This letter is not written to a church, but to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. This letter is written to Jews, supposedly those that confess Christ as their saviour. I think it is interesting that James writes this letter to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. They knew where they were, even though there are those today that don’t know where they are. God’s people know who they belong to, even if the world doesn’t know.

James 2:2 – the word "assembly" is translated from the Greek word "sunagogue" which means a Jewish synagogue, or a Jewish assembly. We can apply these writings to our own lives, just as the Jews could apply the messages to their own lives.

I. We don’t ask.

A. Most of the time we don’t ask because we don’t believe God will give what we ask for. We aren’t used to living by faith, and find it much easier to live by sight. It is more natural to live by sight and it fits this body and mind and our sinful lifestyle much better.

1. Much of the time we don’t ask because we want to do it ourselves. We don’t like to depend on God, we had rather depend on ourselves because we are filled with the pride of life. We like to be independent, to depend on no one, but ourselves. We want others to believe we can take care of ourselves (self-reliance), while they also see our humility.

2. Ephesians 3:20 states, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," This verse is part of a prayer Paul prayed to Almighty God for the people at Ephesus. God can and will do more than we can ask or think. But only according to the power that worketh in us. What does that mean? It means that God will only act in his gracious provision and aid for us in the same proportion as we believe in him. If you don’t believe God will do anything, he won’t do anything. If you believe God will do a certain thing, he will do it. (All of this is according to the scriptures, of course.)

B. The great prophet, Elijah, didn’t receive when he asked the first time. A careful reading of James 5:17,18 and I Kings 18:44, indicates that Elijah prayed more than once to stop the rain, and more than once to bring the rain again. In II Kings 4:32-35, Elisha stretched himself on the dead child at least two times.

1. The widow woman in Luke 18:1-8 cried unto the king until she was avenged. Jesus declares to us, "Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

2. Don’t be discouraged when it seems God isn’t listening. Keep on praying, seeking, and knocking. God will answer your prayers.

C. There are a lot of reasons we don’t have what we desire and one of those reasons is because we don’t ask. Matt. 7:7,8 declares, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Don’t be surprised if you don’t receive when you ask the first time.

II. We ask amiss.

A. Sometimes we don’t receive what we asked for because we haven’t asked that God be glorified, but that we be satisfied. We might say, "I’ve asked in the name of Jesus, but He just hasn’t given like He said he would." Remember, God always does it right; we have done it wrong. If we haven’t asked for the glory of God, He won’t supply.

1. For example, all of us have had times of financial trouble. During those times, it is easy to pray that God supply our needs. But how many of us pray that our needs be supplied for God’s glory? If we are praying that our needs be supplied simply so we will have the necessities of life, we are praying in vain.

2. A man could ask for a wife just so he will have a wife – that request will go unanswered by God. He might get a wife, but that wife will not be a gift from God.

3. A woman could ask for a husband so he will have a husband – that request will go unanswered by God. She might get a husband, but that husband will not be a gift from God.

4. A person might ask for a job, car, house, property so he will have that thing – that request will go unanswered by God. He might get those things, but they will not be a gift from God.

B. James 4:4 – In order to get our prayer requests answered from God, we must completely forsake the world and everything in it.

1. The word "enmity" means hostility or opposition.

2. You cannot have one foot in the world, and the other foot in this world.

3. These adulterers and adulteresses are those that are friendly with the world.

a. We don’t think mixing and mingling with the world is adultery, but God does.

b. I Corinthians 5:9-11 – "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."

c. Therefore we see that we must live in this world, but not partake of the sins of the world.

4. How can we gain things in this world if we don’t mix with the world?

a. Matthew 16:26 – "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

b. Matthew 6:19 – "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:"

c. Matthew 6:24 – "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

d. Matthew 6:33 – "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

e. God is telling us we don’t have to try to get things of this world, he will supply everything we need.

C. James 4:5 states, "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?"

1. Some word definitions.

a. The word "spirit" means the human spirit, the rational soul, Christ’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

1) Therefore the word can man both the human spirit, and the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of Christ which dwells within us.

b. The word "dwelleth" means to house permanently, or to reside.

c. The word "lusteth" means to yearn, or to intensely crave possession (lawfully or wrongfully).

d. The word "envy" means ill-will or jealously.

2. Taking verse 2-5 in context, James is saying that just because you want a thing doesn’t mean that is what God wants for you. We all have an internal conflict between what we want and what God wants for us.

a. Notice James 4:13-17 for an example of how God wants us to consider material benefits.

b. God doesn’t mind us planning on doing business in another town, or making money.

c. He wants us to understand our lives are a vapor and we might be here next year, or the next hour, as far as that is concerned.

III. James 4:6-10 – Let us submit ourselves to the living God if we want evil desires to stop.

A. Verse 6 – God will not bless the proud, but will give grace only to the humble.

B. Verse 7 – Submission to God always 1involves resisting the devil.

C. Verse 8 – Draw close to God and stop sinning.

D. Verse 9 – See your sins as God sees them.

E. Verse 10 – When you do what God demands, you will have peace from evil strivings within yourself and with others.