Fighting Words- Week 4

Countdown Video

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7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

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Pastor Doc -

I would like to take a moment to say thank you, to all that are supporting our ministry, with your monthly giving and keeping Faith Vision in your Prayers.

Imagine a small seed planted in the ground.

With care, water, and sunlight,

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Scripture Reading by Lady Pepper

Thank you Lady Pepper for the announcements and the reading of God’s Word.

Before we get into the passage today, I have something very important to say’

Last month we did a series entitled what are you chasing?

We talked about God's money.

In that series we found that because we are God's disciples following the Lord Jesus Christ, we recognize that not only that everything we have comes from God, but that it still belongs to God, and we are just simply stewards of his resources .

Also in the series, we learned that given isn't just a financial practice, it is a discipleship principal.

I would like to challenge those of you that are regularly being served, shaped, or strengthen through the church's ministry.

I would like to encourage you to make giving here part of your discipleship.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 - "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also:

I believe that there is something that happens in our spiritual growth when our hearts become deeply connected to the community were we worship, serve, grow, and are discipled.

And one of the ways that we cultivate that connection is through financial partnership.

When you give to Faith Vision Christian Ministries, you're not just simply funding a church budget.

Your helping people that need Jesus, and as we grow as disciples, we learn to care for one another, and we learn to serve our community, and we also learn to take this gospel all around the world.

Giving is one of the ways that we say to the Lord that we believe in this ministry, and what you're doing here at Faith Vision Christian Ministries

I’m hoping that all of you are invested, in what God is doing here

Not just when we feel like it

Not just when a particular Message captures our attention

Not just when there happens to be extra money at the end of the month

But that we will develop a regular pattern of putting God first through our giving, discovering the joy of seeing our gifts multiplied to bless others, not only within our church but throughout our communities and around the world.

I'd like to invite you to make giving to Faith Vision a part of your monthly budget.

I'm praying that all of you, who are working in God’s Kingdom, who considers Faith Vision a partner, and being used in these last days to spread the gosple of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, will begin to give regularly.

Now some of you may feel that you have very little to give.

That's okay.

Start somewhere.

Even five dollars for $10 from each paycheck, given consistently, can become a step of faith and a meaningful act of worship and trust before God and a sign that you are invested in what God is doing here at Faith vision.

And if you all ready give, perhaps this is an opportunity to prayerfully consider whether God is asking you to increase your level of generosity and financial partnership.

If you would like to respond to this invitation, you can set up a reoccurring gift online.

Just like pepper and I, when we look at my bank statements and see all the things that are automatically paid each month, the one item that consistently makes us happy is what is going to Faith vision Christian ministries.

Here is a link to our online giving platform.

As more of us grow as disciples and practicing stewardship, I believe God will continue to deepen our trust in him and multiply our impact together.

Every gift becomes a part of a larger story of lives being changed by Jesus, in our church, throughout our communities, and around the world.

Thank you for letting me take care of the business before we get started today.

Welcome! to everyone especially those who are joining us for the first time.

My name is Pastor Doc, and I will be sharing the Word of God with you today.

Have your Bibles Ready and take notes

Sermon Bumper Video - Hidden Treasure

Title of the Series

Words Matter

Title of the message this Morning

Fighting Words - Week 4

Main idea:

We live in a world filled with conflict—whether it’s between nations, communities, families, or even individuals.

But have you ever stopped to wonder why we fight?

What’s behind the quarrels that so often erupt in our relationships?

James gives us an answer that points inward, not outward.

He doesn’t say it’s because of politics or other people’s actions, but because of something happening within us—our own desires.

Fighting Words explores how these desires give rise to conflict and how we can change the way we handle them.

Prayer:

“Lord, please help us to identify and work through the sinful brokenness inside all of us.

Heal us Lord from our mis-aligned motives that cause quarrels and fights among us.

Redeem our internal lives, Lord, so that our external ones may bring you glory.”

Scripture: James 4:1-3, Genesis 4, Philippians 4:7

(All scripture is taken from the NIV unless otherwise noted)

Introduction

Welcome everyone!

Today we continue with week 4 of our 5 week series, Words Matter from the book of James.

In James, we encounter a letter filled with practical wisdom that challenges us to respond to God’s Word in ways that transform our lives.

James, the brother of Jesus, doesn't shy away from urging believers to go beyond intellectual belief and embrace a faith that is lived out in everyday actions.

