Are there wars and fighting among you?

James: A Christian's Guide To Living From Jesus • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

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Good morning. I pray that your week was wonderful and I just want each and every one of you here in person and watching on our live stream to know that I love you. I am so glad you are here. If I haven’t had a chance to shake your hand yet please allow me to do that after service.

Just a quick reminder if you are going with us to the Triumphant Quartet concert this evening please stay for a very short meeting right after service this morning.

Let’s Pray

START RECORDING

This morning we are jumping back into our James: A Christian’s Guide To Living From Jesus sermon series with James 4. We are going to get through the first 3 verses of James 4 so if you would go ahead and be turning there in your Bible, a pew Bible or your phone or tablet or device that would be great.

This is a powerful section of scripture that will lead many to a need to repent and confess issues that have not been dealt with in a Biblical manner.

James 4:1–3

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“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.”

We are going to deal with 2 major issues from this scripture this morning

Wars and fightings among you

Prayer Problems

1. Wars and fightings among you vs 1

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When I started this week my intention was to go through verse 10 this morning but I soon realized there was too much going on in these three verses to quickly walk through them

I believe so many are upset with and lost interest in the church because it lacks authenticity

It is fake

A bunch of fake people going through fake motions that lead to real hurts and disappointments

Jesus was authentic

Jesus was and is the truth

You and I as Christians....Jesus’ ambassadors must learn to be authentic and true as well

Many of you sitting here have been hurt by people in the church.....if you haven’t yet hang on you will be

Why

The church is made up of humans

God’s children who struggle with sin

God’s children who sin against God, others and themselves

Sometimes intentionally hurting others

Most of the time unintentionally hurting others

Doesn’t matter the motive the hurt is real but so many take that out of God and the church and stop seeking God and going to church

They stop loving the church

They stop serving each other as the bride and body of Christ

They allow humans to push them away from God

Church attendance is not a requirement for heaven

Jesus is the One and only way to be saved. Period End of Story

However if you love Jesus you love what Jesus loves and Jesus loves the church

Jesus loves the gathering of His Bride together to

fellowship

to serve one another

to grow in Christian maturity through teaching and studying

gathering to minister to the community....being His hands and feet to those who need them

to truly do life together

If you are against doing life with others you are going to hate heaven......just saying

The problem is when we gather

when we do life together

when we serve one another

when we attempt to carry burdens

when we attempt to minister to the community

our humanness gets in the way

our sin gets in the way

our emotions and feelings and pride get in the way

Look at this scripture

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

We fight because of us

We fight because of our lusts that are warring inside of each of us and some times they come out and fight with brothers and sisters in Christ

Churches are a very diverse and complicated minefield

Jesus loves the church

The church is Jesus’ bride

Not CCC or any other local body but all believers make up the church....Christ’s bride

God also established local bodies....churches....groups of Christians coming together to proclaim God’s Word

to fellowship

to grow together

to minster to their community

Feed the hungry

clothe the naked

look after the widows and fatherless

Be the hands and feet of Jesus

Churches are a hospital for the spiritually sick and broken and lost

A nursery for those newly born in Christ

A school to grow those growing in faith and Christian maturity

A home base for those carrying out God’s work in their jobs and neighborhoods and community

All aspects of life brought together in one place

What could possibly go wrong????

In Christ nothing.....in humans everything

I want you first to notice there is no retirement home in the church

You will retire from your secular job but you don’t retire from doing God’s Work

The work changes as you get older but until you are promoted to heaven or Jesus returns you are to be doing the work God planned in advance for you to do

If we as the body of Christ are living and speaking and truly being God’s and Christ’s ambassadors the lost would flock here

We are called to live out what they are dying to find!!!!!!

in all things…in every conversation Jesus must be proclaimed

Quick to pray

Quick to forgive

Quick to speak truth in grace and mercy

Living as Jesus lives…

Being a disciple and following Jesus!

Every minute of every day!!!!!!

When we do that it brings the lost

One of the things that we must understand is this

When God brings the lost to us to love

They don’t know the things of Jesus

They don’t know what they should or shouldn’t do in a church

We still love them and are patient with them and once they accept Jesus we teach them…that is discipleship

Why are you shocked when a lost person acts like the world?

You and I as Christians act like the world and try to justify it away

a lost person or babe in Christ acts like the world in the church or in your life and you want to crucify them

You want to run them down on social media

You want to gossip about them

You want to seek revenge

Shame on Us

Every time a new person or family, especially a lost person or lost family arrives we should be so grateful and thankful that God brought them here to find Christ!!!!!

Sure growing pains will happen

Sure people will do hurtful things

they are human and lost or growing in Christ

Babies make mistakes all the time yet no one quits taking care of them and meeting their needs

Here at church we expect babes in Christ to be able to drive on day 2. I don’t know about you but I am not comfortable with some 16 year olds driving let alone a 2 day old.

