Image: Rose, North Garden, Virginia, October 2020
Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on James 4:1-4.
Ye
ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
lusts (James 4:3).
James
here suggests that one reason for unrest in the heart is faulty prayer,
immature prayer, self-serving prayer, described here as “asking amiss.”
He
reminds us that mature prayer, born of mature faith, does not center on the
satisfaction of our good pleasure but in doing God’s will, giving him glory and
in giving blessing to our neighbor.
So,
Christ taught: “And whatsoever ye
shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified
in the Son” (John 14:13; cf. John 16:23; 1 John 3:22).
The
reason to pray for an education is to love God with your mind.
The
reason to pray for a job is to serve God with your vocation.
The
reason to pray for a good salary is so that you can be a faithful steward for
the kingdom of the resources with which you have been entrusted.
The
reason, if single, to pray for a spouse is so that you might serve him or her
and establish a household where Christ is at the center.
The
reason to pray for a home is so that you can extend hospitality in the name of
Christ and wash the feet of the saints.
The
reason to pray for children is so that you might be able to raise disciples for
the Lord.
The
reason to pray for good health is so that you might serve him with your body.
The
reason to pray for a church is that you might join with like-minded brothers
and sisters to worship the Lord and serve the brethren.
The
reason to pray for the peace and security of the world is that the Great
Commission might be fulfilled.
Grace
and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle
4 comments:
That was a wonderful edifying sermon, Rev. I believe Paul would have loved to have elders like James the Just in antinomian Ephesus and carnal Corinth. He calls our Lord's brother one of the pillars (stylos/στύλοι) of the church in Galatians 2:9. Christ is always the foundation that pillars stand on, making up God's temple.
Also I've taken note to include James 4:1-4 as further expounding of James 1:13 on effectual causations when I'm discussing Soteriology with the unreformed camp.
God bless.
S, Glad you found some profit in the article and sermon. Yes, I've enjoying preaching through James. Like all the Scriptures it rewards the one who reads and meditates upon it.
SDG!
JTR
Thank you for sharing this, Dr Riddle. I was struggling with those exact words on the past Lord's Day (John 14.13&14), as I couldn't reconcile in my mind how I could pray for a husband in Jesus' name, when it was something I wanted for myself. I hope that this will help me to continue to pray in faith, for a husband, that I might serve him and also serve the Lord with him. Sometimes we lose sight of why we are praying when we have prayed for a long time and Satan comes in with these attacks, so it is good to be put back on the right path.
I wouldn't necessarily have come across your blog had it not been for the informative and thought provoking talk you gave at TBS today on CBGM. It was good to be able to 'be there' - thank you for taking the time to speak to us.
Hannah, thanks for your comment. We are all asking Christ to teach us how to pray. Thanks also for the encouragement on the TBS talk today. I enjoyed being in the meeting.
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