"The RIght Life, #1"

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-32

The “good life” has been beaconing people for years, but how many have actually discovered it? It, supposedly, is a life that is care-free, one that brings satisfaction in all aspects of life - in career, in marriage, in family, in every possible endeavor. In essence, it is one that is totally different from the one you are currently living and one that you spend an inordinate amount of time searching for!

From an article in Homiletics OnLine:
Somebody was bound to come up with it sooner or later. The Barisieur is a bedside device that's a combination alarm clock and coffeemaker.
You know you have to get up on time. You also know you love the smell of coffee brewing in the morning. Why not combine the two, letting the sound and aroma of coffee-making ease you out of your slumber?
The Barisieur's advertising says it's all about "living slow even when times are fast."
--joshrenoufdesign.com. Retrieved February 17, 2015.

Now I enjoy a good cup (or even two!) every morning, and maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t think I’m quite ready to drink it while I’m still in bed! But I have to admit that this thing brings a whole new meaning to the advertising jingle “The best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup!”
The Barisieur may be part of the “good life”, but the “good life” is not always the “Right Life”. And that is what Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount has always been about.

Read Matthew 5:21-26

The subtitle for the passage in my Bible says that these verses are about Anger, but I think that it’s more about “Relationships”. Jesus is exposing those attitudes and actions that destroy relationships, and provides his advice on how to begin healing the wounds caused by anger and hatred and egocentric attitudes.
His first charge is that unchecked and unaddressed anger is just as bad as murder. Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us that it is possible be become angry without sinning, but that we are not to “let the sun go down on our anger.” This is to say that while anger, per se, is not a sin, anger that is allowed to fester and grow and eat your life away must never be nurtured, or even ignored.
As an example, in Matthew 23:33-36, Jesus pronounces the Pharisees and scribes as being nothing short of snakes and vipers, and tells them that escape from their sentence of hell is highly unlikely! There’s a whole lot of anger in those words, as the Lord has been calling these learned men out for teaching one brand of “right living”, but living a totally different one in their own lives. (Matthew 23)
The latter part of verse 22, with its reference to “Raca” and “fool”, is actually about hurling insulting remarks toward others. Again, Jesus isn’t condemning anger as much as he is condemning the destruction of relationships. It doesn’t matter if the insults are coming as an angry outburst, or if they are the result of an arrogant and oppressive attitude – they are wrong. Jesus says that even though these verbally abusive attacks go against the law of Israel, they are in even greater danger of judgment from God.

Jesus then offers two examples of the breakdown in relationship, as well as a call for us to quickly and intentionally heal those breaks. The first is in a religious setting, while the second is in a legal context.
The Lord tells us that worship can never be satisfactory, or even completed, unless we have made amends to our damaged relationships. And as we read verses 23 and 24, he doesn’t seem to differentiate whether it is our failure or our “brother’s” – we can never truly worship unless we restore the bond, regardless of who damaged it, that once existed between us and that other person.
And the legal side of the matter is just as critical. Don’t go to court thinking that you will be able to wriggle your way out of judgment! You won’t, and the relationship will be harmed even more. Admit to what you have done, and set things right, before the judge bangs his gavel.

This is Jesus’ way.

Read Matthew 5:27-30

Exodus 20:14 is the commandment that Jesus is referring to – “You shall not commit adultery.” Adultery was the sin that a married woman committed when she had sexual relations with a man who was not her husband. The original law was about the woman, but Israel had expanded the judgment to include the man, which, obviously, is only right. But in John 8:1-11, the Pharisees, the very ones who knew the law inside and out, bring an adulterous woman to Jesus (without the man, of course) for Jesus’ judgment. He turns the tables on the legalists, and send them packing. And better yet, he shows love and forgiveness to the woman, while at the same time, condemning the act.
But in our passage for today, the Lord reveals the full implication of the law. It isn’t just the physical act that is sinful, but the man’s looking and planning to fulfill the act is no different than the physical act itself. Where before, it was implied that it was the woman who was primarily responsible for the sin, now Jesus is putting the blame on the man for even having a sexual desire for a married woman.

It seems that it isn’t only the physical act that condemns us before God, but it is the intention and desire of the heart as well.
And to put it all in perspective, he says that it is better to lose an offending part of your body than to keep on sinning. Now before anyone begins a program of amputation, Jesus’ words are not meant to be taken literally – he is simply showing the seriousness of simply planning to commit sin, not to mention the act of immoral sexual relations itself.

