The James Series – Part IV – “Humility, Loyalty and Authority”

James 4:1-3 (NLT); What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil at war within you? You what you don’t have, so you and kill to get it. You are of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your are wrong-you want only what will give you .

Who motivates you?

James 4:4 (NLT); You ! Don’t you realize that friendship with the makes you an of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

You serve God and the world.

James 4:5 (NLT); What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with ?

Thou shalt not commit or .

James 4:6-8 (NLT); But He gives us even more grace to against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God the proud but the humble.” So humble before God. the Devil, and he will flee from you. Come to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your is divided between God and the world.

Christian maturity recognizes God’s towards us; which we live out in and to God’s for our lives.

James 4:9-10 (NLT); Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honour.

Humble yourself; you don’t want God to do it.

James 4:11,12 (NLT); Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging law. But your job is to the law, not to whether it applies to you. God , who gave the law, is the . He has the power to save or to destroy. So, what right do you have to judge your neighbour?

There is no in judging others. Leave the to God. Only He has that because only He is the .

James 4:13-16 (NLT); Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are about your own plans, and all such boasting is l.

We become mature followers of Christ by; recognizing we’re in charge, He is. We live our lives in and to His , and through the Holy Spirit.

James 4:17 (NLT); Remember, it is to know what you ought to do and then do it.

The choice is yours