Prayer is vital, but it’s not the endpoint of our faith. My friend always asked not to just “blanket” him in prayer. Be specific, he’d say. This aligns with biblical examples of purposeful, pointed prayer.
Recall the blind men crying out to Jesus – they directly requested healing. Jesus then asked what they wanted Him to do, and they spoke their need. Effective prayer articulates specifics.
But prayer is not complete without action. The Bible warns faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We must put legs on our prayers through practical deeds.
Today, religious liberties and biblical values are under increasing attack. Many pray blanket prayers about the state of society. But we must move beyond just praying to active engagement.
Throughout Scripture, God partners with His people to accomplish His purposes on earth. He uses willing individuals like David against Goliath. Prayer opens the door, but we must walk through in faith.
It’s easy to complain about concerning trends yet do nothing tangible. But redemption requires rolled up sleeves, not armchair critics. We must write letters, serve needs, vote righteously, run for office, and resist passivity.
Don’t wait for figureheads to fight key battles. God wants to use ordinary believers. He will answer united prayers coupled with courageous action. Faith-filled deeds give weight and traction to our prayers.
Imagine the impact if even 10% of Christians got engaged civically beyond just praying! We could bring godly change to communities, states and nations. But we must move past prayers alone to faithful activism.
If we stay silent and idle while our religious liberty is being stripped away, we become salt that’s lost its saltiness – useless and trampled underfoot. But standing firmly on truth in public forums gives saltiness back to the Church.
Let’s put legs on our prayers, fight spiritual battles shoulder to shoulder, and expect God to come through mightily. Together, prayer and action can truly transform society for His glory.
In Christ,
Stephen H. Hammond
President
AUTHOR BIO
Stephen H. Hammond, president and founder of Christian Values Investing Inc., established the first “fee-only” Biblical responsible investment advisory firms in 1993 to help Christians align investments with their values and better manage finances from a biblical perspective. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a finance degree and worked in the Investment Banking industry before joining Merrill Lynch in 1988. Stephen is a published author and speaker, a spirit-filled Christian who traces his faith heritage to preacher ancestors. In 2005, he established the nonprofit Covenant Financial Ministries to teach biblical stewardship principles and money management. Stephen has decades of experience in money management and financial planning. and serves with Kingdom Advisors and the National Association of Christian Financial Consultants. He has appeared on radio and television, spoken at churches, and authored books including Mission Possible: An Investment Guide for Christians and The Successful Life Manager. He married Angela in 1990, and has two adult children.