Read Matthew 5:31-32

In Deuteronomy 24:1-4, we read of a reference to a certificate of divorce. Prior to this, a man only had to proclaim that he divorced his wife, and it was done. There was no recourse, no appeal, no legal decision that had to be rendered – it was done. So the law of Israel that required a certificate, or letter, was a huge step up for the woman. The man now had to explain why he was divorcing his wife, and he had to put it in writing. It put more of an onus on him.
But Jesus says that not only isn’t a certificate sufficient, divorce itself is insufficient for living a “right life”. This teaching would stand in stark contrast to the Torah, as divorce was perfectly acceptable, within some restriction. Now, the significance, the value of the marital covenant has been taken to an all-time high.
Marriage is no longer just a convenience and justification for living together, it has become an unbreakable bond with only one exception – unfaithfulness. The New Interpreter’s Bible says this: “marriage and the family are not a contractual arrangement regulated by law, but a part of the structure of creation itself, the good gift of God to humanity, and therefore not at human disposal.” Marriage is not to be seen as a contract between two parties that can be broken for any number of reasons – it is an unbreakable covenant made with and through Almighty God. In offering these words, Jesus has elevated the very concept of marriage to one of a Godly relationship – one which is far more important and binding than any legalistic agreement could ever be.

Jesus has been teaching about “Right Living” in God’s way, and not about those “things” that bring a temporary sense of pleasure or satisfaction to our lives. He has been teaching us the importance of relationships, that they were never intended to be one sided, or beneficial to only one person, or to be temporary in nature, or to be defined and regulated by humanity. Relationships can be strained; they can be damaged; they can even be broken – but they must always be repaired, must always be healed, must always be taken seriously, must always be cared for within God’s will.

That is God’s desire for our lives, and so must it be for us.
More next week!

"The Christian Call"

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20

Last week we began consideration of Jesus’ teaching in his Sermon on the Mount, starting with what we refer to as The Beatitudes. These verses address the honor that some will receive in the Kingdom of God, and he reveals the qualities that each blessing will take.
Today, we continue in the Sermon to learn about both our call to mission here on earth, as well as the attitude and trust that we are to have in the word of God.

From an anonymous author:
Did you know that churches can carry spiritual baggage? Very often, it's a big old steamer trunk labeled "tradition."

Tradition in the church is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it's a marvelous source of stability and connectedness with the past. There's nothing like a classic hymn that has stood the test of time, or the immortal words of institution from the Lord's Supper. Yet, on the other hand, tradition can get in the way of adapting ourselves to the demands of mission to a rapidly-changing world.

During the French and Indian War, some British officers traveled through America's North Country, followed by wagon-loads of luxury items like fine china and wooden furniture. That was the way officers traveled along the improved roads of Europe -- but, along the Indian trails of upstate New York and Canada, this sort of baggage was ludicrous.

Traveling light on the journey of Christian discipleship sometimes requires us to leave certain beloved, but cumbersome, traditions behind.
- Anonymous, from Homiletics Online

The Church’s response to God’s call to mission must include a set of new eyes when it comes to serving the Lord in a new era. We can’t always do it like we always have – we need to begin doing it like Jesus would.

Read Matthew 5:13-16

Here are 3 images that Matthew offers to a mission conscious people – that of salt, light, and an elevated city. Let’s look at each one individually.
“You are the salt of the earth.” The first point that Matthew offers is not in the word “salt”, but in “you”. In context, he is saying that it is the believer, and not the rest of the world, who must be “salt” for others. So what is “salt” all about? The properties of salt are not for salt’s sake, but for humanity’s sake. Salt in Matthew’s time, and to some degree even today, was about a number of things.
For Israel, salt was an integral part of the temple sacrifice. In Leviticus 2:11-16, we read “Season all of your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings”. Salt, in representing God’s covenant with the people, is offered as an integral part of the Thanks offering. When we claim the Lord’s covenant for our lives, it changes our outlook on faith.
Salt also implies loyalty and faithfulness to the covenant, as described in the offerings that are given to the priests. In Numbers 18:19 – “Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings … I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord”. It’s a symbol of God’s faithfulness, as well as an example of the loyalty that we are to show to the Lord.
Salt also represents fellowshipping together, and a binding relationship, and purification, and seasoning, and, of course, preservation. Salt was, and is, a vitally important aspect in both that day and this. Of course, our doctors today would have us know that too much salt is medically inadvisable, just as too much salt provides poor seasoning.

