From Pastor John Collins:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV).
Many times, when we are going through tough times or are
experiencing tragedy or extreme hardships, we will pray to God and ask for His
help, for a miracle or for strength to get through. Many times, when we are not
suffering, we pray to God and ask for this or that or something that we want. In
order to have our prayers answered we must first seek to become worthy of
answered prayers. What does that mean, ‘worthy of answered prayers’?
God does not answer prayers from non-believers although many
non-believers seek His help in times of trouble. God does not answer the
prayers of the unrighteous which means that He is not creating financial
stability in the lives of those who do not follow His Son. Many people
attribute their ‘success’ to God when He had nothing to do with it. God wants
the believer to recognize their need for a Savior and to come in submission to
the foot of the cross. In order to have your prayers answered, genuinely
answered by God, you must follow the steps of the believer which is repentance,
submission, seeking to obtain righteousness and a pure heart through obedience
to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
You cannot expect God to listen to any of your prayers if
you are not bothering to listen to the words of Jesus and obey them. You must
seek heaven above all else and you will find yourself praying for the fruit of
the Spirit to become yours and you will find yourself praying for all of the
right things and those prayers will be answered. When you pray for
righteousness first and mean it, then God will be for you and not against you.
Look at Solomon who wanted wisdom so that he could rule as God would have him
rule and God gave him wisdom and then so much more. It is not about the stuff
in this life, it is about the richness of the spiritual life that you can have
and in having that rich spiritual life you can be such a blessing to others and
that is the heart of the gospel that will ultimately have you receiving the
prize of entry into heaven.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NKJV).
