Letting Go Of Self - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Letting Go Of Self

James 4:1-6Slide2

Letting Go Of Self

We pick back up with our study on the book of James

We dive into chapter 4 tonight to look at the first 6 verses

James has just touched on the subject of selfishness at the end of chapter 3 while speaking of wisdomSlide3

Letting Go Of Self

Selfishness is a very difficult foe for us in this life

It lies at the

heart

of every sin that we commit

When I sin, I am serving my self, my wants, and my desires instead of what God wants for me (Js. 1:14)Slide4

Letting Go Of Self

Selfishness causes us to sin

We must take it seriously and learn to combat it

It begins by

understanding

the issues that selfishness can cause in our lives

If we don’t see a problem we will never move to fix itSlide5

Letting Go Of Self

1. Selfishness causes

strife

(v. 1)

One of the first things James points out is that selfishness causes strife in the world

The desire for

personal

pleasure

causes these wars and fights

Strife

is mentioned as one of the sins deserving of

death

(Rom. 1:29)Slide6

Letting Go Of Self

1. Selfishness causes strife (v. 1)

Paul mentions the works of the flesh which include contentions, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, and dissensions

(Gal. 5:19-21)

Paul speaks of how we should

act

vs. how we have

acted

(Titus 3:1-3)Slide7

Letting Go Of Self

2. Selfishness causes

self-reliance

(v. 2)

James points out next that there is still some lacking there

They lusted, murdered, coveted, fought; and yet they still did not have what they were after

All this was because they did not

askSlide8

Letting Go Of Self

2. Selfishness causes self-reliance (v. 2)

In other words, we see self-reliance here

People that are selfish think that they can

handle

anything and everything on their own

They do not see the need in God because they have “self” to take care of thingsSlide9

Letting Go Of Self

2. Selfishness causes self-reliance (v. 2)

David

understood reliance on God

(Ps. 63:1-2)

Our dependence on God is probably best described in Jeremiah 17:5-9

Selfishness causes us to turn away from the giver of all good and perfect gifts (1:17)Slide10

Letting Go Of Self

3. Selfishness causes

hindered

prayers

(v. 3)

The next problem James addressed was asking out of selfish motives

They asked but did not receive because they asked from selfish motives

Our

motives

behind our prayers matter!Slide11

Letting Go Of Self

3. Selfishness causes hindered prayers

(v. 3)

We need to be

selfless

in our prayers

That means praying about and for others

It also means that when we pray about ourselves, that we do it from pure motives with the intention of glorifying GodSlide12

Letting Go Of Self

4. Selfishness causes

enmity

with God

(v. 4)

Enmity = hostility or

opposition

Selfishness leads to sin, which is a separation from God (Is. 59:1-2)

We are either

with

God or we are

against

HimSlide13

Letting Go Of Self

4. Selfishness causes enmity with God

(v. 4)

“Because the carnal (fleshly) mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be”

(Rom. 8:7)

Remember God should come

first

(Matt. 22:37)Slide14

Letting Go Of Self

5. Selfishness causes

pride

(v. 6)

Those who are selfish are lifted up with pride

They have an attitude that they need no one else and can do everything for themselves

Selfishness gives them an inflated

egoSlide15

Letting Go Of Self

5. Selfishness causes pride (v. 6)

God resists those who are proud

“Therefore let him who thinks he

stands

take heed lest he

fall

” (I Cor. 10:12)

“Pride goes before destruction, and a

haughty

spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18)Slide16

Letting Go Of Self

6. Selfishness costs us

grace

(v. 6)

God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud and the selfish

If we find ourselves full of pride, then

God

does not

give

grace to us

We need the grace of God, for by it we have been

saved

(Eph. 2:8)