The Prayer Of A Righteous Person Is Powerful And Effective

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 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.

James 5:13-16

There are many times in our life when something really bad happens. Mom or Dad have a car accident, or a heart attack, or an ulcer attack. Our children have to go the hospital for an eye that got cut, a really bad cold.

When do we pray? Every morning, every evening, or just when something really bad happens?

We use prayer as a last resort, not a first resort.

God wants it to be our first defense.

At its root, prayer is simply a conversation with God, spoken in the expectation that God hears and answers. Prayer should not be a last resort.

For those who have experienced the power of the Almighty, our first inclination often will be to cry out to Him.

Pray first!

Our Daily Bread – October25, 2014