“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” (James 4:1)

If one learns to be content in all things, why then any grounds for quarreling?  Is it not the jealousies and ambition of some that cause others to rise up, quarrel, and fight?  What are the pleasures of the flesh but temporary things that are here and gone in the next moment.  Focus instead upon the higher and better things which you will always have.  Focus on the things of the Lord and live into the life You have been given through faith.

By grace you are called to become like Christ.  Through grace you will become more like Him.  Live then with this as your focus and not the vain pleasures of this world.  You have been called with an eternal call and in the Lord you are more than able to do these things.  Be guided then so that by the fruit of the Spirit you may both resist those things which produce conflict and live with the goal of becoming like Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit, and direct me from the inside out.  Lead me today where You know I need to go.  Guide me in Your goodness to see through the temptations of this world and to focus upon those things which are right and necessary for eternity.  Help me to have the wisdom to understand these things.  Guide me in Your goodness to live according to Your grace and mercy.  Lead me always, Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).

Often, the simple way of going about things is the last that is used.  Christianity is not an outside in, but inside out way of life.  The way to begin being Christian is to act as if you already were, so that it becomes a habit.  The way to become a person of peace is to act as if you were a person of peace.  That small seed of acting will become the reality, for the Holy Spirit is always at work in you.

Lord, I often want either an instant fix, or else some difficult way to do things.  Help me to put on peace and practice it as if thinking it were already mine.  Help me to do this with all things that You are calling for me to do in order that I may grow into the faith You have given me.  Help me to stop wanting instant fixes and instead, walk humbly step by step, in the way of everlasting life.

Lord Jesus, You have come to clear the field that I may enter it and begin the work of living a new life.  By Your grace I can put these things into action as if they were already mine.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of life so that I may now and always grow in the upward way.  Help me to live according to Your goodness and mercy and become the kind of person You are making me to be.  Amen.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).

First pure.  Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.  The Israelites were taught to go through rites of purification.  No one but the pure could enter the Holy of holies.  The Lord will have only the purified with Him in the new creation.  Blessed are the pure in heart.  So you see how important this is and why it is first on the list.  Pure first, then the other fruit of the Holy Spirit are grown and added in.

Lord, create in me that which needs to be created.  Do it in the order in which it needs to be done.  Through all that You intend, help me to have an attitude which looks to You for all things so that through You, that which You are creating in me may be made complete.  Guide me away from the way of the world and into Your way of truth and righteousness.  Lead me, Lord, now and forever in the holy way of truth.

Lord Jesus, You came to do all that You set out to accomplish.  I see only a part of it.  Guide me, Lord, now and forever so that I would not stop growing spiritually until You have accomplished in me that which You have set out to do.  When You said be perfect as the Father is perfect, You were not merely making a suggestion.  Lead me Lord in order that in following You, I would make progress in the steps of being made complete through Your grace.  Amen.

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:16).

This simple sentence is probably the root of most of the discord in any fellowship.  There are those who want to have authority for themselves, and they will do whatever is needed to gain it.  It is based upon jealousy and ambition.  The product is disorder.  Evil only needs to be a degree off to send anyone and everyone in the wrong direction.  Hold up good order and fight the good fight for what is right.  Be of the same mind one toward another.

Lord, You know where there is discord.  You know where I have caused it.  Remove evil so that Your people may flourish.  Guide me dear Lord in the way of truth in order that I may now and forever be led by You to go the way of all righteousness.  Let not harbor  evil  within me and help me to root it out by Your power and under Your direction with Your good order in mind whenever I see it.  You alone are Sovereign Lord and no one else should or can take Your place.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is there hope for all ages.  Guide me where I have jealousy and ambition to look to You.  Lead me into holiness.  Grant me the ability to fight the good fight when I see discord and evil things.  Through it all, establish Your church so that in Your goodness, Your grace and mercy may prevail.  Lead Your faithful into the ways of righteousness on the path of faith which is set before us all.  Amen

“This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic” (James 3:15).

Learning how to mask our issues is what the world teaches.  That, and learning how to seem normal when you are doing wickedness.  It may be self-control as far as the world is concerned, but it is wickedness as far as the Lord is concerned.  Do not be double-minded, but set your mind on seeking what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  Look to Him and he will remove what needs to be removed.

Lord, You are the One who created me and You know all things.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may now and always be guided by You, my Lord and my God.  Where I do have ideas in conflict within me, remove the evil and strengthen the good.  Through all things, help me to understand and be a willing participant in Your goodness.  Keep my eyes upon You, O Lord, and lead me the way I need to go to become more like You.

Lord Jesus, You are the example for us all.  Help me today as I walk through the mire of this world.  Keep my heart in the right place, and in those places where the world tempts me to be double-minded, lead me away from that temptation and into truth.  You have set me free from sin and death, now free me from the inside out to be Yours forever.  Thank You Lord for doing all that is needed that this may be done.  Amen.

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth” (James 3:14).

