Perils of an adulterous people!
Scripture reading for October 8th: James 4
Key Scriptures: James 4:1-5 “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us”?
James addressed the church with several questions. He used the rabbinic method of that day, perfected by Jesus Christ, to cause God’s people to think deeply about their own lives and also about their relationship with God and the world they lived in. There were some who had more friendship with the world than love and commitment to God. They had made a commitment, but were now acting in an adulterous manner towards their Savior by following their own passions instead of Christ’s love and obedience. The result was quarreling and fights among believers. There was internal strife and divided loyalty and hatred which was equal to murder. James asked them to consider that God jealously yearned over them and had given them His Holy Spirit as a down-payment on the future eternal life together. Grace was needed and humbly asking God in faith was the first step.
James 4:6-8 “But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, forgive your people for their adulterous ways and divided loyalty. Forgive us of the quarreling and fighting and passion for things over our relationship with You. Fill us afresh with You Holy Spirit and give us grace to resist the devil and draw nearer to You with clean hands and a pure heart.
James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
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