Posts Tagged: James 4:1-10

“Lust Versus What God Has Placed in Front of Us”

On December 10, 2023 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Get Serious

4 1-2 Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

2-3 You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”

7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” (James 4:1-10, The Message)

“Lust is wanting anything that God hasn’t put right in front of me.” (A comment by a twelve-step friend)

Among other things, lust is a refusal to trust God. When I desire something (or someone) that I don’t currently have, I am saying to God, “You’re holding out on me!” And that is not the sort of thing that someone who trusts God would say.

And why would God not give me something or someone? There are several possible answers to this question. I don’t like any of them, but I need to keep them all in mind.

  1. I don’t really need what I am wanting. This is more common that is generally acknowledged.
  2. I want different things that are mutually exclusive. (Eating lots of sweets and snacks and being in good shape comes to mind.)
  3. What I’m wanting would not be good for me.
  4. I am not asking God for it. (God gives many good things to me without my asking, but there are other good things for which God expects me to ask.)
  5. I am asking God for something for the wrong reasons.

So, just for today, I am going to be appreciative of whatever God puts in front of me.

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“No ‘Oh-You-Agains’ in God”

On January 2, 2023 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

Have you ever gone to someone for help and had them give you an “Oh, you again?!”? Eye rolls are optional, but often present. This person has helped you before, but figures you ought to know what to do for yourself by now.

And maybe we should know by now, but we don’t. Or perhaps we simply can’t do certain things on our own, even if we know how. We need help.

Some of us grew up with parents who were oh-you-again-ers. We began to feel stupid and incompetent almost before we could walk. It is difficult living with folks who are reluctant to help. Eventually, we quit asking.

Worse yet, we are in danger of becoming our parents. Perhaps we become good at something and forget all the not-so-good steps along the way. Novices come to us for help, but we have become eye-rolling oh-you-again-ers.

And worst of all, we begin to think that God is part of the oh-you-again-er tribe. We mess up and refuse to come to God with our mess-ups because we are afraid. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we hide from God. Yet only God can forgive us and restore us.

Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32, English Standard Version). James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). I suspect that, if James were asked if God would reproach us for asking for other good things, James would look at us incredulously and exclaim, “What!” In fact, James, later in the same letter, tells his readers that they don’t have what they really need, simply because they don’t ask or because they ask with wrong motives (James 4:1-10). If we ask for the wrong things or ask with evil motives, God is under no obligation to give those things to us, In fact, it would be cruel of God to give us those things when we are asking in that way.

But the bottom line is this: God is pleased when we ask for God’s help. God knows that we are weak, foolish, erratic people who need a boatload of help. I was reading some wisdom from an American Indian website (White Bison) this morning and was helped by the following statement:

“if we practice this for awhile, our thought life will be different. It helps if in the morning we ask God to direct our thinking. God loves to help us.
Great Spirit, today, direct my thinking so my choices are chosen by You.”

We have a God who loves to help us. There are no oh-you-agains in God. Now that is good news indeed!

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