Consider Your Motives in Prayer

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (ESV)

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV 1984)

~ James 4:3

God's Plans Win

1 To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.

~ Proverbs 16:1-3, 9

Fights & Quarrels

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. ~ James 4:1-3 (NIV 1984)

Submit to God

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. ~ James 4:1-3 (NIV 1984)