James 4:1-8
Today starts a week long series on prayer called Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? (join us if you can). The first passage we're looking at is James 4:1-8 where James touches on prayer and very plainly tells us that we don't have because we don't ask. But he's also quick to let us know that if we do ask and we don't receive, we need to be checking exactly what is motivating our ask. Ouch! Not necessarily what we like to hear, but good direction and advice.
So thinking about how we approach prayer (properly and improperly): What it is that keeps us (you) from asking, and why is that (vs. 2)? On the flip side, what is it that causes us (you) to ask wrongly (vs. 3) and how do we take care of that? Tami W.
Tami:
As the scriptures say, we need to pray every day without ceasing.
But, in addition we need to pray according to the will of God.
I think that when we start to understand that the will of God, should likewise be our own will and passion, we then will then not only learn, but yearn to pray several time daily. The joy and fullfillment of answered prayer completes us in soul, heart and mind. Asking for God's will to be added to our life and others through prayer can only make our hearts smile and Heaven come closer every day. God will smile when we pray, "His will be done".
What keeps us from asking God is very often when we may think that this is an issue that is too minor or insignificant.ect... The reality is that as we grow closer to God, all the "little things" do matter and we can freely share our concerns, fears and joys with our Heavenly Father knowing that he knows the very hairs on our heads! In other words he knows us in and out, big or little issues! What causes us to ask wrongly is when we pray with the wrong motive. Our prayer should always be that "your will be done". We then put our will into Gods will, and only then can He work through us!!
Jim W is correct in saying we need to pray according to God's will. I have heard adherents of certain, "faith" ministries say we should never say in prayer, "If it be Thy will." Well, I ask, why would we want anything else BUT God's will? Is it that we are so arrogant as to think that our will is better than His? Praying for God's will in any situation is indeed the true prayer of faith. It indicates that we trust Him in all things, and are willing to accept whatever He has in store for us. After all, according to Romans chapter 1, His will is good, pleasing and perfect.
This passage is especially meaningful to me. I have been struggling lately and asking why God has not answered my prayers. Surely, I thought it would be according to God's will if I prayed for my children to receive Christ. God is showing me even that request is somewhat selfish of me. I kept fighting with knowing I should wait patiently for God's timing versus the urge to ask why am I denied the joy of knowing my children have the eternal salvation (while other youths that I lead in the youth group is receiving Christ and getting baptized).
Can someone explain what does verses 5 and 6 mean? Especially verse 5.
Dina,
Do not cease to pray for your children, and trust God for the outcome. My mother prayed every night of her life for her family. I was 45 before I surrendered my life to Christ.
As for verse 5 in the passage above, the NIV translates it, "...the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?"
It seems to me that once we are born again by God's Spirit, God wants us to be His and His alone. Any of the world that creeps in, and it always does, doesn't it, is foreign material, so to speak, like an infection that needs to be got rid of.
Dina,
Usually when the words "the scriptures say" are stated in the NT they make reference to OT quotes, but in this case not directly. Something close might be GEN. 6:5. The spirit in verse 5 makes reference to the human spirt, not the Holy Spirit. The unbelieving human spirit leans toward evil. I use the KJV Bible in which the last 3 words of verse 5 translates "lusteth to envy" some others will state "yearns jealously". Verse 6, God's grace is much greated then the power of sin and "more grace" states just that. We are saved by Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.