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This text explores the root cause of quarrels and conflicts among individuals, highlighting the role of worldly pleasures and wrong motives. It emphasizes the importance of seeking God's guidance and living in peace.
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The Source Of Our conflicts Evil Desires – James 4:1-4
James 4:1-3 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious 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 with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
I. Worldly Pleasures • A discussion of the nature of the Bible epistles. • They are known as “occasional” documents. • Each epistle addresses a particular occasion in the early church.
What was the occasion prompting James’ letter? • Included a matter of quarreling and conflict in the church.
Brethren Shouldn’t Quarrel • Apparently, James knows the church is fighting one another. • Proverbs 17:1 – Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it, than a house full of feasting with strife.
Pleasure Seekers • …is not the source your pleasures…. • Psalm 16:11 – “You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Lusting and Murdering • Lust led them to murder. • Murder can be used here figuratively. • It is not healthy for us to seek unwholesome things in the life.
Envying Brawlers • …you are envious…so you fight and quarrel. • Mark 7:21-23 -- For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”
The Beginning of Faith is Trusting • We should always begin by asking God • Exodus 16:8 -- Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.”
Philippians 2:14 • Do all things without grumbling or disputing • Matthew 7:7 -- Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
II. Asking For The Right Reasons • vs. 4 -- …You adultresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend to the world makes himself an enemy of God.
When You Ask And Don’t Receive • Could be you’re asking with the wrong motives • They were asking to spend it on their lustful pleasures.
Who’s Your True Friend? • Friendship with the world is hostility toward God. • Haggai 1:6 -- You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
Romans 8:5-6 -- For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace….
We can’t serve God and… • Matthew 6:24 -- “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
So, how do we live in peace? • 2 Corinthians 13:11 -- Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.