“CONFLICT —CAUSE, CONSEQUENCE, and CURE”

 “CONFLICT—CAUSE, CONSEQUENCE, and CURE”

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  James 4:4

In verses 1-6, we see CONFLICT among the Followers of Jesus.  There were FIGHTS, QUARRELS, LUST, HATE, ENVY, PRIDE, and SIN. In chapter 4, it opens with these IMMORAL BEHAVIORS. And so, James confronted this type of behavior among the FOLLOWERS of JESUS, beginning with severity in his tone by NOT addressing them, in this portion of his letter as, “my brothers”, instead he addressed them as “adulterous people,” because their relationship with God had become COLD. And some had LEFT Him to FOLLOW FALSE GODS.

James revealed the CAUSE of the CONFLICT was from their OWN DESIRES that battled within them. CONFLICT comes from inner sensual lusts and pleasures, which still cause wars to RAGE in people’s HEARTS. (V1)

Next James addresses the CONSEQUENCES of CONFLICT: Selfish desires are frequently manufactured in the HEART.  And whenever anyone prevents another from getting what they desire, they are tempted to see that person as an ENEMY, which cultivates; hatred, envy, malice, and so many other IMMORAL FEELINGS that are very DISPLEASING to GOD.  And the CONSEQUENCES of the CONFLICT is WORSE than ending up without whatever your desire was.

The CURE for CONFLICT is to HUMBLE yourselves before God to experience the OUTPOURING of His GRACE. HUMILITY should be the MANTLE of EVERY TRUE BELIEVER. You MUST SUBMIT to GOD and DRAW NEAR to HIM.  Next, RESIST the DEVIL. Don’t UNDERESTIMATE the devil, he’s smarter and stronger than you. After all he’s been at his EVIL DEEDS for a LONG TIME.

The ONLY WAY to RESIST him is to do what JESUS did by WIELDING the SWORD of GOD, His WORD. And to be able to do this you MUST KNOW what His WORD says: READ and STUDY God’s Word, the BIBLE. And when the devil whispers his LIES to you, PROCLAIM the TRUTH with the HOLY SCRIPTURES, GOD’S WORD and OUR SWORD.  And REGULARLY CLEANSE your HANDS and PURIFY your HEART.

To be in a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD, you MUST SURRENDER to HIM.  You do that by: ADMITTING that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the SON of GOD who is the ONLY WAY to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD. You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for you and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN making intercession for you before God. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and KEEP your RELATIONSHIP with GOD PURE, CLEAN, and FREE from anything that would JEOPARDIZE your STANDING with the FATHER and the SON.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!