James 4
January 28, 2018
James 4
Shawn Bumpers / General
James
Introduction:
v1-2
James saw a divided church.
Psalm 133:1 NKJV
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
πόλεμος polemos – battles and quarrels
μάχη machē – conflicts and disputes
James 4:1 LEB
From where are conflicts and from where are quarrels among you? Is it not from this, from your pleasures that wage war among your members?
James 3:14 NKJV
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
James 3:16 NKJV
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
John 13:34–35 NKJV
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
v2-3
James 4:3 ESV
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 4:2 NKJV
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
Matthew 7:7 NKJV
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Selfishness often shows up in our prayers.
v4-6
The Holy Spirit of God earnestly desires that we give our devotion entirely to God.
v7-8
2 Timothy 3:16–17 NKJV
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Ephesians 4:27 ESV
and give no opportunity to the devil.
Matthew 15:8 NKJV
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
Luke 22:42 NKJV
saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Behavior (‘hands’) / Inner lives (‘hearts’)
Colossians 3:2 NKJV
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
v9-10
Psalm 34:18 NKJV
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
v11-12
Isaiah 14:12–14 NKJV
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
“Speaking evil” of others.
Not written to unbelievers:
The same goes for God’s law.
James 4:17 NKJV
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Hebrews 12:6 NKJV
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
v13-17
Romans 10:9–10 NKJV
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
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