And then Matthew adds the admonition regarding salt losing its saltiness. How does salt get less salty, you may ask? When it is so diluted by other elements, when it becomes impure, when it becomes a very small part of the whole, it can no longer offer any of its benefits to us. When our salt, or our seasoned covenant with God, becomes so diluted as to lose its appeal, it becomes useless.

“You are the light of the world.” Once again we see this emphatic use of “you”. In the introduction to John’s gospel (1:4-5), we read “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” When Matthew writes that we have become the light of the world, he is not saying that we have become God-like, but is reminding us that by faith in Jesus Christ, we are charged with carrying his light throughout the world. We are to be his witnesses; we are to be his standard bearer; we are to be obvious in our service to the Lord. Light, just as with salt, is not light for light’s sake – it is to illuminate and reveal the truth of all that fall within its beam.
It is not to be hidden or set aside, for if we do, those who are around us – family, friends, and even strangers - will be left in the darkness. And “darkness” represents evil, or the absence of God. It seems that we have been given quite a responsibility, doesn’t it? And Matthew isn’t done yet!

“A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” In making the connection between “light and this image of “city”, it tells us that we are to carry the hope of Christ into the world. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we not only can never hide our faith, we are to offer Christ’s promise of refuge and safety to all who struggle in the darkness, the sinfulness, of earth.
The church, and all who follow Jesus, are a form of “lighthouse” to the people of earth. The Lord’s Light illuminates the dangers that are inherent in the world, and defines the direction that others must take to arrive at a safe and loving haven.

Read Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus tells us that the Law and the prophetic word that has come down through the ages is not to be discarded. As a matter of fact, even though Jesus would be accused of doing that very thing, he never advocates that the law or the prophets should ever be ignored! He fulfills them both.
Fulfillment can be understood in a couple of ways. First, Jesus is the “completion” of an incomplete, or misunderstood, law, and is the “culmination” of the prophetic word. Both of these pronouncements have a connection to Christ’s return and the Final Judgment.
Fulfillment can also be understood as an act of “perfecting” as well as completion. Throughout the gospels, Jesus offers correction to the law, such as with his teaching regarding divorce, which we’ll get to in a later message, and his instructions regarding sacrifice (Matthew 9:12-13 and Hosea 6:6).
The Law, in and of itself, is not a bad thing – it just needed some “tweaking” from what humanity had done to it, and since God gave the Law to start with, only he can do the correcting. All too often, the people of earth want to make all the changes to scripture, when the truth is that we should never assume that we know enough about God’s intentions and plan to make improvements to the Lord’s word.

And not only is the Law NOT a bad thing, we read that not a single letter of the Word of Almighty God will be taken away until the Lord’s ultimate plan has been completed. And in the meantime, breaking the Law will bring about dire consequences for the “sinner”, and for those who teach others that the Law can, or even should, be broken, they will experience even greater penalties. James 3:1 reminds us that “Not many should presume to be teachers, because … we who teach will be judge more strictly.”
The point is that the smallest and least significant commandment is just as important as the greatest (“Love the Lord” ... and “Love your neighbor”, Luke 10:25-37).

And the last verse is the ultimate warning – that those who believe that proclaiming Jesus is sufficient to replace the Law, are just as lost as those who rely solely on the Law and ignore the Law Giver (Messiah).

Following Jesus is not such an easy thing after all! We need to be his representatives in the world, showing others the way to his glory, while at the same time being faithful not only to the Law, but to all that Jesus has done to perfect it. Is it any wonder that Bible study is so vitally important to the Christian life? Not just reading the Bible on a regular basis, but delving into it, seeking the fullness of its truth for our lives, discussing its significance with other Christians, looking not only to the Law and prophets for guidance, but to all that Jesus taught about it.

Matthew wrote “whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Great advice, as long as we remember that the complete opposite is also true.

"Blessings"

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Today, we begin a series that is based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It will carry us through the weeks leading up to Advent, and hopefully, it will also be our preparation for that special time of year.
Today, we begin at the beginning of the Lord’s sermon – with his bestowing blessings on many who do not feel blessed. But first, a question - what exactly is God’s blessing, and is it truly a great thing, or does it bring hardship? For many people who have differing standards, one person’s blessing is not such a good think for others.
Take, for instance, our holiday that comes tomorrow. Columbus Day is the time we celebrate the European discovery of the “new world”. Of course, Christopher Columbus was trying to find a new route to India, with the intention of replacing the slower land routes that were being used. Fortunately - or unfortunately - depending on your point of view, he ran into a rather large land mass and never did get to the Far East! For many, this is a day to celebrate “discovery”, but for others, it is a day of disgrace! On one hand, this opened up an entirely new continent for development and exploration and freedom, but it also was the beginning of oppression and subjugation for the indigenous people who were already here.

