“Then he prayed again, and . . .”
Yesterday, a gift was given, one I could receive. Like most, I accepted the small bag, placing it on the front seat of my car, promising to open it once I returned home.
“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the judge is standing right at the door.”
(James 5: 8-9 NASB 2020)
A couple of hours later, after stopping for water, milk, cereal, a couple of conversations, and popcorn at the Dollar General across the road, I returned home. Several minutes after entering my home, finally, I paused in the kitchen, noticing the small bag sitting atop the counter (just where I left it). Tissue paper poked out from the top, concealing the contents, and it was easy work to remove that delicate paper. Then I saw the “book.” Then I pulled “the book” from the small bag. Opening the front cover of “the book,” realizing that I held HER copy of “the book” in my hands.
That’s when I realized it was not just “any” book but my grandmother’s personal “book,” her copy of the Word of God that she carried to church, that she read, and obeyed.
“As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
(James 5: 10-11 NASB 2020)
Immediately, my mind returned to my childhood, to the times I visited her during our summer break from school & to the times I sat beside her on the pew of the small country church where my dad had attended when he was a boy, the same country church where I later gave my heart to Jesus. Her influence on my life & the influence mom’s mom—my second beautiful grandma (who lived in another state) GREW ME, PREPARED ME, & LED ME TO KNOW JESUS!
- They set examples.
- They endured hardships.
- They lived in obedience to God.
- They knew the salvation of God’s mercy and grace.
Now, in my hands, my sister gifted me with my Grandma Dixon’s Bible. What a gorgeous gift!
Immediately, I gently opened the front cover.
“But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall under judgment.
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
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;
and the prayer of faith will restore one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”
(James 5: 12-15 NASB 2020)
Ancient. February 27, 1964. Presented to Mildred Dixon. Given by Homer C. Dixon. A gift from her husband to his wife. I wondered at the occasion, the reason for the gift of the Bible, but this side of heaven, I may not ever know. I was not yet born—in 1964—to live as she lived. She came first, lived first, my elder, and she carried “the book—her new Bible” with her to church. As I carried her Bible over to the living room and sat down, my thoughts of her life consumed me. What had she read first? What prayers did she utter as she read verses & chapters?
At once, my eyes were drawn to the top of the page, to the words she had written in ink. “Mark Beast No. 666.”
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.”
(James 5: 16 NASB 2020)
The beast. The devil. He has a name back then, in 1964, when she wrote those words, and still today, Satan roams the earth, searching, seeking, peering everywhere for anyone he can devour. The Bible says it is so! It is the truth! So, the righteous pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & pray, & . . . !
“Then He Prayed Again, and. . .”
“Then She Prayed Again, and. . .”
We pray for others who are sick, for those who are hurting, for those who are mourning, for those who are lost in sin and who belong to Satan.
Prayer after Prayer, we lift to the LORD, knowing He never slumbers, never takes a day off, never is too busy to hear.
We pray for ourselves, asking for God’s forgiveness for our sins & seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we live out loud, following the teachings of Jesus, our Savior & Lord.
We pray, knowing with assurance—GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HEAR & TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS!
“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.
Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back,
Let him know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
(James 5: 17-20 NASB 2020)
Everyone in the world needs Jesus!
- My grandmas knew this.
- My grandpas knew this.
- My dad knew this.
- My mom knew this.
- I know this.
Thank you, God, for a heritage of faith.
Thank you, God, for a gift of my grandma’s Bible.
“Then He Prayed Again, and. . .” & “Then She Prayed Again, and. . .” (verse 18)
What are we praying for today?
What have we been praying for during the past years? During the past months? During the past days?
Are we still praying, patiently waiting as God strengthens our hearts in the wait?
Let us not EVER give up PRAYING!
- GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HEAR & TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS!
- GOD IS ABLE TO SAVE THE PERSON’S SOUL (WHO WE HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR) AND WE WILL SEE GOD ANSWER OUR PRAYERS!
I called my sister to say, “Thank You” for this most beautiful gift. Before I laid aside Grandma’s Bible, a small slip of paper caught my eye, a small white paper, tucked within the pages of the maps at the back of her Bible. On this paper, I saw Grandma’s handwriting, her words of encouragement.
“The Biggest Sinner in the Bible time Repented and Was forgiven on his Death Bed.”—Bill Gram
Evangelist Billy Graham had preached this message.
Grandma believed.
Her words remain in my heart, and I carry them, still today, as I too believe.
Brothers and Sisters
- Let us be Patient.
- Let us Pray and allow the Lord to strengthen our hearts.
- Let us Remember, the Lord is standing Right at the Heart’s Door.
- Let us See the Examples of the Prophets & Be Encouraged.
- Let us Endure, as Job.
- Let us Remember how “the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” (verse 11)
- Let us NOT Sin and Be Under the Judgment of God.
- Let us Be Ready to Give our Testimony—Recalling How God Saved Us.
- Let us Pray.
- Let us Sing Praises.
- Let us Call upon the Name of the Lord.
- Let us Pray for One Another.
- Let us Confess our Sins.
- Let us NOT Stray from the TRUTH!
- Let us Be Faithful.
- Let us PRAY Earnestly!
“Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
(James 5: 18 NASB 2020)
Musical artist Toby Mac has written a song about the Goodness of God, and within this melody, we hear these words. Sing them with me today.
“The only King who chose to bleed/
You keep showing up/
You’re the goodness in my life/
You Are!
The Good/You’re the Goodness/
You Are!
You Are!
You’re Still the Goodness in my life.”
“The Goodness”
- God is Love!
- God Is Able!
- God Is Able to Heal All People!
- God Has the Power to Redeem All People!
“[To] save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
(James 5: 20b NASB 2020)