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In Episode 6 of Practice the Word, we continue our study through James, moving from James 3 into James 4 and examining the difference between earthly wisdom and wisdom from above.
James makes the contrast clear: earthly wisdom produces envy, selfish ambition, conflict, and disorder. Heavenly wisdom produces purity, peace, gentleness, mercy, sincerity, and good fruit.
But James doesn’t stop with identifying the problem. He takes us deeper into the desires behind our conflicts, the danger of pride, what it means to be a friend of the world, and why humility and repentance are essential to drawing near to God.
We also explore what James means when he says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” and why making plans without acknowledging God’s will can reveal something deeper about our hearts.
This week’s challenge is practical: identify one conflict, one desire, and one area of pride in your life. Instead of asking, “How can I win?” ask, “How can Jesus be seen in the way I respond?”
Open Scripture. Follow Jesus. Practice the Word.
Subscribe for more Bible study and practical conversations about becoming a doer of the Word, and share this episode with someone who could use the encouragement.
00:00 – Welcome to Practice the Word
00:20 – Episode 6: James 3–4
01:14 – Heavenly Wisdom vs. Earthly Wisdom
02:07 – Biblical Wisdom Produces Visible Character
04:29 – Envy, Selfish Ambition & Earthly Wisdom
06:15 – Unforgiveness and Letting Go
09:21 – The Problem With Selfishness
11:56 – What Wisdom From Heaven Looks Like
15:20 – The Holy Spirit and a Transformed Life
17:56 – James 4: Where Conflict Really Begins
20:16 – Anger, Conflict & the Battle Within
22:50 – Friendship With the World vs. God
24:46 – God Opposes the Proud
29:09 – Submit to God & Resist the Devil
30:25 – Repentance, Humility & Drawing Near to God
32:07 – Slander, Judgment & How We Speak About Others
34:03 – Don’t Boast About Tomorrow
37:32 – When Our Plans Become an Idol
40:11 – Faith That Becomes Visible
43:16 – Knowing the Good but Failing to Do It
44:25 – This Week’s Challenge: Choose Wisdom From Above
46:53 – Closing Prayer
47:52 – Outro
00:00 – Welcome to Practice the Word
00:20 – Episode 6: James 3–4
01:14 – Heavenly Wisdom vs. Earthly Wisdom
02:07 – Biblical Wisdom Produces Visible Character
04:29 – Envy, Selfish Ambition & Earthly Wisdom
06:15 – Unforgiveness and Letting Go
09:21 – The Problem With Selfishness
11:56 – What Wisdom From Heaven Looks Like
15:20 – The Holy Spirit and a Transformed Life
17:56 – James 4: Where Conflict Really Begins
20:16 – Anger, Conflict & the Battle Within
22:50 – Friendship With the World vs. God
24:46 – God Opposes the Proud
29:09 – Submit to God & Resist the Devil
30:25 – Repentance, Humility & Drawing Near to God
32:07 – Slander, Judgment & How We Speak About Others
34:03 – Don’t Boast About Tomorrow
37:32 – When Our Plans Become an Idol
40:11 – Faith That Becomes Visible
43:16 – Knowing the Good but Failing to Do It
44:25 – This Week’s Challenge: Choose Wisdom From Above
46:53 – Closing Prayer
47:52 – Outro
#PracticeTheWord #BibleStudy #BookOfJames #James3 #James4 #ChristianLiving #BiblicalWisdom #FaithInAction #FollowJesus #ChristianPodcast
Creators and Guests
What is Practice The Word?
Practice the Word is a Christ-centered podcast for people who are ready to stop sitting on the sidelines of faith and start living the Word of God in everyday life.
Hosted by believers who love Jesus, serve people, and understand the real-world trials of business, family, ministry, hardship, and obedience, this show is for anyone who feels called to step out of the boat and walk with Christ more deeply.
Each episode encourages listeners to read Scripture for themselves, trust the Holy Spirit, serve others with sincerity, and become doers of the Word — not hearers only.
Through biblical conversations, personal stories, interviews with Christian leaders, and practical encouragement, Practice the Word exists to point people back to Jesus, remind them that every day is a gift from the Lord, and challenge them to live fully surrendered to Him.
Whether you are new to faith, returning to God, wrestling through a difficult season, or ready to go deeper, this podcast is an invitation to get off the fence, open the Bible, and practice the Word.
00:00:02:00 - 00:00:20:12
Unknown
Welcome to Practice the Word, a podcast helping everyday believers become everyday doers of the word. Through scripture stories and honest conversations, we'll talk about what it means to follow Jesus with courage, sincerity, and obedience in real life. Let's get started.
00:00:20:14 - 00:00:35:06
Unknown
Welcome back, everyone to episode six of Practice The Word. We're so thankful that you joined us today. We're going to jump right into James chapter three, and we can't wait for you to be a part of this Bible study with us.
00:00:35:06 - 00:01:02:17
Unknown
So let's pray and we'll jump right in. Heavenly father, we thank you for this day. God, we thank you that you're omnipotent, all knowing, omnipresent. Holy Spirit. We just ask you right now that you would come and give us the very vocabulary and the words to speak to encourage, build up, lift up, challenge the listener. Today, Holy Spirit, we just ask you right now that whatever it is that's on the father's heart, that we would say it and we would be so.
00:01:02:19 - 00:01:05:06
Unknown
True and so sincere
00:01:05:06 - 00:01:14:05
Unknown
And Lord, I thank you that you're on your throne today. So father worked through us so that we don't make fools of ourselves. God, we just do this to honor you and bless you.
00:01:14:05 - 00:01:38:13
Unknown
In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen, Amen. And I think on this one is this will be our next to last, I think. I think we're going to be able to finish up James in the next episode, but this one really interested me because we're going to take heavenly wisdom versus earthly wisdom. So we're going to go from that middle part of James all the way to bout the 17th verse in the fourth chapter of James.
