James is trying to speak toward that spirit, here, when he’s speaking of this aspect of our carnality of mind, our spiritual adulteries, friendship with the world.  The world’s system is all about self‑exaltation.  That’s all they live for, to gain preeminence over others.  That’s why natural man exists.  That’s the motivation behind every successful man.  We see these people that have excelled and done great things in society and have accomplished great things in the secular realm.  The motivation is the love of self, the vaunting of self, the preeminence.  I think we’ve heard it somewhere before, “I shall be like God.”  When, in fact, the kingdom that you and I are living in, is in direct opposition to that mentality.  To be great in this kingdom, oh, if we could believe it.  To be great in this kingdom, if we would only pursue it with all of our hearts.  To be great in this kingdom is to be the least, to be the servant of all.  To truly believe we are the chief of sinners and everything we have is by the grace and the mercy of God and we’ve obtained nothing of ourselves that we can boast in.  To God be the glory; amen?  That’s why Satan attacks this doctrine of humility.  That’s why he will do everything to convince you that if you really lay it all at God’s feet, He will fail you.  People will take advantage of you, you will never obtain what you deserve or get the recognition you deserve, and your family will not be provided for.  I’m here to tell you he’s a liar and the father of lies; amen?  As we read on, to commit spiritual adultery, the love of self, the love of what the world loves, preeminence, self‑exaltation, whoever will be a friend to that ideology is the enemy of God.  “But He giveth more grace,” verse 6 says.  Can you say, “Praise God.” for that?  “...Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.”  Hallelujah.  Unmerited favor.  He resists the proud.

Everything that is of that other spirit, the spirit of the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, that’s all that’s in the world.  If that is our motivation, listen.  If that is who we are networking with to get ahead, “If I could only get in with so‑and‑so.”  “Guess what?  I got to meet so‑and‑so.  This is going to be my way in through this particular door.  If I can finagle some way to see this person, to get this opportunity.”  I would say if we spent more time humbling ourselves and staying before God and crucifying this old man, we’ll probably end up successful.  God will exalt us; amen?  Whatever it is that we’re trusting in, “If I could only work for this company.  If I could get my resume in and be accepted by them,” and see that company go down in a day.  Who’s your trust in?  Don’t be surprised, when in the fairly near future, you begin to see banks beginning to fail and some of these large corporations that we think will stand forever.  Overleveraged, invested in what everybody thinks will be the hot ticket, the wisdom of the hour.  The way things are advancing, the way things are twisting, almost overnight you can be found on the opposite end of the spectrum and it went a way you never anticipated.  There is nothing stable in this world’s system right now.  This world is in a state of flux.  We’re living in a lawless society.  When I talk about lawless, I’m not just talking about crime and many of these things, though it’s insane today.