by George | Apr 20, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
What Is Supplication?
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
Philippians 4:6
Supplication is a big Bible word that we usually ignore. It’s in a verse that talks about not worrying. A verse that tells us we should pray instead of being worried about something.
But what is supplication?
According to www.vocabulary.com
“Although it is a noun, supplication comes from the Latin verb supplicare, which means “to plead humbly.” While a supplication is often thought of as a religious prayer (it is used 60 times in the Bible), it can logically be applied to any situation in which you must entreat someone in power for help or a favor. Still, it carries with it an aura of religiosity and deep entreaty, and should not be used to describe just any simple request.”
Is supplication the same as prayer?
www.differencebetween.net says that it isn’t the same.
“Supplication is a form of prayer in which someone makes a humble petition or an entreaty to God. Prayer, however, can be defined as sincere thanksgiving or requests made to God. … There is always a request in supplication. In this type of prayer, one asks for or desires something from God.”
So there can be many types of prayer including thanksgiving or general requests.
Supplication, however, seems to be more serious. If you’ve ever been in a desperate situation, and you plea with God for help; that’s supplication.
A familiar verse is James 5:16:
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
James immediately gives us the example of Elijah:
“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 land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
James 5:17-18
The time that Elijah “prayed again” happened after Elijah told King Ahab that it was about to rain.
Elijah goes to Mt. Carmel to pray.
“…Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,”
I Kings 18:42
The Bible doesn’t tell us what Elijah’s prayer was specifically, but his posture in this prayer, kneeling down with his face between his knees, tells me this wasn’t a “now I lay me down to sleep” prayer. Elijah was pleading with God.
Elijah sends his servant to look towards the sea. The servant said he didn’t see any clouds. So Elijah sends him back until finally on the seventh time, the servant said there was a small cloud. That strengthened Elijah’s faith to believe God was going to make it rain.
God did just that, and answered Elijah’s prayer.
So, if you need answers to prayer, keep on in your “supplication”, asking God earnestly. He will answer in His time and way. God’s timing is perfect.
by George | Apr 12, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
As One Man
“And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.”
Ezra 3:1
The phrase “as one man” is used several times in scripture.
The first time is in Numbers 14:15 when Moses is pleading with God not to destroy Israel.
“Now if you kill this people as one man…”
We find this phrase again in Judges 6:16 when God tells Gideon: “…But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
The term “as one man” can also signify unity, gathering together in one accord, for a common purpose.
In Judges 20:11, the nation of Israel assembled as a united army against the tribe of Benjamin. “So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.”
In 1 Samuel 11:7, Saul put fear into the hearts of the
people in an effort to get them ready for war by tearing up a yoke of oxen and sending it to them.
“… Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.”
In today’s verse, the people gathered together “as one man” to rebuild the altar, offer burnt offerings, and to observe the feasts that the LORD commanded.
Nehemiah 8:1 says:
“And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate…”
They assembled “as one man” to hear the word.
Jesus prayer for His disciples, and for us, is that we would be one.
“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
John 17:21
So as we go forward today. Let’s be a voice of unity, not division, taking Paul’s advice:
“endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:3
by George | Apr 9, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
God Is Love Be Like Him
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
I John 4:7-8
“Be like Mike” was a popular phrase over 20 years ago. It encouraged us to be like Michael Jordan, arguably one of the best basketball players ever.
Recently, I saw this sign on the marquee at a church: “God is love. Be like Him.”
While it’s great to strive to be like someone we admire, it’s far better to strive to be like our Heavenly Father.
Remember that God SO loved us that He gave His Son. (John 3:16)
Because God is love, and He showed us His love in giving His Son for us, we should love others.
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
I John 4:9-11
Jesus, God’s Son, showed us how to truly love, not just in words, but in deeds.
Remember how Jesus washed His disciples’ feet? Some of them were more concerned with status, what position they would hold in His kingdom.
Jesus taught them “servant leadership.”
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
John 13:14-15
“God is love. Be like Him.”
