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James 4:3

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

James 4:3

Verse 3 of 17

Scripture focus

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.

James 4:3 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on James 4:3

Theological / Devotional

Ask. See on Matt. 7:7.

Receive not. Answers to prayer depend upon both the nature of the requests and the spirit of the prayer (see on Luke 11:9).

Amiss. Gr. kakos, “wrongly,” that is, with improper motives and perhaps for wrong objectives. He who prays without the determination to align himself with the will of God is praying “amiss” (see 1 John 5:14).

Consume. Gr. dapanad, “to squander,” “to spend.”

Lusts. Gr. hedonai (see on v. 1). Prayers of this nature are not answered because the things prayed for are to be used for personal gratification. Such prayers, even for things good in themselves, God cannot answer.

By SdaBc