AT

 Series: Always Relevant: God Is…

James 4:1-3 MSG

Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV

John 16:13 ESV

Romans 12:2 ESV

I Peter 2:9 ESV

Philippians 2:1-5 ESV

Romans 5:5 ESV

You’re showing your stripes when you AT me. 

When you refuse to listen to my side and you’re always attacking me, you’re AT me. 

When you constantly demand your own way and you don’t listen to my side, you are AT me. 

James 4:1-3 puts it this way:

“Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.”

Wow…those are tough words! 

Even in the first century, James described someone who is AT another person.

They demand their own way…

They aren’t willing to listen to others.

They want what they want when they want it and they’re willing to do anything to get it! 

What’s crazy is that we know this person. I would even venture to say that everyone I know can name someone (if not multiple people) who is AT because they constantly demand their own way. They may be open about it or they can be passive aggressive about wanting their own way…either way they are fighting to get what they want when they want it. 

There are folks who even mask it. While they fight for something or some group that’s seen as a good thing, it can also do great damage to others when it’s simply for the purpose of getting what they want. 

Allow me to explain. 

According to the words James wrote, a person or a group that brings strife to our world simply for the purpose of having their own way is selfish and self-serving. 

At this point you may be thinking that’s how things get done in our world. 

That’s often true. However, it doesn’t have to be done at the expense of others. Every day in every way we need to know we do not stand on our own. 

We are told in Ephesians 4:22-24, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

As believers we are called to wrestle with our deceitful desires and seek to be Christ-like. While that is not easy we can rely on the help of the Spirit of God. The Spirit was promised to every believer. In John 16:13 we are told because of the promise of the Spirit in Christ we have hope, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

When we turn to God the Spirit guides us to the way of God. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

We are not called to be AT. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We are a people chosen to walk in the light of Jesus. In Philippians 2:1-5, Paul wrote, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ. We do not stand on our own. When we are about to tackle an important difficult task, we can ask the Spirit of God to guide us in the way of Christ. When we confess we need God’s help, we have the promise of the Spirit that the hope of God IN us. 

Romans 5:5 tells us, “hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

We can turn to God and ask the Spirit to show us the way ahead. 

As we wait and listen for the Spirit, we will receive guidance. 

We pray and wait, pray and wait.

Spiritual Practice: Pray for Guidance

Sit in silence and wait to hear God. 

In God, Deborah   

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