00:01:38:14 - 00:02:07:03
Unknown
You know, James is asking this one question who among you is wise? And you're going to notice? He never ask, who is the smartest who knows Greek? You know, he's not asking who took algebra. You know who memorize scripture, right? Who has followers, right? You know, he asks, who is wise? Biblical wisdom always produces visible character. So, Brian, if you want to read, I think I would do first 13 to begin.
00:02:07:04 - 00:02:31:04
Unknown
Yeah, let's start 13 minute. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. Wow. Wow. So, you know, James is showing right there. Show me. Yes, I the show me. Stay right. Show me again. Everything comes back to visible evidence. Wisdom is seen, is shown by your action.
00:02:31:04 - 00:02:55:08
Unknown
The words out of your mouth. Yes. And you'll walk. And. And he he goes back again to Proverbs. And in the wise live differently. The fools know differently, right? We live differently, but fools know it differently. In other words, they don't live it. They know it's right, but they live in a different way. Right, right. Yeah. I heard somebody that's the this the difference between like, knowledge and wisdom is knowledge.
00:02:55:08 - 00:03:16:09
Unknown
You know, things. But wisdom is what you do with that knowledge. Right, right. And I like how it says that humility comes from wisdom. I think that's kind of deep. It's like, why would humility come from wisdom? And I think the wiser you are, the more you realize how not good you are and how little you know.
00:03:16:09 - 00:03:39:19
Unknown
And that makes you humble. Yeah. And maybe that's what James is meaning by that. Right. Well, I think too, you know, we talk about obedience again. You know, humility is told in a form of obedience. It's a conscious decision we make as believers, as we read in a biblical wisdom isn't measured by intelligence. That's what he's saying. It doesn't matter if he IQ is 170 or it's 70.
00:03:39:22 - 00:04:02:22
Unknown
It's measured by transformation, what you're showing in your life. So he he's really breaking it down and he's diluting it to such, you know, just making it to the Gentile into the Jew alike. So he says, let them show it by their good life. Yeah. I mean, think about that. I mean, it just means that, you know, their life would be is good.
00:04:03:04 - 00:04:29:12
Unknown
And when they use wisdom, it can be not so smart and still live a good life. Absolutely. God, because I'm not so smart. Yeah, you're very smart, but. Well, I'm really not. But we were talking about the Bible sidetrack a little bit. I like the Bible. And because it's just so simple and I got to look in that the, the origins of that Bible and it was written for people that were blind and deaf because they generally have a low vocabulary.
00:04:29:13 - 00:04:53:01
Unknown
Wow. I'm like, I don't know what that says about me, but now I'm reading this and I'm like, maybe I'm not so bad. I'll factor all that. Maybe I've got promise you're not bad, I promise. You're not. Yeah. So let's go to 14, 16, 14 through 16 because he's going to talk about earthly wisdom here. So but if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast about it all.
00:04:53:05 - 00:05:20:06
Unknown
Deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. Wow. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder in every evil practice. Wow. So what's he doing here? So he's basically listing earthly wisdom for us, right? So here's some. Here's some measurements for you. Envy, selfish ambition. Disorder.
00:05:20:06 - 00:05:48:20
Unknown
Evil practice. So he's saying that. Yes. What's the practical application? You can go back to Genesis again. Cain. Cain. Jealousy, envy, murder, earthly wisdom always turn inward. Yes. And babble in Genesis 11 is another perfect self exaltation, right? Yes. We're smarter. We're going to build something. We're going to get up there to heaven. Earthly wisdom always says, build my kingdom, right?
00:05:48:21 - 00:06:15:01
Unknown
In other words, myself. Right. My kingdom, not his kingdom. Yes. You know, Matthew 1236 3337 I wrote down, but I tell you that everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you'll be condemned. You know. So when we harbor unforgiveness, because really, you know, the opposite of this is unforgiveness, selfish ambition, bitter envy.
00:06:15:03 - 00:06:36:16
Unknown
When we harbor unforgiveness, you know, that is that is really holding on to unforgiveness. It's holding on to something someone did to you and you won't let it go. They may have let it go, but you're not letting it go. And James is saying, look, if you if you want wisdom, let this stuff go. Don't let this harbor in your heart.
00:06:36:17 - 00:06:56:12
Unknown
Don't hold a grudge. You know, so many people hold a grudge. You know, years ago, a lady, a stranger on Facebook, asked me to take her to Duke Hospital. She had had cancer in 16 parts of her body. And she had asked total stranger and just trying to be the hands of feet of Jesus. I said, yes, I'll be glad to take you.
00:06:56:12 - 00:07:16:17
Unknown
I didn't know the lady, so here I go. Pick her up the next day, take her to Duke Hospital and she has to see six doctors in the whole days. There was a whole day event. And do you know every doctor that we went to see? They each one of them asked her, are you holding any unforgiveness in your heart?
00:07:16:22 - 00:07:49:20
Unknown
Are you holding anything in? Is asked for that. The the medical doctors of Duke University asked her and said, are are you holding anything in that you know would would cause sickness, that would cause anything that would that your and she would always say, no, I love Jesus, he's my Lord and Savior. And I remember that day and she had all these tests done and every time and she, she basically said, listen, don't be talking about Jesus to these doctors because they're not believers.
00:07:49:20 - 00:08:11:06
Unknown
But she would walk out of the room to go to the restroom or whatever she had to do, and the doctors would start talking to me. And each one of the doctors asked me, they said, how do you think she's lived this long? Means she's had cancer since she's been six years old and she's 45. How do you think that she's lived this long with this and beat it every time I said, it's Jesus, there's no other answer.
00:08:11:07 - 00:08:29:17
Unknown
And they would agree. They said, yes, I, we we agree. We agree with that. And so when she would come back in the room, she'd give me the eyes, like, are you talking about Jesus? She didn't. But these doctors would all every one of them asked her every time we go in. Do you. Are you holding anything in your heart?