Growing in Christ is a process

Learning to be obedient to Christ is a process

Dying to self and leaving and hating the world is a process

Just because someone is much further behind you in that process is no reason to be upset with them

What about us

What about each other

What about Christians doing life together

It is very tempting to allow our humanness to turn that into something very ugly that leads to fighting and quarrels

Our flesh and lusts and desires say things like:

They are wrong and I’m not backing down

That is a dumb idea and there is no way I am going along with that

How dare they say that about me or my family or friends

That person just wants the glory and spotlight I can’t stand them

They never shut up, they must really love to hear themselves talk

Before you know it the church splits over the color of the carpet or the placement of furniture in the sanctuary........well at least that is the excuse used but really they split over pride and sinful actions resulting from Christians following their own lusts and desires and emotions.

Listen if it is not doctrinal

If it is not foundational

Let it go

As a growing and maturing Christian you must realize you don’t matter

your wants and desires don’t matter

you are to be dead to them

you are to put Jesus and others ahead of you

So many fights and quarrels in a church....in this church....are useless to God’s kingdom

if I or anyone else stands and preaches or teaches another Jesus…fight.....always fight that head on

quarrel with them

Stand up for and on God’s Word because that is wrong

If you don’t like my suit or delivery let it go

The problem is people get convicted by God’s Word....which is a loving God through His Holy Spirit trying to get you deal with something that is standing between you and God by the way

and when conviction comes what do many do…they get mad at the messenger and fight or quarrel or leave

1 John 3:15

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“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

Christians you and I must love our brothers and sisters in Christ

We must love the lost.....that is not optional

Look at what is being said here

If you hateth your brother you are a murderer

This is serious and this is the problem with fights and quarrels

They usually stem from hate in your heart

If you love someone with the love of Christ all that matters is they know Jesus and are growing in Christian maturity

If you both want something different that has nothing to do with salvation such as the carpet or attendance or a ministry and they get what they want instead of being upset and fighting and quarreling you should be genuinely happy for them

Thrilled they got what they wanted and rejoice and celebrate with them

But most of us get mad and start to gossip or complain or grumble and leave the Word of God and begin to act worldly and sinfully

Now does this mean as a church and Christians that we are not to correct each other

Absolutely not

Matthew 18:15–17

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“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”

I would argue with you that not correcting or rebuking each other is really hate in action

God is clear....if you have a problem with a brother or sister go to them

Don’t post on Facebook go to them.....go in person…call them… text them…go to them

Talk to them

Present the issue and if they repent forgive completely and that is the end of it.

Period

Done and over with

let it go

If they reject you then bring 1 or 2 with you.....if they reject that take it to the church

That is how God says to handle it in His Word

Again this is in dealing with sin and true issues

If you don’t like what they wear or where they sit or whatever and you are angry with them you have hate in your heart and don’t need to talk to them but need to talk to God

Fights and quarrels come from our own lusts and desires and when we act on them we hate our brothers and sisters

Here is where fighting and quarreling are so dangerous

Not only do they offend and hurt feelings and destroy relationships but they point to a deeper spiritual issue

Matthew 5:21–26

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“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.”

Let’s look at some words here

angry comes from a Greek verb meaning to provoke or enrage....become exasperated

Raca is Greek and means o empty one, thou worthless as a term of utter vilification

Thou fool comes from a Greek adjective meaning dull or stupid, shut up, blockhead, absurd, fool

Look at the heart being described here in Matthew

This is a heart of hate

You are provoked or enraged for no reason......you look to provoke or enrage someone else for no reason

Most of the time we are angry for no reason

Again we are to be dead to ourselves as Christians so no matter what anyone does to us why would we ever be angry?

You hated Jesus

You spat upon Jesus

You whipped Jesus

You punched Jesus

You made Jesus carry His cross

You drove the nails

You pierced His side

Pastor that was 2000 plus years ago I did not such thing

Your sin did

Jesus was hated and rejected, spat upon, whipped, punched, made to carry His cross, nailed to the tree all for your sin and my sin.......He had reason to be angry but with love in His eyes and heart He cried out Father forgive them, they know not what they do

The problem with our lusts and desires is that Pride is why we get angry

We were embarrassed

Our feelings got hurt

We felt ignored

or unwelcomed

or unvalued

It cost us something.........usually however it costs us something temporary and wordly

time

energy

money

status

etc etc

As Christians the things that anger God should anger us

murder…taking of innocent life....from homicides to genocide to abortion…all should anger us

Taking advantage and oppressing the poor

Sin....especially our sin

Just a few examples of things that anger God that should anger us

However most of us will never spend more than a minute or two upset about those things....why....because they don’t affect us or our family or friends but when they do affect us or our family or friends boy we want to attack people.....we get so angry at people but not at the sin behind the actions

We must separate sin from people.

We hate sin but love people

None should perish but all come to repentance......that is God’s heart and if it is not yours then you are wrong

You are not to be angry with people but angry at sin and the spirit of the devil and world that is selfish and prideful and destructive!!!!

