Often we veil our religious quarrels under the disguise of “spirituality.” We have the wrong motives. We are like Miriam and Aaron who complained about Moses’ wife, but who really were envious of Moses’ authority. Or we imitate James and John who asked for special thrones in the kingdom, when what we really want is recognition today. In both of these instances, the result of selfish desire was chastening and division among God’s people. Miriam’s sin halted the progress of Israel for a whole week!
Selfish desires are dangerous things. They lead to wrong actions (“you kill, you fight and war,” James 4:2), and they even lead to wrong praying (“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). When our praying is wrong, our whole Christian life is wrong. It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.
“You shall not covet” is the last of God’s Ten Commandments, but its violation can make us break all of the other nine! Covetousness can make a person murder, tell lies, dishonor his parents, commit adultery, and in one way or another violate all of God’s moral law. Selfish living and selfish praying always lead to war. If there is war on the inside, there will ultimately be war on the outside.
People who are at war with themselves because of selfish desires are always unhappy people. They never enjoy life. Instead of being thankful for the blessings they do have, they complain about the blessings they do not have. They cannot get along with other people because they are always envying others for what they have and do. They are always looking for that “magic something” that will change their lives, when the real problem is within their own hearts.
Sometimes we use prayer as a cloak to hide our true desires. “But I prayed about it!” can be one of the biggest excuses a disciple of Jesus can use. Instead of seeking God’s will, we tell God what He is supposed to do; and we get angry at Him if He does not obey. This anger at God eventually spills over and we get angry at God’s people. More than one church split has been caused by saints who take out their frustrations with God on the members of the church. Many a church or family problem would be solved if people would only look into their own hearts and see the battles raging there.
God’s goal: God made us a unity; mind, emotions, and will should work together. James stated the reason we are at war with ourselves and, consequently, with each other.
- James 4:3 (NASB) — You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
- Psalm 66:18 —If I regard wickedness in my heart, Yahweh [the Lord] will not hear;
- 1 John 3:21–22 —Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 
Gods goal of unity is essential. We need to stop the division created by the Roman Empire in the labeling of believers as “gentile” (meaning: nations) or “Jew” (meaning Judah). Yeshua brought me out of the “nations” but the Romans (through the church) keep pushing me away from studying Torah (as God has told me to do). The church categorically labels me as a (gentile) “of nations”. Gentiles means “pagan/idolater/of nations”.
God wants unity, man prefers separation. That is why Adonai has stirred the pot and instructs many believers to go back to our roots and emulate Yeshua (Jesus). He followed “the law” so – why don’t we? Throw off the labels!
Moses read God’s covenant to the mixed multitude and the “people” agreed to its terms. Afterwards, the people were all called Beni Israel. Osnat (Egyptian), Ruth (Moabite), Rahab (Canaanite) all became converts having left the “nations”. Two of these women are in the line of King David. Why then are humans defined as a “type” of believer. Is it ignorance or jealousy or pride or all three?
It is “hurtful” to be called a “gentile believer” and it has been successful in creating division for nearly 2,000 years. Break the chains of the Roman Empire! Division is an affront to God. God knows who the physical seed of Abraham are. He intimately knows those were of the nations because he drew us out to become part of the “whole” as “lovers of God”. Do you think we have to tally the totals by group for him? It is his desire for us to be one. We are “Beni Israel” – “The Holy Ones” – “The Redeemed of Adonai”.
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Good point: “Instead of seeking God’s will, we tell God what He is supposed to do; and we get angry at Him if He does not obey.”
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I sense over the years God has prune me much with my motives for praying; you are right wrong motives hinder prayers. Good post Brother!
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I don’t know that I’ve ever heard covetousness explained as you have here. It is quite an eye opener to see it expressed in those terms and it is so very true.
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Thanks Phyllis. Praise God for the power of the Holy Spirit to help us breakthrough.
Blessings.
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