My mom and
sister, both now deceased, played the lottery. When Powerball reached a payoff
of $50,000 mom would always buy two tickets with no power play — anything less
was not worth her time. My sister, on the other hand, would buy two tickets with
power play because she thought it increased her chance for a bigger payoff.
While neither of them ever won anything, they always expected to win and dreamed
of how they would spend their winnings. James reminds believers that motives
play a big part in what we receive, “When you ask, you do not
receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on
your pleasures” (James 4:3 NIV).
1 comment:
Gail;
-----”A wise man’s heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool’s heart toward the left.” (Eccl 10:2) Seeing that the ancients viewed left-handedness as a fault, I’m not surprised that the word “right”, meaning both correct and the direction of the most common handedness, was a play on words. It isn’t that the wise incline themselves to right-hand turns, but to choices which are correct according to what they’ve honestly learned from the Lord. Inclination seems to catalyze desire. Correctness according to the Book of the Lord is a good thing to desire.
-----Psalms 1:1-2 expresses that a man who delights in God’s law and habitually meditates on it is blessed. Blessedness is an interesting condition. It is not just a wish cast upon someone. It is sort of a goodness which emerges from an orderliness and propriety in accord with God’s Word, like good things happening as the consequences of actually desiring the ways of His Word.
-----It is interesting to note that people normally work towards getting what they truly desire. God also desires us to do right according to His Word. And like people, whom He created in His own image, God works towards what He desires. Therefore, the more we develop desire for righteousness, that is, desire for doing the thing right in accord with God’s Word in every moment of every situation, then the more our will becomes intimately congruent with His will. That’s when you and God wind up working on the same things towards the same direction, which forms a pretty good team. It is no wonder, then, that the Bible proposes: “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps 37:4) Your heart will be desiring what He wants to give you.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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