Many of us try to manipulate God into doing what we want. We might say, “God, if you give me a flying car, I’ll never push my brother again!” or “God, I give money to my church, that means you have to make my life easy.” But you can’t bargain with God. First of all, You already owe Him anything you could ever offer. Not only did He make you (and everything in the universe!) but He also died to save you from your sins. You owe Him everything. And even though you owe Him everything, He doesn’t even need it! God is perfect and doesn’t need anything at all. God loves you and wants what’s best for you. If you want something, ask God for it. If it’s what’s best, you’ll have it! God has a perfect plan, and He wants to have a relationship with you. Just remember that you can’t manipulate God!
Bible Verses:
- Romans 11:33-36 | God owes you nothing.
- Job 41:11 | Everything under heaven belongs to God.
- James 4:2-3 | We don’t have because we don’t ask correctly.
- Matthew 6:33 | Seek first the Kingdom of God.
- Psalm 50:10-12 | All the world and its resources belong to God.
Family Time Questions:
- What is manipulation? Why is it wrong to try to manipulate God?
- How can we show our trust in God’s plan?
- How does understanding that everything belongs to God change our perspective?
- In what ways can we express our needs and desires to God that honors Him?
Prayer:
“Dear Lord, we thank You for Your wisdom and perfection. Help us to always trust in Your plan, even when it’s hard to understand. Remind us that You alone are God, and we can’t manipulate or bargain with You. Teach us to pray according to Your will and not our own. We trust that You want what’s best for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
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