James 5:13-18 ¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

1. Prayer is:
   1. Conversation with God
   2. Recognizing God for who he is (Anna’s comments to me)
   3. A Natural Response to a Healthy Relationship (comments to Janet)
   4. Recognizing God as Provider for Our Needs

II.    The Mystery of Prayer (Jude 1:20; Romans 8:26)

1. 1. Prayer is our communion with our heavenly Father
   2. Prayer is participating with God’s Spirit
   3. Prayer is getting in tune with God and his purposes

III.  Beyond the Dinner Table

1.   Prayer is not just the occasional formal thing; it’s a lifestyle—1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 1:19

2.   Prayer requires persistence

IV.    Beyond the Cosmic Santa Clause View

1. 1. Prayer requires a humble to conform to God’s will
   2. In prayer, God changes us as he meets our requests
   3. Prayer is more than just personal requests: it includes adoration, thanksgiving, confession, and intercession
      1. Adoration—Matthew 6:9- Hallowed by thy name (Phil. 4:4)
         1. the more you take time to praise (adore) God, the more you will understand who he is—builds stability
      2. Thanksgiving—Philippians 4:6—The more you take time to thank God the more you recognize what He’s already done for you and the more you’ll grow in appreciation and gladness
      3. Confession—1 John 1:9—getting your heart right before God—produces a freedom of the heart; relief (Psalm 51:1-12)
      4. Intercession—James 5:14,16—Pray for others
      5. Petitions, requests—Philippians 4:6

V.    Ways to Implement Prayer

1. 1. Personal prayer- set aside consistent time- in the morning or before bed
   2. In church meetings- take the first 10 minutes to pray for the needs specific to your group
   3. In small groups—these are times where we can intentionally pray for each other