The Daily Devotional by Vince Miller

Ever feel like your prayers don’t matter? James reminds us that they do—big time. Whether you’re suffering, celebrating, or struggling, prayer unleashes God’s extraordinary power. Just think: if an ordinary man like Elijah could pray and the skies obeyed, imagine what God could do through your prayers.

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:13-18.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. — James 5:13-18

In a quick study of this text, you will see:

• The suffering are called to pray.
• The cheerful are called to praise.
• The sick are called to seek leaders to pray for them.
• The sinful are called to confess and be prayed for to be healed.

And then you will also see pray or prayer is mentioned seven times:

1. "Let him pray." (v. 13)
2. "Let them pray over him." (v. 14)
3. "The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick." (v. 15)
4. "Pray for one another." (v. 16)
5. "The prayer of a righteous person has great power." (v. 16)
6. "He prayed fervently that it might not rain." (v. 17)
7. "Then he prayed again." (v. 18)

Seven times, James emphasizes it in these six verses, weaving it into every situation of life. Whether you're suffering, celebrating, sick, or struggling with sin, the response is consistent: prayer connects you to the One who holds the power to heal, restore, and provide.

But James isn’t simply urging prayer as a ritual; he’s highlighting its transformational power. Prayer aligns the human heart with God’s will. Notice how James references Elijah, reminding us that this prophet, though an extraordinary figure, was a man "with a nature like ours." His fervent prayers stopped and started rain! The key wasn’t Elijah's superhuman nature but his reliance on a supernatural God. Thus, we should see prayer not as a passive act but as a dynamic engagement with God's power.

The takeaway is simple but profound: pray like it matters. In suffering, let prayer be your first recourse, not your last resort. When joyful, let prayer overflow as praise, expressing your gratitude to God. If you're sick or struggling with sin, don’t go it alone—invite others into your situation. The act of confessing and praying together builds spiritual unity and fosters healing.

James reminds us that prayer isn’t limited by human weakness; it's magnified by faith. Like Elijah, you might feel ordinary, but your prayers can yield extraordinary results. So pray ordinary prayers and experience extraordinary power.

Take time to share your prayer in the comments below.

#PrayerPower, #James5Devotional, #FaithInAction

1. When was the last time you turned to prayer as your first response?
2. How does your view of prayer align with James' description of its power?
3. What can you do today to invite others to pray with you or for you?
4. In what ways can you pray with greater faith and boldness, like Elijah?

Pray intentionally today for one specific need, trusting God’s extraordinary power to work through your faith.

Father, thank You for the gift of prayer and the privilege to connect with Your power. Teach me to pray with faith and boldness, trusting You in every situation. Amen.

Don't Stop Praying.

We’re wrapping up the book of James—what a journey it’s been! Grab the Ecclesiastes Journal now if you’re looking for your next study.

Did you know that every promise we make is a test of our character? James cuts through the noise and says our words alone should be enough to reflect who we truly are. Are yours passing the test?

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:12.

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. — James 5:12

James’ instruction to avoid making promises by swearing an oath may seem a bit odd, but he challenges how believers use their words.

In the first century, swearing by heaven or earth was a common way to emphasize the seriousness of one's promises. James addresses the deeper issue behind this practice: the motivations that drive the need to make promises. He emphasizes that a believer's words should be defined by integrity, where simple honesty carries more weight than any excessive assurances. When a person's "yes" is consistently trustworthy and their "no" is reliably dependable, there’s no need for elaborate promises or safeguards to validate their honesty.

This text reminds us that excessive promises reveal two more profound issues.

First | Lack of Dependability: If people can’t take us at our word and we need to make grandiose promises, it might suggest a pattern of inconsistency. Perhaps in the past, we’ve said "yes" to something but failed to follow through, or we’ve said "no" but later changed our mind. This inconsistency can create a reputation where our words alone are empty, requiring extra promises or explanations to be believed.

Second | Fear of Accountability: Adding extra weight to our words, like swearing an oath or making elaborate promises, might stem from a fear of being held accountable. We might need to overly emphasize our sincerity because we’re not confident that our simple words will be enough—or worse, we’re unsure if we’ll follow through.

Both issues point to a deeper spiritual problem: a lack of integrity. This happens when our internal motivation doesn’t align with our external actions. When we feel the need to "dress up" our words, it reveals a gap between how we want to be perceived and how we’ve acted. James calls us to close that gap by living and speaking in a way that doesn’t require embellishment or extra guarantees. Instead, we should strive to cultivate a reputation for being trustworthy and consistent so that our words alone are enough.

Ultimately, this scripture invites us to examine not just what we say but why we say it—and to let the truth of Christ reshape both.

So speak with integrity so that your words stand firm without the need for all that extra reinforcement. Let your "yes" be yes, and your "no" be no.

#IntegrityMatters, #James5Devotional, #DailyBibleStudy

1. What does it mean for your "yes" to be yes and your "no" to be no?
2. How does fear of accountability influence the promises you make?
3. In what ways can you build a reputation of trustworthiness?
4. How can aligning your internal motivations with your external actions reflect Christ's truth?

Examine one area of your life where you overpromise or overexplain and commit to simple, honest communication this week.

Lord, help me to speak with honesty and integrity in all I say. May my words reflect the trustworthiness and truth of Christ in my life. Amen.

Honesty.

We know how you choose leaders, but do you know how God chooses leaders?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we start a new chapter, 1 Samuel 16. I've titled this chapter "God's Criteria for Choosing Leaders."

