James 5:12-20 Prayer of Faith

James 5:12-20 NIV
"The prayer of the righteous person is powerful and effective." (vs 16)

God hears our prayers and the prayers of faith are answered. Sometimes the answer is not as we would expect them. Sometimes there's a but of upside down stuff going on before we get to see God's good response to the prayer. When God answers prayers for the good of His children, sometimes we see not so happy endings for those who would harm His children.

When the prophet  Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. When he prayed for the rain, the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (vs 17-18) Sometimes drought is prayed for so that the people will appreciate and thank God for the rain when God gives it.

I spend many hours a week in prayer. The devil likes to come in and steal some of my time with God. Sometimes, things like my alarm not going off will cause me to lose some of this precious time with God. Sometimes, others will have a need or a crisis. Without prayer though; these crises cannot be handled well. Things get a little chaotic when I don't have the time with God. I can do nothing without Him. The most powerful answer to any crisis begins with prayer.

If there is a need; pray. If someone is sick; pray. If someone has wandered away from the flock and is lost; pray. The prayers of faith are powerful and effective. Let us pray and sing praises always to God who is Almighty; to God our Father who listens and answers.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 9:28-36 Mountain Top Transfiguration

Luke 9:28-36 NIV
I've read the Holy Bible a few times now. Each reading brings more questions. One I'd like to ask about the mountain top experience of Peter, James and John is how they knew that the two men talking with Jesus were Moses and Elijah. There were no photographs in those days. Maybe, Jesus called them by name? That's just a question that runs through my mind every now and then...

Anyway, Peter, James, and John are pretty excited to see Jesus, Moses and Elijah talking together and to be there with them. They really don't know what to do. Peter wants to know if they should put up shelters for them - busy work, I guess. But, then "While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.'" (vss 34-35)

Listen to him! Listen to the Word of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Mark 9:1-13 Rising From The Dead

They had just seen Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus on the mountain. Moses and Elijah had both died long before; yet, the three disciples had seen them with their own eyes talking with Jesus.

"As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant." (Mark 9:9-10 NIV)

We still discuss this among ourselves today. What does it mean to rise from the dead? Is it a spiritual awakening? Is it a physical resurrection? For Jesus, it meant that even though he died a physical death and was buried; he rose from the dead. He lives, again! Yet, in the garden when Mary was looking for Jesus, she did not recognize her until he called her by name. Had his physical appearance changed so much? How did those three disciples even recognize Moses and Elijah on the mountain? They had never met them. There were no photographs of them for the disciples to have seen. Yet, they recognized them.

It is most certainly a physical resurrection with a transfiguration as we see in the case of Jesus. But, there is a spiritual resurrection that occurs, as well. Through faith, the old Adam dies and the new man in Christ arises. We shall live, not in the darkness of the tomb; but, in the light of the living Christ. Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Kings 17 - Elijah

Ahab, the most wicked king to date is in charge of Israel.  That would be trouble, I believe for everyone concerned.  He has set up an altar to Baal and he and his wife Jezebel worship him - that is Baal.  Bad news for Ahab.  Bad news for the people.

God sends a prophet and a drought.  No water.  No rain.  No dew.  And... it is not any prophet, but Elijah.  Of course, Elijah is probably not that well known at this point in the story.  But, he will become one of the most well-known in history. 

Elijah is an interesting character in that he appears to trust God so completely.  If God says go and say this, he says it.  If God says go and hide near the brook so that you will have water and I will send ravens to feed you, does Elijah question Him?  No, he does not question God.  Elijah just does it. 

And when Elijah speaks what God has told him to speak, others listen.  The woman and her son are about to die of starvation.  But, when Elijah says, the Lord said to feed me first and he will provide for you throughout this drought, she listens and feeds Elijah first.  She gives all that she has, trusting in this word from the LORD and she is provided for. 

Finally, the breath of life left the widow's son.  Simply put, he is dead and Elijah calls upon the LORD to give the son life once again and it is done.  In this story, we are reminded of the power of God to resurrect the dead.  It is not so unlike the story of Jesus raising Jairus' daughter; however, Jesus only had to say the word for the daughter to be raised.  (Luke 8:40-53) Elijah had to call upon God and implore the LORD to give the child life. 

The final words in this chapter by the woman to Elijah are interesting.  "Now I know that you are a man of God,a nd that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth." If she did not believe this before, why did she give him her last meal?  Hope, charity, love?  These of course are great things, but, understand it took a resurrection for her to have faith.

May you be blessed with an abundance of faith.  God's Peace - Pr. Judy