Prayer Makes No Sense > So what does?

Why can’t you show that kind of faith in GOD?

The world’s religions and the Christian religion look at prayer the same; Christian and heathen alike, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:7). As if God was eager to hear their repetitive prayers droning on in archaic languages (Latin, KJV English, Hebrew, Greek, Sanskrit, etc.).

As if God looked forward to endless and practically identical prayers repeated daily and hourly across the world about blessings and help and watch over and guide and thanks and praise and holy name and bless this food and make it nourishing and thank you for it amen until God feels the same way about them as you feel about this sentence... like it needs to stop (Isaiah 1:12-15).

These are not my opinions; these are things that have been in your Bible all along, things most people just read right past without thinking about it.

Matthew 6:25 NKJV “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on...

Most prayers are about jobs, health, guidance, protection... something you need. Now there are certainly times when we might wonder how we’re going to get out of this problem. And there are certainly times we might be very afraid for our future. But that is, by definition a lack of faith – faith in God’s awareness, His ability, and His willingness.

Matthew 6:31-32 NKJV“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

No one who truly believes these words will ever again ask God for food, water, clothes, or the jobs, money, and skills it takes to get them.

That doesn’t mean it’s a sin to ask! You might; I might... but the fact that we ask proves we doubt that God will do it by Himself, as He promised He would! It proves we think He has forgotten about us, about His promise!

Don’t pretend you don’t doubt if you do; if you doubt, ASK! Let God show that He can and will do it! But don’t say this shows faith, when anyone can see it shows the opposite. And certainly don’t think that God wants you to nag Him to do what He already intended to do!

So why pray at all? As always, listen to the Bible... it’s been telling you all along!

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

If you’re afraid God has forgotten you, by all means, pray for your needs. It doesn’t show faith, but then you may not have faith and there’s no shame in facing that fact – and starting here, to build faith.

But prayer’s primary purpose is to give you things you desire. Not need – desire. There’s a difference. You never asked your father for food as a child; you asked for a bike. Not for a roof over your head; but for a car.

Things you wanted, wanted so bad they might have felt like needs... but not needs (1 Timothy 6:8). If you WANT something from God, ask; if you’re in His good graces, and it doesn’t interfere with His plans for you, why wouldn’t He give it to you?

1 John 3:21-22 NKJV Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

But these are wants, not needs. We might want a wife; or a child; or to know the answer to a certain problem. Wants. God wants us to be as happy as is possible in this life – without compromising His other purposes.

James 4:3 NKJV You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Do you really want a new car? Or do you just want to show off a new car to your friends? There’s a difference; one is fine, one is not. One prayer God might answer; the other He certainly won’t.

Matthew 6:31-32 NKJV But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

But what if you don’t seek first the Kingdom of God? What if you don’t “do those things that are pleasing in His sight”? Then it stands to reason that these things wouldn’t be added to you!

And, as with your human father, the solution isn’t to ask again and again and again... the solution is to be a better child, so your father can again bless you – instead of sending you to bed hungry, grounding you, and taking your toys away!

Because every child knows, when your father is mad at you is not the time to ask him for things!