Prayer

I am so privileged to be able to talk to, and be heard by, the all-powerful, eternal, all-knowing creator of the universe. I freely share with God my heart's desire for my friends' health. Before I tell God what I want, though, I ask Him to make me the person He wants me to be. I come before Him repentant, expressing my sorrow over the sin that dwells in me. I ask Him to forgive and cleanse me, and to hear my prayer. I ask Him to make me righteous. Righteousness can only be attained through faith in Christ. Christ was righteous in all He did and said, and through faith in Him, God credits me with Christ's righteousness. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that Christ's prayers were heard because of His righteousness. God does not hear the prayers of the faithless. He hears the prayers of His faithful children, and James tells us that those prayers of the faithful and righteous are "powerful and effective" and can heal the sick.
The more devoted I am to having my prayers heard, the more devoted I must be to seeking Christ's righteousness in all areas of my life.