From a human standpoint, one person’s blessing is not necessarily a good thing for someone else. But when it is God’s blessing, God’s consecration, God’s sanctification, it is always good, whether we fully understand it or not.

Read Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus is in the Galilee, and even though it seems to be fairly early in his ministry, the crowds are already following him! He attempts to find some quiet time upon an unnamed hillside, but the quiet doesn’t last very long. There are a few sites today that have been identified as the Mount of Beatitudes, and each has been developed as a very serene spot. But on that day, wherever the site may have been, it would rapidly become anything but still and peaceful!
We read that it was the disciples who came to hear him that day, but according to Matthew’s gospel, we only read of the 4 fishermen who have been called by now, not the 12, and not the entire entourage who would eventually follow. But was it really only 4 who heard these words? Probably not. “Disciple” means “those who follow”, so it could have been quite a crowd, and the term could even be extrapolated to mean “all who read this letter”. Regardless of who this is intended for, Jesus begins to teach.
A beatitude is a statement declaring that certain people are in a privileged, or fortunate condition. As the New Interpreter’s Bible says, “Matthew’s beatitudes are not practical advice for successful living, but prophetic declarations made on the conviction of the coming, and already present, kingdom of God.” So as we proceed through these 9 “fortunate circumstances”, keep in mind that it isn’t so much about the earthly conditions of this life as they are about a life lived in the grace and glory of Jesus Christ.
The first thing that we will notice is that each statement doesn’t say “if you are …”, “then you will have …”. The blessings aren’t even about a present condition, they are about a prophetic reality that is being declared.
And a second issue that should be understood, is that these proclamations are in no way about 9 different types of people – they are about the characteristics of each and every follower of Jesus.

With that, let’s begin to briefly consider each of these “privileges”.

Read Matthew 5:3

This first beatitude directly refers to the coming Kingdom. The “poor in spirit” refers to those who are poor in worldly means, as well as poor in human attitude. It’s about those who lack prideful attitudes, and even in knowledge of their own scarcity of means. These are the ones who the religious elitists would deem to be unworthy, and Jesus is reversing that pronouncement, and proclaiming that these are the very ones who will receive the Kingdom!
This type of spirit truly identifies the people of God.

Read Matthew 5:4

In Isaiah 61:1-3, we read “.. proclaim the Year of the Lord’s favor … comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion ..” Grieving in Zion could imply grieving for the state of the Lord’s holy city, and even for the Lord’s people. For us today, it would not only lean toward a sorrow over the state of the Church, but for opposition to God’s plan.
We do not submit to the world’s situation as the final judgment, but are sad for the fact that God’s final solution is not yet complete. And even as that day will be the time when comfort will be made perfect, we can also know the comfort that comes by faith in Christ Jesus today.

Read Matthew 5:5

This reads as an “upside down” reversal, or more accurately, a turning of life “right side up”. For the world, the meek have no power or future or place, but for God, this identifies those who have surrendered their place in the world order, in order to gain primary status in his kingdom. For a life in the Lord, it isn’t about how much authority we can wrestle away from others, or how much wealth we can accumulate, or how much honor and respect the world may show to us. Jesus tells us that these things will never last, but that the things of heaven will never fade away. (Matthew 6:19-20)
But if that’s true, what does “inherit the earth” imply? Aren’t we to surrender the things of earth? Of course we are, so this phrase can’t mean the earth that we currently know – it must be the “new earth” that we read about in Revelation 21:1-4. That is the place where the Lord’s people will know gain.

Read Matthew 5:6

The word “righteous” means virtuous, blameless, upright, worthy. But doesn’t this characteristic come to us through faith in Christ? Absolutely. This “reality” is about those who hunger for the coming of the One who brings righteousness to all who believe. Once again, this is about those who long for the day when Jesus returns.
And those who “hunger”, or yearn for that day will know the satisfaction of Christ’s return, and will rejoice in the arrival of the Kingdom. The implication is, obviously, that those who aren’t eager for that day will not rejoice, and will never know satisfaction.

