Please, pray with us.

I’ve been “bugged”. Had our regular flu shots yesterday and my annual reaction set in – sinus swelling, drainage and scratchy throat. Pharyngitis shouldn’t even be spelled in such away to make the sound “fair”, for there is nothing fair about it. Thank goodness this isn’t full-blown pharyngitis so there is just a scratchy throat, not the barbed-wire pulling with every swallow.

I’m not really in need of healing, either, but several people I know are. My granddaughter and great-granddaughter have the type-A flu. Please say a prayer for their health. A friend’s son, being treated for cancer, has H1N1 and is hospitalized with pneumonia. He needs our prayers, too.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16 KJV)

Prayer is a wonderful gift from God. It’s the faith part we need to work on:

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:20 KJV)

He felt it important enough to give the lesson more than once:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:21-22 KJV)

The New Testament has many examples of answered prayer:

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. (Luke 1:13 KJV)

Even here we’re given an example of disbelief:

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. (Luke 1:18 KJV)

We can’t expect our questions to be answered by Gabriel, nor do we really want the proof offered to Zacharias:

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. (Luke 1:20 KJV)

We are given a heavenly example of how to pray:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)

Please, pray with us.