17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:17-20
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly… …
The deeds and miracles that Elijah performed are arguably some of the Bible’s most profound, surpassed only by those of our Lord Jesus Christ’s.
Nevertheless, James reminds us – Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
That means that no matter the spiritual enormity of his feats of faith and fervor, Elijah was still human.
He was a normal human being, and lived as any human being would. He was subject to the same forces of nature as we are, and to the same dynamics of human relationship as we are. He was never spared any human experience and emotions that we would not have experienced ourselves.
Like us, Elijah felt happiness, sadness, excitement, depression, pride, shame, loved hated, accepted and rejected.
Bear this in mind.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
To be honest, this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
I have always read about Elijah’s exploits and constantly asked myself, ‘what does he have that we don’t? What is it about this man that is so fundamentally different from us? What is so special about him that God chose to use him so magnificently, and so overtly?’
Was he a super human?
No.
‘Elijah was a human being, even as we are.’
So, why was Elijah the ‘normal’ human being able to do miraculous, super-human deeds?
How did he bring drought upon the land (1 King 17:1), live off an endless supply of food (1 Kings 17:13-16), resurrect a widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-23), challenged and vanquished 450 false prophets, after calling down fire from heaven and subsequently, brought forth rain, thereby effectively ending the very drought he ‘caused’ (1 Kings 18) ???
Why was this ‘normal’ human being able to do all these miracles, and more?
James explains it to us – plain and simple.
‘He prayed earnestly.’
Here’s the reality.
Elijah is no different from us. His fleshly makeup, his human design and his emotional devices are the same as ours, and yet, he was used exceptionally as an agent of the Most High God - simply because praying earnestly was what he did, who he was and how he lived.
Ever thought that your life was meant to be a whole lot more?
Or that you ought to be less overwhelmed by the challenges of this life?
Elijah shows us the key to becoming an agent of the Most High God – praying earnestly through all of life.
Praying earnestly keeps us connected to our God.
A survey of Elijah’s life (1 Kings 17-19) reveals how deeply and profoundly connected he was with God -
Have you ever desired the kind of relationship that Elijah had with God?
If you have, you would know what I mean when I write that - this is really the only kind of relationship we should all have with God.
A relationship that is constantly connected with Him, through our earnest prayers.
Prayers that are wholly and solely focused on God’s will and purposes for our lives.
Prayers that are aligned with the very heartbeat of God the Father.
Prayers that are birthed forth from ‘remaining in Christ, as Christ remains in us.’
Prayers that are inspired by the Holy Spirit – who empowers us, and reveals to us ‘the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:
Brethren, let us relate to God in the kind of relationship we truly ought to have – connected with Him, through our earnest prayers.
Let every moment of every day be spent making this divine connection with the Lord.
Let your earnestness towards the Lord manifest in your prayers through sincerity, reverence and an ‘intensity of longing-ness’ in remaining connected with Him.
Why does James make such a compelling and cogent exhortation for every Christian to understand that we may - and in fact, must - pray, and live like Elijah?
Because this is the kind of Christian who ‘turns a sinner from the error of their way (and who) will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.’ (James 5:20)
Remember, James’ Epistle was written largely to Jewish Christians dispersed out of Palestine due to persecution in the 1st and 2nd centuries.
So when James talks about turning a sinner from the errors of their way, he was clearly talking about a once-professed Christian who has at present turned away from the Lord.
This is no longer God’s call to the work of evangelism; this is God’s call to the work of revival.
Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations...’ (Matthew 28:18-20); this is a command, which may only be fittingly met with obedience.
The work of evangelism starts with our obedience to Christ in fulfilling/living out the Great Commission; but the work of revival starts with our prayers in earnestness – connecting with the Lord in every thought, deed and facet of life.
It is my belief that these last two verses contain the crux of James’ heartfelt message for the church then, and now – that we should live in the constant endeavor of bringing Christians who have wandered away from Christ back into the Church.
‘My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.’
(James 5:19-20)
Revival starts with prayer – earnest prayer.
Do you know of a fellow brother and sister in Christ who has turned away from the Lord?
Do you have family members who have ‘wandered from the truth’ of Christ’s Salvific love for them?
