“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:” James 5:13-14
Take note that the response to every one of these situations has to do with trusting in the Lord. If afflicted, pray to God. If you are merry, sing Psalms which is God’s word. If you are sick, call for the men of God who believe the name of Jesus.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” Exodus 8:1
Though it is recorded that the Lord spoke to Moses before this chapter, this is the first chapter in the bible that starts off by saying “the Lord spoke to Moses.” There are thirty one chapters in the bible that start this way. I can’t think of a better way to start off a chapter then with the Lord speaking. I can’t think of a better way for you to start off your day than with the Lord speaking to you. Start your day in prayer.
“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16
It wasn’t Esther’s beauty or position that influenced the king to save the Jews. It was her fasting that appealed to God, who then influenced the heart of the king to save the Jews.
“And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; 4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Eze. 9:3-4
God is still marking those today who not only refrain from sin, but those who sigh over those who fall from the Lord and cry out for them.
“And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.” Ex. 34:29-30
If you spend a great deal of time in the presence of the Lord, you may not walk away with a glowing face (though you could), but you will have a glowing heart. Just as the children of Israel were affected by a man who talked to the Lord, this world can yet be impacted by a God seeking people. One of the easiest ways to fit in with the worldly crowd is to refrain from a prayer life, but if you are fervent in prayer, though your face may not glow, people will know there is something different about you.
