The General Epistle of the Apostle James Chapter 4:1-5
1 From whence are wars and contentions among you? are they not hence, even of your pleasures, that fight in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye envy, and desire immoderately, and cannot obtain: ye fight, and war, and get nothing, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye might lay the same on your pleasures.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the amity of the world is the enmity of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, maketh himself the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth after envy?
Editor's thoughts
Verses 1-4 - Friends, in our carnal minds we wish for many things. Not only wish for but likewise, lust for them. This should not be so. We are reminded here of the words of the minor prophet, Haggai Chapter 1:1-8;
2 Thus speaketh HaShem of hosts, saying: This people say: The time is not come, the time that HaShem's house should be built. 3 Then came the word of HaShem by Haggai the prophet, saying: 4 'Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your cieled houses, while this house lieth waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith HaShem of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and brought 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 for a bag with holes 7 Thus saith HaShem of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hill-country, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith HaShem.
Brethren, we place our lusts before our needs too many times. ( I am talking to me here as well), and we seek the Lord in prayer, yet, too often we ask amiss. Our prayers are not consistent with God's word. This is not just a problem for us as individuals, but also as a nation. Read Hosea Chapter 4:1-13 and Amos Chapter 4:12. Therefore, brethren, seek God first, seek His wisdom and guidance in all things. In all prayers and supplications make it known that you seek His ways to help and guide you through life.
Verse 5 - Deuteronomy 4:24 says:
For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, and a jealous God.
"To his enemies; his wrath is like fire to burn up and destroy all that oppose him and break his commands, and especially idolaters; whose sin of all others is the most provoking to him, since it strikes at his being, his honour and glory; wherefore it follows: even a jealous God; who is jealous of his honour in matters of worship, and will not suffer his glory to be given to another, nor his praise to graven images, without resenting it or punishing for it." - John Gill
"And should, therefore, be served truly, that there be no halting; and totally, that there be no halving. (See also Hebrews 12:28-29) - John Trapp
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