In Case You Need Reminding . . . .

Power of Prayer

I have seen a lot of posts about a "word" for 2016.  Last year my word for 2015 was "MORE" as in MORE OF JESUS.  And you can click HERE to read about that.  

This year my word is PRAYER.  Let me tell you what the Bible says about prayer.

James 5:13-18 says this:  "Is any among you afflicted? let him PRAY. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them PRAY over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the PRAYER of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and PRAY one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent PRAYER of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he PRAYED earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he PRAYED again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."

II Chronicles 7:14  "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and PRAY, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

I Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always; PRAY without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Luke 17:6  And the Lord said, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this mulberry tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you."

Matthew 17:20  "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

I could go on and on quoting verses that tell us to PRAY all the time, and about EVERYTHING.

Do you see why PRAYER is my word for 2016?  Can you grasp the POWER that Jesus has given us through PRAYER?

The Bible tells us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us.  Romans 8:11 "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

When Jesus was on this earth, He was fully God, and fully man.  And through Him we have that same access to God that He had through prayer.

I don't know about you, but I have mountains in my life that need to be MOVED.  I have people that I love who need a closer walk with Jesus.  I have people that I love who are hurting and need a touch from God. People who are confused and need God's guidance.  And we live in a country that desperately needs healing in our land.  The hand of God is moved by the PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

With God's help, we can change the world for His glory.  This is my PRAYER for 2016.

Living the California Life

This morning my cell phone rang at work.  It was my beautiful daughter Alex and she NEVER calls me at work.  I could tell something was wrong as soon as I heard her voice.  She had experienced her first EARTHQUAKE.  She said it woke her up, shaking the bed for four or five seconds.  

M 4.5 Earthquake

4km NNW of Banning, California

An earthquake with magnitude 4.5 occurred near Banning, CA at 14:42:34.80 UTC on Jan 6, 2016 ...

17 mins ago – U.S. Geological Survey

 

 I know earthquakes are the "norm" to folks from California . . . but to a mama from Missouri 1,800 miles away from her baby girl it's not normal at all!!!

I reassured her (and myself) and reminded her that earthquakes are commonplace for California, but I know she was pretty upset.  And I was upset too.

 

So if you could say a few extra prayers for her today I'd sure appreciate it!!!