On Earth Peace to Men - May 15, 2022

by Pastor Chuck Ryan

“On Earth Peace to Men”
Text: James 4:1-6
Thesis: Christians must be humble, deny themselves and seek to follow God and His ways.
1. James causes the Christian to stop and reflect on their own lack of peace by asking,
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? (Vs. 1)
* “Wars without come from wars within.”
Unknown
A. Quarrels and fights originate with the desires within us.
1. “You want something and don’t get it. (Vs. 2)
a. Is it a need or a want?
B. James reveals two reasons why “you do not have” what you want.
1st - “You do not have because you do not ask.” (Vs. 2a)
* Jesus teaches: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
* “Prayer is the Key to Power”
2nd - “You do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives,
that you may spend what you get on pleasures.”
* “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving,
slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash,
conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness
but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
2. James asks the Christian another thought provoking question: “Don’t you know that friendship
with the world is hatred toward God?”
A. When James refers to the “world” he is not speaking about God’s creation but the systemic
evil that has infiltrated society, government, businesses and pleasures.
B. The Christian should not be double minded.
* The Apostle Paul teaches: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his
good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
3. James encourages the believer by reminding them that “God opposes the proud but gives grace
to the humble.” (Vs. 6)
A. There is freedom in surrendering to the will of God.
a. Materialism is an entrapment.
B. There is a peace in surrendering to God.
b. Seek to be on God’s side and cease trying to make Him fit into your lifestyle.
c. Jesus taught us to say: “Not my will but thine.”
d. Become a student of God and His ways.
* “As the heavens are above the earth so are His ways above our ways and His thoughts
above our thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
“On Earth Peace to Men”