Dry Bones and New Life

I'm late getting started on the blog this morning because I've been praying with a group of missionaries about an area of the world where Christianity had its beginnings. Over the intervening centuries, the church there was strong and vibrant, until the last thirty years. 

The decline of faith in an area can be stunningly fast when belief is not passed on to the next generation. What remains is a struggling remnant and thousands of people who are Christian in name only. 

Our little group of missionaries hopes to change that. The first step is prayer. We know that, because it's what Jesus did. Every morning, He spent time with His Father, in effect getting His marching orders for the day. 

The church has become little more than a battleground of dry bones, but Ezekiel told us what God can do with bare bones, and it's beautiful.

You probably know this story, but here it is in a Leanna paraphrase.

God showed Ezekiel a valley full of bones. "Ezekiel, can these bones live?"

"You're the only One who knows, Lord. It doesn't look like it to me." 

"Start praying, Ezekiel. Prophesy over these bones," God told him, so he did. The bones started rattling, which much have been a horrendous noise, and the next thing Ezekiel knew, those bones were sinew-and-flesh covered, and God was blowing breath into them.

An army rose up. 

What God has done once, He can do again.

The area I'm concerned about is not the only place with dry, hopeless-looking bones. The church in America is filled with people who are Christian in name only.

But God...

God is so good with dry bones.

Today, I'm praying for the remnant on the other side of the world, and the one in this country, as well. 

I'm hoping you'll join me in praying over the valleys of bones. That God will bring a rattling movement, wrap the bones in sinew and flesh, and breathe the breath of the Spirit into what looks like a hopeless field of death.

God is good with dry bones... so let's ask Him to do it again. Here and around the world. Let's start praying now, and, with your help, God will raise up a multitude again.

____________

If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: James: Crucibles That Keep Coming
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841

ps - the photo above is of the area around the Dead Sea
#prayer