Series on James

 

Motives: Wars, Quarrels and the Heart

James 4:1-3

How do wars, battles, fights, and quarrels begin? It all starts in the heart, then in the head; then moves to the mouth and the hands and feet. As James points out, it comes out of the desires of the heart and the need to be in control with the mind, body and mouth. We already have seen in the first three chapters, our trials and temptations, misplaced faith and deeds, and the tongue, heart, and mind all that can lead us astray from the will and purpose of God. So let’s read the first portion of the text. “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill.

James had seen enough skirmishes, quarrels, and outright attacks from outside of the church and from within. He knows those battles that are closest to the heart that are the most fierce. For in the early church, they managed around homes where the people met, around the meals, and the obedience to laws, the teachings of the apostles, and the grace of God through the atoning work of Christ Jesus on the cross. The homes of the poor may have been cramped or and ill-fitted, while the homes of the wealthy are adorned with sacred areas and things. For the early church was made up of a variety of people, who each may have had a preconceived desire for control and protocol, as well as love and joy found in Jesus Christ. 

Each of these desires come from the heart. Jesus stated clearly and John reiterated, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (Matt. 5:22; 6:21; 1 John 3:15) and James now exhorts the churches to hear the admonitions of God. As James said the tongue has power, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell…It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6,8) 

Therefore James has seen the desires of men and women and knew the warfare that sprang from the hearts of each person. They may even act piously by asking God for godly desires only to be refused because God knew their hearts, and if allowed these heart’s desires could easily murder from the desires battling within each person. 

Application - I have heard of a man killed over a chicken in the yard, or a volleyball match that ended in the death of a person because of a bet. I have seen the animosity of the world who desire to silence the voice of God, and I have seen the infighting within a church over coffee that led to a fight, and to a church split. I had interviewed at a church who had just split over music, or personal conflicts, only to see many of the congregation fall away. And all of this began in the heart. 

I would ask us all to examine our heart’s motive and desires before we let it move to the head, to the mouth, then to hands and feet. We like to quote Psalms 37, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” to buttress our desires and heart’s motives. But we neglect the context of God’s intent and meaning, as well as His heart, will, and purpose. We omit verse 3, and 5: “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper… Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” 

I know this battle for pure motives of the heart. I have been and have been frequently told by God, “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.” (Ps. 37:7-8) If I let my heart’s motives determine my outcome and desires against people outside the church as well as inside the church who proclaim and propagate evil, I would take the sword and begin to slay. This is not God’s way! Our battle is spiritual, and our motives and desires should be spiritual as well. God is very capable of handling the demonic and evil in the world. He wants us to have His heart, motives, and desires, then He will give us what we ask for. “Whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.” (1 Jn. 3:22 NKJV) So no more murdering!

Second, James admonishes over covetousness.  So let’s read the next portion, “You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” Again James had a mixture of cultural and economical stratum in his congregation. But coveting was a known sin from the commandment laws of Moses, “No lusting after your neighbor’s house—or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don’t set your heart on anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17 MSG)

And Paul had taught the church as well, “The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork. Apart from the succinct, surgical command, “You shall not covet,” I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.  Don’t you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it.” (Rom. 7:7-8 MSG)

James again had warned the church in Jerusalem as well as other churches of the temptations that prevailed over the hearts and minds of mankind. Satan and sin always find a way to pervert the Word of God and entice people by stirring up the cravings of the heart and mind.

Application - Again the obvious is evident to all who know God’s commandments. But coveting and lusting still takes hold in the hearts of people. We are seeing it from the poor and illegal immigration to a better, richer, safer life now for all who would like to live as the affluent. And the affluent want more because they are not satisfied nor content with what they have. Whether outside the church or inside, covetousness is still a problem that begins in the heart. As John said as well, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” ( 1Jn. 2:16-17 NIV) And again as Paul said in the teachings to the Romans, “You shall not covet,” I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.  Don’t you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it.” (7:8)

So what shall we do with such good counsel from God? God knows what we need before we even ask for it, “Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matt. 6:8 NLT) So let us be content and not covetous, and I believe there will be less fighting and quarreling amongst those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior. “'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (Luke 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:6-8)

Last, James looks at the motives of the heart. Let’s read the last portion of the text, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

What an indictment from God through His servant James. God who knows everything about us before we think, speak, or act again exhorts us to examine our hearts and motives before we speak, pray, and ask God for things in our lives. God wasn’t looking for anymore prodigal’s wanting their inheritance now, so as to waste it on worldly living. Nor was God looking for people with selfish ambition and those who sought their own interests. 

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”  “For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (James 3:16; Phil. 2:21)

James wanted the church to seek God with pure motives and desires of the heart of God not of man, nor of the world.

For even in the early church, there were desires to have what the religious or the pagans had in their temples. They, the pagans and religious, wanted and sought after pleasure. They sought comfort, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 Jn. 2:16)

Jesus didn’t want His church to be adorned with the trappings of the world, for they were of the devil and his evil worldliness. God’s desire was for holiness, godliness, a sanctified and blameless bride for His Son, not a person who seeks the material lusts and negates the righteousness and holiness of his or her Savior and Lord.

God will not answer the prayers of such a body of believers as He had shown in the people of Israel, “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.” “Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble.” (Jer. 7: 16, 11:14) 

What had gotten God so upset that He wouldn’t listen to the prayer of His people? They had gone after the trappings and ways of the world, and had made worshiping of created things (pleasurable and worldly idolatry) as part of their lifestyle instead of trust and contentment in God’s holy and righteous ways.

Application - We all have a lot to learn from the Word of God pertaining to our motives. For there is nothing hidden from God, and he knows our needs and our motives. For the world is captivated and enslaved by the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life. “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 Jn. 2:16)

If you truly desire to have God’s ear in your prayers and life, then seek Him with all your heart. 

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

And we must come in faith, believing that our Father and the Son hear us.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” (Heb. 11:6; James 1:6 NLT)

So let us put to death our covetousness, our lusting, our misguided motives, and the sword of the tongue that would easily murder. For our Father knows us better than we know ourselves. “He knows us far better than we know ourselves…and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (Rom. 8:27-28 MSG)

For we were created and transformed into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ to love God first, and love one another, then we can pray and ask of the Father and he will hear us and give us what we need.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

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this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com