JAMES 4:1-10
FAITH WORKS CONTENTEDLY
FAITH WORKS #12
“Sometime ago there appeared in a newspaper a cartoon showing two fields divided by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of the same kind of grass, green and lush.
“In each field there was a mule, and each mule had his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule’s pasture. All around each mule in his own field was plenty of grass, yet the grass in the other field seemed greener or fresher, although it was harder to get.
“And in the process the mules were caught in the wires and unable to extricate themselves. The cartoonist put just one word at the bottom of the picture – DISCONTENT.”
“We’ve heard of an old Quaker who advertised that he would give 40 acres of rich farm land to anyone who was perfectly satisfied with that which he had. One seeker came to see the Quaker.
“‘Are thee perfectly satisfied with what thee hast?” asked the Quaker?
“‘Then why dost thee want this land?’ was the old Quaker’s significant reply.”
“Coming downstairs one morning Lord Congelton heard the cook exclaim, ‘Oh, if I only had five pounds, wouldn’t I be content!’
“Thinking the matter over, and anxious to see the woman satisfied, he shortly after hander her a five-pound note, then worth about twenty-five dollars. She thanked him profusely.
“He paused outside the door to hear if she would express her satisfaction and thank God. As soon as his shadow was invisible, she cried out, ‘WHY DIDN’T I ASK FOR TEN POUNDS!” Source Unknown
We live in one of the wealthiest societies of all time.
We have freedoms of religion, of travel, of employment, and of family living which can be envied by most other people in the world.
Yet there is one thing that is lacking in our society, our churches, and our families. What we lack is contentment.
We are discontented with our friends.
We are discontented with our enemies.
We are discontented with our family members.
We are discontented with our church members and our church leaders.
We are discontented with our employment.
We are discontented with our schools.
We are discontented with our living conditions.
We are discontented with our income.
Oh how much happier we would be in our families, our churches, our jobs and our schools, if we could learn how to be truly contented with what God has given us.
As we continue our study of James this evening, we learn that Faith Works Contentedly. And actually faith works contentedly only when discontent is handled properly. So we are actually looking at discontentment this evening.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF DISCONTENTMENT – Vss. 1-2a
You will notice in this passage an absence of the softening phrase which James uses in other portions of this epistle, “My Brethren”.
Although he is talking to believers, he speaks to them in no uncertain terms. Their discontent was definitely sinful and dishonoring to the cause of Christ.
Our Daily Bread – “The world is in turmoil. Terrorists hijack airplanes. Gunmen take hostages. Internal strife plagues nations. Government officials are being criticized. What is the underlying cause of all this unrest?”
“A student in Wales offers an answer to this question. In replying to a statement that the laboring man was responsible for the economic crises in Great Britain, she said, ‘No, it’s not just the workers. They get he blame day after day, but others are at fault as well. Everyone is out for himself – the employee, the manager, the politician. The whole world is one big selfish mess.”
James actually verifies what was said by that student.
Vs. 1 – James asks the question, “What is the cause of wars and fightings among you?”
The word “wars” here refers to a state of war.
The word “fightings refers to individual disputes or battles.
James is saying that there is discontent in the church.
And this discontent is evident through the “state of war” and “battles”.
Entirely too many churches, Christian organizations, and Christian homes have become places of war, instead of testimonies for our Lord Jesus Christ. They are not the places of love, security and growth that they should be.
These are places of war because of the frustrations caused by selfishness.
James talks of the lust in our members.
The word “lusts” here means pleasures.
It is actually the word which we get hedonism and hedonistic from.
James is not saying that there is something wrong with having some pleasures in life. What is wrong is wrong is that Christian people are living to please themselves.
Think of the conflicts we have with people.
They are usually a result of one or both parties trying to please themselves.
Where are these pleasures embedded? They are in our members!
They are deep-seated within us.
They are part of our human nature.
Vs. 2 describes the frustration that this selfishness causes. There is conflict within.
The word “lust” here means “to long for, strongly desire, crave for.”
We long to satisfy our own personal pleasures and yet we come up short. We have not.
James also says that we “kill”. We kill in the sense that in our desire to please ourselves we will hurt and assassinate the character and happiness of other people in order to try to please ourselves.
Killing also reminds us of an attitude of heart which the Lord warned against in Matthew 5:21-22, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: [22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
1 John 3:15 - Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
We as Christians kill when we have undo hatred and anger against others.
And we get frustrated because we want to obtain and can’t do it.
We have an inner conflict going on within us.
Part of us wants to please God.
Part of us wants to please ourselves.
Galatians 5:17 - For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SELFISHNESS
THE FAILURES OF PRAYER – Vss. 2b-3
Because of our own selfishness, we fail in our prayer lives.
Vs. 2b – “Ye have not because ye ask not”.
