Today’s church needs to embrace the power of prayer!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
(James 5:16 (NIV))

The early church knew the power of prayer. The apostles had watched Jesus pray and had seen the results of His prayers. They had prayed and seen the results of their prayers. They had seen first-hand what prayer can do. They were used to confessing one to another and praying for each other. When they lifted each other up in prayer, God gave them strength and increased their faith.

In today’s society, we have all but stopped this practice. Our hectic life-styles have become a burden. We seldom meet with each other. When we do, it appears that most of us put on a false front and say that everything is alright, while inside we are hurting. We need to return to the practice that James spoke of. We need to have a group of believers that we can turn to on a weekly or a daily basis. This group is our accountability group. They are there to listen and encourage, and most of all, pray for each other. When we meet together in this manner to fulfill God’s will for our lives, our prayers will be heard. A righteous man is one who seeks the will of God. If we seek the will of God, then God will hear.

Are your prayers powerful and effective or are they just quick and meaningless “hellos”?

Copyright 1998 – 2015 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you fully embraced the power of the Gospel?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
(1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (NIV))

How did the Gospel come to you?

Was it only words, or was there power behind the words? Was the Holy Spirit involved or was it just a brief discussion about someone named Jesus? Was there a personal conviction or was the mood more of a “I have nothing better to do” attitude?

Sadly, I feel that the Gospel has been watered down by today’s society, and, yes, even the Body of Christ. The early church knew the power. I know that some did not, but we read more accounts telling us that people responded because of the power of the Gospel. Do we expect power when we read the Bible? Do we expect power when we go to church? Do we expect power when we pray?

Do we embrace the Holy Spirit as a welcome part of our spiritual lives? Do we seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Do we, as the Body of Christ, even know what the Holy Spirit can do within us and through us?

Do we have a deep conviction? Will you stand firm in your faith no matter what the enemy may send your way? It is easy to profess a faith in Jesus when everything is going great. Some even draw closer when things start to get bad, but do you have the faith and the conviction to stay the course even if your physical life is endangered?

The Gospel is powerful. It is more than just words. It is more than just a good story. It is more than something to do with an hour or two of your life each week.

The Gospel is life. The Gospel is power. Have you fully embraced the power?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Stand firm and fall to your knees in prayer

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will 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.
(2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NIV))

Lately, I feel anguish. I feel sorrow.

I know that the world will never live in true peace until Jesus returns, but the things of this world are still very disheartening. Looking back at the events of my life, things have changed drastically. I realize that my earliest understandings of worldly issues are clouded by parents who sheltered me from such things, but even with this sheltered view, things today seem so much out of balance with the way they used to be.

I am not condoning any of the previous racial issues, nor do I condone them now, for we are all created the same in the eyes of God.

What I am talking about is the anguish and the sorrow that I feel when I see the hatred that people are expressing for God’s Word. It sorrows me to see the divisiveness that is all too prominent within our country. It saddens me to no end to hear the lies, the negativity and the name calling that has become our political process.

I know that many people are saying that they will be glad when the election is over. I know that I will be. However, the election has only brought to the surface what is in need of deep heeling. We used to be “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” I honestly believe that has become something that is in need of repair.

The secular component of our society is removing God from all aspects of society.

We are more divided today than any other time that I can remember.

Our freedoms are being challenged.

Our churches are being punished for following faith principles.

I realize that God is in control. I know that He has a plan set forth that is unfolding. I know that we are told that good and evil will grow in the last days. I know that God tells us that good will be called evil and evil will be called good.

That does not mean that the church simply sits back and watches these things unfold. We are called to be the light into the darkness. If we, as the Body of Christ, do not shine, how can we truly claim to be the Body of Christ?

We have one thing that we can do.

We must pray!

Pray for God’s will.

Pray for those who are lost.

Pray for those who are your enemies.

Pray for those who are in positions of authority.

Pray for guidance.

Pray for our nation.

Pray for our world.

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
(James 5:16b (NIV))

Stand firm in your faith by falling to your knees and pray!

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Pray!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

…if my people, who are called by my name, will 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.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV))

The national day of prayer is upon us.

Stop and think about that for a moment.

Just what does that mean to you? Is it simply another day that you go about your hectic life? Is it a day that you stop for a moment or two and actually pray?

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
(James 5:13 (NIV))

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Timothy 1:11-12 (NIV))

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Timothy 5:16-18 (NIV))

Do you see a trend with the verses listed above? Prayer is important. We are to pray for each other. It is powerful and effective. People are praying for you. We are to pray continually. I know that it is important to have a national day of prayer, but it is obvious that God wants us to pray at all times. We, as the Body of Christ, must set the example. We must pray without ceasing.

We must pray for God’s Will and not our will.

Prayer is not selfish. Pray is not a check list of things that you ask God to do for you. Prayer is a powerful and effective way to grow closer to God and to understand His Will.

My favorite passage has always been Psalm 46:10.

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
(Psalm 46:10 (NIV))

If we will be still and talk to God – truly talk and listen – we will grow to know His heart. We will seek Him in all that we do. We will know our Father and His deepest desires for us. All it takes is an effort on our part. We must be humble. We must be sincere. We must listen, and we must pray, and not just one day a year.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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