I read through a teaching outline by Mike Bickle this morning on prayer. I have never been enamored with his teaching but I know he is a man of prayer so I decided to look at this teaching someone sent me. He had the following quote that caused me to ponder:
God's resources are withheld to starve us out of prayerlessness.
He goes on to say that God jealously protects His relationship with us by not answering our need until we ask for them. He says there are blessings that God has chosen to give, but only as His people ask Him in faith. I am reminded of many scriptures that encourage us to persevere and persist in prayer, the friend at midnight (Luke 11:5-13) or the Peristant widow (Luke 18:1-8). The purpose of God withholding his resources toward us are to starve out of us prayerlessness. The very means by which he starves prayerlessness is withholding his resources! Yet the ultimate reason for prayer is not the resources we request but the resources - God himself. Too often we go to God in prayer to get what we need and more often what we want. How often do we go to God to get more of Him? To connect with Him, to experience His presence, to be intimate with Him? I do not want to be like either of the brothers in the parable of the Prodigal who did not want their Father but wanted his wealth. Father, incline my heart to you so that I want you more than I want something from your hand.
Thanks! David
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