The key verse of Chapter 16 is verse 7. It reads:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

In this chapter, you will see a difference between Samuel's, Jesse's, and God's choice of a leader. Samuel has a bias toward the size of the man. Jesse, David's father, has a bias toward the age of the man. And God has a bias toward the heart of a man.

This is one of the challenges in selecting a leader. We judge based on things we see, like experience, education, and competency. We make appointments based on vision, values, passion, and plans. We assess appearance, communication, character, and emotional intelligence. However, a potential leader can appear competent and proficient in all these areas and still fail the one test that is challenging to administer and evaluate — the nature of the leader's heart.

As followers of God, we should assess and address our hearts. This is God's primary concern. He cares about external matters but only as they are driven, directed, and determined by the internal matter—your heart.

Here are my questions for you today.

Question one is, "How's your heart?"

Take a moment to reflect on that question. Write it out. Talk it out with someone.

Question two is, "Would God select you?"

Now, most of you are going to disqualify yourselves. If this is the case, let's alter the question to: "What do you need to address in your heart for God to qualify as his leader?"

#HeartOfLeadership, #GodsCriteria, #1Samuel16

1. What aspects of your life might be reflecting an outward appearance of leadership or righteousness but potentially masking issues within your heart? How can you bring those internal struggles to God for transformation?
2. How can you cultivate a heart that aligns more closely with God's values and intentions for leadership? Consider specific actions or changes to reflect a heart seeking God's approval over man's.

Assess and address.

Lord, help me to see beyond the outward appearances and focus on the condition of my heart. Guide me in aligning my inner life with Your standards, so that I may lead with integrity and reflect Your values. Amen.

Here's My Heart.

Welcome to The Daily, where we go through the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day.

We are approaching the end of Ecclesiastes, and the Gospel of Mark is next. Go to the website and grab the Scriptural Journal for this study so you can study along with us. If you are a donor who gives $35/month or more, you will receive one of these for free each time we begin a new study, as long as we have your current mailing address. You also get a few more benefits by becoming a monthly or annual donor, like video access to the website, and you can see all those benefits at the link in the description today. Either way, get your Scripture Journal now so you can take notes and follow along.

Today, we’re looking at Ecclesiastes 11:2:

Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. — Ecclesiastes 11:2

Solomon chases his advice about "casting bread on the waters" with another counterintuitive command: "Give to seven, or even to eight." In modern language, this would sound like: "Be generous... even unreasonably generous."

And why?

Because you don’t know what lies ahead. Life is unpredictable. He isn’t teaching us to be reckless—he’s calling us to prepare, but not in the way the world does. Instead of hoarding in fear, he encourages open-handed generosity and faithful investment in others.

This is spiritual wisdom. Because in God’s economy, giving is strategic trust. Instead of stockpiling security, we spread strategically what we have—in time, in service, in generosity—knowing that ultimately, God is our provision and protection.

Friends you can’t control tomorrow. But you can decide to live today with faith, releasing your grip on what you think keeps you safe and placing your confidence in the One who holds every outcome.

#FaithOverFear, #RadicalGenerosity, #EcclesiastesWisdom

1. How does uncertainty about the future affect your generosity?
2. What’s one area of your life where you’re stockpiling instead of trusting God?
3. Who in your life needs your open-handed investment today?
4. What does “strategic trust” look like in your daily decisions?

Live generously today—find one person or place to give to without expecting anything in return.

Father, help me release my grip on what I think keeps me safe. Teach me to trust You by giving generously and living faithfully today. Amen.

Generous Giver.

It’s easy to point fingers when things go wrong in our life: We think, "It’s their fault," or sometimes we dare to think, "It's God's fault." But James cuts sharply through these excuses, showing us another way to look at our situations.

Welcome to the Daily Devo. [Get ready for a chapter study on the Vince Miller Show]

If you are new here, we are excited to have you. Get your James Scripture Journal now so you can take notes as we study this letter together. Our text today is James 1:13-18:

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — James 1:13-18

In this section of chapter one, James turns inward. He is no longer talking about external trials but internal temptations. The challenges that derive from our devious desires. And I think James' sexual-fishing metaphor is spot-on. We get lured and enticed by our own desires. We get hooked and then commit adulterous affairs in our hearts. Then, these adulterous expeditions result in sin that we birth. We are on the hook for them, and they kill us and others.

God is not on the hook for temptation. We are. God is good, and every gift he gives is good.

You can't blame the hook when you're the one chasing the bait.

Today, James is challenging us to take responsibility for our temptations. Instead of pointing fingers at others or God, we need to own our desires, hook, line, and sinker. The correct response is not to blame God for our desires but to surrender our desires to Him.

So, what desire has been hooking you lately? Don't skip past this question. Think about it. Identify it. Confess it. Share it [in the comments below]. Surrender it. Pray about it [like we talked about yesterday]. Then, take intentional steps to replace it with God's desires.

Remember, the Father of Lights fills your life with good gifts—so ask him for a heart that desires his very best.

#OwnYourChoices, #GodIsGood, #GuardYourHeart

1. What desires have been hooking you lately and leading you into temptation?
2. How can you surrender your desires to God today?
3. What good gifts has God already provided in your life?
4. How can you replace tempting thoughts with God's truth and promises?

Stop blaming God.

Father of Lights, thank You for every good and perfect gift You provide. Help me surrender my desires to You and pursue Your best for my life. Amen.

Hooked On A Feeling.