We’ve all heard people say, “our thoughts and prayers are with you” but what does that mean?

Hemant Mehta, atheist activist, wrote a short article* in The NY Times about prayer and said this about prayer:

“It’s the last resort of people who have run out of ideas, and the first resort of people who never bothered to think about how they could actually fix the problem at hand…It lulls believers into a false sense of accomplishment. We cannot solve our problems –  m much less the world’s – through prayer. We often see people with good intentions praying for victims in the wake of a tragedy, but prayer is useless without action, and those actions make the prayers irrelevant. To paraphrase the great Robert Green Ingersoll, hands that help are far better than lips that pray… Prayer is nothing but a powerful placebo. We’d all be better off accepting that.”

[James 2:15-16]

“15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?”

Problem with this view: total value of prayer is measured by the results, whether we get what we pray for or not.

The point of prayer is developing a relationship with the One we’re talking to

• Prayer is not a magic wand
  • Once a man was asked, “what did you gain by regularly praying to God?” The man replied, “nothing… but let me tell you what I lost: anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and the fear of death. “Sometimes the answer to our prayer is not gaining, but losing; which ultimately is the gain.
• Prayer is not a fire alarm we only pull during emergencies
• Prayer is not just a ritual to be memorized in an attempt to earn grace

[John 16:23-28]

19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again.

20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.

21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.

22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.

24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father.

26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,

27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.

28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”

1. Prayer is ACCESS 

•  [Hebrews 4:14-16] “14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

2. Prayer Is BEHAVIOR based on personal conviction and belief 

3. Prayer is just a CONVERSATION that happens spontaneously, naturally

[Numbers 11:11-12]

11 And Moses said to the LORD, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors?

• Prayer is a journey that starts and ends in a relationship
• Prayer is AS IMPORTANT as having an actual relationship with God is important to you personally

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Application Questions

1. What stood out to you from this message and why?
2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?
3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?
4. How will this message change how you act at home, at work, and in your relationships?