let's pray...

in the first part of chapter 4, james give three desires that cause conflict. the desire to have – possessions. verse 2 (lb), you want what you don't have…you long for what others have... then the desire to feel good – pleasure. verse 3b (lb), you want only what will give you pleasure. the desire to be – pride & power. proverbs 13:10 (lb), pride leads to arguments.

let me ask you, which of these desires causes the most conflict in your life? maybe it's the desire to have and you're so busy out there making a living that you forget to make a life. hustling, day in and day out, to make a buck but your relationships are falling apart.

maybe it's a desire to feel good. "i have my rights." that's something the devil likes to say an awful lot but that's the exact opposite the scripture is saying, think about other people, not just yourself. what are their needs? but i'd really rather think about what i need right now than what my family needs or my friends need.

how about the desire to be? do you find it difficult to admit it when you're wrong? that's going to cause conflict. do you find your schedule pushing out time for the LORD? then re-evaluate your schedule. make time for the things that are important.

in the first three verses of this chapter, four times it says you're unsatisfied – you want but you don't get, you strive for but you can't have. you're unsatisfied. many people in life are unsatisfied with the way they are living. the secret of satisfaction is in JESUS CHRIST. give yourself to HIM and find your needs met in HIM rather than other people. HE will never let you down.

would you pray this prayer right now? "LORD, would you help me think of others and not just my own desires? help me to be willing to admit when i am wrong."

maybe you need to go to somebody this week and apologize. say, "i've been selfish and i'm sorry." the bible says, GOD opposes the proud but HE gives grace to the humble. GOD will give you the power to change and become the person you've always wanted to be. the bible says, HE lifts you up. before honor is humility.

then would you pray, "GOD, i want to give into YOU. i give YOU my life, my marriage, my career. i submit it all to YOU. i ask YOU to put the peace of CHRIST in my heart to rule. help me to get wise about satan, to realize he plays on pride and tells me things i want to hear but really only makes matters worse. FATHER, help me to grow closer to YOU, to make time in my schedule for time with YOU. FATHER, i admit that many times i've put me first and i ask YOU to forgive me. help me to become like JESUS, to have the attitude that HE had, to not only look after my own interest but the interest of those around me. teach me to say, "THY will be done" instead of me first."

if you've never invited JESUS CHRIST into your life, do it now. ask him to come in.

LORD, thank you for your word. it's practical and it helps us in the very area that we need it the most. use this in our lives this week so we can have more peaceful relationships, less conflict, less strife, less arguing and more love, joy, and peace. in JESUS name we pray, amen.