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James 4:11-17
“IF IT IS THE LORD’S WILL…” - Sep 23, 2022 -
James 4:11-17
LIFE IS IN THE LORD'S HANDS - Dec 28, 2017 -
James 4:1-10
HUMBLE YOURSELF AND REPENT - Dec 27, 2017 -
James 4:1-6
YOU DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK - Jan 01, 2000 -
James 4:7-12
RESIST THE DEVIL - Jan 01, 2000 -
James 4:13-17
TRUST GOD FOR TOMORROW - Jan 01, 2000
SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO GOD
Key verse: 7
NIV
Submit Yourselves to God
4 What causes fights and quarrels(A) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle(B) within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill.(C) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,(D) because you ask with wrong motives,(E) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous(F) people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world(G) means enmity against God?(H) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(I) 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?(J) 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,(L) and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.(M) Wash your hands,(N) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(O) you double-minded.(P) 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(Q) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(R)
Footnotes
Cross references
- James 4:1 : Tit 3:9
- James 4:1 : S Ro 7:23
- James 4:2 : Mt 5:21, 22; Jas 5:6; 1Jn 3:15
- James 4:3 : Ps 18:41; S Mt 7:7
- James 4:3 : Ps 66:18; 1Jn 3:22; 5:14
- James 4:4 : Isa 54:5; Jer 3:20; Hos 2:2-5; 3:1; 9:1
- James 4:4 : S Jas 1:27
- James 4:4 : Ro 8:7; 1Jn 2:15
- James 4:4 : Jn 15:19
- James 4:5 : 1Co 6:19
- James 4:6 : Pr 3:34; S Mt 23:12
- James 4:7 : Eph 4:27; 6:11; 1Pe 5:6-9
- James 4:8 : Ps 73:28; Zec 1:3; Mal 3:7; Heb 7:19
- James 4:8 : Isa 1:16
- James 4:8 : Ps 24:4; Jer 4:14
- James 4:8 : Ps 119:113; Jas 1:8
- James 4:9 : Lk 6:25
- James 4:10 : ver 6; Job 5:11; 1Pe 5:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Warning Against Worldliness
4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions[a] are (A)at war within you?[b] 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. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask (B)wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 (C)You adulterous people![c] Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? (D)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 (E)that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But (F)he gives more grace. Therefore it says, (G)“God opposes the proud but (H)gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. (I)Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 (J)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (K)Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and (L)purify your hearts, (M)you double-minded. 9 (N)Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 (O)Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Read full chapterFootnotes
Cross references
- James 4:1 : Rom. 7:23; 1 Pet. 2:11
- James 4:3 : [1 John 5:14]
- James 4:4 : Isa. 54:5; Jer. 2:2
- James 4:4 : John 15:19; 1 John 2:15; [Matt. 6:24]
- James 4:5 : 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16
- James 4:6 : Isa. 54:7, 8; See Matt. 13:12
- James 4:6 : 1 Pet. 5:5; Cited from Prov. 3:34 (Gk.)
- James 4:6 : Isa. 54:7, 8; See Matt. 13:12
- James 4:7 : 1 Pet. 5:8, 9; [Eph. 4:27; 6:11]
- James 4:8 : 2 Chr. 15:2; Lam. 3:57; Zech. 1:3; Mal. 3:7; [Luke 15:20]
- James 4:8 : Isa. 1:16
- James 4:8 : Jer. 4:14
- James 4:8 : ch. 1:8
- James 4:9 : [Matt. 5:4]
- James 4:10 : ver. 6; Isa. 57:15; [Luke 1:52]; See Matt. 23:12
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
People fight and quarrel. It is a fact of life. But why does it happen? We fight and quarrel because we think we are right and the other person is wrong. But in truth, we fight and quarrel because of evil desires that are within us. Our evil, covetous desires cause us to envy, quarrel and even kill each other. Evil desires cause the hoarding of wealth. We want because we do not come to God and seek him. But when we do come to God and ask we must have right motives, or we will not receive. Wrong motives mean friendship with the world. If we want to spend what we have on ourselves, that is wrong motives. Right motives mean friendship with God. It is using our wealth for Godly means.
Even though we do not seek God, he is gracious to us. He opposes the proud but shows favor to those who humble themselves. So, what should we do? We should submit to God and not to the devil. When we submit to God, he will come near to us and lift us up and show us his grace.
Prayer: Father, thank you for your grace. Help me to repent my selfish desires and humble myself and seek you wholeheartedly.
One Word: Submit yourself to God