God is very serious about this my brothers and sisters in Christ

Look Jesus says if you are at the altar with your gift…with your sacrifice to atone for your sin that gets you right with God and you realize that you have an issue with a brother or sister you are to stop

leave the gift and sacrifice and go to them to be reconciled

This is serious stuff

I had to have a couple conversations with two people that are very near and dear to me about issues from a couple years ago

I never sought them out for reconciliation and praise the Lord He convicted me of this as I was preparing for this message and conversations were had and reconciliation has begun

how can you be right with God if you are willingly wrong with a brother or sister in Christ??????

Sometimes the person you have a problem with doesn’t even know there was a problem. One of the individuals I spoke with this week had no idea something was going on until God laid it upon his heart. I knew it. God knew it but the other person had no idea

What I found out from the other person was they too had resentment and hurt that they carried for a couple of years as well......imagine if this would have been dealt with immediately as God says to deal with it

Neither of us would have carried a burden for a couple of years. God’s ways and commands are always for your best and the best of others

This world would be drawn to Jesus if Christians would allow the Holy Spirit to apply these truths to their lives so they could live them out everyday!!!!

The next main issue addressed here in James is

2. Prayer Problems vs 2-3

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James 4:2–3

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“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.”

God through James points out two issues with prayer

1. You don’t have because you don’t ask

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Look at verse 2

We fight

We war

We quarrel

We lust

we kill

we desire to have

yet cannot obtain

why

we don’t ask

I want to ask you something that God asked me and the Holy Spirit has been showing me the answer and growing me as a result of God asking

Do you really turn to God first in true…heartfelt prayer?

Unfortunately my answer was no

I am so sorry that I turned to myself and other worldly things before going to God

I know trusting in me and the world only brings heartache and failure yet like the dog returning to its vomit I kept turning anywhere but God

As Christians our first instinct and reaction must be true....heartfelt prayer

You fight and quarrel and don’t have because you don’t ask

2. You ask but don’t receive because you ask amiss

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You want to use whatever you are asking for to fulfill your lusts and desires!

You look for and long to consume it on you

Listen God wants to give you good gifts

God wants to bless you

not in a health and wealth gospel but as a loving Father who loves to give good and perfect gifts to His children

God loves you and He wants to lavish you with His gifts

The first and most important gift He wants to lavish upon you is His presence

that is all we really need but He also wants to give good gifts as we saw in

James 1:17

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“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Every good gift......every perfect gift is from God

Praise the Lord for all the good gifts in your life especially Jesus!!!!!!!

It goes beyond that however

1 Timothy 4:4–5

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“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

God wants to give you good gifts

most of the time however what we ask for doesn’t match God’s Word and Will because we ask to fulfill our lusts and desires not God’s desires

God will never give you or bless you with anything that goes against His Word and character

We also ask from a place of entitlement and not gratitude and thanksgiving

If God is God and I am His child then He must give this to me........

Friends God doesn’t have to do anything for you.....you were doomed to hell because of your sin but He sent Jesus to die in your place......He owes you nothing but you owe Him everything.....the only thing you are truly entitled to is hell because of your sin

Be thankful you get Jesus and heaven!

Here is another reason we ask but do not receive

1 John 3:21–23

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“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

We ask but we are far from keeping His commandments

We are far from believing on the name of Jesus and loving one another

You are doing lots of things that are not pleasing in His sight

I do lots of things that are not pleasing in His sight

You and I walk of and love the world....that is a problem

We are going to look at that in much more detail next week

So many Christians are christians in name and duty only therefore they are lost and not true Christians

If you refuse to keep God’s commandments.....He will not answer your prayer

There is a difference in refusing to keep Gods commandments and wanting to but failing

....trying to and failing....

desperately wanting to keep God’s commandments but having no idea how you do that

You see that leads you to truly seek God and when you truly seek God you will find Him

Refusing to keep God’s commandments looks like this

If God convicts you....points out something

sin

attitude

belief

action

circumstance

situation

relationship

something that is standing between you and Him and

You ignore it

You refuse to respond to Him

you refuse to repent of the sin or attitude or belief or action or circumstance or situation or relationship

you refuse to confess

you refuse to give it to Him then you are not keeping His commandments

What about love your neighbors

If there is someone you refuse to forgive

If there is someone you hate......Pastor I don’t hate anyone

Is there someone that when they call or when their name is mentioned you get angry......you get upset.....you start to think or say things like I can’t believe they are calling and wanting something

I can’t stand them

They are stupid

They are dumb

They don’t deserve my time and attention let alone my help

You have hate in your heart and are not keeping God’s commandments

Not only will your prayers not be heard but you are in danger of the fires of hell

That is a dangerous place to hang out and live my friends

Where are you this morning?

Do you need to proclaim Jesus?

Do you need to accept Jesus and His free gift of salvation and forgiveness?

If so Come

Do you need to be reconciled to a brother or sister in Christ?

Do you need to ask for forgiveness?

Do you need to forgive someone?

Has God said come and you said no

Has God said this is your ministry get to work and you justify it away or you are not doing it or claim your too busy to do as God asks you to do

Where are you?

It is time to move

It is time to repent

It is time to confess

It is time to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only

STOP RECORDING

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