In the United States they have what is called the Powerball, it is a ticket of sorts with six generated numbers on it that offers the purchaser, generally for no more than a dollar or two, the opportunity to win millions, even tens of millions of dollars. Numbers are drawn from a large globe and if the numbers drawn match a ticket holder that week, that person is the winner of the amount.
These tickets are generally sold in what are commonly known as convenience stores, places where one can purchase fuel for their vehicle along with different sundries, coffee and a donut before work, cold beer and pretzels after work. The clientele of these places are not usually those with great financial wherewithal, but what are generally considered the common man, and the ones that purchase these tickets have dreams of escaping the life they now lead.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
There is one fact though about these winners that is rarely publicly advertised, it is that over ninety percent of those who win are completely broke within five years. “He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” (Prov. 28:22) Their dreams do not last long, nor are they fulfilled as they hoped they would be. To quote a line from a song, “When many of your wishes come true, many of your dreams will die.”
So then today, I ask you this, what do you pray about? Do you realize that He to whom we pray to owns everything that exists, that if it can be had, it is from God that it will arrive in your life? “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13)
How many people have you met, probably including yourself at one time or another, that have said, “If I had more, I would give more to the Lord’s work.” How much is your house payment, your car payment, how much do you owe on credit cards, how often do you go out for meals? How many lottery tickets do you purchase? Unfulfilled desires my friends, if they are not kept in check, will draw your heart away from the Lord, just ask Solomon when you meet him.
A saying then from my grandfather, “Sometimes it is better to want something, than it is to have it.”
Are your prayers humble and contrite, do you seek for the will of God in your life, or for the things of the world, does James 4:3 apply to you in this respect. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
“The next new this, or a better that, don’t call me home, heal me, don’t ask me to suffer too much for your name, allow me to have at least some of the nice things of the world.” Are you playing the lottery with your prayer life?
Most of us have stumbled and fallen in this area, and if we will admit it, we want more, the problem is those added things can quickly become more of a burden than a blessing. Try to remember these words when you pray, you are speaking to the One who owns everything that exists, but He offers you more than you can imagine, if you will but control your appetites.
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
