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雅各书［第四章］
Book of James 4

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雅各书 第四章|Book of James 4

【成为敬畏神的儿女】

主讲：林国晶传道

29/02/2024


引言：

神既然是那掌权者，我们身为祂的儿女就当敬畏祂。

一、谦卑不与神为敌（v1-6)

1.不放纵私欲(v1-3)

私欲是人体贴肉体的结果，会在人的内心产生争战，使人成为心怀二意的人。因此，我们的私欲引发贪恋，就不择手段的去争取我们所要求的，以致嫉妒、杀害，又斗殴、争战，结果也得不着。耶稣曾应许「你们祈求，就给你们」（路11:9），只要我们是按照神的国和旨意求的。因此，凡我们所祈求的，必须合乎神的旨意，否则就不能得到什么。

2.不与世俗为友 (v4-6)

『与世俗为友』指贪爱世界，跟世上的人事物同流合污。生活中的各种私欲，很容易使人产生骄傲，嫉妒，分争，内心得不到安宁，甚至败坏他人。因此，我们不能同时做世界的朋友一起来背叛神，又做神的朋友。

二、抵挡魔鬼亲近神 (v7-10)

恩典只会赐给谦卑寻求神的人，因此，我们要顺服神。我们也要对抗魔鬼的欺骗和恐吓。当我们抵挡魔鬼，我们就会蒙应许：魔鬼就必离开我们逃跑了。我们要在主面前自卑，才能亲近神，也不再与神为敌。而且，当我们在神面前承认自己绝望失败的处境时，祂就会把我们升高到祂面前，让我们能领受「更多的恩典」，使我们可以胜过试探。

三、不彼此批评论断 (v11-12)

对于人所做的是非对错，其实律法已经显明他有没有问题，不需要我们再去强调。 但是，当我们一再强调某某人的问题，仿佛律法效力不足，我们需为律法说话。因此，当我们批评弟兄的时候，其实就是在批评律法。然而，我们知道设立律法和判断人的，只有一位，就是神。因此，若我们批评弟兄，其实就是在批评神！

因此，一个敬畏神的人，就不敢「毁谤弟兄，或判断弟兄」。

四、生命由神来掌管 (v13-17)

其实，订立目标原是好的，但如果我们的计划中从来没有把神包括在内，那么我们的计划最后会叫我们失望。因为未来是掌握在神手中的。人生在世，即使有很多美好的计划，却控制不了会随时发生的意外。生命在神的掌管中，所以不可张狂夸口，因为这样的行为在神眼中是恶的。而且，人的生命很短暂，也很脆弱。

总结：一切都在乎神

弟兄姐妹，我们要成为敬畏神的儿女，我们就要常常来亲近神，服在祂的旨意里。我们也要求神帮助我们扺挡私欲，使我们不陷入斗殴争战；保守我们的口舌，使我们不再批评论断。

最终，我们要明白人的生命不在自己掌握之中。一切都由神掌权，而人所要做的事谦卑来到神面前寻求祂的面。因为一切都在乎神！


James 4 Becoming God-Fearing Children
GK611 Morning Devotion
29 Feb 2024
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Ps Stella Ling

Introduction:

Since God is the one who is in authority, we as His children should fear Him.

1. Be humble and not be enmity with God (v1-6)

(1) Do not indulge in selfish desires (v1-3)

Selfish desires are the result of man's carnality, which produces war within man and makes him a double-minded person. Therefore, our selfish desires lead to covetousness, and we do whatever it takes to get what we want, so that we envy and kill and fight and have war, and we don't get what we want. Jesus promised, "Ask, and it will be given to you" (Lk. 11:9), as long as we ask according to the kingdom and will of God. Therefore, whatever we ask for must be in accordance with God's will, otherwise we will not receive anything.

(2) Do not be friends with the world (v4-6)

To be "friends with the world" means to love the world and to be in league with the things of the world. The various selfish desires of life can easily lead to pride, envy, division, lack of inner peace, and even corruption of others. Therefore, we cannot be friends of the world and betray God at the same time

2. Resist the devil and draw near to God (v7-10)

Grace is only given to those who humbly seek God, therefore we are to obey God. We are also to resist the devil's deception and intimidation. When we resist the devil, we are promised that the devil will leave us and flee. We have to humble ourselves before the Lord in order to draw near to God and also to stop being enemies of God. And, when we confess our desperate, defeated condition before God, He will raise us up to Him so that we can receive "more grace" and so that we can overcome temptation.

3. Not criticising and judging one another (v11-12)

With regard to what a person does that is right or wrong, in fact the Law has already revealed whether he has a problem or not, and there is no need for us to emphasise it again. However, when we repeatedly emphasise the problems of a particular person, it is as if the Law is not effective enough and we need to speak up for the Law. Therefore, when we criticise a brother, we are actually criticising the Law. However, we know that there is only one who established the law and judges people, and that is God. Therefore, if we criticise our brother, we are actually criticising God!

Therefore, a person who fears God will not dare to "speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother“.

4. Life is in God's hands (v13-17)

In fact, it is good to set goals, but if we never include God in our plans, then our plans will end up disappointing us. Because the future is in God's hands. Even though we have a lot of good plans in life, we can't control the accidents that may happen at any time. Life is in God's hands, so do not boast wildly, for such behaviour is evil in God's eyes. Moreover, human life is short and fragile.

Conclusion: Everything is in God's hands

Brothers and sisters, if we want to be God-fearing children, we have to come close to God often and serve His will. We also ask God to help us defend ourselves against selfish desires so that we do not fall into fights and battles; to guard our mouths so that we do not criticise and judge.

Ultimately, we need to understand that human life is not in our own hands. Everything is in God's hands, and all one has to do is come humbly before Him and seek His face. For everything depends on God!