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

Matthew 8 - Jesus and Storms

Faith is a major theme in our chapter today. Trusting in the LORD to make us whole. In today's reading we find Jesus healing the sick and kicking out demons. He, also, tells everyone that there will be a cost to following him. One must be willing to leave everything else behind them in order to truly follow him.

But, the story from chapter eight that has always really intrigued me is the story of Jesus calming the sea. You see, the part that is often missed in this story is that the storm does not begin until after the disciples follow Jesus on to the boat. They join him on the boat and then the rain comes down, the wind rages, the seas roll. Jesus is resting peacefully as if there is nothing to be worried about and there is not anything for them to worry about. Jesus is with them. He has the power and the authority to calm the most raging of seas.

As we leave behind the safety and comfort of all that we have known to follow Jesus there will be many storms. As you get on board with Jesus you will face many obstacles. But, fear not. Jesus is with you through each and every one of them. He will calm your storms. He will calm your fears. Have faith. He will save you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 14 - False Gods And Droughts

Despite the fact that the LORD tells Jeremiah to quit praying for the welfare of these back-sliding people, Jeremiah continues to pray for them and even attempts to justify them by making excuses for them.

But, the LORD knows the truth and they will suffer what they will suffer and that includes the false prophets who keep promising peace in a place where there is no peace. There is no peace in a land where the people worship false gods. Will the false gods help them? No, they will not. Neither, will ours. We bring the calamity upon ourselves when we turn our backs on God and listen to those who would please our itching ears; when we worship anything other than the one true God.

Yesterday, after spending the day touring local waterfalls and the beach, and a couple of stops at the Aura Jamboree, I brought my grandchildren home to their father. Then, I came home to crash on the couch. Nothing worthwhile on television for sure. I flipped through news channel after news channel wondering in amazement how Martin and Zimmerman was still the top headline of the day since it has been about a week since Zimmerman's acquittal. I flipped through reruns of Criminal Minds and Law and Order and an assortment of other programs; finally flipping to the section of religious programming. About five minutes of bouncing from one false prophet after another telling us how we could get rich in this world was all I could take. Oi! Sometimes, I'm a little slow; but, I finally figured out that it would be best to stop flipping mindlessly through channels and spend some one on one time with God. The latter proved to be much more blessed experience.

And... God's people were, and many still are, listening to the false prophets. Happiness, it seems, is about silver and gold and yes, even green paper with pictures of presidents and from being a spectator of those famous calamities that we call stars that exhibit very poor behavior and lack of faith on that flat screen in our living rooms. Idols come in different shapes and sizes today, but they are still false idols which steer us away from a real relationship with the One who loves us more than all others.

Is your life is empty? Are you living in a drought? Then, hear the prayer of Jeremiah:
"Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
    Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
    Therefore our hope is in you,
    for you are the one who does all this." (Jer 14:22 NIV)

Return to the LORD, to the One who loves you. Let your hope rest in Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Job 37 - Seasons - Nothing We Can Do About Them

Elihu lifts up the majesty and power of God.  And, it is indeed amazing!  He is in control of all the forces of nature. 

The seasons change.  They have changed every year since the beginning. Yet, we hear complaints about every season.  Every season brings challenges.  The spring is too muddy, the summer too hot, the fall is too windy, and winter is just too cold or there is either too much snow or not enough for the snow-mobilers and skiers.

Every region of the world has its specific weather challenges.  We were in South Carolina this summer.  It was too hot. We spent most of the time in the air conditioning watching television. It has been wet and colder here in the Upper Peninsula - not freezing yet, but colder the last few weeks. We've even had a few snowflakes.  And... I have already begun to hear the complaint, "It is too cold up here."  Actually, it's not.  It's about right for this time of year. 

I remember vacationing up here while we were living in various other regions of the earth.  It always amazed me that the conversations always focused on the weather.  Not enough rain!  Too much rain!  Too hot!  Too cold!  Rarely, did I ever hear the weather is just right.  I'm not sure how it happened, but instead of standing in awe of how beautiful the various seasons that God created are, human beings tend to complain them.  There is always something wrong with the weather.  It's like calling an inanimate object stupid when we're angry.  How can the weather be wrong?  It just is.  That's how God created it to be.  God is in charge of it. 

Personally, I kind of like the fact that there is something in this world that we haven't figured out how to manipulate, and that is the weather and the seasons.  I love storms.  I love to sit and watch the lightning and hear the thunder roar.  It reminds me that God is still in charge.

God's Peace - Pr. J