June 20th

June 20th    

We have talked about the importance of prayer multiple times, but let’s revisit for a minute. Throughout the Bible the importance of prayer is emphasized. It is a weapon, it is how we get things done in the spiritual realm, it is how we commune with the Lord, it is how we support each other, and so much more.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Prayer is powerful and effective! We don’t need science to prove the Bible is true but it sure is exciting when science finds out (sometimes much to their dismay) that what we claim IS true! We learned a few weeks ago that prayer changes our brain, making it more healthy; but what affect does our prayer have on others?

This week I became aware of another scientific study done about prayer. This is quite fascinating! Scientists took 2 groups of people, one group were the ones who prayed and one group received prayer. The groups were separated into different rooms and didn’t know each other or what was going on in the other room. In the room of people who were being prayed for, the participants were randomly assigned to have functional MRI brain scans at random times throughout the study. So part of the time they were being scanned and part of the time they were not. In the other room each person was assigned to pray for a person in the other room but they did not pray continuously, they did it at assigned times and stopped in between. They did not know whether the person they were praying for was in the scanner or not, and the other people did not know when they were being prayed for and when they were not. So sometimes when a person was in the scanner nobody was praying for them, other times when they were in the scanner people were praying. As a double blind study none of the participants were aware of anything.

When the scientists analyzed the results, guess what they found??

They found that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective! When the people received prayer the scanner showed changes in the brain! Areas of the brain responsible for wellbeing, resilience, and processing, lit up like a Christmas tree! These people had no conscious idea that they were receiving prayer and those areas did NOT light up when they were in the scanner while nobody was praying for them! The people in the scanner were in sensory deprivation so there were no other influences to cause the changes. This means that when we pray for each other, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!!!

Whether we can see it or not, whether they know it or not, prayer changes things! Prayer changes people! So let’s keep praying!!! When we come together and pray for each other it is even more powerful and effective!

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

What is the “law of Christ”? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

When we pray for each other, we are loving each other!

God, by His grace, has given us the power of prayer, let’s use it!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 -pray continually,

Jesus, thank you for giving us prayer and teaching us how to pray! Help me to be faithful to pray continually and not neglect this important tool. Teach me how to specifically pray for those you have assigned to me. Help me to remember to make that a priority. Help me to humble myself and ask for prayer for myself too. Remind me to pray for others when I face my own trials. Thank you for your amazing plan Jesus and thank you for letting me be a part of it!