How Are You Asking?How Are You Asking?

James 4:1-3James 4:1-3

AskingAsking

• Evaluate how you ask things of GodEvaluate how you ask things of God– From God's perspectiveFrom God's perspective– What kind of relationship do you have with What kind of relationship do you have with

God? God? – Do you talk to God at all?Do you talk to God at all?– When you do, what do you talk about?When you do, what do you talk about?– Do you ask only to satisfy your desires?Do you ask only to satisfy your desires?– When you ask of Him, are you seeking God's When you ask of Him, are you seeking God's

approval for what you already plan to do?approval for what you already plan to do?

James 4:1-3James 4:1-31 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?

Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you? you?

22 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.

33 And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong—you want only what will your whole motive is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. give you pleasure.

A Continuation of James 3A Continuation of James 3

– If bitter envy and selfish ambition have filled If bitter envy and selfish ambition have filled man's heart – 3:14,16 man's heart – 3:14,16

– If his guiding principle is earthly wisdom that If his guiding principle is earthly wisdom that is unspiritual and devilish – 3:l5 is unspiritual and devilish – 3:l5

– If he has alienated himself from God – 3:16If he has alienated himself from God – 3:16– Then he promotes "disorder and every evil Then he promotes "disorder and every evil

practice" – 3:16practice" – 3:16– Result – fights and quarrels – 4:1-2Result – fights and quarrels – 4:1-2

The ProblemThe Problem

• Lust = desires of the fleshLust = desires of the flesh– How do you recognize lust?How do you recognize lust?– How do you recognize Flesh?How do you recognize Flesh?– Flesh Flesh hself hself– SinSin

•sIn sIn sIn sIn sIn sIn sInsIn sIn sIn sInsIn sIn sIn sInsIn

• Sin hinders our prayers!Sin hinders our prayers!

The Question - v. 1aThe Question - v. 1a

• James 4:1 James 4:1 What causes fights and What causes fights and quarrels among you?quarrels among you?

– Fights = Fights = polemoipolemoi = a battle with weapons, an = a battle with weapons, an armed conflictarmed conflict

• The struggle between powers, both earthly and The struggle between powers, both earthly and spiritualspiritual

– Quarrels = Quarrels = machai = machai = fighting, but without fighting, but without weapons, personal conflictsweapons, personal conflicts

The Question - v. 1aThe Question - v. 1a

• Things come to a state of warThings come to a state of war– Open skirmishes break out Open skirmishes break out – Sides are chosenSides are chosen– Positions are dug inPositions are dug in– These conflicts are quarrels among believers!These conflicts are quarrels among believers!

• We cannot brush aside James's questionWe cannot brush aside James's question– When they do happen, are we wise enough to When they do happen, are we wise enough to

understand why?understand why?– Do we know their source?Do we know their source?

The Answer - v. 1bThe Answer - v. 1b

• Don't they come from your desires that battle Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?within you?

– Fights and quarrels are caused by the people's Fights and quarrels are caused by the people's cravings or "pleasures" cravings or "pleasures"

• Pleasure = "Pleasure = "hedonehedone“ = English word hedonism“ = English word hedonism– The philosophy that pleasure is the main goal of lifeThe philosophy that pleasure is the main goal of life

– When everyone seeks his or her own pleasure, only When everyone seeks his or her own pleasure, only strife, hatred, and divisions can resultstrife, hatred, and divisions can result

The BattleThe Battle

• James 1:14-15 warns us that our desires James 1:14-15 warns us that our desires ((epithumiaepithumia) in general are the means of ) in general are the means of temptationtemptation

– The desires in James 4:1 are more specificThe desires in James 4:1 are more specific– "desire" = a pleasure-motivated need, battling to be "desire" = a pleasure-motivated need, battling to be

satisfied satisfied • A battle within A battle within

– ""strateuomenonstrateuomenon" = warring " = warring – Strategies - a planned, raging battleStrategies - a planned, raging battle– Fought between the desire to do good and the desire Fought between the desire to do good and the desire

to do evilto do evil– Internal warfare - Romans 7:7-25Internal warfare - Romans 7:7-25

The BattleThe Battle

• When we lose the internal battle we create When we lose the internal battle we create conflicts on the outsideconflicts on the outside

– Competition for power, prestige, or Competition for power, prestige, or possessions that promise to bring pleasurepossessions that promise to bring pleasure

– The fierce competition drives people to The fierce competition drives people to shameful thoughts and actionsshameful thoughts and actions

– Result is they are unable to pray correctly!Result is they are unable to pray correctly!

