Last week during the Pastor’s message he mentioned praying fervently. Fervent, I wondered, how is that defined? An adverb meaning with great intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm. I thought, well, the Spirit that lives within us will guide us in our prayers. We need to stay out of a rut of prayers, the ones we do without much thought, approach God without that motive of “we want things to go our way” style of prayer. Prayer in itself is part of our daily life, a life that God knows all that is going on in our lives. Still, we can and do neglect to remember to bring it ALL to God. I would like you to invite the Holy Spirit to step in and grow you in your prayers. Step in and grow us spiritually, us as a church family. With great feeling and consideration fervently praying for each other to grow us spiritually. Just imagine what God will do with what we bring to Him.
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 4)The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? 5)”We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, 6)but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.” 10)Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each man at the doorway of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased. 11)So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? 12)”Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? 13)”Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ 14)”I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. 15)”So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.” 16)The LORD therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 24)So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent. 25)Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again. 26)But two men had remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them (now they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp. 27)So a young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Me dad are prophesying in the camp.” 28)Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.” 29)But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” What do you see here? We are familiar with the complaints of the Israelites. Moses is bothered by this and wonders what is going to happen, while God also hears the complaining. Moses is in a tight spot, he appeals to God. He choses to go to the source knowing and secure in his relationship with God the Father. Moses is aware of the anger from both sides and he asks to be taken out. It seems like a drastic thing to do, but God has asked a lot from Moses and he has delivered for God and also intervened on behalf of these people he is leading. God settles this in His own unique way. As for the decision on the two who were in the camp and touched by the Spirit, I enjoyed Moses’s response. God did that, who are you to question the actions of God!
Psalms 19:7-14 7)The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure making wise the simple. 8)The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9)The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. 10)They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11)Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12)Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13)Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me; then I will be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. 14)Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.
James 5:13-20 13)Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14)Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15)and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16)Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17)Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.18)Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19)My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20)let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Prayer and the power of prayer being lifted up. Praying for the simple concerns and the big picture concerns, let us pray.
Mark 9:38-50 38)John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39)But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40)”For he who is not against us is for us. 41)”For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. 42)”Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43)”If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44)[where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE , AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 45)”If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46)[where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 47)”If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48)where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. 49)”For everyone will be salted with fire. 50)”Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” I have been consulting other Bibles to try to figure out what is meant here. The repeating statement to me, as I am not a theologian, is underscoring the gravity of sin plus that if not forgiven, you will suffer for eternity. There at the end is Salt shows up in various places in the Bible. Christians are referred to as salt, a preservative, adding flavor. Perhaps going around and adding to, like sharing the Good News. Keeping the salt-remain in Christ and be at peace. Mighty good advice.
Through Christ, Seek God,
D.J. Schoneweis