Theme: COMMENTARY ON JAMES CHAPTERS 3 - 5
Text: 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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. – James 4:2, 3.
Comment: The lusts of the flesh are listed by St. Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 to include, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like …” (Galatians 5:19-21) The eyes of such ones are not satisfied with riches. (Ecclesiastes 4:8; 5:10) What they ought to pray for which are spiritual, they would not, but all they inclined to seek are things they ought not to bother about – things that merely serve to satisfy present pleasures, those are the things they ask for: and God will not answer such prayers. God answers only prayers that are in accordance we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” (1 John 5:14) It is critical therefore that the children of God must determine to do the will of God all the time so that He will continue to hear their prayers. St. James further stated, “Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) It is those who humble themselves to remain on the Lord’s side without compromising their faith that will be blessed by Him in the end. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” – James 4:6.