Sermon Outline:
We need all kind of things… Ever since we are born we have needs… Some of them are real… but most of them are imaginary. Consumerism is a social and economic ideology that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.
Most of the time we are catered to our imaginary needs. Today there are marketing specialists that create a need! Then they sell us products that we need so much that we don’t need them at all!
James 4:2-3: 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (with wrong motives), that you may spend it on your pleasures.
1. You don’t ask...
2 You do not have because you do not ask. Listen: if you need something, pray for it!
Don’t say “I pray…” if you don’t!
2. You ask with the wrong motives...
Some picture prayer like shopping on Amazon! Amazon has everything. (God has everything but He’s not Amazon…)
Consumerism is based on self-gratification! (hedone –indulgence, lust…, sinful pleasure)… God doesn’t honor selfish hedonistic demands.
3. You ask with the right motives...
To some people, prayer has become a sort of self-achievement through self-talk…
John 15:7 -> 1 John 5:14-15
God doesn’t (merely) respond to prayers! God responds to your real need! I pray that He will give me what he knows I need! He knows what I need!
It is great to do ministry, but not with God’s tithe! Don’t rob Him to be generous!
God provides the things we need in order to give him glory.
What are you praying for? Why?