When we are wound up in our own little world, following our own selfish interests, we do not come to God for His opinion.
Much of what we want to see accomplished in our churches and our families and our jobs would be accomplished if we went about it in the proper way.
Philippians 4:6-7 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
When we obey these verses we will bring everything that bugs us to God.
This gives God the chance to help us sort out our requests and shows us what is right, and what should be forgotten or prayed about differently.
A great saint of the Middle Ages, Finelon, said:
· “Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains to a dear friend.
· “Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you;
· “Tell Him your joys that He may sober them;
· “Tell Him your longings, that He may purify them;
· “Tell Him of your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them;
· “Talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them;
· “Show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them;
· “Lay bear your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability.
· “Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself as to others.
· “If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject… Source Unknown
My friend, this ancient saint is right. How often do we pray our troubles through? We do not have contentment, because we fail to pray.
Vs. 3 shows us another way to fail in prayer.
When we do pray we often ask for the wrong reasons.
We ask for things so that our pleasures or lusts will be satisfied.
· We might pray for the church so we can secretly say, “Look how wonderful we are.”
· We might pray for our children so we can say, “Look what wonderful parents we are.”
· We might pray for physical blessings just to be comfortable.
· We might pray for people’s habits to change because they annoy us, not because we care about their well-being.
Be careful that you do not pray for the wrong reasons.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SELFISHNESS
THE FAILURES OF PRAYER
THE FLIRTATION WITH THE WORLD – Vss. 4-5
Notice the strong words here.
Adulterers! Adulteresses!
There is no more devastating sin in marriage than adultery!
The hardest thing, especially for a wife to bear is an unfaithful husband.
However, we, as Christians commit Spiritual adultery.
The church is “the bride of Christ”.
As part of the church we are married to Him, to live a holy and godly life.
But when we live life for ourselves…
When we allow our pleasures to control us…
We are then living contrary to what God has saved us for.
Anything which is more important to me than living for God can be considered friendship with the world.
Anything which satisfies my own selfish pleasures can be considered friendship with the world.”
God is opposed to the selfish, humanistic way the world operates.
Anytime a Christian flirts with the world, whether he realizes it or not, he is demonstrating hatred towards the God that has saved Him.
Vs. 5 – This flirtation with the world produces more discontent in our lives. The Spirit of God within us is moved toward a Godly jealousy. He is grieved! He is quenched! He will not allow us to be at peace!
Exodus 34:14 - For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SELFISHNESS
THE FAILURES IN PRAYER
THE FLIRTATION WITH THE WORLD
THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD – Vs. 6a
James 4:6 - But he giveth more grace.
We are saved by grace, but God’s grace does not stop at salvation. This is the beginning of God’s grace at work in our lives.
2 Corinthians 12:9 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
John 1:16 - And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Hebrews 4:15-16 - For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Here is how we will have contentment.
It is when the grace of God is being poured out to our lives without measure.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SELFISHNESS
THE FAILURES IN PRAYER
THE FLIRTATION WITH THE WORLD
THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHANGE – Vss. 6b-10
For most of us, to have contentment is going to mean change.
James now shows us how to have the contentment that we are supposed to have.
· HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD – Vs. 6b
James 4:6 - …Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
God is opposed to the proud
It you try to tell yourself that there is nothing wrong when indeed there is something wrong, you are being proud.
When you refuse to admit it when you are worldly, that is pride.
When you live for yourself and not for God, that is pride. Live in pride and you will be discontented.
Grace is for the humble.
The one who will admit worldliness
The one who will they have been fighting and warring within and without.
The one who agrees with God concerning sin
· SUBMIT TO GOD – Vs. 7
Allow Him to be the boss in your life.
Allow Him to call the shots.
Allow Him to lead you.
· RESIST THE DEVIL – Vs. 7
As I submit to God, saying “no” to the devil will be easier.
Although he is more powerful than I am, He is not more powerful than God. My submission to God makes resisting the devil easier.
And when we resist the devil, he will flee!
It’s time to send him packing.
· DRAW NEAR TO GOD – Vss. 8-10
Vs. 8 - The nearer I draw to God, the nearer He will draw to me.
The closer I live to God, the more difficult it is for the devil to touch me.
How do I draw near?
Through confession of sin
I am to cleanse my hands and my heart of all known sin.
That would cover outward and inward sin.
Vs. 9 – Confession is not to be done lightly.
There is to be sincere sorrow for sin.
Laughter is out. Mourning is temporarily in.
Joy is also to be temporarily replaced with heaviness.
True revival and true change are a result of true repentance, a turning around and a turning away from sin.
Vs. 10 – The end result is the Lord will lift us up.
Then we will have contentment!
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF SELFISHNESS
THE FAILURES IN PRAYER
THE FLIRTATION WITH THE WORLD
THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHANGE