Tag: James 4
More Grace Needed!
Scripture reading for November 5: James 4
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”” James 4:1-6
Human nature without Jesus Christ is full of quarreling and strife. Each person centers on themselves and their own passions and desires. Selfishness is worked out through fighting, sometimes leading to murder either with a weapon or the tongue. Coveting is a lustful desire to have what belongs to someone else. This may include property, positions, or affections which leads to theft, gossip, adultery or fornication. James also pointed his finger at the religious who prayed for their fleshly desires to be fulfilled. They asked God but asked with selfish motives, and God did not answer.
These worldly people were adulterous in their relationship with God. They often claimed to love God but were really adulterous as they followed their own desires and passions. James said that God was jealous for their affections, yearning over them and desiring their loyalty. Through the gift of His Son, God had provided grace needed to break free from the world and their own passions. What was needed in the believers was to appropriate the grace provided by humble confession of sin and repentance. The foundational truth James based this instruction on was “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” More grace was already provided to enable them to break free from their passions and be fully committed to God.
Are you currently struggling with fleshly passions and desires that seem to dominate your thinking and life? Have you been asking God for fulfillment of your desires or grace to yield to His desires? Have you struggled with pride or feeling that God doesn’t care about you?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for jealously yearning over my spirit and giving me more grace. I humbly ask you to continue to provide grace to live fully for You and Your will. Use me to bring the Gospel of grace to those who quarrel and fight. May my life reflect Your grace to live in peace. Amen.
Battling desires with prayer!
Scripture reading for November 4th: James 4
Key Scriptures for over-comers: James 4:1-4 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you many spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?”
James was concerned about quarrels and strife in the church that came from worldly wisdom because of envy and jealousy. These desires sprang from the old nature that should have been put to death by faith in Jesus Christ and total dependence on His mercy. The people that were following these desires were not seeking God in prayer and submitting to His will. When they did ask, they were asking with selfish motives so that God did not answer!
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers pray asking for God’s will and kingdom to be done on earth as in heaven. They love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength! “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what He commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zephaniah 2:3)
He gives more grace!
Scripture reading for November 5th: James 4
Because of the sins that James had highlighted, there were those who were always quarreling in the church of Jerusalem. Can you imagine that? People were showing partiality, trying to get what they wanted, listening to the word of God but not applying it, and their undisciplined tongues ran wild causing turmoil!
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)
James spoke plainly about the source of fights in the church. People were driven by their feelings and not by the word of God! Their motives were selfish and they wanted only what would make them happy instead of submitting to God, their leaders, and serving others. I am sure glad nothing like this happens in the church today!
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 3:4-6)
God’s grace to those caught in the quarreling would be given only to the humble! Even today, we must resist the devil and humbly draw near to God, asking for His grace! He gives without condemnation!