The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

James 5:17-20, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the Earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the Earth produced its fruit.

19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back,

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Prayer works for him, it just doesn’t work for me. Did you ever feel like that? In the verses just previous to those above, James encourages us to pray. Our response is often that we don’t have what it takes. God just

doesn’t hear our prayers like He hears the prayers of other people. James’ response is that we’re no different from anyone else. Then he cites the example of Elijah.

Sometimes we get the idea that people in the Old Testament were quite different that we are. But, it’s not true. Take Abramham for example. He was a worshipper of the moon goddess before the LORD called him to leave his paganism and follow Him. He left everything –his family, his fields, his flocks— everything! He then became the father of the Jewish nation. Moses was called to lead Israel out of Egypt. He protested that he “could not speak”; so the LORD sent his brother, Aaron, to speak for him’ and he freed Israel from Egyptian bondage. Look at David: he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and murdered her husband; but when he repented, God turned him around and he became the leading force for God among His people. There are a host of people –Solomon, the Apostle Paul, Simon Peter, John –who became godly after the LORD forgave their sins. You and I are not different.

But why did James select Elijah as an example of prayer? Perhaps it was because no one before him had ever prayed for such a magnificent undertaking. He declared that there would be no rain on the earth (upon Palestine) for three and a half years, and the LORD withheld the rain for exactly that time! Without a doubt, Elijah prayed in faith! Then, toward the end of the the time, he prayed that it would rain. And it did!

We often pray and then wonder if the LORD will do what we ask. We must be spiritually clean and pray without doubting. James then applies his teaching to our leading back to the LORD those who have strayed from His truth. We are to lead the lost to saving faith in Christ; but we are also to lead the saved, who have wanderd from the LORD, back to Him.

Are you a witness for the LORD? Don’t let yourself be intimidated by others. Do what the LORD commands! Trust Him implicitly! Look at those about you who need encouragement. Never be afraid to share Him with those around you. One day, you –and they! –will be glad you did.

We are praying for you as we pray for ouselves to be faithful,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”