Week 20, Day 2: Pray With Confidence!
Today’s Reading: James 2:1-3:18
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
It seems that many Christians have lost their faith in prayer. They will still say their prayers. They will even lead some beautiful prayers in the assembly of God’s people. But, in their actions, they seem to have lost their confidence in prayer. Perhaps this is because so many have decided that God is not active today, and therefore cannot or will not answer their prayers.
James gives instructions to us that should remind us to have confidence in our prayers. He tells us if we lack something, to ask of God and He will provide. Notice, the example that James uses is that of wisdom. If any one lacks wisdom…(James 1:5). Of course, every one of us needs more wisdom, so we need to be asking of God! But then James gives a few criteria for us to consider.
First, James tells us that we need to ask God. Why should we have to ask, if God already knows what we need? Because He wants us to come to Him! He wants us to have to acknowledge that we need Him, and rely upon Him. If we never have to ask Him for anything, how long would it be before we were completely forgetting about Him?
Next, James tells us that we need to ask without doubting. The one who doubts is like one on the ocean, being tossed about by the wind (James 1:6). Do we really have faith that God can provide what we ask for? How often do we pray for the sick, but think in the back of our minds that they are not going to get better? Or how often do we go through the motions of praying for the sick or afflicted but never really consider what we are praying for? In other words, do we pray with “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7)? We need to pray with the confidence that God can provide whatever we ask, if we ask according to His will. James tells us that the man who asks God, but doubts is “double minded” and “unstable” and should not expect to receive anything at all from God (James 1:7-8).
When we go to God in prayer, we need to remember James’ words. God can provide the things that are within His will (1 John 5:14). We need not try to take advantage of God, and then accuse Him of not answering our prayers. We need to examine His word and figure out what is “according to His will” so that we can ask in faith, without doubting. This doesn’t mean that God’s answer will always be exactly what we want, but we should have confidence that God can provide what we ask of Him!
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