REASONS FOR DISUNITY AND UNANSWERED PRAYERS:

REASONS FOR DISUNITY AND UNANSWERED PRAYERS:

“Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first start? Is it not precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you lack it; so you kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force. It is because you do not pray that you do not receive; when you do pray and do not receive, it is because you prayed wrongly, wanting to indulge your passions” [James 4:1-3]

The enmity between people/groups is often based on selfishness or unwillingness of one or both party(s) to see the other as image of God who has a soul that needs to be loved, cherished and respected from a genuine heart {“above all preserve an intense love for each other since love covers over many a sin” 1 Pet.4:8} more still one who has dreams, goals, purpose and God’s Divine unique intention for him/her (“if seed-corn is still short in the barn and if vine and fig tree, pomegranate and olive tree still bear no fruit. From today onwards I intend to bless you. When that day comes – the Lord Sabaoth declares – I shall take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel my servant – The Lord declares – and make you like a signet ring. For I have chosen you – the Lord Sabaoth declares”  Hagg.2:19,23) rather we want people to bow to the altar of own ego and chafe at their own will hence quarrels/backbiting/slander/jealousy/malice e.t.c. begins to brood within the mind of one or both party while at the external there is scarecrow giggles to deceive those whose spirit of perception (understanding) are inactive [‘do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal, ready for the day when we shall be set free’ Eph.4:30] yet the Lord protects us with or without our righteousness (“I am the Lord and there is no other, there is no other God except me. Though you do not know me” Isaiah 45:5) as this affirms this scriptural passage ‘the heart is more devious than any other thing and is depraved; who can pierce its secrets? I the Lord, search the heart, test the motives, to give each person what his conduct and his actions deserve’ {Jer.17:9-10}

It is very important that we watch our ambitions; are they for the purpose of bearing witness to the Truth (Jesus Christ; I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: Jn.14:6) or for the sake of belonging to the world {‘do not model your behavior on the contemporary world but let the renewing of your minds transform you, so that you may discern for yourselves what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and mature’ Rom 12:2} and the way we go about trying to satisfy them “Only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable” [1 Cor.8:9].

The ritual prayer most of us indulge in these days mainly involves monologue thus “God my provider, I want firstclass degree/job/husband/wife/car/house/good-health e.t.c from now till next six (6) months because I have paid my tithe {‘bring the tithes in full to the treasury, so that there is food in my house; put me to the test now like this, says the Lord Sabaoth and see if I do not open the floodgates of heaven for you and pour out an abundant blessing for you’ Mal.3:10} though I am still managing lying tongue/masturbation/indecency in dressing/fornication/Adultery/buying and selling on Sundays and holy days of obligation/unforgiving-spirit/pride/jealousy e.t.c then draws the curtain with AMEN while leaving the church without listening for the reply from God on what to do in order to achieve these prayer request {‘the Lord then said to Moses, why cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to march on’ Ex.14:15} or [“be still and acknowledge that I am God, supreme over nations, supreme over the world” Ps.46:10] as well as learn how to say ‘…my Father, he said, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it’ (Mtt.26:39) and implore for a sign of confirmation on whether your prayer request concurs with Divine Will like “Abba, Father between now and next seven days may it please you to grant me the grace to open my affection to one my suitors in reality who will provide me with …(list the item)” just like Hezekiah requested for one when he was promised an additional fifteen years (2kgs 20:1-11, Isaiah 38:1-11) because he promised to teach us secrets about the unknown {‘call to me and I will answer you; I will tell you great secrets of which you know nothing’ Jer.33:3}