I don’t suppose the Apostle James would have made it in our politically correct world. He would always be criticized for speaking his mind and making sense.

James hit the problem of quarreling and strife head on.

Why is it that we suffer strife and quarrels? Why do we deal with depression and difficulty? Why are we at war with God, family, the church, and with ourselves?

James said it is because we don’t pray. When we do pray it’s with the wrong motives.

How do we pray correctly?

First, focus on the One to whom you are praying. If prayer focuses on yourself, what good does that do? Yet, most of our prayers are only about the things around us. If prayer focuses on God, we have the opportunity to experience real change in our lives.

Second, focus on pure motives. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Can we really expect to receive in prayer when our motives are selfish and we are only thinking of ourselves.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus heaped the highest praise on those who are pure in motive. He said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Pure hearts and pure motives mean we will be asking correctly. We will be asking according to Jesus name.

Ask God to give you a pure heart. Ask Him to bring change to your desire to please yourself.

Third, focus on humility and submission to God. When we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up (James 4: 10). Our quarrels and strife come from exalting ourselves instead of exalting God.

If you are having trouble submitting to God, tell Him you are willing to be made willing. Let Him begin in you the process of submission and abandonment of self to God.

Then, you will see your prayers answered and your needs met.

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