Lesson 7-Gods Will
God’s Will
(James 4:1–17)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read James 4:1–17. This lesson references chapters 9 and 10 in Be Mature. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
James began chapter 4 talking about war with God, and he ended it talking about the will of God. But the two themes are related: When a believer is out of the will of God, he becomes a troublemaker and not a peacemaker.
—Be Mature, page 137
1. As you read James 4:1–17, what thoughts went through your mind? What does it mean to be in “the will of God”? How does being in God’s will impact the way we are to relate to others?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from James 4:1–17 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here. What strikes you about these verses?
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
When you examine some of the early churches, you discover that they had their share of disagreements. The members of the Corinthian church were competing with each other in the public meetings, and even suing each other in court (1 Cor. 6:1–8; 14:23–40). The Galatian believers were “biting and devouring” one another (Gal. 5:15). Paul had to admonish the Ephesians to cultivate spiritual unity (Eph. 4:1–16), and even his beloved church at Philippi had problems: Two women could not get along with each other (Phil. 4:1–3).
—Be Mature, page 126
3. Unity among believers is a common theme in Paul’s letters to the early church. How does James speak to this same issue in 4:1–3? What sorts of “wrong motives” can lead to fights and quarrels?
From the Commentary
The essence of sin is selfishness. Eve disobeyed God because she wanted to eat of the tree and become wise like God. Abraham lied about his wife because he selfishly wanted to save his own life (Gen. 12:10–20). Achan caused defeat to Israel because he selfishly took some forbidden loot from the ruins of Jericho (Josh. 7). “We have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53:6).
—Be Mature, page 128
4. James states that “friendship with the world is hatred toward God.” Is friendship with the world the same thing as sin? Explain. How is “selfishness” an example of friendship with the world?
More to Consider: Read about Abraham’s lie in Genesis 12:10–20. What prompted the “father of a nation” to lie? What does this story tell you about the pervasive nature of selfishness?
From the Commentary
The root cause of every war, internal and external, is rebellion against God. At the beginning of creation, you behold perfect harmony, but sin came into the world, and this led to conflict. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), and lawlessness is rebellion against God.
—Be Mature, page 129
5. Recall the fights or arguments you’ve observed or experienced recently. What was the catalyst for these battles? In what ways were they examples of rebellion toward God?
More to Consider: James compares friendship with the world to adultery because believers are considered “married to Christ.” Hosea uses the same sort of imagery (Hosea 1—2). How does this picture of a broken relationship with God impact the way you perceive sin and lawlessness?
From the History Books
World War I began essentially because of the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. When Austria-Hungary determined Serbia hadn’t punished those responsible for Ferdinand’s death, they declared war. It was only a matter of weeks before major European powers had joined the war, thanks to international alliances and agreements. The archduke’s assassination set into motion events that eventually let to the Great War.
6. James writes about the dangerous nature of pride and judgment. As you consider WWI (or any war for that matter), what role might pride or judgment of others have played in the genesis of this war? What role do pride and judgment play in the continuation of war? James tells his readers to humble themselves and submit to God and that will lead to joy. How could humility have helped to prevent WWI? How is seeking humility an example of pursuing God’s will?
From the Commentary
God graciously draws near to us when we deal with the sin in our lives that keeps Him at a distance. He will not share us with anyone else; He must have complete control. The double-minded Christian can never be close to God. Again, Abraham and Lot come to mind. Abraham “drew near” and talked to God about Sodom (Gen. 18:23ff.), while Lot moved into Sodom and lost the blessing of God.
—Be Mature, page 133
7. What does it mean to be “double-minded”? How does the pursuit of God’s will help keep Christians from double-mindedness? James tells his readers that when they resist the Devil, he will flee from them. How does someone go about doing this? Describe what it looks like in practical terms to come near to God.
From the Commentary
Apart from the will of God, life is a mystery. When you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and seek to do His will, then life starts to make sense. Even the physical world around you takes on new meaning. There is a simplicity and unity to your life that makes for poise and confidence. You are no longer living in a mysterious, threatening universe. You can sing, “This is my Father’s world!”
—Be Mature, pages 138–39
8. In 4:13–17, James is addressing people who seem to “have it all together” in life, those who have everything in order and are confident in their plans for the future. Perhaps you know people like this today. How might these people respond to James’ challenge to their “boasting about tomorrow”? What is James’ answer to the uncertainty of tomorrow?
From the Commentary
Everything in this universe operates according to laws. If we cooperate with these laws and obey them, then the universe works with us. But if we fight these laws and disobey them, the universe will work against us. For example, certain laws govern flight. The engineer who obeys those laws in designing and building the plane and the pilot who obeys those laws in flying the plane will both have the joy of seeing the great machine operate perfectly. But if they disobey the basic laws that govern flight, the result will be a crash and the loss of life and money.
God’s will for our lives is comparable to the laws He has built within the universe, with this exception: Those laws are general, but the will He has planned for our lives is specifically designed for us. No two lives are planned according to the same pattern.
—Be Mature, pages 142–43
9. List some of the “general laws” God has built into the universe, then consider what would happen if people disobeyed those laws. Think about Christians you know and the paths their lives have taken. What are some of the unique ways people are living out God’s will?
From the Commentary
The secret of a happy life is to delight in duty. When duty becomes delight, then burdens become blessings. “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” (Ps. 119:54). When we love God, then His statutes become songs, and we enjoy serving Him. When we serve God grudgingly, or because we have to, we may accomplish His work but we ourselves will miss the blessing. It will be toil, not ministry. But when we do God’s will from the heart, we are enriched, no matter how difficult the task might have been.
—Be Mature, page 145
10. James’ admonition to humble ourselves before God is also an invitation to delight in duty, as Wiersbe writes. What are the greatest challenges to adopting this sort of attitude? Does serving God begrudgingly still grow a believer’s maturity? Why or why not? What are some practical ways to measure whether we’re serving God out of love or because we feel we have to? How does someone move from begrudging service to willing service?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of James 4:1–17. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. In what ways does your pride cause fights or quarrels with family members, coworkers, or friends? What is at the root of that pride? How different would those relationships be if you took on an attitude of humility? How do you go about doing that?
12. Think of a time when you sat in judgment of others. What prompted your judgmental attitude? If you were pursuing God’s will in that circumstance, how might your attitude have been different?
13. When you read James’ pronouncement that we are like “mist,” how does that make you feel? How does it impact the manner in which you live your life? How should it? What changes need to occur in your life in order for you to pursue the Lord’s will in everything? How does the concept of “planning” take on new significance in light of pursuing God’s will?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you need to ask forgiveness from someone you have wronged? Do you need to work on personal issues with pride or a judgmental attitude? Perhaps you are feeling a specific prompting to live out some truth you’ve discovered in the Bible. Write those thoughts below. Be specific. Go back through James 4:1–17 and put a star next to the verse that is most convicting to you. Consider memorizing this verse so it can challenge you and move you toward positive change.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Interview one or more mature Christians on the subject of God’s will. Ask how they’ve gone about seeking God’s will and what obstacles they’ve faced as they’ve tried to interpret the right path to walk. If you have specific questions about your own spiritual journey, talk about these together. Spend time in prayer seeking wisdom for your next steps.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you noted above. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the “Going Forward” section above. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read James 5:1–20. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read chapters 11, 12, and 13, “Money Talks,” “The Power of Patience,” and “Let us Pray,” in Be Mature.