James 4:1-6

Introduction: Life is full of choices.  We constantly make decisions that alter the course of our life.  There is nothing any more important or that even comes close than the choice to follow God or not to.  Too many want to follow God and also follow the world as well.  This is not possible we either choose God or not. This morning we want to examine that choice and hope that each of us will make a closer commitment to God and that we will express that commitment by being faithful in our attendance for our revival meeting this coming weekend.  Let us be reminded of Joshua’s decision when he led God’s children into the promised land; “and if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What are some of the things that contribute to the choices we make and don’t make?

I.                    Our desire for pleasure contributes mightily to our choices.

A.     “Where do wars and fights come from among you?  Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” 

1.      Conflicts within society, within the church, and within ourselves are the result of us seeking to satisfy our own desires.

2.       The Greek word for pleasure is the base word where we get the term “hedonism,” which is the concept that pleasure is the main goal of life.

3.      James 1:14 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”

4.      Genesis 4:5-7 “…but He did not respect Cain and his offering.  And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

5.      There is a battle within each of us.  A raging battle within between a desire to do good and a desire to do evil. 

6.      Romans 7:23 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

7.      Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

8.      Is there something that is tempting you not to be in this building Friday and Saturday night?

9.      1^st Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”

B.      “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain.  You fight and war.

II.                You do not choose right because you do not ask or you do not ask correctly.

A.    “Yet you do not have because you do not ask.”

1.      1^st John 5:14 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

2.      If choices are lying before you, ask God what to choose.

3.      Frustration, conflict, and quarrels come because we want something and do not get it.  It is a frustrated desire.

4.      The problem is that people depend on their desires and not on God.

5.      We also know that fulfilled desires do not satisfy.  (four deuces)

B.      “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

1.      We don’t ask, we ask wrongly, we ask for the wrong reasons.

2.      You don’t have what you desire because you don’t desire God.

3.      When we are faced with choices, let us choose God!

4.      We seek for a successful revival meeting this coming weekend, let us seek God’s blessing. 

5.      Let us pray!

III.                When we have choices we want God, but we want to keep the world also.

A.     “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

1.      Deep and true contentment only comes when we are right with God.

2.      We make the right choices when we choose to come closer to God.

3.      Our desires will only lead us to things of this earth, not to God.  The things of this world and the things of God go in opposite directions.

4.      Nothing is wrong with wanting a pleasurable life.  That is a blessing from God also.  Pleasure that keeps us from pleasing God is sinful.  Pleasure that comes from God’s rich bounty is good and pleasant.

5.      Is there something you desire to do more than worship with us this weekend?  Where is your desire leading you?

B.     “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?”

1.      This is not an easy verse and we will not go into the different thoughts on its meaning but we hope to examine it closer in our study of the Holy Spirit beginning the first Wednesday night in April.    

IV.             We do not make the right choices because of our pride.

A.    “But He gives more grace.  Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

B.     Quote from Proverbs 3:34

C.     Grace is the undeserved blessing freely bestowed on man by God.

D.    1^st Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

E.     John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

F.      When we make choices remember that the grace of God is very good for us.

G.    2^nd Peter 3:18 “…But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

H.     When making our choices we need to know that God gives more grace to those who are not proud but humble.

I.       To be proud is to have or display excessive self-esteem.

J.       We cannot receive grace until we see we need God’s grace, and humbly turn to Him. 

K.    Humble means lowly, insignificant, weak, poor, small and insignificant. With respect to the spiritual and moral state of man it means lowly or servile.

L.     Humility is a disposition which befits a servant.  To bow down.  Humility involves obedience and the attitude to obey.

M.   It does not mean that one should make themselves lower than they are. One should know how lowly they are before God.

N.    Psalms 8: 4-5 “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.”

O.    In making the decisions and choices of life; put yourself in perspective to where you really stand before God.

P.      Matthew 18: 1-5 Become as a little child.

Q.    Philippians 2: 5-11 Jesus humbled himself for me and you.

R.     Mark 10:43 “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.”

S.      Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God had dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

T.      The Christian knows he possesses nothing he has not received, is nothing but for the grace of God, and apart from Christ, can do nothing.  He never forgets he has been loved, saved, and made a son of God.

U.    Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

V.    Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

W.   James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

X.    Humility is not weakness; instead, it is the only place that believers gain courage to face all their temptations and sins with God’s strength.  What the world has to offer are only cheap substitutes for what God has to offer.

Y.    Remember this has you make the choices of life!

Conclusion: So it’s your choice.  What do you choose?  Do you choose to walk closer with God or do you choose the world and what it has to offer?  It is our prayer that each of you will show that closeness by being active in our revival meeting this coming weekend. This is a once a year event and why would you not want to be here and support the church? What do you have that is more important than this event in the Lord’s work?  Be here for all five services!  What is your choice?  Maybe you would like to make the choice to follow God this morning by coming forth and seeking prayer on your behalf.  Why not choose to be baptized and put on Christ this very morning?  Why not?  Why not now?