We are told to...
1. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psa 37:4.
1. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psa 37:4.
The key to the 2nd part is the 1st part. When our delight is in God first, our desires align with His. When they do, He gives us what we both want.
2. "Seek 1st the kingdom of God and all these things will be added..." Matt 6:33. Here we are told to focus on the Kingdom not on things we need.
And...
3. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread...Matt 6:9-11
*Desire for God's Kingdom (just rule) to come on earth - "Your kingdom come..."
*And a desire for His will to be done on earth the same way it is in heaven - "Your will be done on earth as in heaven..."
After we have acknowledged these 3 prerequisites, then we are invited to ask God for our daily physical and material needs, but not before. Otherwise, we are reversing God's prescribed order i.e. things become our focus not the provider of life, love, and all things.
2. "Seek 1st the kingdom of God and all these things will be added..." Matt 6:33. Here we are told to focus on the Kingdom not on things we need.
3. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread...Matt 6:9-11
All 3 of these passages are saying the same thing. If God and His agenda are first then everything else aligns and follows. Our desires and goals and His become the same. This is what ensures that he'll grant them and delights to do so.
In the Lord's prayer above, 3 conditions are listed before we are invited to ask for our daily bread.
*Acknowledging God's position and person - "Our Father in heaven..." i.e. all we are and have are only by the gracious hand of our loving Father above.
In the Lord's prayer above, 3 conditions are listed before we are invited to ask for our daily bread.
*Acknowledging God's position and person - "Our Father in heaven..." i.e. all we are and have are only by the gracious hand of our loving Father above.
*Desire for God's Kingdom (just rule) to come on earth - "Your kingdom come..."
*And a desire for His will to be done on earth the same way it is in heaven - "Your will be done on earth as in heaven..."
After we have acknowledged these 3 prerequisites, then we are invited to ask God for our daily physical and material needs, but not before. Otherwise, we are reversing God's prescribed order i.e. things become our focus not the provider of life, love, and all things.
Seeing our heart
¹Unanswered prayer is the best way for us to get to know who you really are - what's really in your heart - who or what do you value most and why do you desire it.
¹Unanswered prayer is the best way for us to get to know who you really are - what's really in your heart - who or what do you value most and why do you desire it.
There is nothing wrong with asking God to provide for our daily physical and material needs but if he does ¹not grant us what we wish and ask for, prayer is God's invitation and an opportunity for us to examine our hearts and make sure we are delighting in Him above everything else and aligned with His heart first and foremost. This not only honors Him as the giver but is where we flourish most and find our greatest joy.
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Footnotes:
¹Have you ever wondered why many of your prayers go unanswered? It may be because you are asking for the wrong reason. James says it this way...
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." - James 4:3
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Grace to you
Jim Deal