Impact on Spiritual LifeImpact on Spiritual Life

• Desire for the pleasure's of the world Desire for the pleasure's of the world always threatens our spiritual lifealways threatens our spiritual life

– Luke 8:14Luke 8:14 • The seed that fell among thorns stands for those The seed that fell among thorns stands for those

who hear, but as they go on their way they are who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not maturethey do not mature

– Titus 3:3 Titus 3:3 • At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, At one time we too were foolish, disobedient,

deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one anotherhated and hating one another

The Results - v. 2aThe Results - v. 2a

• James 4:2 James 4:2 You lust and do not have; You lust and do not have; soso you commit murder. You are envious you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; and cannot obtain; soso you fight and you fight and quarrel. quarrel.

– The craving can become so strong that the The craving can become so strong that the people "kill and covet" (NIV) to obtain what people "kill and covet" (NIV) to obtain what they wantthey want

– People are capable of killing in pursuit of People are capable of killing in pursuit of desires or as a reaction to frustrated desiresdesires or as a reaction to frustrated desires

From "wanting" to "murdering"From "wanting" to "murdering"

• Matthew 5:21-22 NIV Matthew 5:21-22 NIV – "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do

not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.‘ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his judgment.‘ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.hell.

• 1 John 3:15 1 John 3:15 – Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know

that no murderer has eternal life in him.that no murderer has eternal life in him.• Killing is just a short step from bitter hatred!Killing is just a short step from bitter hatred!• Desires, if not controlled, can lead to extreme violenceDesires, if not controlled, can lead to extreme violence

– News stories - a person who claims to love another deeply, ends News stories - a person who claims to love another deeply, ends up murdering that personup murdering that person

The Root Causes - v. 2b-3The Root Causes - v. 2b-3

2b And yet the reason you don’t have what you 2b And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. want is that you don’t ask God for it.

33 And even when you do ask, you don’t get it And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong—you want because your whole motive is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure only what will give you pleasure

• The most common problems in prayerThe most common problems in prayer– not askingnot asking– asking for the wrong thingsasking for the wrong things– asking for the wrong reasonsasking for the wrong reasons

OrangesOranges

The Root CausesThe Root Causes

• You do not have, because you do not ask GodYou do not have, because you do not ask God– Too many people just do not pray at allToo many people just do not pray at all– They think God does not care or that He is not able! They think God does not care or that He is not able!

• You desire the wrong thingsYou desire the wrong things• Even when you do ask, you don’t get it because Even when you do ask, you don’t get it because

your whole motive is wrongyour whole motive is wrong– Almost as bad as not asking is asking wronglyAlmost as bad as not asking is asking wrongly– Some people attempt to manipulate GodSome people attempt to manipulate God– Check your motive in asking! Check your motive in asking! – Are you asking in God’s will for in trying to fulfill Are you asking in God’s will for in trying to fulfill

your own desires?your own desires?

The Proper Motive for PrayerThe Proper Motive for Prayer

• Matthew 6:33 Matthew 6:33 – But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all

these things will be added to youthese things will be added to you

• John 14:13-14 John 14:13-14 – Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the

Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do itanything in My name, I will do it

• Psalms 37:4 Psalms 37:4 – Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the

desires of your heartdesires of your heart

How are you asking?How are you asking?

• What is your desire in asking?What is your desire in asking?– To seek God's Kingdom or His righteousness ?To seek God's Kingdom or His righteousness ?– To seek His glory? To seek His glory? – To help others?To help others?– To satisfy self?To satisfy self?

• James's message: James's message: "You don't have what you desire "You don't have what you desire because you don't desire God"because you don't desire God"– Until we look at all of life, including our strongest Until we look at all of life, including our strongest

desires, from the perspective of God's plans and desires, from the perspective of God's plans and priorities for us, our life will be constantly frustrated by priorities for us, our life will be constantly frustrated by the awareness that we do not satisfy our desiresthe awareness that we do not satisfy our desires