Read Matthew 5:7

This offering has connections to the Hebrew texts of Micah and Hosea.
In Micah 6:8, we discover that true justice and mercy go hand in hand, and that they can’t simply be good thoughts or concepts that we advocate for – we must “act” justly, and “love” mercy.
In Hosea 6:6, we read “For I desire mercy not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.” We witness to the mercy and justice of God by offering those very attributes to others.

Have you been noticing that none of the Lord’s words could ever bring agreement from those who do not believe in Jesus? Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” The Lord’s word for our life is far greater than the “word” that comes from the world, and his word will never fail. (Isaiah 55:11)

Read Matthew 5:8

“Purity of heart” is more than just thinking and acting in a moral way. It means that we live in single mindedness – that we are completely devoted to God. No more “fence sitting”, no more dual citizenship, no more multiple masters, no more living a wishy-washy faith.
For those who are single minded about the Lord, “seeing God” is no longer a hope – it is an “end times” promise.

Read Matthew 5:9

Even the Roman emperors referred to themselves as “peacemakers” and “sons of God”. It certainly didn’t mean that they were peaceful people, though! The thought behind the title was that they were capable of reconciliation – presumably with the nations that they conquered.
In Godly truth, though, it seems that the Lord is talking about people who reconcile, or bring his “peace” and truth, into the lives of others. Again, this isn’t about working for peace, or the abolition of warfare in the world. It’s about introducing others to the spiritual peace of Almighty God.

Read Matthew 5:10

Again, this isn’t only about those who are going through a difficult situation – it’s about those who have been unjustly persecuted because of their love of Jesus Christ. Remember the 4th prophecy – regarding those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? Not only will they be satisfied, or filled by Christ’s return, but they will inherit the Kingdom as well.

Read Matthew 5:11-12

This section isn’t just one more beatitude - it is actually a summation of the 9 previous ones. Matthew is telling us that when the world insults us, and persecutes us, and tells all kinds of lies about us, simply because of our faith in Christ, that this is a reason to rejoice. Remember the promise of Romans 5:3-5 – that suffering is not the last word when Jesus is at hand. Persecution has been around forever – even before Jesus came on the scene. The prophets, the earliest believers in Jehovah God, and those who have believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as Redeemer and Savior, and as Lord of their lives, from the earliest days of the Church and through all the ages until Christ returns - all have been, and will continue to be, persecuted and oppressed for their faith.
And Jesus tells us that this is a reason to rejoice – not because we are suffering, but because a great reward awaits us when the Kingdom of Heaven appears in our midst.

“Rejoice in the Lord always!” (Philippians 4:4) Not just because there is hope beyond our troubles, but because we have an incredible reason to celebrate – and the name of that reason is Jesus!

"The Power of Prayer"

Scripture: James 5:13-20

Prayer – we all know what prayer is all about, and what it can accomplish, but how often do we use it? I mean really use it? How often do we lay our souls bare at the feet of Jesus? How often do we come to him with our deepest hurts, and our greatest joys, and every need that comes into our life?
It’s true that the Lord knows everything about us before we ever utter a word or raise up a thought, but that doesn’t mean that he will always care for them just because he knows! We’ve talked about the concept of “free will” before, and it is a far deeper issue than simply God’s granting us the right to make choices. It means that the Lord loves us so much that he never intrudes in our lives if we don’t want him to; he will never work his ways within us if we don’t ask him to! He may nudge us into asking, but he will always wait until we are ready to hear his call for our lives.
Prayer can and will be a powerful experience for us whenever we actively and intentionally seek the Lord’s involvement in our lives.

Read James 5:13-16

Let’s consider each of these calls for prayer, and what they involve.

First, if you are in trouble, pray. (v. 16a) Now this doesn’t mean that God has brought trouble into your life, and that you are asking him to reverse his decision! Over and over, we read that God gives us “good things” in this life (Matthew 7:7-11; Hebrews 9:11-14), and the Lord does not bring calamity to us. Trouble comes through human acts, but it is God who sees us through these times. Sometimes he takes our burden away, sometimes he grants us comfort and peace and courage to see us through a situation, sometimes the issue is softened so that we can endure it, and sometimes he even sends another person to help us in that troubling time.
Regardless, God can always be our help in times of trial, but it usually only comes when we ask him for it! When we have our healing services, you come with all kinds of requests, and when we pray about it together, the Lord hears, and the Lord considers, and acts upon, each and every request – in his way and in his time.

