There is an aspect of faith, the Scriptures surely support. We don't have 95 Chapters about David. Or 50 Chapters of Hezekiah. Or 5 Books describing Moses. Everyone Loves the blessings of Jabez and he does not have a Chapter. Or even 12 verses. God is interesting, He blesses Jabez in reverse. The Town or area is called Jabez where Jabez was born.
Jericho Walls
We know the Miracle during the Exodus of the walls of Jericho falling. And surprise, surprise archaeology supports the sudden fall of the walls of Jericho and the inability to find any good reason for the walls falling. The Word of God upholds the Universe. Once again, we don't find 12 Chapters about Jericho.
Oddly, yet in fine Biblical fashion, we don't have a book for each of the Kings of Israel or Judah.
When God tells us:
2 Corinthians 5:7
“We live by faith, not by sight”
We are learning, Moses might have seen more spectacular miracles during the Exodus. Or Elijah might have seen 100 things of God daily. Jesus, we learn from John, continually had an amazing number of God aspects surrounding His Life, no one could record.
Many of the people God speaks of in Hebrews 11, had one miracle they could point to and say: The Lord has done this for me! I have asked Him and He heard me! And then they go on with their lives, either as the one leper who returned to give thanks, or the nine who just went on. Sort of like ... Gideon.
I heard a story about a woman who had given her life to looking at every odd aspect of the word "Religion" to find something, god or crystal to worship. And the peace was fleeting. So she looked more and more. And now, she believes Jesus and will examine Him like this. We don't see people in Scripture doing this. We find they have peace, they believe God loves them, and as life unfolds, they understand we all fall short and try again. Live in the world, do not be of the world.
We want to be healed like Blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. Why did Jesus specifically name Timaeus? Probably because Timaeus prayed. Maybe for a long time. Not every one is named as the child of someone in the Gospels. Seek and you will find.
The Scriptures only have the prayers heard amazingly in a few places. Obviously, the Gospels. Jesus was eventually annoyed with the people coming to see Him. And He said, you are here for the bread. The bread of excitement, the bread of entertainment to go home and tell the folks. The bread of we were bored and this is better. The bread of guess what I did this weekend, what did you do. The bread of pay me and I will tell you what I saw surrounding Jesus. The bread of being fed. And seeing this is temporary instead of Bread for eternity.
The Prodigal Son was actually a long process. And the road was the journey. We are shown in the placing of miracles to hold on to, and be grateful for, the Prayers heard. Heard by the Lord God Almighty. To grow not to expect the bread, but to have the Journey with the Lord. To have our hearts strangely warmed.
Does this limit Hebrews 11
or tell us we received and stop praying?
No, absolutely not.
We believe in His Good Will to Be Done.
Boldly and With Confidence, approach the Lord.
Manna from the Lord continued
to be provided.
The Eucharist is continued
to be Provided.
To see what God has brought and be grateful and pray for our own opening of warm hearts.Miracles of God are very special, exceptional and important. God didn't follow the Children of Israel around, telling what He had to say over and over. He told them, He showed them and, then, He didn't do dog and pony tricks. He expected the tough journey was given and have faith.
Ok, what about community faith?
The Exodus is about God answering prayers of a community.
Our Borders are having Drought.
The Middle is having Drought.
Maui
and many others
After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi).
3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 10 And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.
24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29 And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
31 Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.
Jehoshaphat stood, he prayed, he asked. He didn't say God is going to do what God is going to do. He didn't just thank God for the past miracles. He asked for what they all needed. What Jehoshaphat needed.
Now we have an Old Testament example of community prayer. Let's see the New Testament:
Acts 12
4 And when Herod had seized Peter, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
5 So Peter was kept in prison,
but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.
7 And behold,
an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell.
He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9 And he went out and followed him.
2 Kings 19
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord.
15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”
20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying,
“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:
Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria
I have heard."
Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your steadfast Love, O Lord,
endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Abba, Father,
Father God, we abide in You.
Knowing apart from You
we have no good.
You are the Vine, we are the branches.
Father, please, each day grow us to be the people dear to You.
Each day, provide us the path
You would have us to travel and journey along.
You are the Light of the World.
Dwell in us, please, Father.
Dwell in those we Love.
Help us to seek You first.
In Jesus Christ, we will finish well.
May the Lord God
give us Justice,
Righteousness,
Goodness,
Joy and Love
to sweep the Nation
and those who
want All of God's Blessings
to surround His People.
Bless this Nation with
Truth, Mercy and Justice
that we might shine
as His Light
to the Nations, Again.
May we see Victory of Jesus
Soon
BLESSINGS
for Those mighty ones
who bring
Goodness and Hope and Prosperity
pleasing the Lord.
In Jesus Christ is
Our Love, Joy and Hope.
Thank You for Jesus.
Please pray for my phone to be found.
Thank You and Bless those
who have helped!
We ask this in the Highest Name You've given us;
Jesus!
Amen.
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