Scriptures

James 5:16-17
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.

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

John 15:1-16
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Genesis 18:16-32
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

Devotional

PRAY AS ONE IN CHRIST

Pray with purpose! Pray with power! Pray knowing you are part of the plan!

What do you learn from Elijah that teaches you how to pray more effectively? What does praying in earnest look like to you? How can you pattern this principle in your family, with your children, or with your friends? what might be the benefit.

Observe what Jesus teaches His disciples about the relationship between abiding in Christ and effective prayer. What is the one phrase from the John passage that touches your heart the deepest or that most clearly summarizes the main point of this passage?

The prayers prayed according to God’s will, according to His Word, and by those who believe in Him and are bearing fruit will be powerful. Consider God’s interaction with Abraham. God called Abraham His friend. See how He shares His thoughts with Him. Notice Abraham’s response and God’s response. Remember James 5:16. Requests laid at Jesus’ feet are in His hands!

Who do you need to be interceding for as Abraham did? Make a prayer sheet for your refrigerator to prompt you to pray for your neighbors, for the spread of the gospel in countries in the third-world, Europe, Asia, the Middle-East, and for the church as it is growing in China, India, Africa, and South America and any other country the good news is spreading. If you have children, you can have them make their own version and do this project together.

What is the most valuable and powerful use of your time?Encourage your family or a friend to pray with you today for the lost and the persecuted. Enlist the help of others to join you in praying for your marriage and children, your extended family and friends, the homeless, those hurting and suffering here and around the world. Believe these prayers will make a difference! (because they do!)

My Own Thoughts

Good day to you brothers and sisters, I greet you in the peace and love of the Lord Jesus. I continue to learn so much about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit everyday and about my relationship to them all. When we pray our prayers should not be about getting worldly things. Yes, we need things but we should not see prayer as a way to get things. Godliness is NOT a means of gain. Prayer is a way to get to know the Ancient of Days, the God that created all of this, the Most High. It is a relationship not a dictatorship! He loves us and wants to spend time with us! When we pray we should be longing for God the Father to come to us and spend time with His child. Is His presence and His nearness to me enough? Even if the Lord does not answer me or we don’t talk… is He enough?

How would we feel if our spouse said “You’re enough for me but I also need _____ in order for me to be truly happy spending time with you.” What!?! Yet, this is exactly how it must be for the Lord. Do we love to spend time with our spouses because of what they can offer or what they are doing for us when they are there? If this is the case, I suggest some self reflection… I will ponder this thought for the night. Until next time beloved, stay peculiar!