This week’s blog: Ask for Whatsoever, but Don’t Ask Amiss.

Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.

Beloved I am encouraged that we are all looking forward to a miraculous year in 2012. I believe that as you decree things in this year, you will see and have tremendous testimonies concerning how awesome God will be to us all this year. I believe that many of us will find that the scripture that says to us that whatsoever we ask in Jesus name, that he will do it. I believe that if we do what God requires us to do and patiently await every miracle; I believe we should see them come to pass.

I feel led of the LORD to caution you beloved through the word of God. We need to make sure our motives are right. Let’s look at the text.

KJV
James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

In the New Living Translation it is rendered thusly:
James 4:2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
James 4:3 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 4:4 ¶ You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Why do we as believers ask God for things and look in vain for what we asks for? Do you want to be successful in your Christian walk? Well first, we certainly do not need to be fighting and waging wars, killing in order to get what we want. James says to us that these desires come from, the “evil desires at war within us” verse 1.

We should be asking God, instead of waging wars. Although when we ask God with a wrong attitude, or a proud attitude, God resists us. James says that our problem is that when we ask God for what we want, we ask amiss. (King James Version) In the NLT verse 3 says: And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

I do not want to be guilty of asking amiss, or with the wrong attitude. I want to ask God for what I need with the right motives. OK, that is settled. What is the right attitude? What is the right motive? Let’s look at the text.

John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Jesus tells us that He will do what we ask for, that the Father may be glorified. That word glorified means to give esteem, or to give credit to. I want God to get the credit for my life. I want him to receive glory from all of my accomplishments. So when I ask for something, it is with the intent that God receive from me the glory, the esteem, and the credit that he deserves. So is it then OK for us to ask for wealth, a good marriage, and provisions for our family. Absolutely, of course when God gives you what you have been praying for, make sure that God and God alone receives the glory for those mighty acts. And remember to be bold enough to ask for whatsoever, and not just the mundane. Have the courage to step out on God.

Live Life on Purpose and not By Mistake,
Yours Because I am His,
Leo Colon
pastor@ihpfwc.org
www.ihpfwc.org