Day 8 of 21 Days of Fasting

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

The author of our devotional "Are You Ready for a Miracle" does a great job applying the second half of this scripture to our goals of miracles, healing, and spiritual growth. There is no need for me to go over his text. However, I would like to shed some light on the first part of this scripture. Because we are a church of only 6 years, it is obvious that all of our congregation, beside those that are newly saved, have come from other churches. That in itself is ok. I understand that we find ourselves in different phases of life and one ministry may serve or meet our needs more effectively than another. And at the same time we may find ourselves called of God to serve in another ministry that needs our assistance. Those things being said, it is important to recognize that sometimes we leave things behind that ought to have been attended to. Things like forgiveness, repentance, and making things right with others. The first part of the verse says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." There is an instruction we must obey before we may be healed! We must confess our sins to one another. What does that mean? If you have sins in your life you must confess them before God, and ask forgiveness from the one we have sinned against. Every sin causes a ripple to force its way into the lives of those around us. Anger causes more pain to those around us in the end. Selfishness withholds love from our friends and family. Lust robs our spouses of the affection due them. See where this scripture is leading? It leads us back to Christ and those that we have offended. How can we pray with fervency to the God that unselfishly gave His son to die for us when we have not made things right with others? If we truly desire the miracles we are praying and fasting for, the need to make things right will overcome the fear of embarrasment or the anger we harbor. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to matters left behind. Confess your sins, ask forgiveness, and be free from the bondages of sin. Then pray with fervency for your hands and heart will be clean before the Lord allowing Him to move in your life.
God Bless