00:08:29:17 - 00:08:57:10
Unknown
Are you are you holding any unforgiveness in you? And she would always say no. Now, if a medical doctor is asking a patient that how important is it that we this James three verse 14, that we stand on this and we live in this, and we live by letting things go and forgiving those people that have hurt us the most.
00:08:57:11 - 00:09:21:01
Unknown
Yeah. I mean, I mean, Jesus said to take that to another level. If you don't forgive people, your heavenly father won't forgive you, right? And it's because the root of that is there's some type of pride in your life, pride or selfishness that says, well, God can forgive them, but I won't forgive them, right? Which means in a sense, you're you're holding yourself up is more important than God.
00:09:21:03 - 00:09:41:22
Unknown
God can do it. Why can't. So true. Yes. And that's that's the root of that. And and I think it all goes back to selfishness. Really? What? People act this way when they have ambition and they have jealousy. It's all about me. Yes. What can I get out of it? And and selfishness is is a bad thing. Even in a marriage we got.
00:09:41:23 - 00:10:05:12
Unknown
You know, I know some people that are thinking about getting married and through the years, you know, their relationship has had ups and downs. And I started watching and, and really all of their problems. And then I started thinking about it in my own life and my problems, too, because one party is selfish. And I thought about it, you know, if you have a marriage, really, it goes for any relationship, but for a marriage.
00:10:05:12 - 00:10:26:22
Unknown
For this example, if you've got one person who is completely unselfish and the other person is really selfish, it's not going to work. If you got two people that are selfish, oh my God, it's not going to work for very long at all, right? Trouble. But if you can get two people together that are completely unselfish and say, I put my needs behind yours, I want your well-being and the other person does the same for you.
00:10:26:23 - 00:10:46:01
Unknown
That is like the most healthy marriage. You start looking for it. That'll be the most healthy marriage you will ever see is when you get two unselfish people together. And James is saying, take that into the church with hundreds of people in a congregation. Yes, the ideal church would be every single person in that congregation. My my needs are behind your sister.
00:10:46:01 - 00:11:06:10
Unknown
My needs are behind yours, brother. I want what's best for you, for your brother performer. And you're doing the same thing to me. I mean, that would be almost like a utopia church, I think. I, I don't think you would have hardly any problems at all in a church like that, that James is describing. You know, Psalm 91 says A one can put a thousand to flight and two can put 10,000.
00:11:06:11 - 00:11:34:03
Unknown
Again, that's the power of agreement. And it's speaking really to the power of agreement. Yeah. And and James is really speaking to that, you know, here is, is when you're selfish, you cannot have agreement with a selfish person because they're there are inundated with everything about self. It's all about themselves. And so you can never it's hard to have an agreement, a partnership with a selfish person.
00:11:34:04 - 00:11:56:08
Unknown
Right. Would you agree with that? Oh yeah. And you know, this is this is really James is stepping on toes now. Now this is so basically what he's saying because you're going to get ready to go to the more heavenly wisdom first is off here. But what he's saying is earthly wisdom. Ask how can I become greater where heavenly wisdom is?
00:11:56:08 - 00:12:24:01
Unknown
How do I make Christ greater? How do I exalt that to show that to other people? And and he's getting ready to do it right here in these two verses 17 and 18. Okay. He says, but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere peacemakers who so in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
00:12:24:06 - 00:12:47:23
Unknown
So if you got your Bible and we talked about this in episode one and you should be marking in your Bibles, but right here I would write those characteristics pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, good fruit, sincere, and, you know, notice nothing about IQ, knows nothing about how smart you are. Everything. No career, no amount of money.
00:12:48:02 - 00:13:18:08
Unknown
That's right. Nothing and everything he is describing right there. And what you read is character. Yes. It's character. It's not what you have ascertained, but it's character and what. And again, let's draw back because he's drawing right from the sermon of the mouth. Yes. Yeah. So what is it? Peacemakers. That sound familiar? Yeah. Merciful. Pure. In heart. Again, Jesus is echoing Jesus's sermon, right?
00:13:18:09 - 00:13:42:15
Unknown
He he's he's he's giving it verbatim to you so, so heavily. Wisdom isn't recognized by applause. It is recognized by the resemblance of Christ. So. And we have to remember that and it doesn't. And, you know, it says here impartial partiality. You remember when we talked about showing favoritism? Yes. So I mean, he, he he even repeats that again.
00:13:42:17 - 00:14:08:07
Unknown
You know, so we don't show, you know, favor to, to, you know, the rich or, you know, you know, the Scripture, it says, you know, when the rich man comes in and you show favorite in or here's your seat, you know, he brings that up again, he's repeating it again. And, you know, the thing about it is in in joking, put this photo up because I think it, it just we talk about James and Vinita mentioned in one of the previous episodes.
00:14:08:07 - 00:14:32:21
Unknown
One of his nicknames was what was it, Campbell? Campbell knees, Campbell knees, Campbell knees. And they go go, go. A photo of the needs of Campbell. It is the most incredible because Campbell's get up and down by their knees. Right. And they get worn right away. You're literally seeing a camel. You can see his whole skin, but when you look at his knees, it's almost down to the bone.
00:14:32:23 - 00:14:59:09
Unknown
Yeah, he has this big muscle right there because that's what he does. Watch the Campbell get up. So he's showing to us. You know James is being surgical here. I mean from think about it verse James one one to the point. He's just I mean he's a surgeon at this point. And you know, to read his book and it's not a loan book gives again another path.
00:14:59:10 - 00:15:20:12
Unknown
I mean, a beautiful path that I've read. James, I've read James many times, but to break it down the way we have is just been great. So and and to you, you you keep doing this and I like it, Brian. Where you go, you go back to the times of Jesus. You look at these men, these disciples. James wasn't a disciple, but he was.
