Matt Nelson - August 27, 2023
The Fruit of Wisdom & Humility
BOOK OF JAMES The Fruit of Wisdom & Humility 8.27.23 Wisdom requires understanding Understanding requires demonstration Demonstration requires humility Two ways to live your life: HUMILITY: serving others for the glory of God PRIDE: elevating yourself for your own self-glory Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” How is the fruit of humility grown? A revelation of our sin Understanding what God has accomplished for us through Jesus Through the work of the Spirit in us James 4:1-10 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Using Wisdom in Conflict: Ask for the Spirit to help you before addressing conflict Establish rules and boundaries for how you will deal with conflict before you get into conflict Don’t respond when emotions are high Be willing to be honest and have the necessary conversations in love Own your part of the conflict Use language and a heart that moves you toward peace and reconciliation Honor the other person as “made in the image of God” even in your disagreement