December 27, 2007
by Andy Corley
Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you trust that God can provide for our needs -- and even our wants?
After 18 years as a "missionary kid" (watching God provide for my parents and us 5 kids) -- and now after more than 6 years in the ministry myself (watching God provide for Kristi and I and our 3 kids), I can tell you that prayer is powerful. But not just any prayer.
Every time I read in James 5:16 that "the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much", I wonder what exactly a "righteous" man is. I mean, none of us are truly righteous, right?
Well, I heard an incredible sermon this weekend about God's desire to "prosper" His family -- and it wasn't at all one of those tele-evangelist "health and wellness" sermons, either. It was all about how God sent His Son to die for our sins, and because of that sacrifice, we are blessed with eternal life. But that blessing is not for us to keep to ourselves -- we are blessed to be a blessing!
If you're thinking you've heard this before, let me take it one step further. Because when you can connect the "blessed to be a blessing" with "the prayers of a righteous man", you start to see what is reinforced by so many other scripture passages.
Like how God's heart is to give us "more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20). But He only wants to give us those things if we will use them to be a blessing to others!
(Sorry about the pulpit-pounding :-)
... it's just that it's so easy for me to take all these scriptures and hold God to some twisted spiritual promise that He will provide anything and everything that I ask Him for just because I ask Him for it. And because I'm not living in sin at that moment, I must be "righteous", so my prayers are powerful and God must grant my requests! (Sounds sort of like rubbing the lamp just right to get the genie to pop out and grant three wishes, right?)
Anyway, this whole scriptural truth is very important to me because, as a missionary, I live and die by the power of prayer. And I wanted to let you know where Kristi and I are coming from when we ask you to pray for wisdom ... when we ask you to pray for specific needs and provisions ... and when we ask you to join us in reaching tribal people with the Gospel.
It's all about requesting God's blessing so that we can give our lives away as a blessing to unreached people around the world.
Kristi and I are specifically called "to change the lives of countless people around the world". And you are a part of that just by reading this message -- and by praying for our ministry -- and by giving financially to see this work continue.
Not only is God worthy of our praise, but He is worthy of the praise of countless tribal people who have yet to hear the Gospel!
What a privilege it is to spread God's love and glory in this way.
