two more conditions for praying effectively…

another condition for praying effectively that james mentions in his book  is you need a clean life. 

james 5.16 (niv), the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. please note the word, righteous, a righteous man. 

if you’re a CHRISTian you are righteous.  we’re not talking about perfection.  we’re talking about righteousness.  righteousness is your standing before GOD when you became a believer.  it has nothing to do with your perfection.  if GOD only answered the prayers of perfect people, how many prayers would get answered?  none. 

but GOD does want us to have a clean life.  psalm 66.18 (niv), david said, if i hide [regard, conceal] iniquity [sin] in my heart then the LORD will not hear. 

if i am willfully and knowingly doing something i know is displeasing to GOD and say, “GOD, i’m going to continue doing this but, by the way, help me out.  it’s like saying, “dad, will you loan me the keys to the car, but i’m never going to do a single thing you ask.”  we need to have a clean life before him. 

proverbs 28.9 (niv), he that turneth his back from the hearing of the law, even his prayers are an abomination.

isaiah 59.2 (niv), but your inequities have separated you from your GOD; your sins have hidden HIS face from you so that HE will not hear.

and then you need to ask in faith.  expect an answer.  james 1.6 (niv), but when he asks, he must believe and not doubt...

when you come to GOD, believe that HE wants to answer your prayer.  trust HIM.  don’t doubt.  really believe.

how important is your prayer life to you?  i struggle with this more than any other area in my life – this area of being consistent in prayer.  i talk to the LORD all the time, but i don't really have the prayer life i want to have.  i’m never satisfied with it.  i want to know HIM in a deeper way.  i want things in my life to only be explained by the fact that GOD did it.

just a thought from the front porch…