Tuesday 22/1/12

James 4:1-3 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

In these verses, God warns us of our worldly desires and passions, which are at war within us. When we desire but cannot have, covet but cannot obtain, then we fight and quarrel, become angry and envious. That's a dangerous temptation that destroys peace and fellowship.

Our worldly desires and passions interfere with our relationship with God, too. We can ask of God anything in prayers, but if we ask only to satisfy our selfish desires, for things to spend on our passions, then God will not give, for they will ruin us in a long run. Therefore, we must be careful of what we are asking.

Instead, we better seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto us.  As we seek to do what is right and what is good to His kingdom, God will bless us richly with skills and resources, which also satisfy our needs abundantly.