Scripture: James 4 v 1 - 8; 1 John 5 v 14 - 15; Matthew
25 v 14 - 30.
This is not about using the correct formula to get what
you want but more about having the right attitude. As James says we don't get
answers because we pray amiss for our own lusts. God will not bless the lotto
or the horse you have money on at the races.
John says that if we pray according to His will God hears
our prayers and we will receive what we ask for so we need to make sure that
our prayers are pleasing to Him and in line with His will.
God is our Father who desires only good things for His
children. He loves to bless and encourage us. He loves us to talk to Him and
spend time with Him. When we do have fellowship with Him He finds a way to meet
every need.
In Luke 6 v 38 we read - Give and it shall be given unto
you, pressed down, shaken together and running over will God give to you! When God blesses you for your obedience and
kindness to someone else, He measures what you have done for others and
responds by packing it down to add more until its running over the edge!
So build up your heavenly bank account by make deposits
of love offerings to those who are in need and when you have a need Jesus will
make sure that need is abundantly met. You can never outgive your Heavenly
Father but make sure you are giving to others as He directs and not just
haphazardly giving to every need on the planet.
Be a good steward over your own life and goods which all
belong to God after you are born again. You are actually a steward over His
goods and if you look after them properly He will increase them as He increased
the talents (money) to those who invested wisely and gave Him the increase.
Wise investments are those made which bring people into
His kingdom. To the man who received ten
talents and doubled those talents the Lord gave even more to him. To the man
who buried his one talent and never used it the Lord took it away and gave that
to the man who used it wisely.
If you never hear from God and your prayers go unanswered
sin in your life blocks the blessing of knowing that God hears your prayers. So
if the "Heaven is brass above your head" do an audit of your soul and
ask Jesus to show you what you are doing that causes the Father to turn His
face away. Repent of it quickly to be restored to favour.
Another block to answered prayer is if you pray soulish
prayers. These are prayers from your own understanding rather than God's will.
You may believe that a known offender deserves heavy punishment when the Lord
is wanting someone to show love and mercy to him to win that soul. You may pray
for him to have a fall to learn a lesson when Jesus wants you to pick him up
and teach him the truth in love. Remember the Golden Rule - Do as you would be
done by! What you do to and for others will be done to you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father I pray that every reader will
become a doer of Your will; that their eyes would be opened to the height and
depth of the truth in Your Word. Let them walk in the light as Jesus is in the
light so that every prayer will be answered and every need met. In Jesus' name.
Amen.