From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (James 4:1) The Bible asks embarrassing questions. It is clear that the Author of the book knows man thoroughly. John 2:24 – But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, The Bible not only asks embarrassing questions, it then provides embarrassing answers. Since Mankind left paradise in the Garden of Eden, they have been fighting with each other. Why does man fight? There is something wrong with his heart. Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Man’s desires lead to uncontrollable passions, then war. Like a fire that is never quenched. The source of war is not:

Economic Systems – Karl Marx; Segregation – Martin Luther King/Nelson Mandela; Isolationism – FDR; Nationalism – Mao Tse-Tung; Patriotism – JFK or Ignorance –academia; the source of war is man’s basic Adamic nature.

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.  (James 4:2) The lust of the flesh will never be satisfied. Lust makes fools of people and leaves them disappointed with unfilled dreams. Israel’s lusts, failures and resulting judgments are an example to us to keep us from lust. I Corinthians 10:5-7 – But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted…

Walking in the Spirit [conduct directed by the Spirit] will keep us from lust. Galatians 5:16 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.