Next, James tells us that when we are happy, we should also pray. (v. 16b) But if everything is going very well, why should we pray? In this instance, it isn’t a time for prayers of petition – it’s the time for prayers of praise. James even tells us to “sing songs of praise”! In Acts 16:16-34 (25-26), we read that Paul and Silas have been imprisoned, and at midnight, they are praying and rejoicing over the Lord’s goodness with singing! And as they continue their singing, all of the doors of the cells fly open and the chains that are holding all of the prisoners fall away. All because of the praise and joy that these two men had in the Lord! Never mind where they were at the time, their joy had no bounds, and it just had to be expressed.
That is praise to the utmost!

Third, when you are sick, call for other faithful people to come to you and pray for you. (v. 17-15a) This is one of those times when solitary prayer isn’t enough, usually because the one who has been afflicted is unable to pray sufficiently for themselves. Whenever there is illness, whenever there has been injury, that is the time for the “priesthood of believers” (1 Peter 2:9-10) to spring into action. And yes, that is the call to each and every follower of Jesus Christ!
James calls us to “pray over” them, and to “anoint them with oil” in the name of the Lord. We lay hands on the person, we put oil on their head or hands, and we pray for the individual, we pray for their situation or condition, and we pray for any others who might be involved. These prayers aren’t of the 30 second version – they are substantial - and nearly all the time, everyone who is present and laying their hands on the person will take turns at praying. And this is done in situations other than illness.
And I have seen these prayers answered in both dramatic ways as well as in more subtle ways.

Fourth, when we have sinned, pray for forgiveness. (v. 15b-16) Isn’t it interesting that James uses the word “healing” in the context of forgiveness? As so it is. It is healing for the soul. And once more, we are called to include others in both our confession and in our prayer.
So what is there in confession and prayer for forgiveness? When we actually name our burdens, when we name our joys, when we name our illness and injuries, when we name our sin, we are acknowledging our human condition and our human weaknesses. This comes back to the Lord’s wanting us to know what we are asking for, to fully understand what we want the Lord to do for us, and to admit that we truly believe that he can and wants to do something about it.
And in the situation of our sin, whether we confess it out loud or silently, whether we confess it in detail or in a general way - in our hearts we are admitting to what we have done, and acknowledging that we know that it goes against the Lord’s desires for our lives.

The prayers of the faithful have power in them and through them.

Read James 5:17-18

James reminds us of an event in the Old Testament that demonstrates the power of prayer. In 1 Kings 17:1-18:46, we read of far more than just the issue of drought and rain – it involves the providing of food during those 3 ½ years of no crops, it includes the raising of a boy from death, it includes the defeat of 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, as well as the restoration of the rain clouds over Samaria.
These two chapters are an incredible witness to the power of prayer, and all because the man Elijah was willing to give his all to the Lord. But also note that James says that Elijah “was a man just like us”! He was not God, he was not some holy and infallible being who stood head and shoulders above the rest of us. He was mortal, he was a human being, he had trials, he had doubts, but he also had faith in the Lord God Jehovah that was true and unfailing.

The New Interpreters Bible tells us that “The prayer of the community that gathers in solidarity to support its sick and, by confessing sins to one another, also strengthens its spiritual weakness”. There is strength in numbers! Prayer is our opportunity to converse directly with Almighty God, to increase and strengthen our faith, and to address our human failings with the only One who can really do something about them.

Read James 5:19-20

These final verses call the Church to accountable living. We are to encourage each other in life, to call each other out when we have deviated from the Lord’s way, to help each other in ministry and mission, to pray for each other, and to worship and fellowship with each other. It isn’t about judgment or condemnation – it is about keeping each other on track, all through the power of prayer and our Christian action.

Our daily prayers are of vital importance in lifting others up who are struggling in their human needs, as well as those who are bogged down in spiritual warfare. We need to be intentional in both personal prayer and corporate prayer; in silent prayer, and when we use words; at scheduled times, and spontaneously at any given moment and for any given need; in seeking divine assistance, and offering praise for the Lord’s goodness; when we are out in the world, and when we are Christian community.

Prayer is our connection to the Lord, and in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, our call to prayer in unmistakable – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Prayer is God’s will for each of us. He’s waiting patiently to hear from us, so use the opportunity, and use it with Godly wisdom.