What causes fights and quarrels among you?
Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
You desire but do not have, so you kill.
You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.
You do not have because you do not ask God.
When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives,
that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:1-3
Reading the passages above, I now understand why fights and quarrels exist even within Christian organizations and among pastors and church leaders.
James candidly outlines what they are:
- You desire but do not have
- You covet
- You ask with the wrong motives.
Does strife afflict your organization?
Try to look around and know who’s causing all the trouble, then see.
Are they not the persons who desire but do not have, are covetous, and have wrong motives?
It is essential that you also check yourself. You might be one of the persons causing the fight and quarrel.
Every request and aspiration always has that human element, that personal agenda.
God knows your mind and heart. You can’t hide your motive from Him.
So, it’s better to check and present whatever personal motive you may have before the Lord.
Then pray for God to change your motive into one that would give glory and honour to Him.
Where does the power of prayer come from?
Based on what James mentioned, there is more to prayer than spoken requests.
While the words we speak in prayer provide great comfort, especially when we hear someone claim God’s promise of deliverance and providence, prayer extends beyond this.
The pilgrim’s contrite heart, beating in repentance, humility, and surrender, gives power to the prayer.
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