James 4:1-6 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. 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, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud     but shows favor to the humble.”

“What causes fights and quarrels among you “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” 

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 

External conflict has internal roots. James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  External conflict has internal roots.

James 4:2 “You desire but do not have, so you kill.” The power of possessiveness

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

What recent conflict have you been involved with? What unfulfilled desires in your heart contributed to that conflict?

James 4:2,3 “You do not have because you do not ask God James 4:2,3 “You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

1.) Write down 3 as of yet unmet or unrealized desires that you are experiencing in life presently. School Career Friendships Romance Marriage Children Family Health Finances Material things Spiritual life & experiences Emotions

What are you looking for? 2.) Talk to God about them. What are you looking for? Respect Success Stability Strength Peace Hope Love Freedom Favor Companionship Worth ???

3.) Is there a desire for something that God wants you to let go of?

1.) Write down 3 as of yet unmet or unrealized desires that you are experiencing in life right now. 2.) Talk to God about them. 3.) Is there a desire for something that God wants you to let go of?

James 4:4 You adulterous people,  don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 

Genesis 13:8 “So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”