4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions [1] are at war within you? [2] 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
- What are you most likely to quarrel or have conflicts about?
- Which pleasures wage war within you and result in conflict?
- What sort of murder is he talking about here? (look at Mat 5:21-22)
- What are the reasons you might not have the things you desire?
- What portion of your prayers are requests for physical things for you?
- What portion are requests for physical things for others?
- How might the tongue play a role here?
Pretty condemning passage. Definitely boot camp material. One of the first things that jumps out is the concept of passions/pleasures within us. Very reminiscent of James 1:12-15. Our selfish nature is the root of most of our spiritual problems. Small wonder Jesus taught so much about dying to self. We do not have because we do not ask and when we do we ask for the things that are causing quarrel, i.e. our pleasures. In the heat of a quarrel, we say things with the tongue that kill relationships or at least wound them because we want to win. We want the stuff we want more than we want what is best for others. Our prayers are more focused on our physical wants than on our spritual needs. Ouch! I thank God for His mercy and grace, because reading this makes me realize just how far I have to go in my walk.
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