ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <!--Jun Gapuz--> <head> <meta name="Description" content="Share the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." /> <meta name="Keywords" content="elmont, ny, new york, nyc, bible study, bible, bible version, sermon, devotion, preaching, kjv, king James, true gospel, gospel, fundamental, baptist, soul winning, worship, church, spirituality, god, mission, missionary, missionaries" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta name="Distribution" content="Global" /> <meta name="Robots" content="index,follow" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="../images716/716.css" type="text/css" /> <title>Bible Baptist Church</title> </head> <body> <div id="main_wrap"> <!-- header starts here --> <div id="header-wrap"><div id="header-content"> <h1 id="logo">Bible Baptist <span class="orange">Church</span></h1> <h2 id="slogan">" Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." ...... John 3:3</h2> <div id="header-links"> <p> <a href="../index.html" target="text">| Home |</a> </p> </div> <!-- Menu Tabs --> <ul> <li><a href="Lesson-3.html" id="current"> Wednesday Night Sermon</a></li> </ul> </div></div> <!-- content-wrap starts here --> <div id="content-wrap1"><div id="content"> <div id="main2"> <div id="message"> <xmeta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <xmeta content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2668" name="GENERATOR"> <xbody bgcolor="#ffffff"> </xbody></xmeta></xmeta><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <div> <br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">STRIFE AND UNREST<o:p></o:p></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><strong><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4">(Lesson 10 - Book of JAMES)&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></font></font></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;" align="center"> <b style=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4"><u> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">Text</span></u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">: <a href="KJV/JAMES_4.html" target="blank">JAMES 4:1-4</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></font></strong></p> <br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4"><b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">INTRODUCTION</span></u></b> <b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">:</span></b></font></font></p> <ol style="MARGIN-TOP:0in;MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;" type="1"> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">I am going to speak this evening about strife and unrest.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Frank E. Gaebelein said James is &quot;putting his finger upon the cause of war on a national as well as international scale.<span style="">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>He knew nothing of psychology as we have it, yet with the timeless pertinence peculiar to Scripture his diagnosis could hardly have been more psychologically up-to-date&quot; (<i>Faith That Lives</i>).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">There certainly is much strife and unrest in the world, but James is speaking to Christians.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>He says in James 4:1, &quot;From whence come wars and fightings <u>among you</u>?&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Here we see a striking contrast with James 3:18, which speaks of the fruit of righteousness being sown in peace.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James 3:10 says, &quot;Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">We ought to bless, not to curse.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">But worldly strife and unrest is often a problem among Christians.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James goes on to explain that strife and unrest is caused by lust, i.e., worldly desires that &quot;war&quot; in our &quot;members&quot; (4:1).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James is referring to &quot;members&quot; of the human body.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">The apostle Paul uses this same word frequently in Romans 6 &amp; 7. Romans 7:5 says, &quot;For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, <u>did work in our <span class="yiv915135636criteria">members</span></u> to bring forth fruit unto death.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">&quot;But I see another law in my <span class="yiv915135636criteria">members</span>, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin <u>which is in my members</u>&quot; (Romans 7:23).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Strife springs up in men&#39;s hearts in the lust and cravings within, and this results in &quot;wars and fightings&quot; (James 4:1).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">This is what our Lord said in Mark 7:21-23, &quot;<u>For from within</u>, <u>out of the heart of men</u>, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">F.B. Meyer said that &quot;the one aim of Christianity is to put Christ where man puts self.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Whenever worldly lusts and pleasures dominate, conflicts and disputes -- &quot;wars and fightings&quot; -- are inevitable.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">These &quot;lusts&quot; which James refers to are part of our old nature.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>The apostle Paul calls them &quot;deceitful lusts.&quot; Ephesians 4:22-24 says, &quot;That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, <u>which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts</u>; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Galatians 5:16 and 17 says, &quot;This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. <u>For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh</u>: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">So the key is &quot;walking in the Spirit,&quot; and not yielding to the flesh.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">The self-life is walking in the flesh. This results in strife and unrest.</font></font></span></li></ol> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv1285055337MsoNormal"><span style=""><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:13pt;"></font></font></span>&nbsp;</p> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">I. </font></span></b><b><span><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD CAN NEVER SATISFY (4:1)</font></span></b></font></p> <ol style="MARGIN-TOP:0in;MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;" type="1"> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Earlier, James said in 1:8, &quot;A double minded man is <span class="yiv915135636criteria">unstable</span> in all his ways.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Yet, many Christians still crave the things of this world, which can never satisfy the soul.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"><em>Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.</font></em></span><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"><br></font></font><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"><em><font face="Times New Roman"><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma">Yes, only He can change your heart</span><br><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma">And make you whole.</span><br><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma">He&#39;ll give you peace you never knew,</span><br><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma">Sweet joy and love and Heaven, too.</span><br><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma">For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.</span></font></em></font></span><span class="yiv915135636fonttahoma"><span style=""><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"> -- Lanny Wolfe</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">First Peter 2:11 says, &quot;Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, <u>which war against the soul</u>.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">So these &quot;wars and fightings&quot; come from &quot;fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Lehman Strauss said, &quot;In our day an insatiable thirst for pleasure is destroying our thirst for the things of God, and these sinful, selfish gratifications are responsible for the strife among Christians&quot; (<i>James, Your Brother</i>).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">The selfish heart of man is never satisfied. Haggai 1:5 and 6 says, &quot;Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">That is why Jesus told the woman at the well, &quot;Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again&quot; (John 4:13).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James 4:2 says, &quot;Ye lust, <u>and have not</u>: ye kill, and desire to have, <u>and</u> <u>cannot obtain</u>: ye fight and war, <u>yet ye have not</u>, because ye ask not.