Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Prayer goes unanswered when the asking is amiss, to be spent on lusts and selfish desires. Right asking is asking in faith by those joined to Christ, seeking grace and spiritual food to grow and live in Him, receiving blessings and giving grateful thanks for what is received. Wrong asking belongs to those who name Christ and are connected with the church but are not joined to Christ, do not live in Him, and are not submissive to God's Word.
Asking amiss includes failing to pray with whole-hearted earnestness and fervency, and the lack of spiritual blessings reflects how little genuine faith is possessed. Prayer for help and success in spreading the message goes unanswered when it is not offered in faith, for such prayer must rely on God rather than be marked by weak faith. Prayers that are merely words and are offered while sin is cherished receive no strength, for blessing is not granted to those who know the requirements yet hold on to sin, while those striving to overcome and confessing their sins receive forgiveness and cleansing through Christ.
Asking God for strength while living in corrupt habits is asking amiss when the strength would be spent on lust, and such a request that would enable continued sin is not granted. Asking God for help while indulging gluttony is asking to use what is received to satisfy appetite and so dishonors God, while eating only what is right and needed allows a person to ask sincerely for strength to do the work given, and such prayer can be heard and answered. Resources used to support children in wickedness are consumed upon their selfish desires in rioting and frivolity, and parents will be held accountable as stewards for resources spent this way. Prayers offered for the triumph of the truth are not received when they are asked amiss by those who desire a success to suit indolence and selfish indulgence, a success that will sustain and support itself without any effort on their part.
The lusts that war in the members produce wars and fightings among church members, seen in jealousy and faultfinding, talebearing and gossip, busybodiness and meddling, and tearing down brethren to lift up self, which sows seeds of dissension. Such a person shows by this that he is not a branch of the true vine but is manifesting the attributes of Satan, and such selfish asking belongs to spiritual adultery, for friendship of the world is enmity with God. The remedy is close self-examination in the light of God's Word, with humble faithful obedience in denying self, taking up the cross, submitting to God, resisting the devil rather than yielding to temptation, drawing near to God, cleansing the hands, purifying the double-minded heart, mourning over sin, humbling self in God's sight to be lifted up, and speaking not evil one of another. Having complied with the conditions for right asking, acceptance with God is to be taken by faith and not measured by feeling, with implicit obedience to every requirement of God's law keeping the believer in Christ's love and with the convictions of the Holy Spirit never to be disregarded.
Prayer goes unanswered when the asking is amiss, to be spent on lusts and selfish desires. Right asking is asking in faith by those joined to Christ, seeking grace and spiritual food to grow and live in Him, receiving blessings and giving grateful thanks for what is received. Wrong asking belongs to those who name Christ and are connected with the church but are not joined to Christ, do not live in Him, and are not submissive to God's Word.
Asking amiss includes failing to pray with whole-hearted earnestness and fervency, and the lack of spiritual blessings reflects how little genuine faith is possessed. Prayer for help and success in spreading the message goes unanswered when it is not offered in faith, for such prayer must rely on God rather than be marked by weak faith. Prayers that are merely words and are offered while sin is cherished receive no strength, for blessing is not granted to those who know the requirements yet hold on to sin, while those striving to overcome and confessing their sins receive forgiveness and cleansing through Christ.
Asking God for strength while living in corrupt habits is asking amiss when the strength would be spent on lust, and such a request that would enable continued sin is not granted. Asking God for help while indulging gluttony is asking to use what is received to satisfy appetite and so dishonors God, while eating only what is right and needed allows a person to ask sincerely for strength to do the work given, and such prayer can be heard and answered. Resources used to support children in wickedness are consumed upon their selfish desires in rioting and frivolity, and parents will be held accountable as stewards for resources spent this way. Prayers offered for the triumph of the truth are not received when they are asked amiss by those who desire a success to suit indolence and selfish indulgence, a success that will sustain and support itself without any effort on their part.
The lusts that war in the members produce wars and fightings among church members, seen in jealousy and faultfinding, talebearing and gossip, busybodiness and meddling, and tearing down brethren to lift up self, which sows seeds of dissension. Such a person shows by this that he is not a branch of the true vine but is manifesting the attributes of Satan, and such selfish asking belongs to spiritual adultery, for friendship of the world is enmity with God. The remedy is close self-examination in the light of God's Word, with humble faithful obedience in denying self, taking up the cross, submitting to God, resisting the devil rather than yielding to temptation, drawing near to God, cleansing the hands, purifying the double-minded heart, mourning over sin, humbling self in God's sight to be lifted up, and speaking not evil one of another. Having complied with the conditions for right asking, acceptance with God is to be taken by faith and not measured by feeling, with implicit obedience to every requirement of God's law keeping the believer in Christ's love and with the convictions of the Holy Spirit never to be disregarded.