Core Truth: Prayer is the primary means by which we communicate with God, and it is not meant to simply be a way of getting what we may want or need. Rather, the reality is that God wants to be our friend and wants us to get to know Him better. And as we do this through effective prayer – prayer that actually works – we will get to know Him better, and every need will be met and every prayer will be answered, but in the way that glorifies Him and brings about our ultimate good.
Scripture: James 5:16b-18
The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months. And [then] he prayed again and the heavens supplied rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].