I read a scripture that struck a chord in me. Struck me so deep, I couldn’t turn my eyes away. I read it over and over as conviction struck.
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
-James 4:3 NIV®
-James 4:3 NIV®
Powerful stuff isn’t it?
As I read it over and over, I began to ask myself: what are my motives?
It’s a question that makes me cringe. Makes me want to fall to my knees in submission and ask for forgiveness. A question that points me to God. That leads me to Him for redemption.
“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
-Psalm 37:4 NIV®
-Psalm 37:4 NIV®
It’s always about putting God first. Putting others first. Making choices for the betterment of the body of Christ and not to satisfy our fleshes’ desires. When our motives are pure, right, full of humility, then we are in the will of God and in the position to receive His many blessings.
Some might think it’s impossible to align ourselves with the will of God, but when we truly seek Him first, the rest is a piece of cake. He will empower us through the Spirit to do what is holy and righteous. That’s the kind of God He is. He desires us to succeed and equips us for success.
So the question to ask yourself today is:
What are your motives?
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
This is a post to make one think, for certain. I thought, ‘I didn’t know that’s what it said…’ So I looked in James in the KJV (my fav) and found it says it like this “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Yes, that’s what I remembered…such food for thought 🙂 Good post, Toni!
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This is my first year reading the NIV, so I had to double check with KJV as well. 🙂
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Powerful. Thank you. 🙂
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I love this! Thank you!
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Thanks, ladies!
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