Prayer, like any other relationship, is a two-way street. There is give and take. You offer something to God, and God offers himself to you.
Prayer Pointers:
- You don't get answers to your prayers because you ask with wrong motives (v. 2). When praying we must be sure that our requests are aligned with God's will.
- You don't get answers to your prayers because you ask for the wrong things (v. 3). Somethings we want that we know God does not want for us. Other things we ask hoping that God will give them.
- You don't get answers to your prayers because you do not ask at all (v. 2). How sad- and true- this is. The first step in receiving an answer from God is to ask.
There are expectations on us as we pray and live our lives.
- Submit to God (v. 7). What God wants should always be the most important thing to us.
- Resist the Devil (v. 7). Too often we succumb to temptation. Satan wants us to slip up, to fail. We must be vigilant with our hearts and minds.
- Purify your heart (v. 8). Focus on the things that are of God and from God. Do not become distracted with the things and the cares of this world. Compare this thought to the words of Philippians 4.8: Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
- Recognize the seriousness of following God (v. 9). We do not need to be in constant mourning. God does not want us to be overly somber, but we must take seriously our commitment to him and his ways.
- Humble yourself (v.10). The greatest struggle that people have is that we think too much of ourselves. God's will is for us to think more of others and of him than we do ourselves.
- Do not speak evil (v. 11). Mind your words at all times. Remember that your thoughts have consequences, but your words move much more quickly to injure.
2 comments:
If you could improve your prayer life in one of these areas, which would it be? Why?
If you could improve the condition of your church by incorporating one (or more) of these thoughts what would you do? How would that make a difference?
Focus on the things that are of God and from God. Do not become distracted with the things and the cares of this world...this is my request for improving my prayer life. Busy-ness is so huge right now for me that I have trouble setting aside time to pray the way I would like to.
If you take the words from Phillipians & apply them & have each church member truly follow them (Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.) then maybe we'd all get along & be able to go about doing God's work like we all should be doing, each with our own agenda & a passion for helping one another fulfill their agendas as well.
Oh how I wish Matthew was right, that we added an hour to each day last weekend not just Saturday night!
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