Verses 1-6
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Pride and selfishness extend from the desire for pleasure that resides in our flesh. And if we do anything out of this desire for pleasure, it leads to:
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1. Strife and destructiveness in our relationships with other people (verse 1).
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2. Discontentment in oneself (as the flesh is never satisfied) (verse 2).
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3. Lack, emptiness, and adultery against God in one's relationship with Him (verses 2-3).
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It is important to pray and ask God for things, but in lust and self-centeredness, your prayers will not be answered; so your relationship with God will feel empty.
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You may pray to God, but receive nothing because you would waste what He would give you.
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Lust and self-centeredness also cause you to oppose God in adultery against Him. You'll be cheating on Him by sleeping with the world, chasing the same pleasure that unbelievers chase.
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Therefore, don't love or chase pleasure (2 Timothy 3:4, Proverbs 21:17). Love God, and put others first. This is humility.
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Then you will pray, your prayers will be answered, God will give you much grace and favor.
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Verses 7-10
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Admit that you have sin, be sorrowful about it, turn away from your sins, and obey what God says!
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This will bring you close to God and keep the enemy far away from you!
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Repentance and obedience are how you draw near to God and defeat the devil. The devil will not prey on you because you will be strong rather than weak (1 Peter 5:8).
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If you want to be better at this, do what Jesus did! Fast often, and know your Bible really well so you can stand up to temptation with Scripture (Matthew 4:1-11).
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Verses 11-12
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James likely refers to Jesus' teaching on judging others in Matthew 7:1-5.
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When you criticize another believer on the basis of personal feelings or opinions, rather than lovingly correcting them with the truth, you're really criticizing God and His law! How so?
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You're essentially saying, “What God's Word says isn't right. I need to tell this person what I feel, because what I feel is what's important.”
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Quit that! You are not the lawgiver! You don't get to decide what a person should or shouldn't do. God determines that. So don't be overly critical.
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Therefore, speak God's Word to others, not your personal feelings or opinions. By speaking God's Word, you're letting God be the Judge of people's actions rather than trying to be the judge yourself.
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If you feel strongly about something someone is doing, but you don't know whether what you feel is in agreement with the truth of the Word, don't speak until you have Scripture!
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Verses 13-16
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Don't live your life or make plans merely for material gain for yourself (Luke 12:15-21), nor overconfidently expect a certain future, when you don't really know what's going to happen tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1).
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No matter how many plans we make, it is only God's will that is accomplished (Proverbs 19:21); and God can frustrate any one of our plans if He chooses.
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Therefore, acknowledge your dependence on God's will in every plan that you make (Acts 18:21, 1 Corinthians 4:19, 16:7).
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To do this, when you make plans, say, “If God permits” or “God willing”. This is the humble thing to do because it shows that you trust in God and not in yourself.
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Also, do your best to make plans based on God's counsel in Scripture (Proverbs 16:3).
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This will help to ensure that your desires and plans agree with the will of God, thus allowing them to be accomplished (Proverbs 10:24, 21:5, Psalm 145:19).
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Verse 17
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Even though you don't know what will happen tomorrow, don't be passive.
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It is sinful if you know what is right, or feel convicted to take a certain action, and still choose not to do it. It is always God's desire for us to do what is right.
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Passive inactivity is not dependence on God's will. It's doubt and laziness.
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Ephesians 5:16-17 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
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Be intentional. Do your best to understand God's counsel as revealed in Scripture, and live in active obedience to it.
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Just because you know that God's will is always done, this doesn't give you an excuse to neglect doing what is good because God can get things done without you. This attitude is evil (Matthew 25:24-27). You should want to obey God because you love Him and want to bring Him glory.
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So, when you have opportunities to do things that the Word says to do, take action! This is an attitude that is pleasing to God.
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