Pray with the Right Motives

Pray with the Right Motives

‘Search me, O God, and know my heart.’
Psalm 139:23


Here are two mistakes we make when it comes to praying. 1) We focus on our failures. Therefore we pray without faith and confidence (see 1 John 3:21-22). 2) We fail to examine our motives. The psalmist wrote, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart … see if there is any wicked way in me’ (Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV). There are prayers God won’t answer for our own good - or at least not right now. Pastor Jerry Sittser writes: ‘Your cause may be right, but you may still be wrong: manifesting pride, gloating in victory, punishing wrongdoers with excessive severity … The great hazard for people on a crusade is … they become blind to their own faults. They fight for civil rights but treat janitors like second class citizens. They uphold standards of biblical sexuality but show little grace toward their spouse. Unanswered prayer is God’s gift … it protects us from ourselves. If all our prayers were answered we’d abuse the power … use prayer to change the world to our liking, and it would become hell on earth. Like spoiled children with too many toys and too much money, we’d grab for more. We’d pray for victory at the expense of others … intoxicated by power we’d hurt people and exalt ourselves. Isaiah said, “The LORD longs to be gracious to you … therefore He waits” (Isaiah 30:18 NASB). Unanswered prayer protects…breaks…deepens and transforms. Past unanswered prayers which left us hurt and disillusioned, act like a refiner’s fire to prepare us for future answers.’ Bottom line: pray with the right motives!

Esther 3-5, Rom 11:1-18 (Bible in one year)


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The Word For Today is written by Bob and Debby Gass



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'Unanswered prayer protects…breaks…deepens and transforms.' Amen! I just want to thank God for my unansewered prayers because they caused me to quit some bad behaviours, to reconsider my commitment to Him, to be in an other intimacy level with Him and yes they do transform me, make me to be more and more like Christ! A good father knows what his child needs and gives him at the right moment! If you pray to avoid suffering, know that, sometimes, it is essential to reach a higher level in our faith. Hold on, God is working on you and will get you out of this!  

And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. (James 4:3)When I read texts like this one, I perk up. If there’s one thing I desire in this world, it is that myprayers be answered. Afterall, some of my requests are issues of life and death! James gives us a caveat to answered prayer – our motives. When I pray for my children, for example,am I praying that they will behave well so that they will reflect well on me? If that is my motivation, then I can forget about it. God sees through that self-centered motive. He ignores the prayer of the narcissist.Father,Examine me and rid my soul of self-seeking in my life and in my prayers. I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me from tendencies toward this evil. You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. I receive your forgiveness and your cleansing from all egotistical ways, particularly in my prayers. May I never seek what is best for ME,rather may I seek what is best for You, for others, and for Your Kingdom.Amen
Mark and Jill Herrinshaw

Amen! Evangelista.That's my prayer

Amen! Well said GP :-)
Psalm 50:14-15Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Amen

Amen. O Lord, please teach me to pray for the right things,for the right reasons, at the right time and the right way!