James 4:1-2‏

4.1a. "What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fighting) originate among you?"

I think it is a great exercise, to stop for a moment and without looking at Jame's answer... try to answer this question ourself. There's no need to be afraid how you score with God... He's already looking at what you will come up with anyway. But, there are all kinds of rude and hurtful things that make us lash out, give a crass remark, turn up our noses... even hate each other. What would leave you, whom have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, to fight with another christian?

1b. "Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members?"

2a. "You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war."

James is talking about hate. Jesus said that hatred is the same as murdering someone in your heart (Mt 5:21-22). So, James is talking about an attitude of the heart. James also says, "You covet" (James 4:2). This is another sin of the heart. It is a wrongful desire for what belongs to another person. It is a desire that is so strong that it springs into action in order to possess the object of desire. Do you hear what James is saying? James is saying that fights and quarrels are caused by wrong desires in the heart. Jesus said, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Mt 12:34). If our mouth has said bad things, unkind things, hateful things, that is because the wrong desires are still in our heart. If we wish death upon someone, it is because our heart has the wrong desires. If we find ourself being jealous of another, it is because our heart is filled with the wrong things. Let's consider the rest of verse 2...

2b. "You do not have, because you do not ask."

James told us in chapter 1, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (1:5). Solomon did not get the wisdom he was famous for until he asked God for it. (1 Kings 3). James tells us that we won't get unless we pray: "You do not have, because you do not ask God," (2b). The point is this: we need to ask before we can receive.

Don't forget James was writing to servants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ who were being persecuted for their faith (James 1:1). He was reminding them how to live out their Christian faith. He was telling them that their beliefs should be practiced. (Mat 7:7-11) he Christians James was writing to were not asking, they were not praying. And therefore they were missing out on God's blessings. They were missing out on wisdom... on grace... on Spiritual gifts. They were missing out on love and joy and peace.... missing out on victory over temptation and sin. Some were even missing out on life's basic necessities like food and drink and clothing and shelter. "You do not have, because you do not ask God." We need to ask before we can receive.

Let's pick up with James verse 4:3 next time.

I love you.