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">&quot;Have not...cannot obtain...have not&quot; -- the things of this world can never satisfy.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>The insatiable lust for worldly pleasure drowns out the desire for Bible reading, and Bible preaching, and prayer meeting, and soulwinning, etc.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">John D. </font></span></span><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Rockefeller was a very rich man. One day a journalist asked him saying  how many millions are enough? Mr. Rockefeller replied,  one more than what you have. </font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">In other words, &quot;There is never enough.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Eventually John D. Rockefeller died.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Some one wrote a letter to the local news paper wanting to know how much money did Mr. Rockefeller leave behind. The news paper editor answered:  he left it all.&quot;</font></font></span></li></ol> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span style=""><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"></font></font></span><span style=""></span>&nbsp;</p> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">II. </font></span></b><b><span><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">PRAYERLESSNESS BRINGS UNREST (4:2, 3)</font></span></b></font></p> <ol style="MARGIN-TOP:0in;MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;" type="1"> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">I mentioned that worldly lusts crowd out the desire to pray.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>James 4:2b says, &quot;<span class="yiv915135636criteria">ye</span> have <span class="yiv915135636criteria">not</span>, because <span class="yiv915135636criteria">ye</span> <span class="yiv915135636criteria">ask</span> </font><span class="yiv915135636criteria"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">not.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">The hymnwriter said, &quot;</font></span></span><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Our Lord said, &quot;Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened&quot; (Luke 11:9, 10).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">John R. Rice said, &quot;Prayer in the Bible is asking. And if you are not asking, you are not praying.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Often times Christians pray the wrong way. James 4:3 says, they &quot;ask amiss.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Some think they have found a contradiction in the Bible.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>God promises to answer all our prayers.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Our Lord said in Matthew 21:22, &quot;And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.&quot;<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Yet they say some prayers go unanswered.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">But there is no contradiction. James 4:3 says, &quot;Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">If a Christian prays selfishly, he is out of the will of God and he is not on praying ground.<span style="">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>First John 5:14 says, &quot;And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, <u>if we ask any thing according to his will</u>, he heareth us.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">It is never God&#39;s will for us to ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our lusts (James 4:3).</font></font></span></li></ol> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span style=""><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"></font></font></span><span style=""></span>&nbsp;</p> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">III. </font></span></b><b><span><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">WORLDLINESS BRINGS UNREST (4:4)</font></span></b></font></p> <ol style="MARGIN-TOP:0in;MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;" type="1"> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Worldliness always brings strife and unrest because &quot;</font></span><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">the friendship of the world is enmity with God&quot; (4:4).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">When Scripture refers to &quot;the world&quot; in this context, it is referring to the secular, godless world that is controlled by Satan, &quot;the god of this world&quot; (II Cor. 4:4).</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">First John 2:15 and 16 says, &quot;Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Romans 12:2 says, &quot;Be not conformed to this world,&quot; but sadly, many Christians are conformed to this world.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James 4:4 says worldliness is spiritual adultery (4:4). Can there be peace and harmony in the home when a husband is unfaithful to his wife, or a wife is unfaithful to her husband?</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">In like manner, there can be no peace and harmony in a Christian&#39;s life when he is enamored with the things of this world.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James is employing language from the Old Testament.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Hosea 1:2 says, &quot;</font></span><span style=""><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Hosea 4:12 says, &quot;the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Isaiah and the other prophets also used similar terminology. And so did the Lord Jesus, who said in Matthew 16:4, &quot;A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.&quot;</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">The attractions and allurements of this present evil world will always be a snare for Christians.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>The apostle Paul said, &quot;Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world&quot; (II Tim. 4:10).</font></font></span></li></ol> <p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span style=""><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;"></font></font></span><span style=""></span>&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="4"><b><u> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">CONCLUSION</span></u></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">:</span></b></font></font></p> <ol style="MARGIN-TOP:0in;MARGIN-BOTTOM:0in;" type="1"> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Usually, when preachers deal with this subject (and unfortunately, very few preachers preach against worldliness these days), they hit hard on television, Hollywood movies, immodest dress, drinking, smoking, dancing, rock music, and so on.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">But these are the <u>symptoms</u>  James gets to the heart of the problem; James deals with the <u>disease</u>.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">If a person is running a fever, the doctor is not just concerned with getting the person s temperature down  he wants to find out <u>why</u> he has a fever.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Likewise, when we see Christians acting worldly, or dressing worldly, or listening to worldly music, or associating with worldly people  we need to ask: Why?</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">James does that here in chapter 4. Worldliness brings unrest. It hinders our faith.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>It keeps us from getting close to God, and it keeps us from growing spiritually.</font></font></span> <li style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt;" class="yiv942309460MsoNormal"><span><font face="Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE:14pt;">Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the cure for worldliness (4:8).</font></font></span></li></ol> </div> <br /> <div><font size="4"><b>Pastor James Barker</font></b> &nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="mailto:jbarker4@optonline.net"> [ Send Email ] </a> </div> <div align="right"> <span><a href="http://FundamentalTop500.com/" target="_BLANK"><img src="http://FundamentalTop500.com/ft500.php3?sid=4425" height="38" width="124" border="0" alt="The Fundamental Top 500"></a> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://BibleTop100.com/" target="_BLANK" title="The best Bible-believing, Christian web sites"> <img src="http://BibleTop100.com/rank.php?sid=152123" height="39" width="78" border="0" alt="The BibleTop100.com.com"></a> </div> </div> <br /> </div></div> <!-- footer starts here --> <div id="footer-wrap"><div id="footer-content"> <div align="center"> <p> Template provided by: <a href="http://www.styleshout.com/">styleshout</a> </p> </div> </div></div> <!-- footer ends here --> </div> <!--Jun Gapuz--> </body> </html>