The Living Word

KING JAMES VERSION

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

— Isaiah 40:8

James 4

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1

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

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2

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

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3

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

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4

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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5

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

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6

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

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7

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

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8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

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9

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

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10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

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11

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

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12

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

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13

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

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14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

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15

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

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16

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

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17

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

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Chapter Study & Analysis

Overview

James 4 addresses the source of conflicts and "lusts" within the church. It calls believers to humble themselves before God, to resist the devil, and to avoid the arrogance of making plans without acknowledging the sovereignty of God.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS

1. Resisting the Devil: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (v. 7). Spiritual victory begins with total submission to God’s authority.
2. Drawing Nigh to God: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" (v. 8). We must take the first step of repentance and seeking His face, and He promises to meet us there.
3. The Vapor of Life: Our life is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth (v. 14). We should live with the realization that our time is in God’s hands, saying, "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

Practical Lessons

FORMAL PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves in Thy sight, knowing that Thou givest grace to the humble. Deliver us from the friendship of the world and help us to live each day in total dependence upon Thy sovereign will. Amen.

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