Bible Verse of The Day – 8-13-21

James 4:2-3 (NKJV) 2 …you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

As believers, it’s important that we understand some basic principles of truth so our walk with God will follow the path that God wants for each of us.

Part of that is understanding how God works when it comes to answering our prayers.

We all have desires that we present to God in our prayers; requests we make.

Some may base this on another scripture that states that God will give us the desires of our hearts.

Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV) 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

The key to this passage of scripture (and this principle) lies in the first half of verse 4, and the entirety of the latter verse (5). These parts lay the foundation for the middle part (He shall give you the desires of your heart).

In other words, those two pieces work to set things in motion to make the middle piece happen.

James says something very similar in the scripture at the top of the devotional, stating that we don’t get what we ask for because we ask with wrong motives that are selfish, revolving solely around our own pleasures.

So, how do we fix what seems to be an insurmountable obstacle?

We let God mold and shape our heart so that it begins to conform more and more to what He wants for us, instead of what we want.

As we do that, our desires begin to change, and they begin to line up more with who God is, not who we are. They are no longer selfish or self-centered in their origins.

Then we will begin seeing the desires of our heart given to us more frequently, because they line up more accurately with God’s desires.

This is something we teach about fairly frequently because we have learned the importance of it over many years of walking with God. And we want to pass it on so others can also understand it and benefit from it.

Put Him first in everything. Let Him change your heart and you way of thinking. And watch as He shapes your world.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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