He makes it clear that faith must not remain confined to thoughts and words; instead, it should manifest in tangible responses that reflect God's will.

This letter is like a spiritual mirror, prompting us to examine how we respond to the Word and whether our faith is active and authentic.

This last truth is especially evident when we consider how our internal sinful desires are at the root of the external fights and quarrels that break out among us.

Pastor -

This could be the perfect place to share a poignant cultural example of how internal sinful desires and motives lead to external fights and arguments.

Where have you seen this truth evident in the world around you?

With this in mind, let’s get into our passage for the day and see what James has to teach us about words, motives, and our response to it all.

Main Teaching

Read James 4:1-3

The Root of Conflict: Selfish Desires

James 4:1

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?" (James 4:1)

James cuts to the heart of the matter, telling us that conflict originates not from external factors but from within ourselves.

At the center of every fight is a clash of desires.

We all want things—whether it’s control, recognition, comfort, or power.

These desires aren’t necessarily evil in themselves, but when they go unmet, they can stir up bitterness, frustration, and, eventually, quarrels that break out around us.

Think of the last argument you were involved in.

What was driving you?

Was it really about the issue at hand, or was there something deeper going on?

Perhaps you felt disrespected or overlooked.

Maybe you wanted to assert your control over a situation, and when that control was threatened, you lashed out.

James invites us to look honestly at ourselves, asking us to admit that many of our conflicts are born out of selfish ambition.

The internal battle spills over into our relationships, leading to quarrels and fights.

It can be difficult to be honest about this, to admit our own brokenness, but we all have it.

We need to take a step back and examine our hearts.

When you feel tension rising in a conversation or conflict brewing, ask yourself:

“What do I really want here?”

Is it more important for me to be right, to win, or to be understood?

Or is it more important to seek peace and preserve the relationship?

Identifying your underlying desires can help diffuse a situation before it escalates.

Biblical Illustration:

We see this dynamic at play in the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4).

Cain’s desire for approval from God led him to envy his brother Abel.

That unchecked desire turned into anger and eventually murder.

Cain’s external conflict with Abel was merely a reflection of the internal conflict he had with his own heart and his relationship with God.

This shows how destructive our unchecked desires can be when we fail to bring them before God.

2. Unmet Desires Lead to Destructive Actions

(James 4:2a)

"You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight."(James 4:2a)

James goes on to describe what happens when our desires are frustrated: they lead to harmful actions.

(You might want to reference the story of Cain and Abel again here.)

We may not literally kill someone, but we often kill relationships with our words, kill trust with our actions, or kill peace with our bitterness.

When we covet—when we long for something that doesn’t belong to us—we are willing to harm others to get it, whether through manipulation, gossip, or outright aggression.

This echoes what Jesus taught in Matthew 5:21-22, where He equates hatred in the heart with murder.

It’s a sobering thought that the conflicts we harbor, even those we think of as “small,” can have spiritually destructive consequences.

Reflect on the way unmet desires might be affecting your relationships.

Are there situations where your frustration over not getting what you want has led you to act out in anger?

Whether through harsh words, passive-aggressive behavior, or resentment, these actions tear down the people around you.

When faced with unmet desires, we must choose between feeding the frustration or surrendering the desire to God.

In 1 Samuel 19-24 we see that Saul’s desire to remain king led to intense jealousy of David, who had been anointed as his successor.

Saul’s unmet desire drove him to irrational, violent actions, chasing David to kill him out of fear and jealousy.

This is obviously the outcome we want to avoid as we take our broken desires and sinful frustrations to God.

3. The Misuse of Prayer: Asking with Wrong Motives

(James 4:2b-3)

"You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2b-3)

Finally, James shifts our attention to how we approach God with our desires.

It’s not just about the fact that we have desires, but how we handle them.

Do we take them to God in prayer, or do we try to satisfy them on our own?

And when we do pray, are our prayers driven by a desire for God’s will to be done, or are we simply asking Him to fulfill our selfish wants?

James calls us out for asking with wrong motives, treating God like a vending machine to fulfill our pleasures rather than a loving Father who wants to shape us according to His will.

True prayer is about aligning ourselves with God’s heart, not just seeking what we want.

We must consider how we approach God in prayer.

Are you asking for things that will ultimately glorify Him and bring you closer to His purposes, or are you asking out of selfish ambition?

When you feel frustrated because your prayers seem unanswered, ask yourself, “Am I praying with the right motives?”

