Posts

Showing posts from November, 2019

Just Ask | James 4

Image
Welcome to Real Life . What do I need? Dear Lord, As your humble servant  l et me prove to you that  winning the lottery won’t change me.  Amen. [ 1] “You don’t have because you don’t ask God.” This gentle chide in the book of James never fails to encourage me to pray. If you need something, ask for it. Easy-peasy. The Lord is handing out blank checks. So, I begin contemplating. What do I need? What do I want to see happen?  But James’ next words give me pause. 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 NIV Yikes! Motivation is key. Maybe the lottery prayer isn’t a good idea. God’s blank check comes with a caveat. What's driving my desires? Do I need a better car or just want a shiny, new, candy-apple-red one? Do I seek success in writing because I love to encourage people or has selfish ambition crept in? I usually begin with pure intentions, but along the way my focus