“The Power of Prayer”


BIBLE READING:  James 5                  
                Have you ever known that person who is struggling with some type of issue?  They may have some serious medical condition or maybe they have lost a loved one or maybe they are just placed in a situation in which they have no control over;  Then when you go to visit them to offer some type of encouragement you might ask, “Is there anything we can do to help?”.  Their reply, “All we can do now is pray.”  There is some truth to that statement.  When things are out of our hands, we are left with petitioning the Almighty to ask for His comfort, His guidance and maybe even His intervention.  However, many times when we do say that, it also seems to imply a couple of other things.  For instance, it implies that we have tried and exhausted every other means physically possible on our end, so now let’s take it to God.  It might also mean that the situation is so dire, there is no hope and all that is left is to pray; as if it really isn’t going to do anything…it is more of a formality that we need to do.  Prayer should never be a last resort for us, nor should we ever doubt the power that is associated with prayer.  James says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working”.   Prayer has power, because it is connected to the Creator of the Universe.  It also has power because of the intimacy it carries with it because God is specifically concerned with us.  Above all, prayer should be something we do first and foremost.  Prayer isn’t the last thing we can do, it is everything that we can do.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Colors of Christmas: Green

  Discussion:                                    Evergreen plants, like holly and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and winter wouldn't last forever! The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid-winter festivals. In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, “paradise plays” were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. Today, think about the newness of life we have because we are in Christ. The old man could represent the dark winter and the barren trees. Then think of the bright Christmas trees that are so easily seen! … Help brighten someone’s life this week! Inform
Read more

“Blow-out in Boston”

BIBLE READING: Luke 14 DISCUSSION                                                                                       Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet… Accompanied by her fiancé, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the flower arrangements they liked. They both had expensive taste, and the bill came to $13,000. After leaving a check for half that amount as down payment, the couple went home to flip through books of wedding announcements. The day the announcements were supposed to hit the mailbox, the groom got cold feet. "I'm just not sure," he said. "It's a big commitment. Let's think about this a little longer." When his angry fiancé returned to the Hyatt to cancel the banquet, the manager could not have been more understanding. However, concerning the refund, she h
Read more

“Prepare for Happiness”

  DISCUSSION:                                    Just recently we have seen the devastation that can result from hurricanes, earthquakes, and fire. According to the show on National Geographic channel “Doomsday Preppers” there are a lot of people over the country stocking up on supplies in the hope of being able to survive (months) a natural disaster or power grid failure. Many agree with this philosophy. Who could argue that it is a smart idea to be prepared? As a provider we should take reasonable measures to have our family prepared for hard times both mentally and physically. In this life, Christians have something more precious to protect than material things. Preparing our souls for eternity is much more important. We have been promised a gift that nothing can compare to, a home not made with hands (2Corinthians 5:1). So even if disasters come our way, we can be sure God will take care of His children. As a Christian we have a peace of mind from our faith in God’s word and beli
Read more