Let us continue our worship of God by learning from the Letter by James. Open your Bibles to James Chapter 4…… We will focus on the first 3 verses this morning, but let us read v1-12….. Read along with me….
Let us note again that this letter is written to Christians. And according to v1 of James 4, what was going on in the Christian church??
v1a: Can fighting and quarreling happen in Christian churches today?
We even get quarreling and fighting in Christian homes don’t we? Why does this happen?
According to God’s word in the second part of James 4:1, how do fighting and quarreling in the church happen??
v1b: Selfish attitudes causes fighting and quarreling even in Christian churches!
And how bad can selfish attitudes of Christians get?
v2a: Christians can actually murder someone because of selfish desires.
And what brings a Christian to this level of hate? The last part of v2 tells us that a Christian can have a disastrous wanting appetite because they don’t ask God! Not asking God is neglecting God and His goodness. And how does a Christian ask God? God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we Christians don’t pray enough! And,
v2c: A lack of prayer leads a Christian to disastrous sinful actions!
And what can we note from v4? – God will not answer selfish prayers! We must know how to pray properly!
The right type of prayer is a must for a Christian! Let’s expound on this in our applications; but let us note that v11-12 complements v1-3! We will come back to v4-10 next week. How do v11-12 complement v1-3?
v11: Selfish attitudes bring slander, speaking against another person!
Slander towards another Christian goes against God Himself!
Selfish attitudes of Christians will lead to major problems: fighting and quarreling, even murder, ungodly wanting, slandering, and fighting God Himself! Is there really a reason for fighting against God? Why shouldn’t a person fight against God??
V12 alludes to the answer to the disastrous problem of Christians having selfish attitudes!
v12: God gives the only right Law, therefore He is the only Judge! God is the only one who can save and destroy! God will always win!!
And so, there are 2 things a Christian must do to avoid disastrous selfish attitudes:
1. You cannot win against God = Yield to God! Commit to this daily!
God is our Creator and the source of everything good! God has the power to save and destroy!
2. Always pray to God the right way!
- Acknowledge who God is!
- Always pray according to God’s will, His desires not our own.
How are we personally doing with these 2 simple things in our daily lives?
Let us close with the prayer that Jesus taught, but let us pray it thought by thought: I will say a line, then you and I should pray quietly how that personally applies to our lives…..
Based on Matthew 6:9-13 NIV:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
