"Request prayers" (asking for things) make the Shekinah cringe

Sign above God's desk.

You want it when?

"Request prayers", make God cringe.

"So remember, your Father already knows what your needs are". (Matthew 6:8)  Asking for material things in a prayer is really a "veiled complaint" to God. You ask God "please give me a new car". But she hears a complaint. God hears "the car that you have already given me is a piece of junk, you are not taking care of me very well".

Make God happy. Just thank her, and tell her how wonderful this world that she has given us is. That makes her feel good. Request prayers make God cringe. How do you feel when your wife starts asking for a new house, or if you can find a way to make more money? You cringe. As does God.

You are laying a "guilt trip" on the Lord God Almighty, herself. You are making her feel bad. Can you imagine that? She comes closer to hear your quiet intimate prayer of thanks and praise and instead you give her a "wish list for Santa Claus". What a horror show for God. God likes you, you pray, but you hurt her terribly, when she comes near.

God is thinking that you have come to thank her, or offer praise about this wonderful world that she has given you, and instead, you sock her in the eye, when she draws close enough for you to do it. It is like trying to kiss a rattlesnake, for God to hear a prayer from you, that makes God feel bad like that. Soon God will avoid all close contact with you and your guilt trips. You actually hurt God herself. Way to go. How unsavory a "request prayer" is. If God cries, it would be because of all the "material request prayers", asking for things, that she receives. They are the worst. And they are not biblical. God already knows what your needs are, save the rehashing.

Try using "reverse psychology" in your prayers, never ask for anything. God just may be thankful enough for that to reward you with what you secretly desire. But only if you keep it a secret. Don't worry that your secret desires will never even be known by God because you kept your mouth shut, and will therefore be lost, God knows your every thought since the day you were born, she will not miss it. Reverse psychology and maturity in your praying habits will one day pay off big for you.

And anyway God has the habit of not giving you the material things that you ask for, as punishment for making her feel bad. You will shoot yourself in the foot for anything that you ask for. Don't ask, have some faith that God already knows your desires already, and then as a reward, you may actually get it. That is the only way that will work. Reverse psychology. Just offer thanks and praise to God, that is all.

The only proper contents of a prayer are these two things, praising the God, and thanking the God.

If you always stick to these guidelines then you have truly learned the proper way to pray. My goodness, where does receiving all the goodies come in? If the relationship that you are trying to build with God is based on getting stuff, guess what, she won't be giving you anything. That kind of puts a damper on the whole thing doesn't it? Well maybe yes and maybe no, just what is the real underlying reason for you praying? That is a question most of us really don't want to explore too deeply, it may reveal a little blackness in our soul, that we prefer not to think too much about.

God is responsible for your daily provisions and she is always willing to make sure that you have enough. Enough being the key word, give a human being more than enough and the exact opposite of what God wants will occur, you will almost always stop earnestly seeking communion with God. You should be aware that the only reason God created human beings in the first place, is "for her pleasure", and to have fellowship with them, you can save yourself a lot of time by understanding this entirely. So if your secret goal is to receive a gold mine, you can rest assured that that is never going to be in the cards. You have not discovered Santa Claus, you are trying to make an intimate connection with the most high God herself.

God already knows what your needs are, and she will provide for all your needs without you having to ask her about it. Your wants and desires are a completely different matter however, that is a pail with no bottom, there is no way to ever fill that up.

If you are going to base your faith on whether God fills up your bottomless pail or not, guess what the answer will be? 

If my prayers are to consist entirely of praise and thanksgiving only, how am I going to tell God what is going on in my life right now, and why I think that I need this or that in a big hurry? That is a problem, but it is a problem that is based on your lack of fully understanding of just exactly where God is at all times. You see God is ALWAYS sitting right next to you, always. You may not be able to see her, but rest assured that she is surely there. God is already 100% aware of each and everything that is going on in your life right now. God is 100% dedicated to you, and only to you. God does not split up her time in any way, not even a tiny little bit, most people make the mistake of assuming that God must be very busy and that she just checks in on them for a few minutes, about every other week or so. No that is not the case, God is always 100% committed to you and to you alone.

Most people would be more than a little embarrassed to find out that God sticks to them like white on rice, 24/7, each and every second of each and every day (Jeremiah 23:23-24). That being said you might then start to understand just how redundant and unnecessary it is to think that you have to tell God anything about your situation or needs, believe me she already knows.

29"And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, but your Father already knows that you have need of all these things. 31But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be added to you".  (Luke 12:29-31)

All the material things that God has set up for you, to receive during your lifetime, is already on a long list with your name on it, every item on that list has a date next to it that is when the God will to give it to you. There is a reason she decides the dates, each item that she gives you is tied into a much greater plan for your life. In other words if you received the item any earlier or any later, it would not fulfill the special purpose that God has for you in receiving that item in your life at the exact correct time. In fact receiving the item at any different time, could spell disaster for your life.

The red corvette that you always wanted and purchased even though you could not afford it many times winds up wrapped around a tree with you in it.