Many of you know James 5:13-18. I feel like I'm just beginning to really know it, if you know what I mean. I've got a long way to go, but at least in recent time, this is what I've seen:
1. A brother in severe back pain just before a missions trip, stand and walk within minutes of prayer, and stay strong throughout the next days of his long ride and work.
2. Another brother have potentially serious surgery near his brain, go into the hosptial one day, be told he'd be there at least 4-5 days, and in recovery for months, only--in response to many fervent prayers--have the surgery, get a wonderful report, and leave the hospital the next day!
3. A mom's long and persistent prayers for a prodigal son answered this week with him "coming home" to Christ with a contrite heart and humble faith.
4. A sister and daughter travel to Haiti to serve; get there and back safely and with a deepening heart for Christ and others; having left a mark on dozens of children and families--prayed for all the way there and back again.
5. A brother in the Lord--and son of one of our TFC sisters in Jesus, prayed for on Sunday and now--this Thursday given a medical report saying his cancer is in remission.
6. Long damaged and even broken relationships prayed for, talked through, and on the mend.
7. A brother with a recent stroke--prayed for and experienceing the sustaining grace of God in trial.
8. Another brother with cancer, not fully healed but prayed for and tasting the very good, very sufficient grace of God.
9. A brother caught in sin, and earnestly prayed for, now repenting, and being restored to family and those around him.
10. A family mourning the tragic loss of a son, but through prayer and fellowship going on with God in grace.
I could add more my friends, but this will do to make this point: pray on dear ones. Pray on!
God is soooo Good! He doesn't promise there won't be hard times but He does promise He will never leave us nor forsake us! He answers prayer always but not always the way we think! PTL for He knows best!
ReplyDeletePeter thank you for this post! God has been speaking to me about prayer this week. I would like add to your admonition - pray on dear ones. Pray on! -
ReplyDeleteThe following are the thoughts that came to mind while reading in Matthew 14.
Matthew 14:23 “And after he (Jesus) had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone …”
“He (Jesus) had dismissed the crowds” – How can I do this by way of application? What in my life do I need to “dismiss”, for a time, in order for prayer to have the priority that Jesus placed on it.
Jesus after having spent a day with the crowds went “by himself to pray”. It caused me to ask, after I have spent a day working should I spend some time on the “mountain”, by myself, to pray? And, if so, how long do I spend in prayer? Where would be a place that I could, in a practical sense, call my “mountain”?
It appears, from the text, that he spent some significant amount of time in prayer. “When evening came, he was there alone …” He started in the daylight and ended in the evening.
How long should I pray?
Another interesting fact is, the text emphasizes spent the time isolated from others: “he went up…by himself to pray” and “When evening came, he was…alone…” How important is it that I spend time alone, with God?
One ending thought, Jesus was a prayer warrior. Were his prayers answered.
Read John 17. Then ask yourself, Am I in Christ? How did it come about?
Imitate Him! Go and do likewise! This is the counsel God has been giving to me.
For some reason my mind played tricks on me. Thank you Tim for this post!
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