account,
Elijah prays
again,
the rains
fall after
three and a
half years
as a sign
of God's
forgiveness,
blessing and
restoration.
Now go back
with me,
please,
to James
chapter 5.
Back to
James.
A big
detour,
but I think
it's helpful
for us to
understand
what's behind
Elijah's
prayer.
Now you
might remember
how James
confronted the
church that
he writes
to.
In
chapter 4,
verse 4,
look at how
James refers
to the
people.
James
chapter 4,
verse 4.
You
adulterous
people,
don't you
know that
friendship with
the world
means enmity
against God?
He's saying
to them,
will you stop
committing
adultery?
Stop committing
spiritual adultery.
Stop turning
away from
God to
other lovers.
It happened
at the time
of Elijah,
it's happening
to the people
here that
James is
writing to,
and it can
happen to
you and
to me.
It's a
warning.
Don't drift
away from
the Lord.
But here's
the good news
for us.
On another
mountain,
not Mount
Carmel,
but on the
mountain of
crucifixion,
the ultimate
sacrifice took
place.
Where Jesus
Christ laid
down his
life on the
altar of the
cross.
Where he took
my sin and
your sin,
and the fire
of God's
judgment did
come down
from heaven,
and it fell
on Christ.
And now
God calls
all the people
of the world
to say,
look at this
mountain,
look at
Jesus,
look at
my son on
the altar
of the
cross,
who makes
it possible
for wanderers
like you and
me to be
restored and
be forgiven.
Just flick a
couple of
pages forward
to 1st Peter
chapter 2.
After James
comes Peter,
1st Peter
chapter 2
verse 24.
I think this
helpfully summarizes
what we're
getting at
here.
1st Peter
chapter 2
verse 24.
He,
talking of
Jesus,
himself bore
our sins in
his body on
the cross,
so that we
might die to
sins and live
for righteousness.
By his
wounds you
have been
healed.
For you
were like
sheep going
astray,
but now you
have returned
to the
shepherd and
overseer of
your souls.
You see,
we are to
watch out
for each
other,
point each
other back
to the
cross,
and pray
for one
another's
restoration.
So two
big prayers
we can pray
for each
other.
Pray for
healing,
pray for
restoration,
and pray
because prayer
is powerful
and effective.
Look at
what it
says in
James
chapter 5,
the end
of verse
15.
James
chapter 5,
the end
of verse
15.
Sorry,
the end
of verse
16.
James
5,
verse 16.
It says,
the prayer
of a
righteous
person is
powerful
and
effective.
Elijah
was a
human
being,
even
as we
are.
You see,
Elijah
was a
righteous
man,
and his
prayers
were
powerful
and
effective.
They
changed
people.
Well,
you say,
well,
that's
because
Elijah
was a
prophet.
He
was
God's
specially
chosen
person.
He's
different
to you
and I.
But look
what it
says in
verse 17.
Elijah
was a
human
being
even
as
we
are.
He
was
full of
flaws
and
failures,
but yet
God
used him
to turn
people
back to
God
as he
prayed.
That
means
God
can
use
us
like
he
used
Elijah.
We
can
pray
the
same
kind
of
prayer
that
Elijah
prayed.
Answer
me,
Lord,
answer
me,
so
that
these
people
will
know
that
you
Lord
are
God
and
that
you
are
turning
their
hearts
back
again.
Now I
don't
understand
how
prayer
works.
Prayer
can be
confusing,
but this
is something
we can be
absolutely
sure of,
that God
works
when we
pray.
As we
pray these
kind of
prayers,
God
works in
the hearts
of those
who
wandered
away,
causing
them to
turn in
repentance
back to
God.
The
prayer of
a righteous
person is
powerful
and effective
and the
prayers that
we pray
for our
church
family
are
powerful
and
effective.
God
has
placed
us
into
a
church
family
to
care
for
one
another,
to
support
one
another,
and so
we
must
watch
out
for
each
other.
Verse
19,
my
brothers
and
sisters,
if one
of you
should
wander
from
the
truth
and
someone
should
bring
that
person
back,
remember
this,
whoever
turns a
sinner
from
the
error
of
their
way
will
save
them
from
death
and
cover
over
a
multitude
of
sins.
How
do you
respond
if
you
realize
that
somebody
is
missing
for a
few
weeks,
you
haven't
seen
them
for a
while?
Do you
just
ignore it
and think
oh,
whatever.
We
should
give them
a ring.
Find
out,
make
sure
they
are
okay
and
if
they
are
wandering
to
encourage
them
and
help
them
back
to
Christ.
Do you
ever ring
to find
out how
somebody
is doing?
Maybe
you notice
sinful
patterns
and
behaviors
in your
own
life,
in my
life.
Would you
come to
me and
say,
Johnny,
I didn't
like the
way you've
been
talking,
I don't
like the
way you've
been
behaving.
you need
to
recognize
that you
need to
turn back
to God.
You see,
God has
placed us
in his
family to
restore
one another
and there
is no
sin that
is so
great
that God's
grace
cannot
deal with.
I need
you and
you need
me.
Together
we need
one another
and the
best thing
we can
do for
each other
is to
pray.
Pray that
we will
turn from
our sin,
turn from
our wandering
away from
him and
turn back
to Christ
in repentance.
Prayer is
powerful
and effective.
Through
prayer we
are healed
and restored.
Let's
now just
take a
time to
pray.
I'm
going to
leave
just a
quiet
time
just for
you to
bring your
own personal
requests to
the Lord.
But here's
how I would
like us to
pray.
Maybe you
know somebody
today,
somebody in
your own
family,
maybe a
friend,
maybe somebody
from this
church,
someone who
you know is
wandering
away,
who has
turned away
from God.
Pray for
that person
now.
Pray that
God would
work in
their life
and turn
that family
member,
that friend,
that person
to repentance
so that they
can know
full healing
and full
restoration.
Let's just
do that
now in
the
quietness.
Let's just
do that now in
the quietness.
Welcome
to the
stop.
Thank you.
Father, you know those who we care for and love, and we know that you long that each and every one of us would walk closely with you.
We pray that you would hear our prayer, that you would answer, and by your grace you would cause your wandering people to turn back to you.
We pray, Father, that we ourselves, that you would forgive us of our sin.
Forgive us where we have not walked with you as we should.
Father, restore us.
Make us strong.
By your grace, enable us that we would keep walking with you, we pray.
In Jesus' name we ask.
Amen.
We're going to sing together.
Father, come thou fount of every blessing.
Amen.
Thank you.