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.
What is it you really need? Do you know? Needs are things we sometimes take for granted. For example, we need water but we don’t always want water. But take away your favorite beverages and plain water starts to look pretty good. Imagine you no longer have access to coffee or tea, sodas or fruit juice, or any other of the hundreds of possibilities. Now water looks great!
Here in the Northwest, we have a seemingly unlimited supply of water. But suppose you find yourself stranded in the middle of Eastern Oregon, miles from any town. Now you need water.
What else do we need, but sometimes lose sight of in the midst of all our daily distractions?
We need time with God.
We need to read his Word.
We need wisdom and courage.
We need His Peace.
We need to be loved as only God can love.
When all the distractions are gone, you know what you need. Stuck in a desert our bodies need water. Without it, that becomes our sole focus. Soon everything centers around our need for water.
Application: Lose the distractions for a moment. Check your motives. Take an inventory of what you need. Then talk to God.
Food for Thought: What kind of motives is God looking for when he answers prayer?
I think He is looking for us to seek Him and His will above all else. Besides the focus of the Lord’s Prayer, in which the first three requests deal with what God wants, we know He wants us praying often and praying according to His will. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18; 1 John 5:14-15.
Rich,
Thank you! As always, GREAT verse references!
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes 5:16)
“…if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us…” (1 John 5: 14)
(KJV)
👍🏻