James 4:1-12 ESV
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You 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. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You 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. 5Or 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”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
11Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Hunter and Kelsi Gray are here!!
Missions & Connections Pastor
Meet them in the
Koza Connections Café
between the worship services.
James 4:7-8a ESV
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
We were members of a church in North Carolina 1996-1999 that was doing lots of good things for the Kingdom of Christ.
Monthly Business Meeting on Wednesday night.
Proverbs 20:3 NIV 84
“It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”
Unhealthy People…
…are attracted to unhealthy churches…
…who do business in unhealthy ways.
Healthy People…
are attracted to healthy churches…
…who do business in healthy ways.
Andy Stanley
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James 4:1 ESV
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
“We have a deep desire to be in charge of the world & of our lives.
We want to be sovereign.”
“Every law that God lays down is an infringement on our absolute sovereignty.
It reminds us that we are not God, and prevents us from being sovereign to live as we wish.”
Keller Romans 1-7 For You pg 163
“The first temptation from the serpent in the garden of Eden: “You will be like God” (Gen 3:4).
That was the essence of the first sin, and it is the essence of all ours, too.”
“The underlying, ultimate motive of sin is to play God.” Keller 163
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James 4:2a ESV
2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.
Hyperbole: exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
Jealous: feeling or showing an envious resentment of someone or their achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages.
Revile: criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.
Our Anger kills the spirit of someone else.
And our Bitterness is like an acid that destroys the container that holds it.
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James 4:2b-3 ESV
You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
14if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
NOT You Manipulating God Treating Him like your Puppet
Nor it is You Controlling others through your self-centered ‘prayers’
Prayer is for Believers
—because we Know Him to Whom We Pray
“When our praying is wrong, our whole Christian life is wrong.
It has been well said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven,
but to get God’s will done on earth”
Weirsbe Be Mature pg 128
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Colossians 4:2 ESV
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Mark 14:38 ESV
38”Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:36 ESV
36“And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’”
“Jesus could submit to the abuse of men because
He had already submitted to the will of God.”
Wiersbe “With the Word”
and still is,
accomplished in Prayer
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James 4:4 ESV
4You 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.
Society apart from God and opposed to God.
1 John 2:15 ESV
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Indications of Worldliness A Dislike of God
∙ Anger at His Commands (Everything He says)
∙ Uncomfortable Around God’s People
∙ A Growing Love of Sin & Sinners (Revelry)
∙ Pride & Self-Sufficiency (Arrogance)
∙ A godless & selfish use of things (Stuff & more)
∙ Working to Satisfy My Lusts (Me, Me & Me)
∙ Denial & Disregard of God’s Word (See #2)
“Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange.”
Kevin DeYoung
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James 4:6b ESV
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
“A clear view of yourself and a deep sense of unworthiness in the sight (comparison) of God.”
Webster 1828
Revelation 1:17-18 ESV
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
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James 4:7-8a ESV
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
God’s Blueprint for your success in Godliness.
The Preparatory Command: “Prepare to Stand”
The Execution Command: “Stand-Up”
The Preparatory Command: “Prepare to Sit”
The Execution Command: “Seats”
No movement or sound until the command “Adjust”
Train your heart to hear & obey God
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James 4:7-8a ESV
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Accuser
Revelation 12:10 ESV
10And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
Useless
All kinds of negative self talk
Not Worthy of Love
Unforgivable
Adversary
1 Peter 5:8 ESV
8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
He is in opposition to you
Destroyer
Revelation 9:11 ESV
11They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
Satan brings conflict and discord.
He destroys Peace & Hope & Relationships & Legacies of generations & even Churches.
He destroys marriages & purity
John 10:10 ESV
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Murderer
John 8:44b NIV
He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.
Liar
John 8:44c NIV
When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Tempter
1 Thessalonians 3:5 ESV
5For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
He wants you to stumble and cause others to fall.
Enemy
Matthew 13:39 ESV
39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
Habitual – Unrepentant Sin
Drug & Alcohol Abuse (not alert)
False Religion & Spirituality
Occultic behavior (horoscopes – fortunes)
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James 4:8a ESV
8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Hebrews 4:16 ESV
16Let us then with confidence DRAW NEAR to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw Near to God and He will draw near to you.”
James 4:7-8a
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“Cornerstone” – Hillsong Worship
“What A Beautiful Name” – Hillsong Worship
“Do It Again” – Elevation Worship
“Death Was Arrested” – Northpoint Worship
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