Have you ever just kept praying for something and wonder why God never answers? Think about what your asking for. Prayer is a very powerful thing. When you ask God to do something for you, are you asking "If it's in your will" or are you asking because it's what YOU want?
James 4:2-3
You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can't posses it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong -- you want only what will give you pleasure.
That is a powerful yet truthful verse. You can't ask for something because you want it. Even sometimes you have to make sure you really want what you ask for. God works in magical ways that, even we cannot imagine.
Numbers 7:89
Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark's cover -- the place of atonement-- that rests on the Ark of the Covenant.* The Lord spoke to him there.
Can you imagine, hearing God's voice? Amazing! We may not hear God's almighty voice, but he does speak to us in his written word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How do you ask can we recieve this guidance? By seeking to know God as Moses did.
Now on a bit of a different note. How do you draw near to God? Very good question and I did some research on this subject. I too want to be closer to God. Even more so than I am now! Here are some steps I found in my bible.
James 4:7-10
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.
So breaking it down a little: 1. Humble yourselves before God. Give yourselves to him and be willing to follow him. Commit to him and his control. Yield to his authority and will.
2. Resist the devil. Don't allow Satan to tempt you!
3. Lead a pure life. make your desire to experience God's purity!
4.Don't be afraid to express deep sorrow that comes from the heart for what you have done!
5. Bow down before the lord and he will lift you up!
God is amazing to me. The more I read about him the more I can't wait to meet him face to face. I find myself that praying in his will and praising him is the best feeling ever. I feel so connected and God IS my best friend! I have no complaints and have the pleasure of knowing he will never betray me! Depend on God and your lives will be filled with pleasure. <3 Comment and let me know what you think :)
I love this :) It's so true. People are so wrapped up in what they want, and what God can do for them, that they forget that it's not about that. It's about being closer to God, so that He can reveal what He wants you to do. He gives us the things that we need in life, not the things we want, and I thank Him for that. Can you imagine getting everything we 'wanted?' This world would be even more chaotic than it is now.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the drawing closer to God; I love those verses. In the past few months, I've really gotten closer to Him. He is what I think about when I wake up, when I'm driving, when I'm with my friends, and when I go to bed. I'm completely in love with Him, and that allows me to see myself in His eyes, and who He wants me to be.
There is no way that I will ever return back to my old way of life. Yeah, I will have problems, and stumble and doubt, but the feeling that I have now, is just so amazing. I can feel God working in my life.
It's beautiful :)