Taking a Look at Prayer 16

“You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” – James 4:2b-3

                 Here James mentions the most common problem in prayer; the fact that we don’t even ask, that we ask for the wrong things or as ask for the wrong reasons. The question should be asked, do we talk to God at all, because that is what prayer is … talking to God. Sometimes we do all the talking but never take the time to listen. When you talk to God what do you talk about? Are you simply trying to satisfy your own desires? Do you seek God’s blessing for plans you’ve already planned to do or already made?  Think of how powerful your prayers would become if you allowed the Lord to change your desires to correspond perfectly with his will for you. 

                  The Apostle John addresses that very issue in the following verses: “Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.” ^{[1 John 3:21-22]} When your conscience is completely clear and you know you’ve sought his face with regards to a given matter, you can be confident that your requests will be heard. John is really just reaffirming the promise Jesus made in both Matthew & John when he said, ‘ask anything of me and you shall have it’. ^[paraphrase]

                  As I have said in other postings, asking for anything you want entails knowing and seeking out God’s perfect will for your life. You cannot ask for instant riches and expect to receive it. Prayer doesn’t work that way. This is why we are to draw close to God by reading and hearing God’s word. He wishes us to know him intimately as he knows us. There is nothing that is hidden from him regarding our lives. You can’t be a ‘Christian in name only’ [aka, a CINO] and expect to receive blessings from God. Take your walk with God seriously. Seek his face each and every day in good times and in bad. Know that he is with you and IN you in the person of the Holy Spirit. Let your walk accelerate as you bond more closely with the Lord. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries