1181. What Do You Really Want? pt. 1

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville South Carolina this week on The Daily Platform featuring sermons preached from the Bob Jones University 2021 Bible conference with the theme of sanctification.

Today's sermon is the first in a series preached by pastor will Goggin of gospel Grace Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. James chapter 4 starts at two questions. He says from whence come wars and fightings among you, not hence you have your loss that war in your members. He said he lost have not. You killed desire to have cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you have not because you asked not you ask and receive. Not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your loss. You adulterers and adulteresses no not the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend. The world is the enemy of God.

Do you think the scripture saith conveying the spirit dwells in us lost at the envy giveth more grace. Therefore, he said, God resists the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble, submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God have drawn. I do you cleanse your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, you double minded be afflicted morning we let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to happiness.

Humble yourself inside Lord, and he shall lift you up. You cannot go into directions at once. The one who watches her play sports knows this. It's all about using momentum to your advantage. Whether it's judo, basketball, football or soccer. My favorite European club is Liverpool football club they they are presently the reigning champions of the EPL but they're not doing too well right now, but last season they had to wingers who were at their peak's audio. Manet Mohammed Saul. These dudes were otherworldly. They were just on believable their videos and just whole collections of videos on YouTube of these guys just make and the defenders look silly if these guys are the stuff of legends tell us about their ability to twist and turn up at the ball to the defenders legs and then score on a medias watching you. You just stand and because it what they would do is they would subject the other players that the planet players were just a demonstration you you cannot go into directions at once. And that's the point of our text spiritually, you cannot go to directions at once. James E gives us a term and side effect.

Some think that he coined it. We see in verse eight, you look, there's the last word. He double minded. Purify your hearts, you double minded.

He uses the same term in James one verse eight double minded man is unstable in all his ways. In chapter 2 and three. He says saying you can't do. You can't go into directions at once you you can't use your time to praise God in a worship service and then gossip and slander people in private you you can't be evil towards those that are poor and somehow think that doing good to rich people that it that all works. How says you can't go to directions at once and then in James chapter 3 he talks about these people that that they think their spiritual, but they have wisdom from below and he says you think your spiritual stop lying to yourself. You're living in a manner with bitter envy and jealousy. That's wisdom from below. That's not wisdom from above because wisdom that's from above is wholly peaceable and teachable. You cannot go to directions at once. So if we were to take our text we are just as stated in a propositional manner are relational issues often reveal a rebellious heart that suppose the will of God. However, God's grace is enough to give us a whole heartedness for him are relational issues reveal a rebellious heart that is oppose the will of God. However, God's grace is enough to give us a whole heartedness for him.

And so as we were to James for one through 10 word and unfolded really with with really three main thoughts.

The problem of our divided heart. God's grace for our divided heart and a prescription for our divided heart sofa, look at that first thought the problem of our divided heart is in verse one through verse three, from whence come wars and fightings among you, not hence, even if you lost the war in your members you lost have not. You killed desire to have cannot obtain. You fight more. Yet you have not because you asked not you ask and receive. Not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.

The problem of our divided you know if I was to come in here and I was to begin to say your rebellious your idolatrous you've you've got these idols that cause you drip from God. We all do not weep. We come to get a aha but I think a lot of us to just go right over us would stay distracted in here this morning week we be thinking about other things we be prepping for our fundraisers and our friend events and whatever else is going on today but we just kinda had not, but what James does is he starts with the exteriors that the things that are easy for us to see any consist slowly work into the heart using the problem of our divided heart is manifested through our our divisiveness is manifested through our wars. Where do the wars and fightings come from one commentator said. He said I think what she does in title this section that the Scriptures like why can't we just all get along you can think of a difficult person for you to get along with was greater in the points do not raise in this next one. How many of you have a roommate that's a little bit difficult to limit, do not raise her hand. Misguiding raises any just patted his roommate that's that's sweet I thought you now it's just all their issue, but I wish they would just change because what is that this was they were so awkward to quote brother Steve.

I just wish they were just a little bit you know not, will bless their hearts, where the wars where the fightings comes from easy questions cause us to answer. What's their issue.

What's their problem. Why don't you like them. All these wars we see other terminology on this taxi. He says the contentiousness the unfaithfulness the worldliness the pride all these things a result of the wars in the fightings and the murders these outward manifestation. The double minded believers in chapter 3. Therefore, bitter envy, strife, confusion and every evil practice it when you asked that question were the wars and fighting from CA. It causes us to focus on that other person if they would just wake up on time if they just turn off their alarm and if they just clean up after themselves. I'm telling you, if they just go to Scott class on time. If they just do their laundry.

We point our fingers. And yet, what is he do he borrows any said.

He said, where does it come from the answers the question with a question, not hence, you love your lusts that war in your members. These in word motivation for our divided heart. I just want something I have this desire, he says. So why is that the wars and fightings wells because the desires that are in your heart if you look at verses one into you if you see three words that tell us about these desires are there there translated in the verse number preaching from as lost in verse one and then lost again in verse two, and then we see that word desire. He says so.

So where the wars come from the come from the desires will what's those desires.

What's our sinful human nature, it's our flesh at salvation. The old man died the new man lives with the flesh lingers for the Christian. Theologically, sin no longer write rains but it does remain as I Paul in Galatians and for the flesh lusts against the spirit. This really is the flesh. These are contrary one to the other said you cannot do the things that you would so that first lost in verse one is heat on a it's it's it's a desire or a craving for a pleasure some sensual indulgence that I desire for what we can see a Thoma verse two that lost you wanted very much zealous in in in in the second desire inverse to you to be filled with jealousy and envy and sinful and ambition assist these pleasure for some form of gratification right now my way that now I just want you to know something as were talking about pleasure though do not do not conflate that the two concepts you got pleasure, but then you got pleasure outside of God's way in God's time. If you put those together that's that sinful pleasure but pleasure in of itself is a good thing who made pleasure. You read Screwtape letters, whose red Screwtape letters uncle Screwtape's writing to his nephew warm when he says this never forget than when we're dealing with any pleasure. It is healthy and normal and satisfying. We are in a sense on the enemies ground. I know we won many a soul through pleasure. All the same. It's his invention not ours. He made the pleasures all of our research so far far has not enabled us to produce one pleasure all we can do is encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our enemy is produced at times are in ways born degrees which he has forbidden God is the giver of good gifts. But Satan loves to take a good gift and make it a primary thing isn't Satan loves to take a good thing and turn it into a bad thing.

And for example I mean who likes food who likes food who's hungry right now will so my because I thought chiclet was open this morning. I may or may not be very bitter, but is not food that sinful.

It's too much food right when I relaxation when a phrase will use to travel. No nap, no Zap, if you've taken a nap in the last week right to take a nap today. Naps are not bad. Have you ever slept, and you should not been sleeping right is not the pleasure is not the good get the MF itself is simple for treasure. It's a good thing to do would check to enjoy the good gifts of God to enjoy the nice items but but if you ever taken a good gift of God and made enter God or friendship and ship us is wonderful but have you ever fallen prey to the fear of man. Have you ever been more consumed with what somebody thinks about you than what God thinks about you. Yes academics is good that you study right don't don't walk away from your thinking I'm saying is bad to study, but if you ever taken your desire for a GPA and made it the main thing would order an organization I was the youngest child of three eyed two older sisters and and they always arrange my stuff, they didn't stop touching my stuff they would fix it leave my stuff alone competition. I love competition love. I love watching sports. I love all those things but but how many of us have ever taken a good thing and turned it into a sinful thing because we made our main thing that it could be that you got this desire to be the best theologian you got this desire to be the best passing of this desire to be the best at what ever and get you taken this good gift of God and you've made it your main thing Paul Tripp sent you a desire for a good thing becomes a bad thing when that desire becomes the ruling thing even a good thing to become a bad thing. When becomes the main thing. John Calvin said the heart of man is an idol factory and what begins to happen is we take these little gifts this this is the propensity of man. This is our band is to take the things we see and make them bigger than God that if you were to walk away from this morning with one concept, it would be this I want you to walk away of the concept that your idol is what you desire. The question that you need.

Ask yourself today when you get angry. The question and answer yourself when you fall prey to the same old life dominating sin.

The question you need to answer when you get angry or upset as somebody is, what did I really want. Why do I really want. You see, we can drill into behavior all day long, but many of us would never be the different for it. We could talk about the need to change and I need to try harder.

What needs to happen is we need to go deeper and drill into the realm of our affections and unity to answer what you really want because that's your idol.

How many of you know one or two of your own idol's like like like about this visit out you go. So what's your idol you look at me and you just go well and maybe laugh because it's so obvious how many of you know some of your own idols with children. My are Muslim idol. I study this passage.

This is been a life passage for me as I've done over a number of times unite I keep on coming up to the same idol and I can always like surface idols. I like this I like this I like this kind kinda sum up, will Balkans life and I want the maximum amount of public praise with the least amount of private effort is me.

I want all the benefits of hard work without the responsibility which are idol when you want the product of these desires, frustration, conflict in silence is is verse two and three.

You must have not you kill desire to have can attain you fight or you have not because you asked that you ask receive not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your laws. The inward frustration that the mood swings and anxiety. The anger, the depression I mean how many college students have had seasons where they go on their dorm room and nobody else is there, they're just depressed either depressed and left their dorm room happy.

But somewhere between leaving the room and going back to the room. There was some expectation not met there there idol was popular there conversation and go well that they were looking for the praise of man they were looking for somebody to complement their outfit. They were there looking for something in a friendship or relationship and it didn't happen and to go back the room and there depressed inward frustration you must have not you kill desire to have you come attain you fight war have not ask receive not only get anything. The Bible illustration somebody wanted something very much made and satisfying without some Amnon what is Amnon want, but does he want the he wanted her. Actually what what anyone sets up a circumstance tries to convince Kmart to sleep with him. She won't so he rapes her and was the Bible say with the same passion he had for her. Now he what he hated her deal idols do not satisfy because idols cannot satisfy how many times have you fallen for your own idol to be left there in despair, depression and discouragement telling time to chase the praise of man Holly times you gone after your academic level enough and you got there had been satisfied howling times and you bought something in your left there with a broken item and it didn't satisfy why because idols cannot satisfy.

They do not have the capacity to put life in your soul. That's why there's relational conflict to see what he does here is is he goes full-circle he he he he writes is in almost with a chiasm.

He what was he does. He goes fights and quarrels. Verse one that they come from wrong desires. Second part of verse one, but then the frustrated desire into an inverse to lease to corals and fighting. Hee hee, PC promotes a this endless cycle. I want something and so I I crash into a relationship and it doesn't satisfying and I want something in and then I messed with the relationship and it doesn't satisfy you see people reduced down to becoming our agents or or walls that ages to get our desires or walls in front of our desires.

Usually when I want something very much.

I don't look at people's image bearers and how I can help them make it safely home. I look at people as little agents to get my idol. I look at people's walls that are in front of my idol and so now I use people or I fight with people I war with people because I got something of a desire my soul rather than love and serve. I use people you ever seen this couple is like puppy love.

They just like all throughout all despondent like two little puppies and are just like in love and then all of a sudden there like the lake that there's they're still together, but they're clingy and there like angry and they're just like Jellison I this is this is that this happened so long ago, but I reward in the slight youth evangelism thing and when the guys those with us and get this program he shoots it into the shoots it into the crowd of teens and it's this girl, this guy comes and goes as my girlfriend and like to cheek to cheek what was going on with that clingy facet, possessive, manipulative, controlling behavior well was she's giving of the physical to get the emotional and he's given have emotional to get the physical think they don't love each other is not puppy love is not even love it's it's animal lost his like I'm in a use you to get what I want. It's his manipulation, it's fear driven, so we gossip and destroy others because because I feel better if I can tear somebody else down.

That's what we pick on the week. That's why we destroy others, so we cheat on tests, so we lie to people because I want something rather than love and serve a use people to get to my desires, rather than love and serve, I destroy people to get to my desires. I quarrel I fight I wore that this murder that he's talking about was a camper at a campus working at 10. This girl she made up his whole story about her dad dying and she told the story and all the staff is just, like, really focused on her, and turns out that her dad didn't die and I called her the mom and I said so. So what happened, why did you tell that story.

I she said this. Clearly I I just I just felt like life works better so she commits this imaginary murder of her dad dying so she can get attention in heavenly silence.

You see what I'm going after idols. Heavens heavens are silent prayer list. This one because I just know I know if I'm addicted to my idol I might find living a self dependent life. This proud life was all about me.

I why why should I pray I just can I go get what I want. You have not because you ask not. We we do not trust God to work. There's a self-sufficiency using a humble spirit says Lord I just want your will today father, I'll just walk with you today.

Whatever you bring into my life. I mean, God, I just trust you want to work hard and trust you. But when you can wake up when you go all day with your little planner and you get through all your little plans and you check off all the boxes and you pillow your head and you don't even talk to God, something is broken.

That's not Christian self bail working for you is he providing all your needs. Disaster satisfy because they don't live Silver Spring. The seven silences because the premises you have not because you as not, but you ask and receive. Not because you ask a message may consume it on your lusted system. It makes no sense. Some of our prayers reveal such deep idolatry.

You should be broken over this. You should be bothered by this, you should listen to your prayers like stop stop in the middle of your prayer time and say what did I just pray. Dear Lord, please heal my roommate because it's really irritating when they cough dear Lord help me on this test I did not study for. Because I meant to dear Lord, please provide $10,000 so I never have to depend on you again. Dear Lord, give me my idol because I like it a lot. Dear Lord, please give me time to just been shot to show that destroys my soul.

Dear Lord hurt them because they're taking away my best friend dear Lord, let them die so I can take the boyfriend heard you seriously replay your prayers, you might run into an idol. He see idols they get in the way of our relationship with God straight up who can think of one or two items which N double mindedness.

It's a problem we see the second thought.

We want to look at is God's grace for divided heart. Is he God is not passive in her syndication.

He is initiator our ability to love him is that he first loved us. God's grace is evident from this passage you see were in a see they got is hostile toward divided heart. He's jealous for all art he's gracious to work in us a whole heart. Verse four through six tells us it just starts off that God is hostile towards our divided heart.

You adulterers and adulteresses no not the friendship. The world is enmity with God, to serve, there shall be a friend.

The world is the enemy of God.

God resists the proud, God is against sin. God hates idols. God hates idolatry. I just read the Old Testament all throughout the Old Testament.

You see how God is warring against his covenant people. These are the people he entered into the Abraham a covenant with these of the people that this is unbelievable relationship with, and yet God is saying, I hate your idols and I hate your idolatry is here from verse four. Five. You cannot love God and the world the same time you just on the capacity for that. You see God what will think with me the first three of the 10 Commandments. What is it not sure what no other gods before me. Using can't go into directions at once. Everything has to be rightly ordered, that you love the Lord thy God with all my heart, soul and mind your love God first and all the other loves are to be ordered on hundred when you try to put God and in your idol right next to each other. It just doesn't work.

The Old Testament imagery is that when the people of Israel worshiped idols. They were called.

Adulteresses, they were they were going astray. They were playing the harlot date there's there's other more intense words that the Old Testament uses to describe people that are going outside of their covenant relationship to receive satisfaction. I Isaiah 54 talks about Israel as is the wife and the new Hosea to use the illustration as it's for their mother played the harlot's. So when James is saying you adulterers and adulteresses he is not talking about physical immorality, though it could include that he's talking about a spiritual immorality you adulterers and adulteresses you're going outside of your covenant relationship to find satisfaction. You cannot love God the world the same time the New Testament theology is that prior to salvation. The Christian was separate from God. Ephesians 212 through 16, and after an and you are the enemies of God for Romans five verse 10. But after salvation. Your one with Christ. Galatians 220, you're friends with God. Romans 510, but the present reality is that some of us, call for the world than we are with God or his people that should bother you. You should be concerned, yet you think is possible to keep both relationships going or so blinded to our sin that the very nature of adultery as you try to keep to relationships going at the same time you're trying to keep all the blessings of being in this covenant relationship you try keep all that without the responsibility of being given over wholly to that spouse, your you're trying to find some pleasure.

Whether it's emotional or sexual or something. Oh over in another world, and yet you think you can keep on going me that that's why adultery comes out to me. That's why movies have adultery because it creates suspense, are they going to be found out any it are people going to hear about this. That's why we hear of the downfall of an icon or something that we hold dear to our heart we see here their failures. It's so shocking because they were they were thinking that was hidden. This text is like no you not is like is like do you think it doesn't work doesn't doesn't work cannot be for a friend of God from the world he uses just the stern language not always he calls adulterers, adulteresses, but he goes going up the friendship.

The world is enmity with God, who sure their phobia from the world is the enemy of God can I tell you something, God is against your idols. And that's a good thing sometimes in our day and age we talk much of God's grace and his forgiveness, but I tell you, God is holy and he hates idols and he hates your idolatry and he is opposed to it, and that is a good thing you been listening to the first part of the sermon preached by pastor will Goeken from the 2021 Bible conference at Bob Jones University. Join us again tomorrow. When will hear the conclusion of the sermon on The Daily Platform