Worldliness is Selfishness Part 3
a commentary on James 4 (Application)
Thank you, Lord, for this day. May it be used for your glory!
Good morning everyone and welcome back to this week’s Biblit on James chapter 4!
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As you know, today is the day for application. Let’s just jump on in!
Application
I won’t waste much time here. I aim to make the application points quick to get you on your week.
After all, application is the most personal section.
I’ll give you some applicable points for my own life or in general, but it’s up to you to apply God’s word to your own life.
Don’t merely listen, but be a doer of God’s word.
Worldliness and Relationships
For this section, we talked about our relationships with others and our relationship with God.
The application here can really be summed up with the greatest commandments: love God and love others.
But here are a couple of specific questions to ask yourself that I gleaned from the passage:
Are your wants aligned with God’s or are they for worldly pleasures?
Are you coveting your neighbor, judging them for what they have, or are you building relationships with them despite what they may or may not have?
Are you bringing all your wants, good or bad, to God?
The application today is simple. If you fall short in any of those questions above, run to God.
Humble yourself before our Father and repent of your sin.
Remember, He is rich in grace and mercy!
Bring ALL your wants to Him and ask for that wisdom He so lovingly provides.
I also want to remind us that it’s ok to have wants, it’s ok to buy things that bring joy, or go on vacations, but we need to ask ourselves if we’re doing things with the wrong motives.
We also need to ensure our hope is not in those things. Things are fleeting, they come and go.
It’s ok to enjoy them while they’re here, but if they go away tomorrow would you be crushed? Then you might have more hope in stuff than in God.
Are you asking God if your plans align with His will or are you doing it out of selfish ambition?
Are you doing things to build relationships and love others or are you buying a new grill to keep up with the envy of your neighbor?
Worldliness and the Future
This next section is also pretty simple and falls in the same pattern as our last point: let God in on your plans.
God is the master of the universe. Nothing in this world thwarts His plans. And He is the ONLY one that knows what is going to happen.
Why in the world would you not want His insight when you’re making your life plans?
This is a silly analogy, but the best I could come up with:
If you are working in a restaurant and have a great idea for rearranging all the furniture in the place, wouldn’t you ask the boss first who knows they are demolishing that restaurant to move into a bigger facility the next week?
Seek the Kingdom of God first in ALL your plans.
You can’t have Kingdom building and wealth-building on the same throne.
I recently read a book called Don’t Start a Side Hustle. The title actually throws you off a little.
But the biggest takeaway I got from the book is to focus on 1 thing at a time.
Whether that means writing, work, home life, etc. We are not made for multitasking. Focus on one thing, finish it, then move on.
If you ask any big entrepreneur they will give similar advice. You can’t build 6 businesses at one time. Drop 5, focus on 1 and build that.
The same is true in our life with Christ. We can’t build the kingdom if we are splitting our time between God and money.
This doesn’t mean you can’t build a business or pursue a career.
It all goes back to your motives and submitting to the fact that God is in control, not you.
Are you building a business or career with God involved, with the hopes that you can use your talents, time, and treasure to build God’s kingdom?
Or to build your own kingdom of wealth?
Conclusion
To sum this whole chapter up, I’d say the biggest takeaway I have is simply: include God in everything.
If you have a desire for something, want a vacation, want kids, want to build a business, and are making plans to accomplish those things. Include God. Ask for His wisdom. And ask if your plans align with His.
With that, we’ll call it a week! Next time we’ll be jumping into the final chapter of James, can you believe it’s almost over already? I can’t!