Wednesday June 13, 2012

Ask God to bless your church.

Ask with a pure heart.

 

Read Deuteronomy 26:13-15; Ephesians 3:12; James 4:1-4

 

Praying for a blessing from God may at first seem like a selfish thing. The issue is the heart of the person asking for a blessing. In context, this asking for a blessing is a very positive thing.

 

The person who has obeyed God and brought to God a generous offering and tithe can confidently ask the Lord to bring blessing. One can stand before the throne of grace with pure hands lifted up and one can ask freely and confidently.

 

While there will always be people, even in the church, who ask God with false motives and with deceptive hearts so that they can indulge their own sensual pleasures (this is really a violation of the 3rd commandment), God answers prayers that emanate from a pure heart. We come before God with freedom and confidence, knowing that he loves to bless and to give to those who ask with pure motives.

 

Since we have been set free by Christ and have been adopted into the family of God as beloved children, we should consider ourselves as slaves to Christ. We are slaves to each other and slaves to righteousness. When we learn to humbly ask for the betterment of others, for the blessing of others and for the glory of our God, we will see God powerfully at work through our prayers.

 

Prayer:

¥ Ask the Lord to bring a particular blessing upon the leaders of your church. Pray for each one by name.

¥ Ask the Lord to raise up purity in the hearts of every single believer in your church. Pray that God would strengthen and uplift those who are struggling with sin or wilfully indulging in sin.