James 4

B1 James 4:1-10 An illustration of worldly attitude in believers

C1 Marks of worldliness

D1 Arguments and fights

E1 Due to evil attitudes

E2 Due to lust

D2 The lust leads to murder. J. Warner Wallace has written that murder is from only 3 causes—financial greed, sexual lust, and/or desire for power (control). (One source of many).

D3 Covetousness: wanting what is pleasurable to us.

D4 Impure motives in prayer

E1 Our motive can be to glorify God

F1 This is good

F2 1 Corinthians 10:31 WPNT Therefore, whether you eat or you drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

F3 It benefits others as a witness and testimony for the Gospel. Matthew 5:16 NRSV In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

F4 Moses is one example among many of putting God first: Hebrews 11:24-25 NRSV By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

E2 Our motive can be to glorify us

F1 Is following demonic desires. James 3:14-16 WPNT But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth— such ‘wisdom’ is not coming down from Above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. Because where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is unruliness and every foul practice.

F2 Yields no good fruit: Luke 8:14 MKJV And those which fell among thorns are the ones who, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and do not bear to maturity.

F3 Life is not a joke; it is to be serious: Ecclesiastes 7:4 MKJV The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of laughter. People need to laugh and enjoy each other, but if a person’s life is only for selfish pleasure, that person is a fool.

F4 There is no satisfaction with things: Ecclesiastes 5:10 HCSB The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.

F5 There is only satisfaction in God: Philippians 4:19-20 NRSV And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

D5 Friend of the world

E1 This would be a friend of the world’s thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

E2 It is of the devil. John 8:44 "You are of [your] father, the devil, and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he tells [it] from himself, because he is a liar and the father of it.

E3 We were delivered from this, when we believed and put our trust into Messiah Jesus. Romans 5:10 NKJV For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Are we going to become an ENEMY of God again?

E4 The grief of Christians when one turns from God’s ways: Philippians 3:17-19 NKJV Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

C2 The cure is to have thoughts, desires, words, and deeds that align with the desires of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:16-17 NRSV Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.

D1 Living by the Spirit is not listening to some disembodied voice, a burning in your bosom, or a tingling in your leg.

D2 Do not follow your heart, because Jeremiah 17:9 WEB The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?

D3 A true believer will want to live life God’s way.

D4 Humility before God

E1 Why does God hate pride? Pride proclaims itself. Pride believes it is good, when it is evil. It is the opposite of God’s character and His ways.

E2 Proverbs 16:5 NASB Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

E3 1 John 2:16 NLT - For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

E4 God exalts. Our pride condemns and is debased. James 4:10 NLT - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

D5 Resisting the devil

E1 The word resist in Greek is different in verse 6 from verse 7.

E2 In James 4:6, God is arranged in battle against the proud. He resists. All know that God always wins.

E3 In James 4:7, is also stand against but it is not to fight. It is God’s grace that helps us. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NKJV And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

D6 Drawing near to God

E1 This is an active drawing, not passive. Many wish for the so called deeper life of contemplation, but contemplation is passive. God wants us to be active, or we will be devoured and deceived.

F1 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

F2 Matthew 24:42-44 GW Therefore, be alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will return. 43 You realize that if a homeowner had known at what time of the night a thief was coming, he would have stayed awake. He would not have let the thief break into his house. 44 Therefore, you, too, must be ready because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him.

B2 Judging James 4:11-12

C1 Unrighteous judgment is to judge by appearance, and then to slander them.

C2 Righteous judgment is to judge by the book—the Bible

D1 False doctrine

D2 Sin

B3 In God's will James 4:13-17 An example of pride

C1 We must be aware that God controls the future. We must have the attitude in prayer, “God your will be done.”

C2 Shows submission and acceptance of God's will

C3 A warning and definition of sin: James 4:17 NLT - Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

B4 Applications

C1 God disapproves of pride. God approves of humbleness.

C2 We can serve God and His ways, or we serve the devil and his ways.

C3 God gives the grace to resist the devil. We have the armor of God to help us.

C4 Be careful what we say and think.

C5 Accept God’s will.