Perfect and Complete

Sometimes in our walk with God, we get so focused on serving Him for things that we forget what the real prize is.

We focus on what we want and we think God is continually transforming us to give us more things but in reality He is just preparing us for more of Him.

"You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" James 4:2-3 NIV

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:32-33 NIV

His promise is that if we seek the kingdom, all these things will be added because He is a God who hears, sees and keeps His word. He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

“And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV

When we seek Him, He rewards us with vision; He transforms and purifies our hearts and the desires of our heart – then He can give us want we petition for because our desires align with His.

“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4 NIV

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.” Psalm 24:3-5 NIV

We don’t receive the things we ask for because we ask with wrong motives. Let him purify your motives so you can purify your ask and pray for the right thing according to His will.

We should always recognize that in this walk, everything we do is in response to a God who gave first.

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 NIV

“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32 NIV

The Lord wants to give us the things we petition for but we have to recognize that He knows us better than we know ourselves. Before we ask for more of the other things, we need more of Him.