Available Power

Available Power

James 5: ¹⁶ So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect. ¹⁷ Elijah was the same kind of person as we are. He prayed earnestly that there would be no rain, and no rain fell on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Once again he prayed, and the sky poured out its rain and the earth produced its crops.

 

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Thinking I was by myself, I came up with plans to address my problems. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I couldn’t even breathe deeply. I called a coworker over to my apartment. He asked questions that showed he was nervous about the situation too. I began to pray because I did not know what to do. Suddenly I felt better. I went to the doctor and they could not find out what was wrong.

 

• I was scared.
• I was in pain.
• I did not know how to “fix” this.

 

James says some difficult words to hear. “Confess your sins to one another.” He implies that some, not all, ailments could be manifested by sin. He provides a remedy, namely prayer.

 

My Observations:

• Confession of my sins relieves me of guilt that could cause me to lose sleep.
• Turning away from my sins enables me to rest better because my conscience is clear.
• Asking GOD to intervene when someone tells me about his or her sins, is more powerful than gossip.

 

Praying seems weak but is extremely powerful. I mean, when I humble myself before GOD, HE is willing to listen. HE knows when I am too proud or too hateful to place things before HIM correctly. HE also knows when I am forcing HIS hand to get “my” way. BUT GOD is merciful.

 

HE brings to mind the things I need to confess and gives me an opportunity to say, “I need help with this.” HE is willing to help me when I ask for help. HE is delighted when I tell others I need help in an area of my life. HE then surrounds me with the right people to guide me back to HIM. I am glad HE is willing to heal me and put me back on the right path.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer mention confession when he later talks about being healed?
• Do you believe in the power of prayer?
• Why don’t you get your way all the time?
• Wil you tap into the power of prayer by confessing and talking to GOD on someone else’s behalf today?

First Action

First Action

James 5: ¹³ Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy? They should sing praises. ¹⁴ Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have committed will be forgiven. 

 

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Nervous about the bad news, I laid awake at night. I could not sleep for a week. We got together and discussed the impending doom. More conversations about what “could” happen were had than that of what good was going on in our lives.

 

• My first “reaction” was to start planning.
• My first “impulse” was to try to make sense out of a situation that was out of my hands.
• My first “assumption” was that everything bad was “definitely” going to happen.

 

James gives the answer to all problems, namely “pray.” He gives three ways to do this. He says people who are in trouble should talk to GOD directly about the trouble. He also says, if things are going well, people should “praise” GOD. He then says the sick may need more people to help so ask for other to “petition” to GOD in prayer.

 

Prayer seems like a last resort kind of thing. I mean, usually I try to “fix” the problem myself and when things get even worse, I panic and possible blame. BUT GOD has a different way.

 

HE wants me to come to HIM first with any problem, trouble or sickness. Asking GOD for HIS advice, direction and counsel, helps me think clearly and takes the ownership off of me and places it on HIM. This requires a vast amount of faith. Those who like to “control” situations will not like the answer of prayer. BUT GOD lives when I can praise HIM. I am glad GOD is willing to listen to me.,

 

Challenge

• What ways does the writer give in developing solutions?
• Have you ever developed a solution and things did not come out as expected?
• How did you react?
• Will you take your first action to GOD so HE can heal, fix and provide for you today?

Bigger Prayer

Bigger Prayer

Colossians 4: ¹² Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will. ¹³ I can personally testify to his hard work for you and for the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis. ¹⁴ Luke, our dear doctor, and Demas send you their greetings.

 

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Looking outside, I could see the wind thrashing wildly against the tall bushes. Heavy rain and lightning followed. During the storm I noticed delicate items like bird food and flower pots were not moving. I drove around later and a large tree was broken at the trunk. Why did the delicate items survive?

 

• I wondered why people go through troubles.
• I pondered about people who seem to go through life easy while others seem to have nothing but storms.
• I looked at the tremendous force blowing all around and wondered why something so delicate could be protected.

 

Epaphras prays a different prayer for everyone. Knowing there were many circumstances that were out of his control, he went straight to the source and prayed for GOD to “make” them stand firm. This was a bigger prayer that included the circumstances as well as the outcome.

 

My Observations

• GOD doesn’t mind me praying for a trial to go away for me or another person.
• My growth in GOD also includes becoming mature, fully convinced and completely committed to obeying the LORD.
• GOD is the source of “making” others stand firm and becoming mature and being fully convinced that HE is the only answer.

 

Looking at the circumstance can take my eyes off of GOD. I mean, I may be praying for the storm to go away instead of marveling that GOD can protect me in the middle of strong winds that come against me. I am no match for the storms. I have no weapons and the storms are frightening. BUT GOD is the source.

 

HE is the one I can go to and ask that HE orchestrate the circumstances in his or her life so he or she will be able to stand firm. GOD owns growth and standing firm as a fragile item shows HIS protective power. I am glad HE is the source that I can go to for a bigger prayer than the circumstance.

 

Challenge

• What is the prayer style of Epaphras?
• Did he ask GOD to make the problems go away or for GOD to do something else?
• Can you take your eyes off of the circumstance for a moment and marvel at GOD’s tremendous power to protect someone as delicate as you?

 

Prayer

Dear LORD, please make this reader stand firm, as a mature and fully convinced believer of JESUS, in complete obedience to YOUR will. amen

Preparation

Preparation

Acts 1: ¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

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Before the trip, a meeting was held. We gathered to discuss what we planned to do on the trip, what we were going to see and what to do if someone went missing or got hurt. During this meeting, exciting things and concerns were discussed. I left feeling prepared.

