Biggest Loser

James 4:1-10 – Biggest Loser

 Commit to lose DEAD WEIGHT (our way) …

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. 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.

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  James 4:1-6 NIV

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  Matthew 16:25 NIV

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5:24 NIV

Through a DEMANDING ROUTINE (repentance) …

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord…  James 4:7-10a NIV

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 2:38 NIV

In order to WIN (God will lift us up)

…and he will lift you up.  James 4:10b NIV

PRIDE = when we lift ourselves up

FAME = when people lift us up

GLORY = when God lifts us up

For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  John 6:40 NIV

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Colossians 3:4 NIV

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8:17 NIV