James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

 

 “I must not be asking God for the right things.”

 

 “If only I could concentrate better when I pray.”

 

 “Maybe God is not really listening after all.”

 

      If those are thoughts that ever cross your mind or settle in your heart, then maybe you are asking the question, “Does prayer really work?” Maybe you have been praying for a long time and have not received the answer you wanted, or felt that there hasn’t been any change.

 

      Well, there is good news. Prayer really does make a difference. There are two reasons for this. First, prayer does not depend on us. If answers to our prayers depended on us, we would never have our prayers answered because as sinful people God would not listen to us. That might hurt our feelings, but it is the truth.

 

   That leads to the subsequent reason why prayer makes a difference. It depends upon God. In the Bible, we read this little prayer, “O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Psalm 143:1). The person who spoke this prayer recognized that it was God’s faithfulness on which the answer to his request depended. 

 

      God’s faithfulness was demonstrated when he kept his promise to send us Jesus. In saving love, Jesus died to pay for our sins that had separated us from God and had closed his ears to our prayers. Jesus’ perfect sacrifice opens the way to God and gives believers in Jesus the gracious promise that their prayers are heard and answered.

 

       If you are struggling with prayer; if you don’t know what to pray for, or how to pray, join us to hear more about your Savior Jesus and the difference he makes for your prayers. Because of Jesus, prayer really does work. We have his Word on it.

 

 Pastor Joseph Fricke