i am the one...

the third desire that leads to arguments is the desire to be. this is pride, power, prominence, popularity. i want to be number one. get on top. be the big shot. strive for success.

we walk around saying, "watch me." little kids say, "watch me, daddy", we say "watch me, everybody", we say it in subtle ways --- watch me by the way i dress, watch me by the kind of clothes i buy, watch me by the kind of car i drive, watch me by the kind of things i stock my house with. it's a desire to impress. it's a desire to be full of pride, to be number one, to impress.

but proverbs 13:10 (lb) says, pride leads to arguments. i like how the message says it, arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord.

so why does pride leads to arguments? well it's because i'm too proud to compromise and that causes conflict.

have you ever been in an argument where you were wrong but you wouldn't admit it. why? because of pride. pride causes arguments. this is the bottom line of all these things. the next time you're in an argument, stop and ask, "is it worth it?"

james tells us that pride – when we think we can do things on our own – causes problems. james 4.2&3 (ms), you wouldn't think of just asking GOD for it, would you? and why not? because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. you're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

here james tells us two reasons why our desires aren't fulfilled. number one: we don't pray. we don't ask GOD. we look to the wrong source. we look to people to fulfill our needs instead of looking to GOD. HE says that HE will meet your needs, just pray. and when we do pray, we usually pray with the wrong motive. we ask things in a selfish way.

philippians 4:19 (ms), you can be sure that GOD will take care of everything you need, HIS generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from JESUS. if we'll ask in prayer, but we'd rather fight than pray. we'd rather argue about something than go look to the LORD for the answer.

when i'm upset with my wife, the last thing on my mind is prayer. we're not thinking about that but james says, that's the problem. we look to others instead of looking to GOD and that causes conflicts. we'd rather try to work it out ourselves.

prayerlessness in itself is an evidence of pride. james says we'd have a lot more peace if we'd just pray more. we'd have a lot less to worry about, a lot less to argue about, a lot less to fight over if we just prayed more.

just some thought from a rainy front porch....