Are you concerned for them? Would you like to do something for them?
Here’s what you do.
Every moment, pray earnestly.
Live wholly and solely connected with the Lord.
For your own sake, and for the sakes of those you love and cherish;
Connect with God in earnest prayer, and live as Elijah did.
Ultimately, through Elijah, the glory of God was incontestably revealed for all to see.
If you want that in earnest, pray in earnest.
It happened for him; it can happen for you.
Shalom.
Let me pray for you.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Father, I kneel before thee, and I acknowledge that every human life and community comes from You.
Lord, I pray that out of Your glorious riches, You would strengthened my beloved brother/sister in Christ through Your Holy Spirit who dwells in his/her heart.
May this be our resounding, collective and earnest prayer, ‘Revive Your Church’!
Holy Spirit, I pray that in your indwelling of our hearts, minds and souls, the Lord Jesus Christ may dwell in all of our hearts through faith.
I pray that my brother/sister in Christ, being constantly rooted and established in Your love, may have power – together with all the Lord’s saints – to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
May we know together that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge.
So, fill us, Oh Holy Spirit, that we may each be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ref: Ephesians 3:14-21)
Holy Spirit, create in our hearts a deep desire and an undeniable impulse to remain connected with You; through every concern for our loved ones who remains lost to You.
For those who have known Your Salvific love but have wandered from Your Truth this day, we commit them to You in our prayers of faith – knowing that You are already at work in their lives, and bringing them back into Your fold.
(Now, you pray for your brethren who have wandered from Christ’s Truth.)
Holy Spirit, I commit _____________ (insert name) into Your loving hands, and I ask that You will revive his/her passion for Your Name, and revive his/her resolve to live as Your disciple, following You wholly and solely all the days of their lives.
For their sakes and mine, teach me how to pray to You in earnest.
Father, may I constantly and conscientiously by connected with You from now till all eternity.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I thank you and pray all these in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:17-20
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly… …
The deeds and miracles that Elijah performed are arguably some of the Bible’s most profound, surpassed only by those of our Lord Jesus Christ’s.
Nevertheless, James reminds us – Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
That means that no matter the spiritual enormity of his feats of faith and fervor, Elijah was still human.
He was a normal human being, and lived as any human being would. He was subject to the same forces of nature as we are, and to the same dynamics of human relationship as we are. He was never spared any human experience and emotions that we would not have experienced ourselves.
Like us, Elijah felt happiness, sadness, excitement, depression, pride, shame, loved hated, accepted and rejected.
Bear this in mind.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are.
To be honest, this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
I have always read about Elijah’s exploits and constantly asked myself, ‘what does he have that we don’t? What is it about this man that is so fundamentally different from us? What is so special about him that God chose to use him so magnificently, and so overtly?’
Was he a super human?
No.
‘Elijah was a human being, even as we are.’
So, why was Elijah the ‘normal’ human being able to do miraculous, super-human deeds?
How did he bring drought upon the land (1 King 17:1), live off an endless supply of food (1 Kings 17:13-16), resurrect a widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-23), challenged and vanquished 450 false prophets, after calling down fire from heaven and subsequently, brought forth rain, thereby effectively ending the very drought he ‘caused’ (1 Kings 18) ???
Why was this ‘normal’ human being able to do all these miracles, and more?
James explains it to us – plain and simple.
‘He prayed earnestly.’
Here’s the reality.
Elijah is no different from us. His fleshly makeup, his human design and his emotional devices are the same as ours, and yet, he was used exceptionally as an agent of the Most High God - simply because praying earnestly was what he did, who he was and how he lived.
Ever thought that your life was meant to be a whole lot more?
Or that you ought to be less overwhelmed by the challenges of this life?
Elijah shows us the key to becoming an agent of the Most High God – praying earnestly through all of life.
Praying earnestly keeps us connected to our God.
A survey of Elijah’s life (1 Kings 17-19) reveals how deeply and profoundly connected he was with God -
- God’s word constantly came to him;
- God constantly spoke to him;
- God constantly directed his next steps;
- God constantly cared and ministered to him physically and emotionally;
- God constantly heard Elijah’s cries; and
- God constantly revealed His Soveriengty and Power through Elijah’s prayers.