00:15:20:12 - 00:15:44:15
Unknown
He was right there with them, I believe. And you see, back then, they were competitive and they were ambitious. Right. And but now they're changed. And so when I read this, I keep thinking to myself, like, you know what? You can't read this absent of the Holy Spirit's work in a person's life, right? You gotta have that as a Christian.
00:15:44:16 - 00:16:07:06
Unknown
Yes. You're never going to live up to this in your own willpower, right? And these men didn't either know the the Holy Spirit has come at this point and is living in people's hearts. They're baptized their field. And that is the change, right? But what happens is probably what was happening with this church is, you know, if you go weeks without praying or you go even days without praying, right?
00:16:07:07 - 00:16:25:11
Unknown
You you leak. Yes. And you, you need you get empty. Right? And then you start acting this way. And so when you're struggling with these things and we all do, the solution to it is you better get on your knees and pray and let the Holy Spirit fill you back up. Yes, because a Holy Spirit filled person doesn't act this way.
00:16:25:12 - 00:16:44:12
Unknown
Just doesn't. That's right. This just does. And so I just want to throw that in there. This all revolves around the Holy Spirit's work in a person's life. And there's another scripture in James. We may have it read it yet, but it says, you know, just a little bit of sin grows into bigger sin a little. 1111 if the whole lot.
00:16:44:17 - 00:17:11:21
Unknown
And then and then it says that sin leads to death. Yeah. You know, and so it's speaking of what you were just talking about, you know, and, and that little bit can grow. That's why we have to go back to prayer, remaining in prayer, going, and let the Holy Spirit pour out again on us so that we stay in prayer, because the, the, the Scripture that says, you know, he comes, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
00:17:11:22 - 00:17:34:09
Unknown
He comes immediately. We were talking about this before, you know, when you go to church and you you step out of church and somebody calls you on the phone and said, hey, what was the sermon about? Hold on minute, honey. What was the sermon about? Because we the enemy comes out quick. And so that is that is the way it is with this constantly going back in prayer and saying, okay, I always spirit, I need you again, I need I need to be a peacemaker.
00:17:34:09 - 00:17:56:14
Unknown
I need to be considered. I need to be full of mercy, good fruit, impartial. I mean all of these things that make up the fruits of the spirit. That's right. That's how the transformation takes place. Absolutely. And I think to as we we're prefacing for that's getting ready to occur, we're going to get in chapter four because where I called James a spiritual surgeon because that's what he's doing.
00:17:56:14 - 00:18:16:19
Unknown
Surgeon has to anticipate the cut, what's coming, what he's looking for. So now he's going to start calling out these qualities of things. And he doesn't blame. And I think this is amazing. So as we get through that he doesn't blame culture. He doesn't blame politics economics, other people. He does not do that. He said the war begins inside of us.
00:18:16:19 - 00:18:36:20
Unknown
Now, what did he say back in chapter one? Again, he started off real simple and we used the mirror analogy. Where does he say? You gotta look in that mirror because the war starts right here, right in us. Yes. So now we've got to start cutting some things out, because this is going to sound really familiar to some stuff in the Old Testament.
00:18:36:20 - 00:18:59:04
Unknown
And back to the sermon on the Mount. So we go ahead and read those verses one through five. Okay, we're in chapter four now. Chapter four. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from the desires that battle within you? You. You desire, but you do not have. So you kill, you covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.
00:18:59:06 - 00:19:26:19
Unknown
You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures, you adulterous people. Man, James is so you adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
00:19:26:21 - 00:19:51:04
Unknown
That's right. So, so right there. Let's let's preference a few things. There's a Jeremiah prophet, Jeremiah connection there where the heart is deceitful. Jeremiah talks about that. What is James saying? Conflict begins there. It begins in deceit. Right. And he goes back to Proverbs again, which he does many times. Pride produces quarrels. Yes. Right. And James reaches the same conclusion.
00:19:51:05 - 00:20:16:14
Unknown
You know, peace is rarely destroyed by circumstances before it's destroyed by selfishness. Yes. So again, we're looking at our inner quality. And James is going to start cutting this stuff away and start identifying us. Right. You know, one thing I think of here is, I mean, you know, there's several examples or analogies we could use. But in the real world today, you know, you think about road rage.
00:20:16:18 - 00:20:38:15
Unknown
You know, how many people now, you know, you you go by and or you pass or you know, or they cut you off or you cut them off and you didn't mean to. I mean, we see so many people today pulling guns on, you know, people just, you know, just the other day here in this city, somebody passed, somebody cut him off, and the driver pulled out a gun and shot the guy.
00:20:38:16 - 00:20:59:01
Unknown
Oh, he shot him. He shot him and killed him. And they didn't. They didn't know who did it. He finally, 3 or 4 days later, the shooter finally came forward. But this right here, this is exactly what causes fights and quarrels among you. Don't they come from your desires? That bottle within you desire, but do not have? So you kill, you know.
00:20:59:02 - 00:21:20:13
Unknown
And he's not talking about really killing somebody physically, right? He's talking about you're going to talk about that. He's talking about anger. Exactly, exactly. But I mean, in the day we live in. I mean, we can honestly say we're living in the last days because people are there. They'll do things to kill, literally kill you today. And it's out of this anger.
00:21:20:13 - 00:21:50:04
Unknown
The same spirit of anger he's speaking about is what is, you know, rampant in in people today all across the globe, not just here in America, but I mean, just that anger, that build up, that there's no discipline. You know, it's, you know, we have free will, but that doesn't mean we we can allow ourselves to, you know, again, get out of control and harm other people or and how many times do we hear about that today?
00:21:50:05 - 00:22:08:09
Unknown
I mean, it's real life that people are killing just because they got a quick anger, right? They never this guy, the shooter that I'm talking about, he's never he's never been arrested. Never been arrested. He just got carrying a gun in his car and got angry and allowed his anger to get the best of him and shot and killed somebody.
