PASTOR JOHN COWLES
FAMILY WORSHIP ASSEMBLY
JAMES – FAITH FOR TODAY!
A FAITH THAT DRAWS CLOSE – Week 07
James 4:1-10
James 4:1-3 ESV – What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder.
James 4:1-3 ESV – You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
WHY WE
Passions at war within you.
James 1:14-15 ESV - But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James says we stop at nothing to get what we want, to satisfy our own desires.
James 4:4 ESV – 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.
James 4:4b ESV – Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE!
James 4:5-8 ESV – 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”? 6 But he gives more grace.
James 4:5-8 ESV – Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 ESV – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
He moves toward us, but He wants us to make the first move!
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!
Psalm 37:3-5 ESV - Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
MAKE ROOM FOR GOD.
James 4:6 ESV – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
RESIST THE DEVIL.
James 4:7 ESV – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
DRAW NEAR TO GOD.
James 4:8a ESV – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
WASH YOUR HANDS. (REPENTANCE)
James 4:8b ESV – Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Confession is to admit your wrong, repentance is to turn from the wrong that you did.
*AVOID EMPTY HABITS/RITUALS. *
James 4:9 ESV – Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV - For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
James 4:10 ESV – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Acts 3:19-20 ESV – Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.