Praying for the Lost...

What is a prodigal? When we read about the prodigal son in Luke 15, we think of poor choices and reckless attitudes, of squandered inheritance and wild living. We come to grips with wayward direction and being lost. It especially hits home when the lost one is close to you, like a son or daughter. Or both.

Therefore 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.

James 5:16

How many of us confess sins to others....to our friends? I admit I don't eagerly do that. It's not a terribly common thing to do. Do we look down on someone who does confess? Most likely. Yet, this is what the Bible says to do. How about the second portion of this verse? Are you praying for others? We can pray alone and/or with others. Either is fine. Doing both is awesome. The third portion of this verse contains an encouraging promise. Prayer prayed by a believer who is trusting the one and only Living God is powerful. Earnest Elijah-type prayer is effective. If you're genuine, if you're truly believing, when you pray, your prayer can be powerful and effective.

This is the assurance we have in approaching God:

that if we ask anything according to his will,

he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us—

whatever we ask— we know that we have 

what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

God hears us! He doesn't miss anything. Are you earnest like Elijah? Are you praying from the depths of your heart like Hannah? Are you persistent like the widow who kept going back for justice? God heard these three people in the Bible and granted their requests. They were confident in God. Are we still confident in God? Because He is still hearing prayer today. In order to pray for the lost, we become earnest, praying from deep within, day after day after day with assurance that God hears us.

...being confident of this,

that he who began a good work in you

will carry it on to completion until

the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 

God is faithful! Great is thy faithfulness! You know the hymn. It's so true. (Unless, of course, you don't believe it.) So, with confidence in the Lord— confidence that has not been thrown away— remain hopeful. Remain faithful. Love always hopes, always perseveres. Maintained confidence will be richly rewarded. (Hebrews 10:35). Your heart will be rewarded.

In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,

and his children will have a refuge.

Proverbs 14:26

And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be

saved, you and your household."

Acts 16:31

There are other such verses...hope for the believer who loves a lost one. Jesus will go after that lost sheep— that sheep who fell in the ravine. He can reach in and pull her out. He can go get that boy and bring him to his senses when no one else can. Keep trusting God to do it. It may not happen in your life time. But keep following the way of love. God doesn't miss that either...your loving the prodigal and remaining hopeful. 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably

more than all we ask or imagine,

according to his power that is at work within us,

to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus

throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

The September winds are kicking up. Summer is wrapping up around these woods. The night air is becoming crisper. The birds are gathering to begin their flight south and the crickets are shrilling the ending lullaby.
In every season, through every change, I am reminded of Jesus' love.
As Christ did for us, endure in Love.