Heart Church

“…Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 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 4:2-3

James puts his finger on 3 common problems in prayer:
1. We don’t ask – we don’t pray about things.
2. We ask for the wrong things – you only want what will give you pleasure.
3. We ask for the wrong reasons – your motives are wrong.

How is your prayer life?

“And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves before God.” James 4:6-7

I read this quote on Sunday and I want to send it to you now as it is so relevant to this passage. Spend a few moments meditating on it.

“Humility is a fruit of the rule of the gospel in your life. The gospel will humble you because it requires you to confess that the greatest dangers in your life live inside you and not outside you. The gospel calls you to run to God for rescue because your greatest problem is you. The gospel tells you that no matter how long you have known the Lord or no matter how successful you have been in his work, you need his grace right now as much as you did the first moment you believed. The gospel doesn’t work to make you independent and self-reliant, but willingly dependent on God and the community of grace he has placed around you.” (Paul David Tripp)

“In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, ‘Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’” Matthew 3:1-2

“From then on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent of your sins and turn to God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’’ Matthew 4:17

Hmm… seems to be a theme here… notice anything?

Repent – change direction – change from living for self to living for Jesus.

Repent – do you need to repent of anything? Any change of direction when it comes to life and faith?

“The flesh would rather ‘want something’ than ‘have something’. (Richard on Sunday)

What a reminder – our flesh is always wanting ‘more’. Never content. Always searching for the next thrill rather than living with Jesus in the Kingdom…