Prayer, and the root source of our hearts' motives and intents

In preparing for Prayer Meeting tonight, I was led, by a very gentle prompt, to meditate upon the Epistle of James, chapter four, verses 2 & 3; Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Reading and meditating upon these two Scriptures, you come to an understanding that the apostle James is certainly not teaching on purely the topic of prayer. In fact, there is nothing in these verses, preceding and proceeding, to indicate any link with prayer, and with the main point he is putting across to the 'twelve tribes which are scattered abroad'.

Yet, if we are careful to observe and understand what he IS communicating here in Holy Scriptures, and as the apostle Paul emphasized about Scripture in 2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works,

...then, we can clearly see that this effect is very good for us in the school of prayer ( Andrew Murray ).

And so, especially as we begin reading for context, James 3:13, and all the way to 4:10, we see the following points coming out:

1. The wise and understanding person prays in the 'meekness of wisdom'. And this wisdom, if lacking (v 5-8), can be obtained simply by petitioning God, who gives 'liberally' - or bountifully. God is never stingy when it comes to His children seeking for wisdom. So we can begin our prayer times, our devotions, whether individually, or corporately, by asking, or petitioning the Lord for wisdom in what and how we pray. And Jesus already set for us the model. We are to pray, 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.' So in whatever situation we may find ourselves in, whether personally, or in a relationship, whether family or outside, whether a home situation or office, or ministry situation, our coming to God must lead us to ask, to think, to meditate, 'what is God's kingdom in this matter?, what is God's will in this matter?' Am I able to pray 'Thy kingdom come, They will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven?'

2. Here's where we get into the crux of what the apostle James is teaching. Where and what are our motives in asking? The roots always determine the quality of the fruit! In referring to chapter 3 of James, and verses 11-18, we see the the root of the matter.

This root will determine whether we receive whatsoever we ask of the Father. So the apostle James, as with all the OT and NT writers, go straight to the heart of the matter. God is never bothered with the peripherals when the heart of the matter has not been resolved. Jesus would work on the peripherals of a matter only as a means to get to the heart of the matter. And the heart of the matter is always the heart!

3. And what is in the heart but the motives and intents of an individual?

4. James differentiates two sources for the motives and intents of an individual, with accompanying characteristics:
a. same fountain producing sweet and bitter water. Is this possible?

b. trees - producing fruit after its kind (fig tree produces figs, vine produces grapes, olive plants olive)

These analogies are applied to the mouth, and whether blessing and cursing comes out of it. This will exhibit the type of root, and the identity of the plant or tree or vegetation.

According to James, the heart will display wisdom. Wisdom also has two sources:

a. wise man endued with knowledge - out of a good conversation produces works with meekness of wisdom. This wisdom is from above, and it is seen through its purity, peaceableness, gentleness, its ease in discussion and engagement, or open to appeals, full of mercy and good fruits, no favoritism, even of self, with integrity - what you see is what you get; they say what they mean, and mean what they say. These are the fruit of righteousness, sown in peace by the Word of the Prince of Peace.

b. earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom - produces bitter envying, strife in hearts, lies against the truth, producing further confusion and every evil work

Source speaks of beginnings, and the question to be asked is, have we been born again of the water and the Spirit? Have we been truly baptized in Jesus' death and risen up through the waters of baptism to resurrection? Is Jesus Christ truly LORD of our lives? Is Gal 6:14 real in our lives? Is Gal 2:20 a daily experience in our lives? If the answers to the above are negative, then, we are 'double-minded, unstable in all our ways, and let that man not think he or she will receive anything from the Lord' (James 1:7). If we are in this category or state, then, the Father, who is 'rich in mercy', and with His 'exceeding riches of (His) grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus', is every willing, and ever ready to pour His grace as we are touched by His Spirit and Word of the finished work of Christ, and grace-enabled, call upon Him for a new heart and spirit.

And when applied to prayer, again, it simply means that those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ, those who have died to self through the work of the Spirit of grace, who are now crucified to self and the world, are the ones who have the confidence, through His grace, to believe that their prayers are truly prayed, 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.'

And therein His name will be hallowed forever!