Improving our odds in our prayers to God
I grew up knowing the last part of James 5:16 - The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. But the first part was not so well known to me. Yet both are connected and inextricably linked. If the prayer of a certain righteous man availeth much, it is possible for the prayer of others to avail little, or not avail anything at all. In other words, I am learning it is possible that God does not answer one's prayers at all. James 4:1-3 KJV [1] From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? [2] Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. [3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Imagine, going to God in prayer to meet the requirements/desires of one of the seven deadly sins. For instance, a person going to God to sanction a request based on greed wi...