CHRISTIAN ACTIONS
May 11, 2021
A. Starting point: 1 Tim. 2:1-6

B. Praying from: JAMES 4

EVIL DESIRE THE SOURCE OF STRIFE
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
STEPS TO DIVINE FAVOR
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
EVIL SPEAKING
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. “
I. THE SENSUAL—vv. 1–2
EVIL DESIRE THE SOURCE OF STRIFE
1. Actions—v. 1. Wars and arguments come as the result of sinful lusts. Compare with James 1:14, 15.
2. Attitudes—v. 2. Wrong attitudes separate from God. Lust leads to greed, hate, wars and murder.
3. Asking—v. 3. Asking wrong. Using it on own lusts.
II. THE SEPARATION—vv. 4–5
1. World—v. 4. Friend of the world, an enemy of God! The world opposes God, church and the Bible.
2. Wrong—v. 4. Lust leads to hatred. Hatred leads to murder. Hatred equal to murder (1 John 3:15).
III. THE SURRENDER—vv. 6–10
STEPS TO DIVINE FAVOR
1. Proud—v. 6. God resists the proud. Pride is sin.
2. Persistence—v. 7. Resist the devil!
3. Purity—v. 8. Draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts.
4. Personal—vv. 9–10. Being broken hearted. Humble self, God will lift us up!
IV. THE SPEAKING—vv. 11–12
EVIL SPEAKING
1. Judging—v. 11. When we speak against other Christians, we speak against God.
2. Judge—v. 12. There is one judge. Allow God to be the judge. Do not judge others!
V. THE SLACKNESS—vv. 13–16
UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE
1. Shortness of life—vv. 13–15. Life is short. It soon fades away. Do not waste it!
2. Sinful life—v. 16. Do not boast of life, since it is God who gives life!
3. Slackness of life—v. 17. Knowing something is right, but not doing it, is sin! You may commit sin by omission and by commission.

VI. THE A-MEN OF ROMANS 16:20, 24, 27
16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. A-men.”
16:24 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A-men.”
16:27 “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. A-men.”