Good morning and welcome man today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of James.
James 4:1-5 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Have you ever noticed that children will fight over just about anything? Sometimes they fight over who gets the back seat of the bus. Sometimes they fight over who gets the computer first. Sometimes they fight over each other’s possessions and belongings. These feelings are driven by the carnal nature that is within each of us. In the church, when we become a Christian, we are supposed to put away childish things. We are called to deny the carnal nature and go on unto Spiritual maturity. It’s not spiritual to fight and war with each other like this because It only reveals greed and covetousness. We are supposed to lovingly share, just as the early church did.
Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Sometimes we don’t have things in life simply because we don’t ask for them. When you pray to God, it means to petition and ask him for things. When you need something, the first person to approach with your need is God. We pray about it.
If a wife wants ice cream from the store, she needs to petition her husband for it. If a child needs a new bicycle, they need to petition their dad for it. Many times in the military if you need something you fill out a requisition form and you ask for it. When a man of God needs help, He petitions God for his needs. The Lord Jesus Christ is capable of freely giving us all things to enjoy. There is nothing that he cannot do.
As scriptures teach, in order to receive something you must first ask. Many times in life people don’t have things because they don’t even bother to pray about it. In the story of The prodigal Son, (Luke 15:11) ,the elder son was upset because his dad had never given him a kid to make merry with his friends. It appears that he had never even asked for one, until he saw what was going on with his brother. You have not because you ask not. Whatever you need in life, you can petition God.
Sometimes people ask, but it’s only to consume it upon their own selfish desires. I ask any of you parents out there, if a child asked for $50 who are you going to give it to? Will it be the one who uses it just for selfish gain or will it be the child who takes the rest of their siblings out to dinner? One is motivated by selfish greed while the other is motivated by love.
…,…..Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
Many people in this world are simply focused on exponential gain for themselves. Remember that the love of money is the root of all evil. Some people want a bigger house, not to benefit their family or their wife but to benefit themselves and their lusts for the comforts of this world.
Some people want a brand new truck not to help their family or their children but for their own enjoyment.
The scriptures teach about a man who tore down his barns and built greater ones. Why did he do this? Because he wanted to store up, retire, and use all the things that God had given him for self gratification. You can’t love God and Mammon. The Love of money completely blinds a person. It blinds them to love. Life no longer becomes focused on helping others but rather about selfish gain for oneself. After all, look at what happened to Scrooge. Because he loved possessions he completely alienated love for others. God is love and this is why this behavior is spiritual adultery against him. It is completely contrary to everything that God is. God is the greatest giver that there has ever been, so when you love the things of this world you show who your real friends truly are. Abraham was called the friend of God. Numerous people today are friends of the world. They love the world and its possession and gain more than God and others.
One example of this is the wealthy man. (Mark 10:17)
He thought he had kept all the commandments so Jesus took him to a point in his life that he was struggling with. It had to do with giving up possessions to those in need. He wept at the thought of it. He cared for his possessions more. He loved the possessions of this world more than loving and following Jesus. He made a decision that day to turn to his possessions rather than turning to Christ. That’s called friendship with the world.
Abel gave a better sacrifice to God than Cain. Able was a friend of God rather than a friend of the world. Cane was a friend of the world and it created enmity between him and his brother insomuch that he killed Him. Love for the world fights against the things of God.
Numerous people fight and war with each other in court over an inheritance. This isn’t love it’s called lust and it’s driven by the carnal nature. When people choose to listen to their carnal nature they make themselves an enemy of God in their own mind. It’s no longer love for others anymore, it’s love for selfish gain and Earthly increase. this is one reason why the love of money is the root of all evil. It is completely opposed to everything that God is. In this state a person will fight against him and resist him.
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
The carnal spirit of man is filled with lust and jealousy. It enviously desires the things of this world and the possessions that a neighbor may possess rather than being content with what God has given you. The carnal nature wants more, more, more, thinking that gain will fill the hole in their heart. This is one reason why the love of money is spiritual adultery against God. You’re not loving God anymore, but the world. Instead of placing your love and your eyes on Christ, they’re placed on the things of this world.
One must decide whether they love possession or a person. Do they love gain or do they love God? These are two incredibly huge differences because it defines where your love is placed. Is your heart placed on Earthly things or divine? Are your treasures in heaven or are they on the Earth. Why do people fight and war? It’s because of the carnal nature that must be resisted through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are called to love one another not to love the world.
Listen to how the Apostle John sums it up.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Remember everything in this world and all of its possessions are going to be gone someday. You can’t take it with you when you go. What will remembered is what you did with what you had while you were here.
So I ask you,…
What’s the point of fighting over….
…..the backseat?
Let’s think about these things for today, and Lord willing we can talk some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.❤️
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