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Ending Wars

James 4:1-12
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you can not have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes and enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us tends toward envy, 6but he gives us more grace? That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near  to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands , you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you- who are you to judge your neighbor?

1.) People at War against each other (4:1,11-12)

  • disciples had fights (Lk 9:46-48).
  • Early Churches (1Cor.6:1-8 & Gal.5:15)
    1. Rich VsPoor （2:1-9)
      (rich man honored & poor ignored)
    2. Employment Wars (5:1-6)
    3. Church Fights (1:19&29, 3:13-18)
    4. Personsl Wars(4:11-12)
  • Christians were speaking evil of one another.
    (Eph4:15/1Peter4:8 /Mt.18:15/Phil.1:9-10/Matt.7:1-5).

2,) The War with Ourselves (4:1b-3)

  • "What causes fights and quarrels among you?...”

3.) Being at War with God.(4:4-10)

  • The foundational cause of all wars inside us as well as outside us is rebellion against God. How does a believer declare war against God? By being friendly withGod’s enemies
    1. The World (4:4)
    2. The flesh (4:1,5)
    3. The Devil (4:6-7)

Solution to the Wars of Life?

  1. Submit to God (4:7) "Give up ownership"
  2. Draw near to God (4:8) "Get forgiveness"
  3. Humble yourselves God (4:9-10)
    "Walk humbly knowing all is by Grace

Put total control of your life in God's hands and he will give you peace!(Is. 9:6)

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Preacher: Rob Flaherty |