Seeing Is Believing

Effective, fervent prayer…James 5:16

Our children are being taught the Lord’s prayer in Sunday School. They are learning about Jesus. When Jesus was asked how do we pray? His model prayer is recorded in Matthew 6:9 thru 13. Jesus concludes with an encouragement to be forgiving. People sin against God and against each other. Forgive one another even as God in Christ has forgiven you. This is the way of Jesus.

Our children are learning just how real Jesus is (not was, is). And they are learning how to treat each other the Jesus way. So, they are learning how to pray the way Jesus taught. They are learning about who God the Father really is while learning how the Son of God taught us to pray.

James takes prayer to another level. Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. James 5:13 thru 15.

Why? Why should we do this? Why should we pray for the sick and sing with the cheerful? Because the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Verse 16. Your prayers matter! 

Your prayers matter because of who God is. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. We pray to our Holy Father who is in heaven. We pray to our Father for His is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. We pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We are not praying into darkness. We are praying to our Creator who redeemed us giving us the very righteousness of Himself in His Son, Jesus. Your prayers are from a righteous heart therefore they are effective. Your prayers are from a loving heart therefore they are fervent. They are effective and fervent and righteous therefore they “avail much.”