Prayer a Substitute for Service?

[T.S.Bland]

James 2:15-16 (NIV)
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

In practice we may detect the subtle substitution when we hear a Christian assure someone that he will "pray over" his situation knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for Service.
Is it much easier to pray that a poor friends needs to be supplied than to supply them?
Has religion become a substitute for faith-filled action?
Any thoughts?

 

[GuusVA]

To some people I think it has.

however, if we assume that someone has the means to help, thus should help we could quickly assume the wrong thing.

What if that person looks like he has the means to help, but can barely scratch through the months himself? Often we see that these people still help out with the little that they have. Making the assumption prayer is used a substitute for prayer might be true. On the samehand the argument cannot be used on everybody.

Yes I see this in my daily life

'I will pray for you!' *closes door* lives on with couch filled with chocolate to eat.

However, that is where the border of Christians that truly believe or that just name themselves 'christians' is at... IMO

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

James 2:15-16 (NIV)
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

In practice we may detect the subtle substitution when we hear a Christian assure someone that he will "pray over" his situation knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for Service.
Is it much easier to pray that a poor friends needs to be supplied than to supply them?
Has religion become a substitute for faith-filled action?
Any thoughts?

Genuine prayer will lead to genuine service for the Lord. I'm not talking about formalised prayer that treats God as some high and mighty dignitary that we have to always talk up to. That's not true fellowship. Genuine prayer is being ourselves before God, fellowshiping with Him as our best friend. Sharing our hearts with Him. Walking along an isolated beach with our hands in our pockets, just chatting with Him. That type of prayer brings us into a place where God can speak back to us, guide us, and show us the best service that we could give him and those around us. Loving God with all our hearts must lead to loving our neighbour