The Truth

Comment: Prayer and praise allow our faith to grow and provide even more opportunities for God to intervene on our behalf. Our ability to share the truth of our situation through prayer is an essential aspect of our faith that can empower our lives and transform the lives of others.

Verse: James 5:13 - 20

¹³Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
 ¹⁷Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. ¹⁹My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, ²⁰remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Pure Joy

Comment: We may not associate difficult circumstances as ones in which we should be joyful. It is important for us to remember that patience and perseverance lead to the development of a perfect work in our lives. Now that is truly a reason to celebrate with pure joy.

Verse: James 1:2 - 8

² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Clap Your Hands

Comment: How often are we able to let go of our worries and simply thank God for His intervention and place in our lives? Today is the day to simply clap our hands and praise.

Verse: Psalms 47

 ¹ Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
         Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
 ² For the LORD Most High is awesome;
         He is a great King over all the earth.
 ³ He will subdue the peoples under us,
         And the nations under our feet.
 ⁴ He will choose our inheritance for us,
         The excellence of Jacob whom He loves.  Selah  
         
 ⁵ God has gone up with a shout,
         The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
 ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises!
         Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
 ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;
         Sing praises with understanding. 
         
 ⁸ God reigns over the nations;
         God sits on His holy throne.
 ⁹ The princes of the people have gathered together,
         The people of the God of Abraham. 
         For the shields of the earth belong to God; 
         He is greatly exalted.

Be Thankful

Comment: We must remember that prayer, praise, and patience can help us better understand God's plan for our life. Our daily actions should focus on emulating a kind heart and joyful spirit, one that is diligent for Christ and thankful in all circumstances.

Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - 22.

 ¹² Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. ¹³ Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
 ¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
 ¹⁵ See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
 ¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
 ¹⁹ Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Do not scoff at prophecies, ²¹ but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. ²² Stay away from every kind of evil.

His Love Endures Forever

Comment: We can always make the choice to give praise and thank the Lord for all that he has done in our lives. No matter how complicated we feel our situation has become. We must remember that God's love endures forever. He is always worthy of our praise.


Verse: Psalms 106: 1 - 8

 ¹ Praise the LORD. ^[a]
       Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
       his love endures forever.

 ² Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD
       or fully declare his praise?

 ³ Blessed are they who maintain justice,
       who constantly do what is right.

 ⁴ Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
       come to my aid when you save them,

 ⁵ that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
       that I may share in the joy of your nation
       and join your inheritance in giving praise.

 ⁶ We have sinned, even as our fathers did;
       we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

 ⁷ When our fathers were in Egypt,
       they gave no thought to your miracles;
       they did not remember your many kindnesses,
       and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. ^[b]
8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake,

       to make his mighty power known.