Video of the Day: Clip from the 1992 movie “Leap of Faith”
Bible Verse of the Day:
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops, James 5:16-18.
Biblical Connection:
Steve Martin plays Jonas Nightingale, who makes a living travelling around America holding revival meetings. The only problem is that everything Martin does is staged, pretending to be faith healer, using all the tricks in the book to con the people attending his shows. After Jonas is stranded in a small Midwest town, he finds out that he can’t fool everyone. Once exposed, Jonas is overwhelmed by conviction and leaves his ministry. Picked up by a trucker, God answers the prayers of this farming community, ending a long drought with a long steady rain shower.
James appears to be quoting Isaiah 1:15-20. This is where the prophet Isaiah explains why certain prayers lifted up to God aren’t answered. However, when you spiritually wash and cleanse yourself by pouring out your heart to God through confession and repentance, this gets the Lord’s attention. Subsequently, when Jonas Nightingale realized that he was living a lie, fleeing the healing ministry that he built was a step in the right direction. While in this tractor trailer on his way to Florida, Jonas is moved by the rain which only God could send.
Closing Song:
Today’s song is one of my favorites for getting me into the proper mindset for prayer. If you find yourself wrestling with God, trying to figure out why your prayers aren’t being answered, start with confession and repentance. Then, maybe, just maybe, you’ll experience what Isaiah speaks of in Isaiah 1:16-18.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 