WHEN GOD SAYS NO

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not, ye kill, and desire to have, and can not obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, tat ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:1-6.

God is pictured in both the Old Testament and in the New as being a loving father figure. James, the half-brother of Jesus was well acquainted with both testaments, and knew of that relationship. He was well acquainted with the realities of life, and that sometimes even the most loving father, must discipline his sons and daughters. Much of what is wrong with the youth of today began with a lack of discipline in the early days at home. If no boundaries, and no rules have been set, can we be surprised that the adult has no self-control? But, I diverge.

God has set rules and boundaries, and God can, has, and will discipline. When God says, “No” in answer to our prayers, there is a reason, and that reason always seems to come back to ourselves. In this particular case, James points out that they are at war with one another, fighting with one another, and behind that are greed, envy, and worldliness. He sums it up with one word, lust! That is a nasty word and It is hard to believe that he could have called the church, the bride of Christ, an adulteress, but then the Children of Israel had often been unfaithful when they cast aside God for the gods of the people among whom they lived. This term was used of them, and it is also used in the New Testament of unfaithful Christians, who cast aside Christ, because of a love for the world. They worship the creation, and not the Creator. If that is true, how can they expect God to answer their prayers. I have known evangelists, God’s servants, who lusted after powerful cars; a Mercedes, a BMW, a Jaguar, a Citroen. In each case, God permitted them to have it for a short time, but each was a total disaster in the end. A lesson was learned. We learn to be humble, dependent upon him. He can and will provide for his own. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.”

If he says, “Yes,” that is good. If he says, “Not now,” let us be patient and wait for his timing. But, if the says “No,” let us await his unquestionable leading. God knows the conclusion, even before we come up with our “bright ideas.” If he planted the idea there, then he will open the way, for his humble servant. The cycle returns to us. Our motivation makes all the difference.

Sometimes God says, “No,” and it is for own good. He who loves us, knows what is best.