WHAT ARE THE DESIRES IN ME?

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22 May 2018 Tuesday


Today's first reading from James 4:1-10 challenges me
  • What are the things that I want and havent got?
  • Do I have an ambition that I cannot fulfill?
  • What are the desires inside me that causes me to be bitter and selfish?  
  • Do I pray about these?
  • How do I pray?  Do I pray rightly? Or do I indulge in my own desires?
"Submit to God, draw near to Him and He will draw near to us.  Humble yourself and He will exalt you.” James 4:7-8

The preceeding chapter talks about wisdom..
"The one who is wise and humble shows works by a good life in humility that comes from wisdom. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, compliant, merciful, fruitful/" James 3:1,17

The short reading in the Morning Prayer
"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." 1 John 4:14-15 

And the week’s Collect
Grant we pray, alrighty God, that, always pondering on spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed, that which is pleasing to you. 


May the Lord guide as I ponder the desires and battles in my heart, and by this searching, draw near to Him in humility, pray rightly, obtain wisdom and understanding, and be able to live a life pleasing to Him in words and deeds, acknowledging that He is the Son of God and have Him live in me, and I in Him.


James 3:13
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

James 4:1-10
Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first start? Isn’t it precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven’t got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force. Why you don’t have what you want is because you don’t pray for it; when you do pray and don’t get it, it is because you have not prayed properly, you have prayed for something to indulge your own desires.

You are as unfaithful as adulterous wives; don’t you realise that making the world your friend is making God your enemy? Anyone who chooses the world for his friend turns himself into God’s enemy. Surely you don’t think scripture is wrong when it says: the spirit which he sent to live in us wants us for himself alone? But he has been even more generous to us, as scripture says: God opposes the proud but he gives generously to the humble. Give in to God, then; resist the devil, and he will run away from you. The nearer you go to God, the nearer he will come to you. Clean your hands, you sinners, and clear your minds, you waverers. Look at your wretched condition, and weep for it in misery; be miserable instead of laughing, gloomy instead of happy. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.

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