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Living as a Friend of God

Living as a Friend of God. James 4. James 4:1-3. 1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

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Living as a Friend of God

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  1. Living as a Friend of God James 4

  2. James 4:1-3 1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

  3. Back in James 3:18 The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace

  4. Wars and Fights • Pride: got to prove we are right • Desire: makes us feel better Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

  5. The reasons… • You lust – and do not have • You murder & covet – and cannot obtain • You fight and war – yet you don’t have because you do not ask • You ask and do not receive – because you want it to spend on your pleasures!

  6. Adulterers and Adulteresses! • When we act like worldly people we commit spiritual adultery with God and become an enemy of God • Actual Greek is just “adulteresses” • Friendship with the world is enmity with God

  7. Whose Friend do we want to be? This world’s Or God’s Friends of God trust Him single-mindedly in all aspects of their lives!

  8. Everyone claims to have a righteous platform • We all justify our positions with our Bibles • Everyone thinks they are on God’s side • Many feel compelled to force others to change

  9. Ask & do not receive • For our pride • For our ecclesial status • To put others down Luke 18:11-12 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'

  10. Possible Solution for ecclesial troubles • Pray for God’s help & wisdom • Have a few people quietly meet to find a solution that upholds God’s principles and resolves the issues • Leave out the people who are too emotionally involved to work together for a peaceful resolution

  11. James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? (KJV) Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? (NKJ) Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? (NASB) This is not quoted from any specific passage of the Bible

  12. "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? (NASB) James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. God’s children are born of His spirit through the word He implants in them!

  13. Law of Jealousy Num 5:29-30 29 'This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 'or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, and he becomes jealous of his wife; then he shall stand the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute all this law upon her. Under the Law a jealous husband could force his wife to drink the bitter water – even if she was sorry!

  14. But God gives more grace! (6) God isn’t like us! He is merciful and gracious and rains down more grace! God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble (Prov 3:34) Prov 3:27-28 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it," when you have it with you. (James 2:16; 4:17)

  15. Humility is the cure! Submit to God Accept God’s will & decisions in our lives – don’t fight it! Resist the devil, and he will flee from you Aim to be single-minded

  16. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded (v.8) Wash your hands of sin! Don’t get involved in evil pursuits. Clean your heart of evil intentions. God cares about why we do what we do! We must develop a clear conscience.

  17. Humble yourselves before God • Lament, mourn and weep now, so God can turn it to joy • If we humble ourselves to accept God’s will in our lives & show kindness to others, God will grant us grace (v.6) and lift us up (v.9)

  18. Draw near to God (v.8)Talk to Him in prayer He will draw near to you – to give you wisdom to understand your trials and how to walk through life

  19. Two examples to measure our humility 13-17 Boasting about our economic situation 11-12 Judging each other

  20. Stop speaking evil about each other You are judging each other! And judging God’s law! You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18)

  21. God is the judge – not us! When we judge one another’s motives, we fail to follow God’s law. We become a judge, not a doer of the law. God gave the Law – He has the authority and knowledge to save or destroy. Who are YOU to judge another?

  22. Paul dealt with judging others Romans 14:10-13 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.

  23. Boasting in arrogance is evil I’m going to make money on this, and this, and this…. Based on reliance on self, not God “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (1:17) Double-minded person is not aware of God’s involvement in their life, and does not appreciate what God does for us

  24. Our lives are just a vapor Psalm 39:5-6 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

  25. Humble people acknowledge God! “God willing, we hope to…

  26. Failure to be a doer is Sin (17) Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (Ja 4:17) But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. (Rom 14:23)

  27. Tomorrow’s Class We’ll look at the affect of single mindedness on believers during troubled times

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