6-26-22 Today in the Word

Prayer and Power Sunday, June 26 | James 5:13–20 On the Go? Listen to Today's Devotional The late evangelist Billy Graham once admitted, “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’” Graham was not the first follower to ever feel this way. James, the half-brother of Jesus, could relate as could recipients of his letter. We, too, need to be reminded that the effective prayer of a righteous person has tremendous power. Taking time to pray for the big and little things in our lives orients us to the Father’s will and the Spirit’s ways. In our text today, James reminds us of the importance of church leaders praying for the flock and ministering to the needs of their congregation. The Christian life will be a constant roller-coaster of emotions because of the nature of our sin, rubbing shoulders with those in need, as well as seeing God’s promises and our prayers fulfilled. James reminds us that we can go directly to God with our requests, and much can be accomplished through our prayers (v. 16). After giving a biblical example of the power of prayer, James ends with a call to live out the truth of the gospel. Wherever the Lord leads us, we are to tell others about the restorative hope that is found in Jesus Christ (v. 19). Throughout his letter, James explains what it means to have real, authentic faith. A faith that is lived out by making a difference in other lives. Prayer is the first step in living out your faith and helping someone else get a second chance. The Christian life is not easy, but prayer gives us the strength we need. >> Do you know anyone who needs a second chance? Pray that the Lord would “make the sick person well” and “raise them up” (v. 15). Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with them and a pathway to lead them back to Jesus. Pray with Us Lord God, intervene in the lives of the troubled and the sick. For Your glory, give them help and healing and cause them to recognize Your hand in their circumstances. Let them join the joyful, singing songs of praise.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more