James 4:1-3 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Even though these words were penned so long ago, they are still alive and well today. When we see the sad state of many local churches today, it does not take long to figure out that far too many Christians are fighting amongst themselves because of the carnality that has creeped into the church. What we view as success today is based on the world's sales pitch, that far too many Christians have bought into. Because of this, many have chosen to be absent from worship and fellowship. Times of gathering and praying only get in the way of us meeting our goals to attain the level of importance we seek in the world. When we gather, we bring our worldliness with us, our foolish arguments, and our misguided ambitions; all of these being driven by our personal lusts, and our corrupt desires. As we gather in this environment, those who are of like mind gather together in cliques, and make others feel like they do not belong, and are unwelcome. The new person who walks through the door with a need for Jesus, and a need for encouragement, in this hopeless world, leaves discouraged and rejected. We strive and fight to gain the things we think will bring satisfaction, when in reality we already have it all in Christ, and instead decide that coming to church is a waste because God is not giving us what we want; as if He is some kind of genie whose supposed to be available at our beck and call. What we fail to realize and acknowledge is that God does not answer our prayers for the things we desire because we ask with selfish motives, to fulfill our own sinful lusts. We pray prayers that are covetous in nature. We envy and hate our brethren when we see them being blessed, while God seems to ignore what we say we need, when in reality it is only a selfish want. What will it take to open our eyes to our own selfishness? What will it take to make us realize that success in our walk with God is not success as the world defines it? All that we seek after in this world, all that we desire to gain, of what the world offers, can disappear in the blink of an eye. If God chooses to call us home today, or return for His church, right now, all of this "stuff" stays behind; in which case all is lost, including all the opportunities we have to gain heavenly reward that does not perish. So I ask us to consider today, "What do we desire, and follow after?" "Are we seeking that which brings us closer to the Lord, and glorifies Him, or are we seeking that which breeds contention, and causes division and hatred amongst the brethren we are called to love?" It is time we reevaluate the path we are currently walking on. Is it a path that we are being led on by our own selfish desires, or is it a path we are following Jesus on?
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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