His Hand or His Heart? Pt 1

Weekend Devotional: His Hand or His Heart? Pt 1

James 5:16
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (KJV)
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (NIV)

Many of us get excited when we read this verse especially because we cannot help but marvel at the power of prayer! When we look at the account of Elijah the prophet who prayed that it would not rain on the land and it didn't and then who prayed that it might rain again and it did we become so intrigued by the power of His prayer that we might begin to search after some secret recipe that we feel needs to be applied to our own lives to achieve such effectiveness.

In the same breath many who read this will quickly write off Elijah's account for example as madness and make believe; seeing it as impossible and only an exaggeration. However, to know God is to know that His power cannot be confined to a box nor to the 'logic' of the human mind! With that said, let's go back to the verse and the example of Elijah used in the text. What a depiction of the power of prayer at work through faith in God's abilities and power!

Do you want to have a prayer life like that? Why do you want to pray this way? I know they might sound like weird questions but they are completely valid so spend a moment to answer them.

Many of us pray, wish or even hope for this kind of power in prayer because we see that it carries with it RESULTS. Don't we appreciate results?! Which of us doesn't want to go to God in prayer and see the very things we ask for happening? A previously closed door to a new job flung open, physical healing for loved ones,  financial freedom, deliverance from an abusive relationship, resurrection of loved ones from the dead, rain to fall in the midst of a drought, food from the earth in the midst of a famine...I could go on.

It is so easy to get caught up with the RESULTS, that we may find, if we are honest, that we begin to long for them even more than we long for God. It is equivalent to getting so caught up with our blessings and gifts whether in the spiritual or in the natural that we forget who blessed us and who is the Giver of our gifts. When we show off and compare our God-given gifts as we compete for position and power in the church, when we attend a service just to 'see' a healing take place but to not inject ourselves in the worship and expression of faith in God which made the impossible possible, or when the very thing that God has blessed us with has become more important to us than our relationship with God,  have we not certainly forgotten the Giver of the gifts; the One who grants the results we so crave?

If we are to not end up short-sighted in our doing or to hear the soul piercing  words from our God, " Depart from Me, I know you not" (Matthew 7: 22-23) then we will have to maintain RELATIONSHIP with the One who produces these results.

As you meditate on this devotional ask yourself the following questions: 
Do I need to refocus my attention on God and not the gifts He has given me? Are there any changes in my behavior or thought processes that I might have to change to keep my eyes stayed on God?

See His Hand or His Heart Pt 2 here

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EJ
Onward & Live IN Purpose