The Four-Letter Word Behind Every Conflict | James 4:1-10

The Four-Letter Word Behind Every Conflict | James 4:1-10

July 5, 2026 · 53 min

James doesn't ask whether you have conflicts. He asks where they come from. And the answer he gives applies equally to a marriage struggling in the same house, a church fracturing from the inside, and two nations heading toward war. At the root of every battle, James says, is one four-letter word: envy.In this message, Dr. Abidan Shah works through James 4:1–10 and traces the full path from selfish pleasure to lust to covetousness to murder — and explains why murder in James doesn't always require a weapon. He shares the story of sitting at the Southern Baptist Convention watching a speaker command the room and feeling that thought rise up: why him and not me? He also walks through five concrete cures James gives for conflict — changing your perspective on prayer, the world, yourself, the devil, and God — and closes with Philippians 2 and the only person who ever got all five of them perfectly right.Dr. Shah writes a personal letter every week — reflections on Scripture, faith, and living it out with clarity and purpose. Join the family: https://abidanshah.com/join-the-family/~~~~GIVE: https://abidanshah.com/give/BOOKS: https://abidanshah.com/books/LISTEN LATER: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearview-today-with-dr-abidan-shah/id1651006506

Dr. Abidan Shah

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