James 5:16

Thursday:	James 5:16
Bible Lesson:	Hannah's Prayer: When we have problems, we should pray to God.
Memory Verse:	The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. from James 5:16

Introduction: [Needed]

[Show the poster and read through the verse once.]

Explanation: Effective

I don't know about you, but I sure want my prayers to be powerful. Let's talk about what it means to be effective. When something is effective, it works. It creates the desired effect. It does its job. If the lawn mower is effective, the grass gets cut. So if a prayer is powerful and effective, it's strong and does its job, it gets the message through: God hears it.

Explanation: Righteous

But the verse doesn't tell us that everyone's prayers are powerful and effective, just the prayers of a righteous person. So a person who doesn't believe in God, who says, "God, if you're really there, do this for me", does God listen to those prayers? Sometimes, maybe. But they're not powerful and effective prayers.

So we want to be righteous, so that we can have powerful and effective prayers. Being righteous means living according to what is right. Doing the things God wants you to do. Choosing not to sin. If we are believers in Jesus Christ, he makes us righteous. We can't be righteous by ourselves. We need God.

Explanation: Summary

So if you want your prayers to be powerful and effective, you need to choose to let Jesus forgive your sins and make you righteous.

Game: Simon

The teacher says one word (the first word of the verse), and the whole group repeats it in unison. If they get it right, the teacher repeats it again, adding one more word, and the group repeats that, in unison. Add another word each time through the verse until you have the whole verse or the children collectively miss a word. If they miss, you start over with one word again. Each time, the teacher says the words first, and the group repeats.

Announcement: Verse Points

Tomorrow, when you come to Bible School, if you can say your memory verse without looking, you can earn points for your team's score. Each person who can say the verse can earn 200 points. So, if you want to help your team win more points, go home and practice your verse a few times. Don't forget the reference! On your way out the door tonight, you will be given a slip of paper with your verse on it. Don't lose it, because if you learn your verse, your team gets 200 more points!

You can say your verse for points tomorrow when you check in at the registration table.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.