A Better Way To Pray: Takeaway #1

So I just finished Andrew Wommack's book “A Better Way To Pray”, it's actually my second or third time reading through it & I'll be posting some takeaways from it throughout the next few weeks.

Takeaway # 1: Motive

The heart attitude behind your prayer interests God much more than the actual words you say; if you're attitude is wrong, you're praying wrong.

In Matthew 6:5 Jesus talks about hypocrites who love to pray that have their present reward in being seen by people praying. 

If you don't have the proper motive, it doesn't matter what you do.

I Corinthians 13: 1 – 3 Amplified Bible

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 

If I have the gift of prophecy...  understand all mysteries... [possess] all knowledge... have all [sufficient] faith... but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 

If I give all my possessions to feed the poor... surrender my body [b]to be burned... but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

In the Kingdom, heart attitude makes all the difference.

I think we all know people who pray to win the lottery. As Christians, we're new creatures w/ a new heart, but that doesn't mean that our motives are necessarily 100% pure 100% of the time. Some people would like to raise their standard of living (new house, car, boat) while others want to raise their giving (feed the hungry, support missionaries, subsidize orphanages). 

Only God knows the why behind the what.

If you aren't seeing the desired results from your prayer life, check your motives; are your prayers truly motivated by love?