00:22:08:10 - 00:22:26:20
Unknown
Now he's going to prison for the rest of his life. Over one bad decision. Over one bad decision over anger, the level of anger there. And he'd never been arrested before. And Jesus said in the sermon on the Mount again, it goes back to that, that if you have anger in your heart towards your brother, he's like, you've killed him.
00:22:26:20 - 00:22:50:01
Unknown
That's right, that's right. And that's a good point because James isn't condemning people. He is condemning the value system that opposes God. Yes, that that's that's where it comes back again. Right. And you know, James right there is using prophetic language. So go back and where he taught God's covenant people. This is an exodus. Now we're reading out of Exodus.
00:22:50:02 - 00:23:12:19
Unknown
You know, God's covenant people were repeatedly warned to get spiritual adultery. That term was used. So he's using the same type of prophetic language here that the Jews that would be there would understand. So. Right. Yeah. Exactly. Right. Because that's what he says right there, you adulterous people. And he's not talking about sexual assault, right? Right, right. He clarifies it.
00:23:12:19 - 00:23:31:04
Unknown
Don't you know that friendship with the world is intimately with God? That's right. So the adultery is you've committed a betrayal. That's right. You're over here dabbling with the world, and you're trying to be holy on Sunday, too. That's right. You can't. Again, it goes back to what you said. You can't be on the fence. If you're on the fence, you're on the side of the enemy.
00:23:31:05 - 00:23:54:18
Unknown
Yeah. That's that's right. Yeah. Because he's echoing covenant imagery. Right. And just like in Exodus. But take Hosea right. Hosea marriage, Gomer. Anybody remembers that story, it becomes a picture of God's faithful love towards an unfaithful people. It is, you know, the world doesn't have to hate God to become your idol. All you have to do is replace him.
00:23:54:20 - 00:24:20:16
Unknown
It doesn't matter how you replace him. That's right. It could be TikToks. It could be whatever it is. Right? Right. Replace media scrolling. Right? Right. You've created your idol. That's right, that's right. And we have to be so careful about that because we can. What was the verse when he says, you deny yourselves? You're deceiving yourselves. If you don't know the truth, you're deceiving yourselves.
00:24:20:16 - 00:24:46:10
Unknown
And it's in the days world that we live in. It's so easy to have an idol and it'll be your yourself in some sense. Right? Absolutely. Selfies. Yeah. That's right. Did you get that one? That was good. So we're going to verse six here. Now we're going to talk about God opposing the proud. So it says but he gives us more grace.
00:24:46:15 - 00:25:11:19
Unknown
This is what the Scripture says. God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Okay. So again he sounded like a I'm on repeat here. But he's just he's he's he's because we don't get it the first time. No, we don't get it. But what I'm trying to show you here is, is he's taking something out of Proverbs again re pull up Proverbs 334 and what James is quoting is just another Old Testament wisdom.
00:25:11:22 - 00:25:39:21
Unknown
And it's notice humility isn't weakness, right? Humility is not weakness. Humility positions us to receive grace and bronze. Going to read says 334 it says he marks the proud mockers, but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. Yeah. That's right. So we also have the. He's back to the sermon on the Mount, a little bit back to Matthew, where the blessed are blessed are the poor in spirit.
00:25:39:21 - 00:26:01:14
Unknown
And in James continues that teaching. Yeah. And it's just, you know, well, you know, that that's a scary verse. Two because I don't want God to oppose me, right? I mean, if God opposes you, man, you're you're just done for it at that point. But he does that to the proud, right? I think there's another verse in the Bible that says he doesn't hear the prayers of the proud or something of that nature.
00:26:01:15 - 00:26:21:03
Unknown
That's right. Well, pride pushes grace away. Yeah. And humility opens up your hands to receive God's favor. That's right. So it's a it's an easy thing, but it's not easy, right? It's easy to say it, but to put it in action, it's just it's a totally different, different thing. You know, he's talking about resist. He's talking about submit.
00:26:21:04 - 00:26:37:11
Unknown
He's talking about all these things we do not want to do. Right. We do not want to do that. Right? That's right. Our flesh. It's all about everything in here. You got to crucify your flesh to not do these. This is what your flesh wants to do. This is the. Like you said earlier, this is the world system, correct?
00:26:37:12 - 00:26:54:18
Unknown
This is what I mean. The world teaches this. I don't want to get too much into this, but pride. Right? There's a whole movement. Pride about pride. About pride. God opposes the do what makes you happy. Do what makes you happy. Do what makes you feel good. That is not speak your truth. That's right. That's right. That's the world system, right?
00:26:54:20 - 00:27:12:06
Unknown
We're not supposed to be a part of that. Right? We're not supposed to love that. All right. That's a strong words. But you see Christians today posting that do what makes you happy. Yeah. And that is not what the Bible says. Scripture does not say that this is not what a Christian should look like. Now, what a Christian should be saying?
00:27:12:07 - 00:27:38:00
Unknown
Absolutely not. There's a price. What James saying here. And and to take the bigger picture, James already has the example of Jesus for three years, right? I'm not talking about his whole life. I'm talking about the ministry for three years. He has that example. He understood what happened to Jesus. He's in Jerusalem. You can't tell me. It's not in the back of James's mind.
00:27:38:02 - 00:27:58:18
Unknown
What's going to happen to you? I mean, the same group of people are still there. That's right. That there's not a change happening here. We're dealing with the same culture. And to me, he he's just I mean, in fact, I think what he wrote this, I could be wrong, but I think Caiaphas was still the high priest. The same guy?
00:27:58:19 - 00:28:24:14
Unknown
Yes. That had Jesus killed that? Yeah. So you're right. He's he's. I mean, he's speaking these words out. Of course, it's the same people. Same people. It is it's it's it's it's it's a humble. And it takes humbleness and humility to understand the suffering that you're going to have to endure to follow Jesus. That's right. Because he is suffering.
