James 4:1-12How to Get from The WordYour Worst to God’s Best on the

Street

God’s best includes internal peace within you. 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Text Message:o Here we have the worst within us: quarrels, fights, war within

us, covetousness, more fighting, and quarreling!o The idea behind the mention of murder here is doing whatever

you must do to get your own way. o The problem here is one of misplaced passions.o James writes this in a structure called a chiasm, which means

there is a corresponding solution given later in the text:Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. Verses 10-11a (see also verse 9).

o The pathway to internal peace is:1) Humble yourself. This in biblical thought often involved fasting, here the idea is to forfeit your own way. 2) Speak well of the people you disagree with.

o If theady been received?The idea here is that for one who has received Christ, the word is implanted into his/her spirit BUT that does not mean God’s Word has become a living priority in life!The Word of God in our lives has movement:First, the Word of God must be implanted.Then, the Word of God must become important.Finally, the Word of God must be implemented. Underline what the implan-death, but freedom from anger, etc.God’s best includes answered prayer around you. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Text Message:o Circle the word “passions,” which is where we get our English

word “hedonism” from.o Here the problem is misinformed prayer.o Once again, we are given practical advice as a solution:

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Verse 8

o The pathway to answered prayer is:1) “Draw near to God.” In other words, get close to God in order to know his heart and his will.2) Align your heart and hands (deeds) to God’s will.o Hearing God’s Word is not the destination, but a rest stop

along the way!Seven times in the Gospels Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”The idea with both Jesus and James is to hear inGod’s best includes ultimate purpose for you. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of

the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?”

Text Message:o Notice the blistering address in Verse 4! o Just as adultery goes against the ultimate purpose of a

marriage, so loving the things of this world go against our ultimate purpose in God!

o God’s ultimate purpose for you is given in Verse 5- that He may live in and through you by His Spirit!

o Here the problem is misguided purpose.o The solution is also given:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Verse 7

o The pathway of ultimate purpose is in submitting to God.

o To obey God’s Word can be summed up in two words:Activity – What we do that pleases God (i.e. 27a).Abstinence – What we don’t do that pleases God Has the Word been implanted into you? What importance does God’s Word have iIs it more like:A vaccination (“Been there, done that…”)?A booster shot (“I listen to the sermon most of the time”)?A vitamin (“My day is off if I don’t’ read God’s Word”)?Am I doing (and not doing) what God’s Word says?)The key is to begin reading the BiYou are now entering your mission field!

James 4:1-12How to Get from The WordYour Worst to God’s Best on the

Street

God’s best includes internal peace within you. 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Text Message:o Here we have the worst within us: quarrels, fights, war within

us, covetousness, more fighting, and quarreling!o The idea behind the mention of murder here is doing whatever

you must do to get your own way. o The problem here is one of misplaced passions.o James writes this in a structure called a chiasm, which means

there is a corresponding solution given later in the text:Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. Verses 10-11a (see also verse 9).

o The pathway to internal peace is:1) Humble yourself. This in biblical thought often involved fasting, here the idea is to forfeit your own way. 2) Speak well of the people you disagree with.

o If theady been received?The idea here is that for one who has received Christ, the word is implanted into his/her spirit BUT that does not mean God’s Word has become a living priority in life!The Word of God in our lives has movement:First, the Word of God must be implanted.Then, the Word of God must become important.Finally, the Word of God must be implemented. Underline what the implan-death, but freedom from anger, etc.God’s best includes answered prayer around you. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Text Message:o Circle the word “passions,” which is where we get our English

word “hedonism” from.o Here the problem is misinformed prayer.o Once again, we are given practical advice as a solution:

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Verse 8

o The pathway to answered prayer is:1) “Draw near to God.” In other words, get close to God in order to know his heart and his will.2) Align your heart and hands (deeds) to God’s will.o Hearing God’s Word is not the destination, but a rest stop

along the way!Seven times in the Gospels Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”The idea with both Jesus and James is to hear inGod’s best includes ultimate purpose for you. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of

the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?”

Text Message:o Notice the blistering address in Verse 4! o Just as adultery goes against the ultimate purpose of a

marriage, so loving the things of this world go against our ultimate purpose in God!

o God’s ultimate purpose for you is given in Verse 5- that He may live in and through you by His Spirit!

o Here the problem is misguided purpose.o The solution is also given:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Verse 7

o The pathway of ultimate purpose is in submitting to God.

o To obey God’s Word can be summed up in two words:Activity – What we do that pleases God (i.e. 27a).Abstinence – What we don’t do that pleases God Has the Word been implanted into you? What importance does God’s Word have iIs it more like:A vaccination (“Been there, done that…”)?A booster shot (“I listen to the sermon most of the time”)?A vitamin (“My day is off if I don’t’ read God’s Word”)?Am I doing (and not doing) what God’s Word says?)The key is to begin reading the BiYou are now entering your mission field!

