Topic: Asking Amiss? [Open Heavens for Teens 18 August 2019]

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Memorise: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” – James 4:3

Read: James 4:3

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Bible In One Year: Psalm 109-111, Romans 16

MESSAGE:

I have heard many people complain that their prayers are not being answered by God. In the cases where the fellow is a child of God, most of the time, I find out that the fellow has been asking for selfish purposes. God does not like selfishness, so when you ask Him for something so as to satisfy your selfish desires, He will not answer. If you are asking Him for a new game because tour friend refused to allow you play his own and you want to get back at him, God will not answer. If however, you want the game so that you can share with the people that your friend refused to allow play his game, you are almost there. This is an example to make you understand the point. The real thing that moves God to answer prayers is if you are asking so that His kingdom can be advanced and more people can become born again. For example, if, having noticed how people like games, you ask God to provide you with a game so that you can use it to attract people and then before they start playing, they do Bible study and pray first, my God will definitely answer that kind of prayer.

Key Point:

If you want God to answer all your prayers as from today, make sure that they are for the benefit of His kingdom, even your personal possessions.

Hymn 1:

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
   Thou Lamb of Calvary,
   Savior divine!
   Now hear me while I pray,
   Take all my guilt away,
   Oh, let me from this day
   Be wholly Thine!
2. May Thy rich grace impart
   Strength to my fainting heart,
   My zeal inspire!
   As Thou hast died for me,
   Oh, may my love to Thee
   Pure, warm and changeless be,
   A living fire!
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
   And griefs around me spread,
   Be Thou my guide;
   Bid darkness turn to day,
   Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
   Nor let me ever stray
   From Thee aside.
4. When ends life’s transient dream,
   When death’s cold sullen stream
   Shall o’er me roll;
   Blest Savior, then, in love,
   Fear and distrust remove;
   Oh, bear me safe above,
   A ransomed soul.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.