One wonders how often this kind of thing happens.  There are those who do seem to behave this way in the church.  But that is speculation.  What then?  Take these things to heart lest they well up in your heart and then what has not been dealt with comes out of your mouth.  We all have issues, and some are repressed.  Confess, confess, and confess and let these things out so that the Lord may truly give you a clean heart.

Lord, I do not know all the places in my heart which have been affected over my lifetime, but there are things that have happened which cause me to act and react in certain ways.  Lead me Lord to the place where I can let these things go and live as You would have me live.  Guide me, Lord, in the right direction and help me to move toward the place where I truly am acting like Christ.

Lord and Savior Jesus, You know where I need to go today.  You know what I am able to face and those things that You will work on in me.  Lead me in gentleness so that I would not do evil, but instead be guided by You and the goodness of Your grace.  Help me to see that only in You, Lord, is there hope and a future.  Let me walk willingly with You this day as You lead me in the direction I need to go.  Amen.

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13).

Wisdom, knowledge and understanding are different things.  There are elements of each in the others, but they are different.  If the Lord has given you wisdom, then use that wisdom for His sake and share your wisdom with others.  Be guided by the principle that He is at work in You and in others too.  We are placed together for His sake and in His purpose, He will grow in us the likeness of Christ.

Lord, there are things You have given to me which others would call wisdom.  Let me not keep these things stored away, but offer them as a gift to any who would receive them.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life so that I might grow each day in knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  Let these things come out in and through the things that I do.  Help me to know that in You alone is all grace, mercy, and hope.

My Lord and Savior, You have those things which You will go to work on in me this day.  Lead me according to Your goodness to look to You for all understanding.  Help me to listen as Your Spirit gives me wisdom.  Most of all, help me to walk the walk of one who believes and lives out the life of faith You have given me in such a way that others see that I believe.  In You alone is there all hope and the only future worth living.  Grant me the wisdom to act on this truth in word and deed.  Amen.

“Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh” (James 3:11-12).

This metaphor has slightly changed, but hopefully you get the point.  In our age, people think they can be of the world, and also of the Lord.  You cannot mix good and evil.  Mind you, we are all mixed up and we need the Lord’s help, which is why we pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”  The plea here is for you to take seriously the work that needs to be done in order that You may be in the Lord now and forever.

The salvation part belongs to the Lord.  Only He can do this, but you must be a willing participant.  Each time you fall, get back up. Look to the Lord and move forward.  Sometimes you’ll even take a few steps backward.  You’ll find that somehow or other this stumbling will have done you some good.  Come then and be on the journey of becoming like Christ and know that He will complete you.

Lord Jesus, you must be the author and finisher of my faith, for without You these things are impossible.  Help me see where I am mixing things up and then help me to willingly walk with You as You go to work in me.  Guide me to be intentional about all that I say and do.  Help me to look for the good and shun the evil in me.  Above all things, give me grace for others as they too struggle.  Amen.

“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (James 3:10-11).

We do good and evil.  Our parents thought we could handle both good and evil.  Look at history and you see that we cannot.  We cannot be both good and evil.  We will end up either one or the other.  You have the call of Christ before you.  That is the call to good.  You cannot serve the Father and yourself.  There can only be one Master and that is the Lord.  Your struggle is ever before you.

Lord, I see the places where I wrestle.  I want to be in control.  Guide me away from the wrestling of my spirit so that I may be guided by You alone.  You know the direction I need to go.  You know the struggles I have.  You know the tug-of-war that is constantly pulling me in different directions.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of salvation in order that I would stop the striving and rest in You.

Lord Jesus, You came to save me.  I need saving.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Lead me in the way of hope, truth and goodness.  My Lord and Savior, You know what I need.  You know how to accomplish all that is needed.  You have provided the way of salvation.  Guide me in that way.  Help me to know and understand that You are making all things new, including me.  Amen.

“But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (James 3:8).

No one can tame the tongue.  Listen, our faith is not based upon self-control.  You just can’t do it.  But at just the right time, the One who can has come along so that You can follow Him as He cures the ills endemic in us all and heals our sinfulness by replacing it with godliness.  We need the Savior to do the saving.  Do not fall into the trap of the Pharisees, relying on works for salvation; instead live in the grace which is yours in Christ.

Lord, I am saved by grace through faith.  Lead me to understand that I indeed need saving.  Guide me into Your goodness to know that in You alone there is all hope and a future.  Lead me away from trying to do things on my own and rest in the knowledge that my help comes from the Lord.  You have given us powerful things like the tongue and we cannot handle them on our own.  But with the help of the Lord we can and will handle them rightly.  Lead me, Lord!

Lord Jesus, You came to fulfill the law.  Guide me according to Your goodness – Yours not mine – so that I would follow Your example and be led by You.  Help me through this day.  That is enough.  Help me to be one who sees You work on and in me such that the impossible is done because You are the One doing it.  Lead me into a righteous lifestyle so that I may be transformed by You for the Father’s purpose.  Amen.