When you pray, what do you pray for?

Most of us pray for “stuff:” we ask God to meet our needs, which includes our health, relatives, jobs, bank accounts, pets and anything else of interest to us.

We believe that we have to bring these things to God’s attention in order for Him to respond and take care of us.

We need to be sure that He remembers us.

But nothing is further from the truth: God, in His infinite wisdom, already knows our needs. He knows who we are, what we are about, and what we require to live a full life.

Instead of praying for “stuff” for yourself and others, try instead to simply exalt God–to proclaim in your prayers how great your love is for Him, acknowledge His greatness in all the world, His strength and wisdom.

James 4: 3 puts it this way: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

He knows what YOU want; what the Lord really wants to hear is how much you love and appreciate Him.

Trust Him: He will meet your needs, and, if you exalt Him, He will likely respond by providing you with more than you ever asked for before. Try it. Pastor Jim.