JAMES 4:1-10 HOW TO BECOME A FRIEND OF GOD
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
IT IS AN AMAZING THOUGH TO THINK THAT WE COULKD BE FRIENDS OF GOD
WITH GOD BEING SO HOLY AND HUMANITY BEING SO DIRTY
THAT’S WHY WE CAN THANK GOD FOR THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST AND HOW HE SHED HIS OWN BLOOD FOR ME
HE WAS ABSOLUTELY INNOCENT OF SIN
AND IF HE CAN DIE FOR A SIN THAT HE NEVER COMMITTED, I CAN LIVE IN A RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT I CAN NEVER MASTER
HIS BLOOD AND SACRIFICE FOR US REMOVED THE WALL THAT WAS SEPARATING GOD AND MAN
GIVING MAN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD, THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS OF SIN
AND THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH
WE HAD A DEATH SENTENCE UPON OUR LIVES BEFORE CHRIST DIED FOR US
LEGALLY WE ARE GUILTY OF COMMITTING SIN
THEREFORE, WE SHOULD BE THE ONES THAT SHOULD HAVE HAD TO DIE
BUT, CHRIST TOOK OUR PLACE SO THAT WE COULD TAKE HIS PLACE
WE TRADED PLACES
AND INSTEAD OF US DYING, CHRIST DIED FOR US
YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT DEATH IS NEVER THE END OF EXISTENCE IN THE BIBLE
DEATH IS A DOORWAY TO THE NEXT DIMENSION
IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST AND HAVE BEEN COVERED BY HIS BLOOD THEN THE DOORWAY YOU ARE PERMITTED TO WALK THROUGH IS LIFE, WHICH MEANS AN ETERNITY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED CHRIST AND ARE LIVING YOUR LIFE YOUR OWN WAY, WHEN YOU DIE, YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH A DOORWAY THAT IS DEATH, WHICH MEANS YOU WILL LIVE AN ETERNITY OUTSIDE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD-IN HELL FIRE THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS
THE PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH TODAY IS THAT THEY WANT TO WALK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD
THEY WANT TO RECEIVE CHRIST TO AVOID HELL FIRE, BUT THEY WANT TO FULFILL ALL OF THEIR PASSIONS
HOWEVER, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE
THERE ARE SO MANY BELIEVERS THAT ARE COMPROMISING TODAY THAT NEED TO MAKE A DECISION
BUT, THE BIBLE SAYS
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
JOSHUA WAS NOT COMPROMISED, HE SAID, AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD
HOW CAN YOU SERVE THE LORD WHEN CHRISTIANITY IS SO COMPROMISED
OUR TEXT TODAY WILL REVEAL HOW TO SERVE THE LORD AND EVEN BECOME HIS FRIEND
BODY
BODY
IN THE TEXT JAMES USES THE VOCABULARY OF WAR TO EXPRESS THE FIGHTING, ARGUEMENTS, AND BAD FEELINGS AMONG BELIEVERS
HE IS SEEING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHURCH THROUGH GOD’S EYES
HE DOES NOT USE FLATTERING WORDS FOR THE SITUATION
HE SAYS ALL YOUR DESIRES AND PASSIONS ARE LIKE AN ARMY CAMP INSIDE OF US, READY TO DECLARE WAR AGAINST ANYONE WHO STANDS IN THE WAY OF SOME PERSONAL GRATIFICATION THAT IS ON OUR HEARTS
THE CONDITION IS ONE OF SELF-WILLED DETERMINATION, THAT TAKES ON THE LANGUAGE OF PLEASURES
THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY
WE NEED TO TAKE CHRIST OFF THE CROSS AND PUT HIM ON THE THRONE OF OUR HEARTS AND WE NEED TO TAKE OUR FLESH OFF OF THE THRONE AND PUT IT ON THE CROSS
OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER BELIEVERS ARE SIMILAR TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
PRAYER SHOULD BE THE ANSWER, BUT WHEN THEY PRAY, THE PRAYER IS UNANSWERED BECAUSE OF OUR SELFISH PLEASURES
IT IS NOT THAT GOD DOES NOT HEAR THE PRAYER, IT IS THAT WE DON’T RECEIVE THE ANSWER, BECAUSE OF OUR INCAPABILITY OF RECEIVING THE HEAVENLY GIFT
OUR PRAYERS ARE DEFILED THROUGH WRONG MOTIVES SO WE MUST HAVE OUR HEARTS CLEANSED
WE MUST HAVE OUR MOTIVES CLEANSED
THE ANSWER IS IN
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
THE INTEREST IN OTHERS WILL CLEANSE OUR SELFISH MOTIVES AND WE WILL BEGIN SERVING OTHERS
My Favorite Illustrations Dealing with a Controversy
Sometimes the problems that exist in our church may be found within ourselves. Before we destroy everything else, perhaps we need to decide if we are part of the problem
JAMES SCREAMS THIS OUT, YOU ADULTERESSES
YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED FALSELY WITH EACH OTHER, YOU HAVE PLAYED FALSELY WITH GOD
WHEN WE BECOME CONSUMED WITH OUR OWN SELFISH INTERESTS, WE BECOME FRIEND OF THIS WORLD
AND JAMES TELLS US THAT FRIENDS OF THIS WORLD ARE ENEMIES OF GOD
WHEN CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS, HIS DEEPEST LOVE FOR YOU WAS ON DISPLAY
IN RETURN WE SHOULD BE IN THE RICHEST AND MOST INTIMATE UNION AND COMMUNION WITH HIM
BUT, MOST PEOPLE’S PRIORITIES ARE FILLED WITH THE BEST OF A SELF-PLEASING LIFE
THIS WILL CARRY YOU AWAY INTO THE WORLD, WHERE CHRIST’S LORDSHIP IS NOT RECOGNIZED
IF WE CANNOT ACCEPT HIM AS LORD
OH, MANY PEOPLE LOVE HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR, BUT HE NEEDS TO BE MADE LORD
BECAUSE IF HE CANNOT TAKE HIS PLACE AS LORD IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE HIM AS KING WHEN HE COMES AGAIN
WE MUST LOOK TO GOD FOR FRESH AND GREATER HELP
HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING AND HE IS FAITHFULLY ON OUR SIDE AND HE NEVER RUNS OUT OF GRACE FOR YOUR LIFE
HIS RESOURCES ARE NEVER AT AN END, AND HIS GENEROSITY KNOWS NO LIMIT: HE GIVES MORE GRACE
WE NEED THE GRACE THAT WILL SWALLOW UP OUR FLESHLY DESIRES
GOD RESISTS THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE
GOD HATES PRIDE SO MUCH THAT THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GOD EVEN HATES A PROUD LOOK ()
PRIDE CAN HIDE IN THESE CHAIRS, IN THE WORSHIP TEAM, EVEN BEHIND THE PULPIT
SELFISHNESS IS ROOTED IN PRIDE
THE CLOSER THAT YOU GET TO GOD, THE MORE SELF WILL BE DEFEATED
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, AND CALL UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR
THERE WILL BE A DAY WHEN A PERSON WON’T BE ABLE TO FIND HIM
THAT’S WHY THERE IS AN URGENCY TO SEEK HIM
THE BIBLE SAYS,
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
IN A WORLD THAT IS TRYING TO REMOVE GOD OUT OF PEOPLE’S LIVES, WE CANNOT JUST SIT BACK AND COMPROMISE
THE WORLD IS TRYING TO MAKE ITSELF MORE ATTRACTIVE, LIKE A WOMAN PUTTING ON MAKEUP
AND YOU START DATING THE MAKEUP UNTIL YOU MARRY THE MAKEUP
AND AFTER MARRIAGE, YOU WAKE UP IN THE BED AND SCREAM
YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS UNDER ALL OF THAT PAINT
YOU WERE LIKE JACOB WHEN HE WAS TRICKED BY HIS UNCLE
HE WORKED SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL
CAN YOU IMAGINE WORKING SEVEN YEARS FOR A HUSBAND OR A WIFE
AND AFTER THE SEVEN YEARS OF LABOR, JACOB HAD GOTTEN HIS DREAM GIRL
HE WENT TO BED WITH WHO HE THOUGHT WAS RACHEL BUT WOKE UP WITH LEAH
YOU SURELY DON’T WANT TO GO TO BED WITH RACHEL AND WAKE UP WITH RACHEL
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE WORLD
YOU INDULGE YOURSELF WITH ALL THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE ALL THE FILTH THAT IS IN IT
AND REMEMBER, WHOEVER IS A FRIEND OF THIS WORLD IS AN ENEMY OF GOD
I DON’T KNOW WHO YOU WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND BUT I WILL CHOSE GOD OVER THE WORLD ANY DAY
YOU HAVE TO CHOSE
YOU CANNOT BE A DOUBLE-SOULED PERSON WHO WANTS IT BOTH WAYS
HERE COME THE IMPERATIVES, THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN HAVE PEACE, THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED, THE WAYS THAT YOUR MOTIVE CAN BECOME RIGHT BEFORE GOD
AND THE MOST WONDERFUL PART, BECOMING A FRIEND OF GOD
HUMBLING YOURSELF PUTS YOU INTO THE POSITION OF RECEIVING MORE OF GOD’S GRACE, YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO EARN IT BUT YOU CAN POSITION YOURSELF TO RECEIVE IT
AND WE HAVE LOST ONE OF THE FOUNDATION STONES OF THE GOSPEL AND THAT IS SUBMISSION
SUBMIT TO HIS COMMANDS AND WILL FOR OUR LIVES
AS YOU SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD THIS GIVES YOU THE ANOINTING TO RESIST THE DEVIL AND THE RESULT IS THAT HE WILL FLEE
STAND AGAINST HIM WITH THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD
THEN, GOD GIVES YOU AN INVITATION AND A PROMISE: DRAW NEAR TO HIM AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU
CLEANSING YOUR HANDS IS AN OUTWARD CLEANSING OF OUR LIVES, WITH A PURE HEART AS AN INNER CLEANSING OF THE LIFE
HE ECHOS
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity,
Nor sworn deceitfully.