1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
imagine that the reason we don't have what we really want is because we don't ask God for it.. or.. if we do.. our motives are wrong.. we only want what will give us pleasure.. instead of seeking the will of God we seek the will of self...
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us jealously longs for us to be faithful. 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
we have a choice.. to be of this world or of God.. yet don't we really desire to be a little bit of both? yet that makes us an enemy of God... does it really? that is pretty harsh... the Spirit God has placed within us longs for us to be faithful... what is is that we desire more than the Spirit... and wouldn't that make God feel uncomfortable to be within us....
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
humble ourselves before the Lord.. I think sometimes I daily humble myself.. yet somehow.. as the day goes on.. if I am not very careful.. it somehow becomes about me again...
11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
I am realizing that it is very difficult to never speak evil about anyone at all.. I mean just random comments.. like someone gives me the willies... what is the purpose of that comment? it does no earthly good and surely no heavenly good... why is it that we cannot make everything we say to be encouraging and uplifting... why is it such a struggle to be a positive force all the time... surely it shouldn't be...
Father continue to change me.. re-create me.. make me more like you.. in Jesus name I ask.. amen.amen.amen.
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