He begins where our Lord began on the subject of prayer with the simple command to ask: "If any man lack, let him ask of God." The reach of the privilege of asking covers the man's whole need as well as his lack of wisdom. (Google image, Rabbi Jesus)
God gives to all that ask, liberally and without upbraiding, therefore "Ask, and ye shall receive." There is no limit to the range of prayer. "Whatsoever" is promised to "Whosoever," and the largest liberty is given to those who pray.
"In nothing be anxious; but in everything by payer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6).
"Ask, and ye shall receive" (John 16:24. Prayer is asking. "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him. After this manner therefore pray ye" (Matt. 6:8-9).
Why pray if He knows? Because asking is something different from giving information. God waits to be asked before He gives the gifts that supply man's deepest needs.
2. Ask in Faith (James 1:6). Faith is explained by its opposite. Doubt is double minded and unstable. Like a troubled sea, it is driven by the force of the wind and tossed by the surge of the deep; it is at the mercy of double motion of oscillation and undulation.
Internal conditions disturb and external circumstances drive. Such a man gets nothing because he is not of one mind, and a two-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Ships go East and ships go West,
Whatever the winds that blow;
The set of the sail, and not the gale,
Settles the way we go.
Faith sets the sails.
3. Ask Aright (James 4:3). It is possible to ask amiss. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasure." God takes account not only of what we want but of why we want it. He looks at the heart.
There are some people to whom He will not give audience. Sin shuts men out. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Ps. 66:18). Unbelief shuts men out (Heb. 4:11, 11:6).
An unforgiving spirit shuts men out (Matt. 5:23-24; 6:14-15; Mark 11:25-26) An unstable mind shuts men out (James 1:7). A condemning conscience shuts men out (1 John 3:21-22). A self-seeking motive shuts men out (James 4:3) Faith works in those who pray that they may ask aright.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let's pray-
Father, James wrote on the subject of prayer with the simple command for us to ask You to give us wisdom to deal with our every needs.
We pray that we'll not be double minded and tossed about like a troubled sea, but be stable-minded, sure in what we want and why we do, for You check our heart's motives in our requests.
As faith works in us, we pray that we may ask aright, not having unforgiven sin in our lives, which keep us from fellowship with You, and cause our prayers to be unanswered.
We ask for Your help in our praying, as we know that clean hands and a pure heart are required of those who come to You in prayer.
In Jesus' name we pray, that we may have Your wisdom. Amen
Father, James wrote on the subject of prayer with the simple command for us to ask You to give us wisdom to deal with our every needs.
We pray that we'll not be double minded and tossed about like a troubled sea, but be stable-minded, sure in what we want and why we do, for You check our heart's motives in our requests.
As faith works in us, we pray that we may ask aright, not having unforgiven sin in our lives, which keep us from fellowship with You, and cause our prayers to be unanswered.
We ask for Your help in our praying, as we know that clean hands and a pure heart are required of those who come to You in prayer.
In Jesus' name we pray, that we may have Your wisdom. Amen
Today's Bible verses-
them, Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever
He does, the Son also does in like manner."
John 7:38, 39 (NKJV) "He who believes in Me, as the
Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers
of living water. (v. 39) But this He spoke concerning
the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive;
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus
was not yet glorified."
John 16:24, 33 (NKJV) "Until now you have asked
nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that
your joy may be full. (v.33) These things I have spoken
to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you
will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world."
Today's quote-
~ S. D. Gordon- "Intercession is the climax of prayer. It is the outward drive of prayer. It is the effective end of prayer outward. Communion and petition are upward and downward. Intercession rests upon these two as its foundation. Communion and petition store the life with the power of God; intercession lets it out on behalf of others.
They ally a man fully with God: it makes use of that alliance for others. Intercession is the full-bloomed plant whose roots and strength lie back and down in the other two forms. It is the form of prayer that helps God in His great love-plan for winning a planet back to its true sphere. It will help through these talks to keep this simple analysis of prayer in mind." (p. 28 in QUIET TALKS ON PRAYER).
Did you know?
~ Church attendance is to equip us for our influence in our communities.
~ Our meaningful relationships take time and are expensive in the sense of investment of emotional energy, giving eternal dividends.
Upcoming posts-
#44 Ask Righteously
6th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
When All Seems Lost
8th- Saturday's post by Leslie Koh
#45 Praying "One for Another"
11th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick
#46 The Intercession in Heaven
13th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
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| Double rainbow |
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