00:28:24:16 - 00:28:48:15
Unknown
Don't. His words are not coming without bearing suffering. Right. And, you know, we talk about it, and I'm not adding anything to Scripture, but, you know, things that you say have consequences in the world you live in. Right. And to say what he's saying, we know. Good. You know, we know from research, most likely these first groups that he's teaching are in high and fluent people homes.
00:28:48:16 - 00:29:09:13
Unknown
Right. And what's the first thing he tells them? You know, I mean, he's talking about riches and he's talking about the poor, and he's talking about, you know, orphans and widows and, you know, what are you doing? So let's move on to verse 7 to 12. Yeah. Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
00:29:09:15 - 00:29:34:19
Unknown
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. Grieve, mourn, and well. Change your laughter to mourning in your joy to gloom. Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against the brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.
00:29:34:20 - 00:29:55:08
Unknown
When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one law giver and judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you, who are you to judge your neighbor? And doesn't that sound mighty familiar to an Old Testament prophet where he's calling Israel back to its covenant?
00:29:55:08 - 00:30:25:16
Unknown
And right there, something you want to write in your Bible? He's giving you some rapid fire material right there. Submit. Resist. Draw. Near. Cleanse. Purify. Mourn. Weep. Humble yourselves. He's calling them back into faithful covering covenant with him. Yeah, and that's basically what James is doing to the to the people he's speaking to there. When's the last time you grieved and mourned over your your sin, right?
00:30:25:16 - 00:30:47:08
Unknown
And your sinful self? Right? Right. I mean, that's strong, but that's the attitude. Is it really? Repentance is kind of what he's talking about there. Yes. Repentance. I was thinking the same thing. Yeah. You know, and there's there's this thing. Humble yourselves before the Lord. You know, I'm sorry. No, no. You know, that's that's a position. Yeah, yeah.
00:30:47:12 - 00:31:18:17
Unknown
That's not all mental there. That's a position. And he's he's issuing a challenge and he's echoing the prophets again. And go to the prophet Joel. Where? Where in Joel two returned with fasting morning and repentance. That's right. That's right. And and he's issuing you know, revival always begins with surrender before it becomes a celebration. So again, if we want revival in our life, if we want a renewal, if we want it, we have to surrender it to Jesus.
00:31:18:18 - 00:31:40:07
Unknown
Right. Right. And at that point, we don't celebrate as the world celebrates, right? We celebrate as heaven celebrates. Yes. Right. And. And now you're to. To live as Christ. To die is gain. That's right. Yeah. Right. And how do we get that? Right? So. So how do we get there? And James is painting this picture. He's painting the big picture now.
00:31:40:08 - 00:32:07:01
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. That that that is that's a sobering passage. He says stop laughing. Right. And mourn and gloom. Right. I mean, it's this is not the time to celebrate. Yes. It's not a time to celebrate with whoever he was writing to and still to people today and ourselves included. Like he really examine yourself. Right. You know that this is not all fun and games.
00:32:07:01 - 00:32:26:12
Unknown
This is your soul on the line. These are other people's souls on the line. Yes. No. Absolutely. And that's kind of what he gets to there. And in verse 11, he brings it back to other people. Yes. They don't slander one another. No. And don't speak bad about one another. If you if you do that, you're speaking against the law itself.
00:32:26:14 - 00:32:42:14
Unknown
I mean, that's we really need to watch what we say about people. Yeah, we really do. Even if there may be bad things about them worth pointing out. But maybe you don't always need to say it right. Maybe you need to look for the positive things in people. Sometimes, you know, and and take the bad things to God.
00:32:42:15 - 00:32:59:10
Unknown
Tell him about it. Exactly. You don't pray about it. It's not your job to talk about it to other people. We had a pastor one time, a long time ago. Nobody would know it. Noah's name. It's been so long ago, so I can. I can speak freely about it. But he was. There were rumors, you know, that he was having an affair with another woman.
00:32:59:10 - 00:33:21:23
Unknown
And they took it to God in prayer. The women of the church and the leaders of the church, they didn't tell anybody about it. They took it to God in prayer because they couldn't really prove it. And God worked out in a miraculous way. Worked it out, got him out of the church without the church splitting and falling apart, and restored him some years later.
00:33:22:00 - 00:33:41:15
Unknown
Wow. And but, you know, if people had not have done that and they had slandered right and talked bad about him and, and open and disgraced his name, you know, like you, you feel like doing that church might have split, right? You know, and so, yeah, we this is something we should really take seriously. Absolutely. We speak about other people.
00:33:41:17 - 00:34:03:22
Unknown
Absolutely. Yeah. Because everybody's soul matters. That's right. It matters. Even the sinner. Even the Christian who's sinning. Even your enemy. Even your enemy. There you go. Right. That's right. That's right. Let's let's. Cause we don't fight against flesh and blood. That's that's right. That's right. But against leaders of darkness and principalities, they what? Let's do verse 13 through 17.
00:34:03:23 - 00:34:30:23
Unknown
Okay, now listen. You who say today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city and spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why? You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, if it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that as it is.
00:34:30:23 - 00:34:54:08
Unknown
You boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone then knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it. It is sin for them. Yes. Yes. You know, we have a friend. Brian will know who I'm talking about. He's a pastor, and every time he says he's going to plan something for tomorrow, he'll say, if the Lord wills, if they're willing and the creek don't run, he'll say, if the Lord wills, we'll do this.
00:34:54:09 - 00:35:22:13
Unknown
If the Lord wills. He always says it. And I always think about this in James chapter four when he says that, because that's all he's ever said. If we make plans with them or if the Lord wills, we'll see you then, if the Lord wills. So. Yeah. I mean, it's a really it's just a really a call to home type of thing just to say, hey, don't be don't be boasting so much about what your plans are because you don't even know if you're going to live through tomorrow and you're boasting about something.
