Everything in prayer revolves around who God is and what God wants and how God is to be glorified.

And any praying that is self-consuming, that is self-indulgent, any praying that makes God have to deliver to me because I have demanded it, takes his name in vain.

Welcome to Grace to You, the Bible teaching ministry of John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil

Johnson. Perhaps you've read, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

In this classic American novel, Atticus Finch tells his daughter, Scout, you never really

understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his

skin and walk around in it. Imagine if someone could understand you that way.

See the world exactly how you see it. Understand life from your perspective.

Thankfully, if you're a Christian, you serve a God who knows you better than you know yourself.

And he always knows and knows perfectly what is best for you. Find out what that

means for your prayers as John MacArthur continues his study titled Elements of True Prayer. And now

here's John. As I listen to what's going on in the Christian world, as I hear various preachers and

teachers, as I read various books, as I try to sort of

put my finger on the pulse, if you will, of what's happening in Christian circles, I see

an ever-increasing movement that all of us are probably somewhat aware of in this matter

of the prosperity gospel and positive confession that is really

very, very threatening to the purity and the sanity of the church.

Seems as though television and Christian radio, Christian television, churches are literally

getting more and more and more people who are buying

into the fact that prayer is simply a way for you to get what you want.

That God is obligated to deliver the goods to you.

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign and man his servant.

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