Have you ever desired the kind of relationship that Elijah had with God?
If you have, you would know what I mean when I write that - this is really the only kind of relationship we should all have with God.
A relationship that is constantly connected with Him, through our earnest prayers.
Prayers that are wholly and solely focused on God’s will and purposes for our lives.
Prayers that are aligned with the very heartbeat of God the Father.
Prayers that are birthed forth from ‘remaining in Christ, as Christ remains in us.’
Prayers that are inspired by the Holy Spirit – who empowers us, and reveals to us ‘the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:
Brethren, let us relate to God in the kind of relationship we truly ought to have – connected with Him, through our earnest prayers.
Let every moment of every day be spent making this divine connection with the Lord.
Let your earnestness towards the Lord manifest in your prayers through sincerity, reverence and an ‘intensity of longing-ness’ in remaining connected with Him.
Why does James make such a compelling and cogent exhortation for every Christian to understand that we may - and in fact, must - pray, and live like Elijah?
Because this is the kind of Christian who ‘turns a sinner from the error of their way (and who) will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.’ (James 5:20)
Remember, James’ Epistle was written largely to Jewish Christians dispersed out of Palestine due to persecution in the 1st and 2nd centuries.
So when James talks about turning a sinner from the errors of their way, he was clearly talking about a once-professed Christian who has at present turned away from the Lord.
This is no longer God’s call to the work of evangelism; this is God’s call to the work of revival.
Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations...’ (Matthew 28:18-20); this is a command, which may only be fittingly met with obedience.
The work of evangelism starts with our obedience to Christ in fulfilling/living out the Great Commission; but the work of revival starts with our prayers in earnestness – connecting with the Lord in every thought, deed and facet of life.
It is my belief that these last two verses contain the crux of James’ heartfelt message for the church then, and now – that we should live in the constant endeavor of bringing Christians who have wandered away from Christ back into the Church.
‘My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back,remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.’
(James 5:19-20)
Revival starts with prayer – earnest prayer.
Do you know of a fellow brother and sister in Christ who has turned away from the Lord?
Do you have family members who have ‘wandered from the truth’ of Christ’s Salvific love for them?
Are you concerned for them? Would you like to do something for them?
Here’s what you do.
Every moment, pray earnestly.
Live wholly and solely connected with the Lord.
For your own sake, and for the sakes of those you love and cherish;
Connect with God in earnest prayer, and live as Elijah did.
Ultimately, through Elijah, the glory of God was incontestably revealed for all to see.
If you want that in earnest, pray in earnest.
It happened for him; it can happen for you.
Shalom.
Let me pray for you.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Father, I kneel before thee, and I acknowledge that every human life and community comes from You.
Lord, I pray that out of Your glorious riches, You would strengthened my beloved brother/sister in Christ through Your Holy Spirit who dwells in his/her heart.
May this be our resounding, collective and earnest prayer, ‘Revive Your Church’!
Holy Spirit, I pray that in your indwelling of our hearts, minds and souls, the Lord Jesus Christ may dwell in all of our hearts through faith.
I pray that my brother/sister in Christ, being constantly rooted and established in Your love, may have power – together with all the Lord’s saints – to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
May we know together that the love of Christ surpasses knowledge.
So, fill us, Oh Holy Spirit, that we may each be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ref: Ephesians 3:14-21)
Holy Spirit, create in our hearts a deep desire and an undeniable impulse to remain connected with You; through every concern for our loved ones who remains lost to You.
For those who have known Your Salvific love but have wandered from Your Truth this day, we commit them to You in our prayers of faith – knowing that You are already at work in their lives, and bringing them back into Your fold.
(Now, you pray for your brethren who have wandered from Christ’s Truth.)
Holy Spirit, I commit _____________ (insert name) into Your loving hands, and I ask that You will revive his/her passion for Your Name, and revive his/her resolve to live as Your disciple, following You wholly and solely all the days of their lives.
For their sakes and mine, teach me how to pray to You in earnest.
Father, may I constantly and conscientiously by connected with You from now till all eternity.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I thank you and pray all these in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.