00:35:22:14 - 00:35:49:10
Unknown
Yeah. Get back to the main thing. Yes. You know, and and again, it's really bringing everything back to the forefront of the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? I mean, again, you're making plans, but it's he's saying, wait a minute. Put the Lord ahead of your plans if the Lord wills. That's right. And and I love that because it's basically saying the Lord will always be first because he knows the plans.
00:35:49:11 - 00:36:05:17
Unknown
We don't, but he knows the plans. That's right. So. And really, it makes you line your life up against the will of. Because we could be making plans and and it might not even be God's will. Right. You know, but if we if we pray this way and think this way. Yes. It's like, well, you know, I made these plans.
00:36:05:17 - 00:36:21:23
Unknown
It didn't work out. Well, praise got it. I guess it wasn't his will. Right, exactly. This door I wanted to open. It didn't open. Right. Praise God it wasn't his will. And it even says all such boasting is evil. So even even saying you know what is evil about it? What is. What does he mean by that? Why is it evil?
00:36:22:00 - 00:36:43:19
Unknown
Is it evil? Because you're basically putting your plans against what God's plans may be. It's that why it's evil? Yeah. To me. Yeah, I think so. What do you think? Right, I think that's. Yeah, I think you're basically you're boasting on plans and you're not God. So you don't you don't know what tomorrow holds. So how can you even say what to tomorrow is going to do?
00:36:43:21 - 00:37:08:15
Unknown
And you're boasting about your plans tomorrow. But God, only he's the only one that knows the plans for tomorrow. That makes sense. You know, Jesus said, don't worry about tomorrow. Today has enough troubles of his own, right? So even then, Jesus was saying he was even telling us. Then don't. Don't make plans for tomorrow. Yeah, I think I think the and the day we live in right now, we're playing everything we got tomorrow planned.
00:37:08:15 - 00:37:32:00
Unknown
We got next week plan. We have next month plan. We got our church services planned right to the minute, right. I mean, we got everything planned. And here it says don't make such plans. Well, I too am. James is putting a a masterclass, like, you know, where those master classes used to be able to buy into. You could watch them on the internet.
00:37:32:00 - 00:37:49:00
Unknown
I mean, he's putting together a masterclass in the biblical story, and I'm getting that to a minute. But you're right. When we produce an idol and that doesn't matter what that idol looks like, it can be your calendar. It could be. I'm going to the game tomorrow because the canes are playing Boston and Game five of the playoffs.
00:37:49:01 - 00:38:12:04
Unknown
Oh, you don't know that. You don't know that. I had a story where I used to work. There's years ago, probably 30 odd years ago, and a gentleman had a stage for brain cancer, was not supposed to survive it. And and he survived. I actually took his place. That was the whole reason of me being hiring while he was out.
00:38:12:05 - 00:38:31:05
Unknown
They were not expecting him to survive it. Well, lo and behold, that's selling term, right? Lo and behold, about a year later, year and a half later, he's back. He's come back, he's come back in. He's filling out his papers. He's going through HR. He's come back to the unit where I worked, and they introduced him to me.
00:38:31:05 - 00:38:54:11
Unknown
And he's coming back and everything's great, right? He leaves work, gets to the intersection of New Bern Avenue, and I can't think of the other road. Do you know he was hit head on by a drunk driver and killed? You cannot. Right. Look it tomorrow with what's in front of you today. And I think part of that is we all.
00:38:54:17 - 00:39:10:05
Unknown
There's three of us, and there's four of us sitting in this room. We all have souls. If we haven't given our testimony, if we haven't talked about it, what have what do we have the boast about? Yeah. What really do we have to boast? That's what I was I was trying to think of earlier, and I'm sorry to interrupt you.
00:39:10:06 - 00:39:28:01
Unknown
That was when I was trying to think of earlier, and I couldn't. But Jesus said, you know, we are overcome by the word of our testimony. Again, there's a there's that, you know, the word, what we speak, our voice, our words. You know, our tongue. We're overcome by the word of our testimony. That's right. So what? What are we?
00:39:28:02 - 00:39:47:19
Unknown
What are we testifying? What is our testimony? You know, so many people have a testimony, and they they have yet to share it. You know, I know a lady. And she said for years, one day I'm gonna give my testimony. One day I'm going to give my testimony. I'm like, well, why are we waiting? You know, could it be that she'll never overcome until she gets the word of her testimony?
00:39:47:19 - 00:40:11:17
Unknown
And that is so, you know that that that means so much even in that. Because, I mean, Jesus even said that. So I mean, well, two and I think James is reverberating this, this whole thing of the works. You know, he's not asking you to go to Zion a bridge. So, so, so that Christians crossed it that are being persecuted.
00:40:11:18 - 00:40:32:21
Unknown
He's he's saying if there's a widow, go help the widow. Right. You know, if there's an orphan, help the orphan. If the neighbor needs food, go, go give them food. Yeah. It's not, it's not it's not hard. It's what he's saying to us in in. How many of us are there? That's right. That that could just practice that.
00:40:32:21 - 00:40:55:07
Unknown
And you know, James has like I've said, he's up to this point. He's given a masterclass of the Bible without the Bible even being written. Right. I mean, he's giving it pretty much Genesis up to this point. Yes, because we know right now he's told out of Proverbs, which is what wisdom looks like. He's talking out of Leviticus, which is key because a lot of people don't want to read Leviticus.
00:40:55:07 - 00:41:22:01
Unknown
But Leviticus teaches what holiness looks like, and he talks about the prophets, that that's the people God calls. Right. That that get people that have wandered back right, for the covenant. And he he teaches about Jesus, which is the embodiment of the perfect wisdom, holiness in the covenant, faithfulness that Proverbs total of two is taught that the prophets taught.
