Quality Prayers

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

This verse has a significant qualifier : "righteous". It doesn't say that all prayers are powerful and effective, but that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective. What is a righteous man?  Specifically, James is referring to a man who is in right relationship with the God of the Christians, a man who is a believer in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In 1 Kings 18, we read about Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah challenges the false prophets to pray to their god which they fervently do but to no avail. However, when Elijah prays to the God of the Hebrews, his prayer is answered with a supernatural manifestation which lights the water on the altar on fire. Clearly, the message here is that not all prayers are equally effective as the object of prayer is of primary importance. Praying to a god who does not exist, or to a god  created by our whims and imagination has no effect at all.

I am thankful that I have righteous men and women in my life who pray for me because I know their prayers are powerful and effective. I pray that God will give me insight into how and when I should be praying for others. I thank God that He has given us an example of prayer with the Lord's Prayer.