• On many occasions, I have met with people to prepare.
• On many occasions, I have gathered to hear concerns of others.
• On many occasions, I have tried to address those concerns with the information I knew.

The disciples, many woman and JESUS family gathered in the upper room after JESUS ascended into a cloud. I could only imagine the conversation of amazement and probably a little fear. I mean JESUS, who did amazing things was alive! But now HE was gone. What to do now?

• GOD wants me to prepare for my day by speaking to HIM.
• GOD wants me to gather together with others to hear their excitement and concerns.
• GOD wants me to speak with HIM constantly, because HE is always there.

Two or more hearts who believe in GOD’s power can do amazing things. Their belief touches GOD so much, HE opens their eyes to what HE has already done. HE provides assurance that HE cares by placing the right people around me when I need them. Prayer prepares me.

• How do you start your day?
• Do you speak to GOD, asking HIM to guide you every day?
• Will you gather with others to hear and express excitement about GOD and concerns about their lives and yours?

Prayers Are Heard

Luke 18: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, “Grant me justice against my adversary.”

⁴ ‘For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, “Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!”’

⁶ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’

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After months of trying, I finally gave up the search. I was destined to be stuck in the town I despised. “I guess I’d better start liking this town” I said to myself. I stopped applying for jobs, but my prayer life, while new, was still going. My prayer changed from “Get me out of this town” to “If it is YOUR will, then guide me.” Months later I moved.

• There have been many times when I felt like giving up.
• There have been many times when I had no resolution to my situation.
• There have been many times when I thought my world was collapsing while everyone else was doing well.

JESUS told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. HE explained how a persistent widow kept going to a godless person and got what she wanted. How much then would GOD, who cares for you, give you what you want?

• GOD says to me “Keep praying, for I hear you.”
• GOD says to me “Keep asking, and I will come into your heart.”
• GOD says to me “Keep trying, for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and give you hope.”

“Are we there yet” was my childish question on, what I thought was, a long drive. But as I matured and had to drive myself, the drive seemed shorter than I thought. The same goes with spiritual maturity. “Is my prayer answered yet?” is my immature question. BUT GOD knows the areas of my life that I need to grow.

HE wants me to have the faith that sustains all extended problems of life. HE wants me to have persistence in my prayer. When JESUS returns, I would like HIM to find me with faith rather than with blame. I will continue to pray and believe.

• Do you feel like giving up?
• Has life gotten very difficult?
• Will you stop, take a deep breath and continue to pray and believe in GOD to deliver you in HIS time and in HIS way?

HE Will Listen

Psalm 88: ¹ Lord, you are the God who saves me;
    day and night I cry out to you.
² May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

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Phone staring was no longer my pass time. I had given up the job search and resolved in my mind that I would remain in the “Po-dunk” town I was in at the time. Looking back, the label I placed on the town was my problem. I had a specific lifestyle I was chasing when I looked for a job in the big city and because I wasn’t getting it I began to wonder if GOD loved me. I didn’t want to be around this group of people any longer. I wanted out!

• There are times where I ask for the wrong things.
• There are times in which my desires are centered on “me.”
• There are times where I am blinded by my own ambitions.

With a sigh and a slight pout I got back to work. Soon after I found excitement in serving at the church I was at. I started meeting people and found they were not so bad. In fact they needed GOD just as much as I did. I said I would become a Sunday school teacher there and then my phone rang. It was a job that I had not applied for.

• GOD wants me to want HIM more than I want other things.
• GOD wants me to elevate HIS needs over mine as much as I can.
• GOD wants to serve me so the more I can give to HIM the better our relationship grows.

Admitting my blindness to HIM is the first step. HE is the ONE who saves me from troubles, even the ones I put myself in. I must admit to HIM that I clearly do not know what is right for me so I need HIM to take the helm and guide me. I must place my prayer before HIM and align to HIS ways. The more I am in tune to HIS will, the less I will be disappointed.

• Are you asking GOD for something?
• Is your stubborn will getting in the way of hearing GOD?
• Can you curtail your desires for a minute and ask GOD to reshape them into HIS will for you?
• Will you ask GOD to take you on a new journey?

A Passionate Prayer

Psalm 69: ¹³ But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
¹⁴ Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.
¹⁵ Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up
    or the pit close its mouth over me.

¹⁶ Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
    in your great mercy turn to me.
¹⁷ Do not hide your face from your servant;
    answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
¹⁸ Come near and rescue me;
    deliver me because of my foes.

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“LORD Help!” were the only words I could think of as my car began to skid. One moment I was driving steady the next my car began to wag and almost spun out of control. The car skidded through a red light of a usually busy street. No one hit us.

• Sometimes I am in immediate danger.
• Sometimes I need help right now!
• Sometimes I am in trouble and the situation is dire.

David was sick and tired of being sick and tired. At one time he was praised and at this moment he was being hunted for execution. I feel the same way at times. I chalk up life’s lessons as something to store up in my memory but there are times when trouble really seems to get heavier and hotter. What can I do?

• GOD says to me “In times of trouble call to ME and I will save you.”
• GOD says to me “No matter where you think you are I have MY arms open wide for you.”
• GOD says to me “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD.”

Some trials make me go into action and I put my hands into things GOD should be handling, but there are other times when I have no time to plan, grab on or fix my trouble. Only GOD can handle the situation and all I can do is say “GOD Help!.” Just like the Psalmist said, “GOD knows my folly and my guilt is not hidden from HIM.”  GOD’s grace is the focus in times of trouble.

• Are you in trouble?
• Do you feel you are running out of time?
• Can you focus on GOD’s deliverance?
• Will you rely on GOD rather than your power?