Join us as we read the scriptures and a daily devotion written by Don Crisp. We pray these messages will bless us all at this time.
Mon 29th June – James 4:1-3
Categories: Don’s Daily Devotions
Mon 29th June – Read James 4:1-3
V1: James is concerned about division and – apparently – bitter dissention among those he writes to. He seems to feel this is a widespread problem. Remember this is a circular letter to various groups. It is certainly something we must always guard against – Satan loves to divide believers against each other, and so spoil the witness of a church. Typically, James addresses this in stark terms, and declares it is caused by their “passions” – literally, their pleasures, but clearly he means sinful desires which are given way to, and he says not only do such passions divide them and cause fights ( probably not literally, but it has been known, of course, and brought shame on the Lord’s Name ) but they also reflect turmoil within them ( the “double-mindedness” of James 1:8) which then leads to turmoil with each other.
V2: These desires lead to coveting what others have ( remember what Paul says in Romans 7:7.) and causing such bitterness that James even uses the term ” murder” – again, probably not literally, but think of the Lord’s own words in Matthew 5:21-22. Do we take such verses seriously, as we ought to? They fail to bring what is in their hearts to God – not bringing their desires into submission to His will – instead they resent and think ill of each other.
V3: And even if they do pray, that prayer is in the wrong spirit and receives no answer, for they are seeking to do their own will, not God’s. Does our prayer sometimes have the sub-text ” MY will be done”? Such a prayer will not receive an answer.