Have you ever wondered why your prayer wasn’t answered? I know I have.

This morning as I listened to the audio of James chapter 4 for the Scriptural Bible Study, verse 3 really stood out and it was the question that Dr. Tony Evans posed in the study notes that really made me think about all the things I had asked for in prayer.

You ask and don’t receive because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3 CSB

This scripture lets us know that many of us don’t receive what we want from God because we ask with the wrong motives. Here’s the helpful question that Dr. Evans says we can pose to ourselves when we pray about something:

How will God’s program be advanced through the granting of my request?

When I tell yall that I had to draw a square around this question in my journal because it really hit me. Think about it. What are you praying and asking God for? Is it selfish for you so that you can ball out of control and show off? Is it so you can take the credit, talking about look what I did? Look what I got? Look at me. In James we learned that God resists the proud. You know, those who foolishly pursue the world and treat him like an enemy. Pride imitates the king of pride, who is satan. Worldliness and godliness can not co-exist. The Lord is a jealous God who WILL NOT share his bride (the church) with false gods. Nope, he ain’t doing it.

But there is a solution to pride. Humbleness. If you humble yourself before God, you can experience his outpour of grace. We must surrender to God who is our ultimate and final authority.

As I kept reading the notes, which I am trying my hardest not to just copy and paste because they literally were that on point, Dr. Evans points out that satan is stronger than us, smarter than us, and has been practicing his craft for millennia. There is only ONE WAY to resist him and it’s the same way Jesus did…WITH SCRIPTURE! So when the devil be all up in your ear with his lies, you open your mouth and shut him down by proclaiming the truth of the Word of God. Then he will have no choice but to flee from you.

James also teaches us how to draw near to God. In order to draw near to God and come into His presence, we must pray, praise, and be obedient. It’s the PPO plan. PRAY PRAISE AND BE OBEDIENT! Open enrollment is now…get enrolled in the PPO plan in order to draw nearer to God.

A few other points in James 4:

• Don’t judge others because when you do, you’re judging the law that commands us to love others.

• We can’t guarantee tomorrow.

• God’s kingdom agenda is assured.

• God is all-knowing and all-powerful.

• My plans fall within a larger, controlling reality called the Will of God.

• I can make all the plans I want, but I must submit them to God for approval.

• Jesus did the will of His Father. That was His purpose. What’s yours? Check out this video I watched by Dr. Myles Munroe on Purpose! Totally changed my whole mindset!

James 4 got so much in it, you and I may need to spend some additional study time with it to make sure we got it all! LOL!

Today, be encouraged to enroll in the PPO Plan…it’s better than any other health plan you could ever enroll in. It’s an eternal life plan!

SALVATION PRAYER

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you’re not a believer, but you have a desire to be, all you have to do is openly confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). When you pray that prayer, you are saved. Get connected with a good, bible-based church in your community, stay connected to other believers, and start having daily conversations through prayer with God every single day. Welcome to your new life with Jesus Christ!!!

ASSIGNMENTS

1. What did Holy Spirit say to you in your conversation with Him this morning?

2. Are you going to enroll in the PPO today?

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