This is a Blogger Small Group entry in partnership with Run’n Like a Vagabond.
James 4:1-2 = Church conflicts usually boil down to this: “I want it my way.” Man, so many arguments would be avoided if we would all just get over ourselves.
James 4:3 = I think this is one of the key verses when it comes to prayer. This is what knocks all the “name it, claim it” prosperity preachers on their butts. When we approach God in prayer, what is our motive? I’m not saying (and I don’t think Scripture is saying it either) that we should never ask God to fulfill our wants and desires, but we do need to check those desires and see if they are in line with God’s Word and His character. “Lord, please take away my cancer” is a whole lot different than, “Lord, I’ve been a poor steward of my finances, and I’m in over my head in debt, so please let me win the lottery.”
James 4:4-6 = I’ve honestly struggled throughout my Christian walk with these verses. Growing up in a very conservative church culture, these we so often interpreted as “don’t listen to rock and roll, don’t hold hands with your girlfriend, don’t have any non-Christian friends, don’t go to movies, don’t wear shorts, don’t have long hair, don’t don’t don’t!”
All these years later, I think I finally have (somewhat) of a handle on what James was trying to lay out here. Basically, if I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (heard that somewhere before I think), then it’s pretty well impossible for me to choose the things of this world before choosing Him. Not saying that’s how I live day to day, but at least now I think I know what it means, and know is half the battle.
James 4:7-10 = I really do see a progression here, and set of cause and effect relationships. Want to overcome the designs and temptations the enemy places before you, first submit yourself to God. Want God to draw near to you, draw near to Him (and you’ll find He was right there all along). Want to no longer be confused about how to live the life God wants you to live, then wash your hands of your sins, purify your heart, and grieve over your fallen estate. Want to be lifted, humble yourself before God.
James 4:11-12 = This is pretty straight forward, yet we continue to critisize and judge one another. I’m really looking at this from the “big C” Church standpoint. The older I get, the more crazy criticism of a church or ministry by another church or ministry makes me. I am finding myself getting more angry about Christians hurting one another than just about anything else. I think about what Gamaliel told the Sanhedrin about the disciples in Acts 5. “I advise you: leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose of activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
James 4:13-17 = It is the height of arrogance to make plans for the future without including God and His desires and opinion in the process.
It is also a huge sin to know what is right and choose not to do it. You may be living a good life, but you are not doing good. Doing good is not just not doing evil, it is actually DOING good.
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I liked your cause and effect analysis.
“You may be living a good life, but you are not doing good. Doing good is not just not doing evil, it is actually DOING good.”
Thank you for stating this another way.
Heath Spurlocks last blog post..Pondering James 4…..
Sorry I didn’t get to read yours sooner. Good analysis on James. It is amazing how different we all write when it comes to the same chapter. It’s great to get 5-6 different perspectives on the same verses.
Scott Fillmers last blog post..Blogger Small Group, James 4
Man, this paragraph is so “me,” too, but I’m afraid that I’m on the erring side sometimes:
“The older I get, the more crazy criticism of a church or ministry by another church or ministry makes me. I am finding myself getting more angry about Christians hurting one another than just about anything else. I think about what Gamaliel told the Sanhedrin about the disciples in Acts 5. ‘I advise you: leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose of activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.’”
How crazy is that? A total waste of effort. I’m not suggesting that we let any sort of true “heresy” go unchecked, but we often take it to the extreme.
Gotta love your comment, “knocks all the “name it, claim it” prosperity preachers on their butts” … so true.
Also the talk about other churches criticism of other churches is well made. My church is doing something I think is amazing. We are sharing our paster with 2 other churches and they will do the same. We are learning that we are all followers of Christ… not I am Baptist, I am Methodist, I am … Our paster said it best for me when he said that the church is the bride of Christ… if we insult another church, we insult the bride of Christ.
Interesting…