James 4:3

Even prayers go unanswered when offered with selfish motives. God will not subsidize cravings aimed only at our pleasures.

Cross-references · 23

• 1 Jn 5:14And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
• 1 Jn 3:22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
• Jas 1:6–7But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
• Jas 4:1What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
• Prov 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
• Mic 3:4Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
• Ps 66:18–19If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
• Job 35:12There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.
• Zech 7:13And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.
• Luke 16:1–2Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
• Job 27:8–10For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
• Prov 21:13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
• Matt 20:22“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered.
• Mark 10:38“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”
• Luke 15:13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
• Prov 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—how much more so when brought with ill intent!
• Prov 1:28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
• Jer 11:14As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me in their time of disaster.
• Isa 1:15–16When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
• Ps 18:41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer.
• Jer 14:12Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
• Jer 11:11Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
• Luke 15:30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

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