Tuesday - November 20, 2007
Since this is the Thanksgiving season, I decided to look up the word in the Bible. Rarely does the word stand alone and is often used in conjunction with other forms of Christian activity. Usually the wording is “with thanksgiving.” We are to praise with thanksgiving, worship with thanksgiving, and pray with thanksgiving. For instance, we enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. In the New Testament we are told that are our prayers and supplications are to be made with thanksgiving. In other words, we do not thank God for no reason.
Thanksgiving reminds us of all we have to praise and worship God for. It also reminds us of answered prayer from the past and tells us God will come through for us again. It would be good to keep a list close by of answered prayers and gifts from God. That way, each day, we would have good reason to lift up our voice and offer thanksgiving to God.
Thursday - November 11, 2007 James told us about Elijah when he taught on prayer. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we. James did not use the word emotions, but the word passions. Elijah had wide mood swings from triumphant at the destruction of the prophets of Baal to the depression in the cave as he ran from the queen the next day.
This is the man who prayed to the Lord for it not to rain and after he prayed a drought began which lasted for three and a half years. He prayed again and it began to rain. How could God answer the prayer of a man who had these passions? Well, the good news is if he could answer the prayer of Elijah, we are in luck! How many times have we lost it and said things we regretted? How many times have we uttered words we wish we could take back? If you are like me, they are too many times to count. Yet, God answered the prayer of man who had the same problems with his passions as we do. We have the same right to pray and be heard as the prophet. God loves us just like He did Elijah. In fact, God loves it when we pray passionately. He wants our prayers to be just as passionate as our mistakes and failures. The effectual fervent (passionate) prayer of a righteous man avails much.
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