August 21/22, 2004
American Idolatry
Soul Talk Series, Part 6
Speaker: Peter Park
James 4:1-10 NLT
1What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn't it the
whole army of evil desires at war within you? 2You want what you
don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others
have, and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from
them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask
God for it. 3And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your
whole motive is wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure.
4You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with this world
makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this
world, you can't be a friend of God. 5What do you think the Scriptures
mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously
longs for us to be faithful ? 6He gives us more and more strength
to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,
"God sets himself against the proud,
but he shows favor to the humble."
7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. 9Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.