00:41:22:01 - 00:41:52:04
Unknown
And now James is taking all these truths, and he's inserting them into these believers, or want to be the believers in Jerusalem. And and right now, what have we learned? You know, faith that obeys, right? Speech that blesses right constantly, wisdom that resembles Christ. Right? Right. Humility that receives grace. Right. And that that that's hard for us. And repentance that draws near to God.
00:41:52:05 - 00:42:17:23
Unknown
Yes. And and the last two of those are probably one of the two hardest things in practicality for us is repentance and humility, because we are not repentant people and we do not like humility, right? Because we like to be right and we like to put ourselves beside or above God at all times. So, you know, James doesn't ask us whether we believe the gospel.
00:42:18:00 - 00:42:43:09
Unknown
He asks whether the gospel has become visible in us. Right? That's the key thing, right? The invisible party was talking about with the obedience enter now becomes visible. Right? And he's putting on a masterclass. I mean, Jordan Peterson would be very proud of him. Yes. For the for the point that he he says it very clearly. Yes, absolutely.
00:42:43:11 - 00:42:56:17
Unknown
There's so much packed into every little sentence that he says there's no filler words. That's right. That's right. What do we say? Well he's passionate. You know, he talks about the zeal of the Lord. This is the zeal of the Lord right here. This is the zeal of the Lord. Right. And what is. What are we saying? Episode one.
00:42:56:18 - 00:43:16:09
Unknown
He's basically saying, what does your Monday morning look after Sunday, right. That's right. What is your Monday morning look like? Exactly. And that's the true test of it. Yep. So it's good. Well, that's chapter four. That is I think we have we have nailed down a lot of stuff today. Yeah. I think we won one last thing.
00:43:16:09 - 00:43:36:07
Unknown
If we just if anyone then knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them. You know, I think we miss that a lot. Like they don't they, you know, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it. It is sin for them. Yeah. He's he's like everything I just wrote before this.
00:43:36:08 - 00:43:56:18
Unknown
You now know if you don't try to live your life that way, then you're sinning, right? Basically. What? You're sinning. That's right. Yeah. Right. You're not omitting. You are actually sinning. Yeah. He's saying it with humility, though. Yeah. He's being very open. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we like to point our fingers. He's called them fools in here. He's called them.
00:43:56:20 - 00:44:13:11
Unknown
Called them murderers in love. Right. It's all in love. Sometimes we need to hear the spiritual word. You know he's using spiritual word. That's right. Right. He's speaking like a pastor. Really? Yeah. He is a leader. Like a leader. That's right. We need that in our lives. Sometimes we we we hear the Bible in too soft of a way.
00:44:13:11 - 00:44:20:11
Unknown
We need boldness. We do, and truth. Because the truth will cut right down to the to what's really going on. It will.
00:44:20:13 - 00:44:25:09
Unknown
So this this episode, this will be our next to last challenge for the book of James.
00:44:25:09 - 00:44:53:17
Unknown
So we're going about talking about Choose the Wisdom from above, which is what we just talked about. Teaches a earthly wisdom produces envy, selfish ambition, conflict, and disorder. Wisdom from above produces purity, peace, gentleness, mercy, and good fruit. So here's this week's challenge. Identify one conflict, one desire, and one area of pride in your life. Begin with the conflict.
00:44:53:18 - 00:45:19:21
Unknown
Think of the one relationship where there's tension, frustration, or division before focusing on what the other person has done. Ask what desire within me is contributing to this conflict, and by fighting to be right and by fighting to be recognized, respected in control. Praise. Comfortable. Vindicated. And then ask, what would the wisdom from above look like in this situation?
00:45:19:23 - 00:45:50:01
Unknown
It may mean listening before defending yourself, speaking gently, admitting where you were wrong, refusing to win the argument at the cost of the relationship. Seeking peace without compromising truth, showing mercy and stand instead of demanding repayment. Becoming open to correction. Next practice James commands submit to God. Resist the devil. Draw near to God. Cleanse your hands. Purify your heart.
00:45:50:01 - 00:46:21:23
Unknown
Mourn. Weep. Humble yourself before the Lord. Set aside a specific time this week to draw near to God without distraction. Confessed honestly. Do not explain away your pride. Do not blame someone else for your bitterness. Name it before God. Surrender it before God. Then take one humble step towards that peace. Yes. Now your challenge is enter one difficult situation this week, determined not to prove yourself, but to reflect Christ.
00:46:21:23 - 00:46:53:06
Unknown
And at the end of the week, ask, did my response create peace or greater disorder? Was I driven by selfish ambition or godly wisdom? Did I demand my way, or did I submit my heart to God? And did I draw near to God only for relief? Or did I draw near in repentance this week? Stop asking only how can I win and ask instead, how can Jesus be seen in the way I respond for you?
00:46:53:07 - 00:47:16:06
Unknown
Heavenly father, we thank you for the ability to be able to read your word and apply Your word. Lord, help us to tame our tongue. Help us to be considerate. Help us to be everything that we have studied. Oh, God. Lord, we need you. We're hungry and we're thirsty for more of you. We long to please you, Almighty God.
00:47:16:06 - 00:47:44:18
Unknown
So, Lord, I thank you. These challenges that Brian has given us, Lord. It would be such a revelation to us, Lord, to to be more like Christ and less like the flesh and everything that we do and everything that we say and every conversation and every family meeting and every family covenant table. Father, we thank you, God. You're in the midst of us and we believe by the Holy Spirit you are doing a work in us, and we submit and surrender to it.
00:47:44:18 - 00:47:52:01
Unknown
Even now, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen and amen. Amen.
00:47:52:03 - 00:48:11:02
Unknown
Thank you for listening. To practice the word. Our prayer is that today's conversation encourage you to open Scripture. Follow Jesus more closely and live as a doer of the word. If this episode blessed you, share it with somebody who needs encouragement. Subscribe to the show and leave a review so that more people can be reached with the truth of God's Word.
00:48:11:02 - 00:48:12:23
Unknown
And till next time, don't