James 4:2-3
I love the book of James. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to read all the way through, and it’s filled with practical instructions on how to live out a genuine, active faith. Friends, I desire and need that wisdom. As the page is turned to chapter 4, James has some harsh and important words for his audience.
“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3
Let’s break this down. It would seem that there was a lot of selfishness going on. I can visualize toddler tantrums; arms folded and the stomping feet demanding “my way”. The passage begins by stating that people's conflicts and quarrels stem from their own selfish desires to have what they don't possess. Then we see lusting and coveting, indicating a greedy desire for possessions or status. The fighting and quarreling describe the extreme actions people take to get what they want or to take it from others, leading to violence and conflict. Does this sound familiar? It has the year 2025 written all over it.
As we continue reading the passage, "You don't have because you don't ask": The first reason for not receiving is a lack of prayer altogether, indicating a reliance on self or worldly means instead of God. "You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives": The second reason is asking, but with wrong motives. "Spend it on your pleasures": This clarifies the "wrong motive" as the desire to use whatever is received solely for personal, selfish enjoyment and gratification.
James is instructing believers that when they approach God as the big genie in the sky. With prayers born of selfish ambition or greed, their prayers are baseless. God isn't in the business of fulfilling selfish desires or fueling quarrels; rather, He provides for genuine needs and blesses those who seek Him with pure, God-honoring motives.
Oswald Chambers brings up an interesting point when he says, “Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer, we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get a hold of God, not of the answer.” The writing of this devotion was very convicting and had me asking, “How do I approach God in prayer?”
I love the book of James. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to read all the way through, and it’s filled with practical instructions on how to live out a genuine, active faith. Friends, I desire and need that wisdom. As the page is turned to chapter 4, James has some harsh and important words for his audience.
“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3
Let’s break this down. It would seem that there was a lot of selfishness going on. I can visualize toddler tantrums; arms folded and the stomping feet demanding “my way”. The passage begins by stating that people's conflicts and quarrels stem from their own selfish desires to have what they don't possess. Then we see lusting and coveting, indicating a greedy desire for possessions or status. The fighting and quarreling describe the extreme actions people take to get what they want or to take it from others, leading to violence and conflict. Does this sound familiar? It has the year 2025 written all over it.
As we continue reading the passage, "You don't have because you don't ask": The first reason for not receiving is a lack of prayer altogether, indicating a reliance on self or worldly means instead of God. "You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives": The second reason is asking, but with wrong motives. "Spend it on your pleasures": This clarifies the "wrong motive" as the desire to use whatever is received solely for personal, selfish enjoyment and gratification.
James is instructing believers that when they approach God as the big genie in the sky. With prayers born of selfish ambition or greed, their prayers are baseless. God isn't in the business of fulfilling selfish desires or fueling quarrels; rather, He provides for genuine needs and blesses those who seek Him with pure, God-honoring motives.
Oswald Chambers brings up an interesting point when he says, “Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer, we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get a hold of God, not of the answer.” The writing of this devotion was very convicting and had me asking, “How do I approach God in prayer?”
Posted in Devotional