1. Drawing Near To God – James 4:5-10

2.  The Hardest Verse in James  James 4:5 NAS -- Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? KJV -- Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? ASV -- Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?

3. NIV 1984 -- Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? RSV -- Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us”? CEB -- Or do you suppose that scripture is meaningless? Doesn’t God long for our faithfulness in the life he has given to us?

4.  1: Our human spirit, which we received from God, lustfully envies and is drawn toward envying.  2: God yearns for the human spirit which he placed within us.

5.  3. God yearns for the Holy Spirit in us.  4. The Holy Spirit in us longs for our loyalty to God.

6.  1. Either the human spirit tends to envy and is therefore perverse…  2. Or god is yearning for us, but we tend to be cool toward God…  3. Or, the Holy Spirit dwelling in us moves God to yearn for us…  4. Or, the Holy Spirit is moved to envy in His desire for us to honor God.  I prefer possibility #1.

7.  James is speaking of quarrels and conflicts.  The conflicts are based upon earthly lusts and desires.  Even those praying to God are doing so lustfully to increase their personal pleasures.  The human spirit has always been envious of the things of others.

8.  James 4:6 -- But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

9.  James is quoting here from Proverbs 3:34, part of a list of comparisons between the wicked and the righteous.  Who does God give grace to? Certainly not the proud, the envious or the lustful.  Remember James’ earlier admonition: “…do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? (vs. 4)

10.  First, we submit to God  Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

11.  …Resist the devil and he will flee from you….

12.  …Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…  Psalm 119:150-151 – Those who follow after wickedness draw near; They are far from Your law. You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.

13.  …cleanse your hands, you sinners….  Psalm 24:3-4 – Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His Holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sword deceitfully.

14.  …purify your hearts, you double-minded….  Hebrews 10:22 -- …let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

15.  …Be miserable and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom….  Why weeping and mourning?  Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

16.  …Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.  1 Peter 5:6 – Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time….