A shirt-aholic?? ~~ You ask with wrong motives...

 
July 14, 2017

"You ask and you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." - James 4:3

I read a story the other day that made me chuckle… it went something like this:

One day, a man was late for a job interview because he couldn’t find a place to park. As he circled the block one more time, he cried out, “Please God. This interview is so important. If you will provide a parking space, I’ll go to church every Sunday!”

Just as he spoke those words, a space opened right in front of him. And he said, “Oh, never mind,” he said. “I found one.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at this, although I realize it isn’t really funny, but is rather sad…

But I do think that this story exemplifies the extent of many of people’s prayer lives.

And I’ve heard many people say, “But, the Lord’s Prayer tells us to pray for our daily needs!”

We often confuse our needs with our wants.

We can get so consumed in praying for our wants that we begin to see God as just someone we can use to get what we want!

And That’s a terrible misunderstanding of God.

Our prayers should not be centered around our selfish motives.

God is not going to give you everything you ask for; loving parents don’t give their children everything they see!

and likewise, God is not some genie saying, “Your wish is my command.”

James 4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

Prayer is for the purpose of creating more and more God-glorifying actions.

We are told, in 1 John 5:14, Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

 I like the way John Piper described prayer as “a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.”

God wants us to seek His will so we can learn to understand our needs versus our wants. When we do, we will see God pour forth blessings to meet the needs in our lives.

And with that I want to remind you… LIFE HAPPENS, LET'S ENJOY IT!

This devotion is in part from "Right from the Heart Ministries"