Prayer and Selfishness
from -- http://www.bibleandlife.org/Newsletters.htm by Lehman Strauss (1911-1997) "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts [pleasures]" - (James 4:3) We are all naturally and basically selfish. We must honestly admit that even our prayers are selfish. It is possible that some of the good things we do are motivated by a selfish spirit. We will do well to examine our motives periodically and especially in regard to praying. James tells us that one reason for our spiritual poverty and powerlessness in prayer is a wrong motive. It is not necessarily the thing for which we are asking that is wrong, but rather the reason we ask for it. Praying with Selfish Motives A member in a church where I was pastor expressed a concern for the salvation of her husband. She had gone to several members of t...