James 4:1-12How to Get from The WordYour Worst to God’s Best on the

Street

God’s best includes _____________ _______ within you. 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Text Message:o Here we have the worst within us: quarrels, fights, war within

us, _____________________, more fighting, and quarreling!o The idea behind the mention of ____________ here is doing

whatever you must do to get your own way. o The problem here is one of ______________ ___________.o James writes this in a structure called a chiasm, which means

there is a corresponding solution given later in the text:Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. Verses 10-11a (see also verse 9).

o The pathway to internal peace is:1) _________ yourself. This in biblical thought often involved

fasting, here the idea is to ____________ your own way. 2) Speak well of the people you disagree with.

o If theady been received?The idea here is that for one who has received Christ, the word is implanted into his/her spirit BUT that does not mean God’s Word has become a living priority in life!The Word of God in our lives has movement:First, the Word of God must be implanted.Then, the Word of God must become important.Finally, the Word of God must be implemented. Underline what the implan-death, but freedom from anger, etc.God’s best includes ____________ _______ around you. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Text Message:o Circle the word “passions,” which is where we get our English

word “________________” from.o Here the problem is __________________ ___________.o Once again, we are given practical advice as a solution:

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Verse 8

o The pathway to answered prayer is:1) “Draw near to God.” In other words, get close to God in order to know his heart and his will.2) __________ your heart and hands (deeds) to God’s will.o Hearing God’s Word is not the destination, but a rest stop

along the way!Seven times in the Gospels Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”The idea with both Jesus and James is to hear inGod’s best includes ____________ __________ for you. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to

no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?”

Text Message:o Notice the blistering address in Verse 4! o Just as ________________ goes against the ultimate

purpose of a marriage, so loving the things of this world go against our ultimate purpose in God!

o God’s ultimate purpose for you is given in Verse 5- that He may ________ in and through you by His Spirit!

o Here the problem is __________________ ______________.o The solution is also given:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Verse 7

o The pathway of ultimate purpose is in ___________ to God.

o To obey God’s Word can be summed up in two words:Activity – What we do that pleases God (i.e. 27a).Abstinence – What we don’t do that pleases God Has the Word been implanted into you? What importance does God’s Word have iIs it more like:A vaccination (“Been there, done that…”)?A booster shot (“I listen to the sermon most of the time”)?A vitamin (“My day is off if I don’t’ read God’s Word”)?Am I doing (and not doing) what God’s Word says?)The key is to begin reading the BiYou are now entering your mission field!

James 4:1-12How to Get from The WordYour Worst to God’s Best on the

Street

God’s best includes _____________ _______ within you. 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Text Message:o Here we have the worst within us: quarrels, fights, war within

us, _____________________, more fighting, and quarreling!o The idea behind the mention of ____________ here is doing

whatever you must do to get your own way. o The problem here is one of ______________ ___________.o James writes this in a structure called a chiasm, which means

there is a corresponding solution given later in the text:Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. Verses 10-11a (see also verse 9).

o The pathway to internal peace is:1) _________ yourself. This in biblical thought often involved

fasting, here the idea is to ____________ your own way. 2) Speak well of the people you disagree with.

o If theady been received?The idea here is that for one who has received Christ, the word is implanted into his/her spirit BUT that does not mean God’s Word has become a living priority in life!The Word of God in our lives has movement:First, the Word of God must be implanted.Then, the Word of God must become important.Finally, the Word of God must be implemented. Underline what the implan-death, but freedom from anger, etc.God’s best includes ____________ _______ around you. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Text Message:o Circle the word “passions,” which is where we get our English

word “________________” from.o Here the problem is __________________ ___________.o Once again, we are given practical advice as a solution:

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Verse 8

o The pathway to answered prayer is:1) “Draw near to God.” In other words, get close to God in order to know his heart and his will.2) __________ your heart and hands (deeds) to God’s will.o Hearing God’s Word is not the destination, but a rest stop

along the way!Seven times in the Gospels Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”The idea with both Jesus and James is to hear inGod’s best includes ____________ __________ for you. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to

no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?”

Text Message:o Notice the blistering address in Verse 4! o Just as ________________ goes against the ultimate

purpose of a marriage, so loving the things of this world go against our ultimate purpose in God!

o God’s ultimate purpose for you is given in Verse 5- that He may ________ in and through you by His Spirit!

o Here the problem is __________________ ______________.o The solution is also given:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Verse 7

o The pathway of ultimate purpose is in ___________ to God.

o To obey God’s Word can be summed up in two words:Activity – What we do that pleases God (i.e. 27a).Abstinence – What we don’t do that pleases God Has the Word been implanted into you? What importance does God’s Word have iIs it more like:A vaccination (“Been there, done that…”)?A booster shot (“I listen to the sermon most of the time”)?A vitamin (“My day is off if I don’t’ read God’s Word”)?Am I doing (and not doing) what God’s Word says?)The key is to begin reading the BiYou are now entering your mission field!