True prayer seeks transformation of the heart, not just the fulfillment of desires.

True prayer happens in a relationship, and within that relationship we can learn to trust the outcome, no matter what happens.

Think about how Jesus teaches us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13),

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

This is a model of how our prayers should be aligned with God’s will.

Instead of focusing on personal gain, we are called to surrender our desires to God and trust that His will is best for us.

It takes practice to pray this way, and it takes an ample dose of humility, but it’s worth the effort.

Conclusion

James' teaching here in verses 4:1-3 challenges us to examine our hearts and our approach to conflict.

It’s complicated because we are complicated.

It’s difficult because our deep seeded sin and brokenness are difficult to uproot.

Here are several ways we can put this message into practice this coming week and beyond:

Examine Your Desires:

Whenever you face a conflict, take time to reflect on the underlying desires driving your frustration.

Is it a desire for control, comfort, or approval?

Bring these desires before God and ask Him to purify your motives.

Surrender to God’s Will:

Rather than fighting to get your own way, learn to surrender your desires to God.

This doesn’t mean your desires don’t matter, but it does mean trusting that God’s will is better than your own.

Pray for Transformation:

Let your prayers become more about transformation than getting what you want.

Ask God to align your heart with His, to give you a desire for peace, humility, and love, even in the midst of conflict.

Seek Peace, Not Victory:

In moments of conflict, choose to be a peacemaker rather than someone who needs to win.

As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

By applying these principles, and others we learn throughout the book of James,we can move away from quarrels and fights toward a life marked by peace, humility, and a deeper trust in God’s provision and purposes.

And hopefully along the way we even get to experience a little bit of that “peace that transcends understanding”

that the Apostle Paul talks about in

Philippians 4:7. 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Let’s pray together.

Salvation:

The Word of God says in: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you’d would like to receive Jesus today, please pray this prayer with all of us:

Lord I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died On the cross for my sins and His resurrection from the dead gives me eternal life. I ask forgiveness of my sins, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Pastor [e-mail]

Church Office: 909-922-8090

And I will send you a Bible & a Free Book on how to begin your first 21 steps with Jesus (show the book)

***Leave slide up until Pepper gets in position***

Lady Pepper Please Join Me

Pepper Praise Reports

Yolanda’s restaurant needed workers to help with the summer rush.

So we began to pray and ask God to send them workers to help in the restaurant.

We received a message from Yolanda, saying that she has a praise report.

She hired two young man.

They both are very hard-working young men.

Thank you Lord for answering prayer, God is so faithful.

Share your Praise Reports!

Prayer Requests - (Pepper Read)

Yolanda - is asking for prayer for Tosha Bates, she lost her father, Stan Bates.

Please keep the family in prayer.

Rena - continue to pray healing prayers for Kelsey's family.

Pray that they would come to know Christ.

Pray that Kelsey will be reunited with her four children.

Let us Pray (P/P)

Praying for the 10-40 Window

The 10/40 Window is a rectangular geographic region stretching from West Africa to East Asia, between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator.

It contains the majority of the world's unreached people groups and the poorest populations.

Prayer initiatives focus on breaking spiritual strongholds, bringing humanitarian relief, and supporting the persecuted church.

The Unreached:

Pray for the billions of individuals who have never heard the Gospel message, particularly among Frontier People Groups.

The Persecuted Church:

Intercede for local believers who face severe restrictions, imprisonment, or violence for their faith.

Humanitarian Crises:

Pray for relief from extreme poverty, human trafficking, and the oppression of women and children.

Laborers & Discipleship:

Pray for the protection of frontline missionaries, effective local church planting, and the translation of scriptures.

Pray for the United StatesI

Today, we focus our prayers for the nation on asking for unity to overcome the division, wisdom for the government leaders, and a nationwide spiritual revival.

National unity and healing: pray for reconciliation where division exists, asking that the nation learns to live together peacefully despite differences.

Government and local leaders: intercede for wisdom, godly counsel, and discernment for all elected officials (local and national) to make righteous decisions

Spiritual revival: pray for a national to return to godly values, with a focus on repentance and the desire to seek truth.

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This is Pastor Doc & Lady Pepper with:

Faith Vision Christian Ministries

Pepper Please Continue Reading

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Pastor: please continue reading

Benediction

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. James 4:6-7

Have a Great Week! Goodbye!

This is Pastor Doc and Lady Pepper signing off until next time we meet. Blessings to you all!