James 4 NASB
Things to Avoid
4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Things to Avoid
4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
The bottom line of these verses is you can't have it both ways. You cannot seek the things of this world and seek God also. You have to choose. Do you want the things money provides? A nice house, a nice car, vacations, fancy clothing, prestige and admiration? Then seek those things.
God wants reliance on Him. He wants you to seek Him and the good life He provides. The problem is we put God in a box and think He is limited on what He can do. God is not limited by our imagination. God can do so much more then we can ever imagine when we relinquish our limited power and except His infinite power.
It's just a matter of throwing our hands up in surrender. It's saying "God, I give up. I've been chasing my dreams and trying to achieve and I'm going in circles. Lord, lead me where YOU want me to go, direct me in what YOU want me to do for You" and see how He abundantly blesses you. I'm sure your life will become more then you ever could imagined. Not with the things of this world but of the eternal blessings only He can provide.
Blessings, Cecilia
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