Tag: James 4:10
God gives us more grace
Scripture reading for October 10th: Jeremiah 27, 28, 29, 24, James 4
James 4: 4-8 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of 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”? 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.”
James passionately warned the believers about their need for holy separation from the world around them. God is a jealous Lover and wants our full devotion. This requires us to humbly submit to God and draw near to Him as an act of our will. We must resist the devil and his attempts to tempt and seduce us. James promises that as we humbly draw near to God that God will come nearer to us as well. God will give us all the grace we need to stand firm and to live a life bringing glory to Him and adding souls to His kingdom. As we pray and seek His will and the welfare of those around us, we find our needs met as well.
James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for grace to live effectively and with holy separation in a hostile world. Help me to remember that You place me where You desire and use me as You will to accomplish Your purposes. I humbly pray daily, “Not my will, but Yours be done!” Grant me opportunities to share the Gospel and seek the welfare of those needing Your grace. Yours is the kingdom and glory forever!
Jeremiah 29:4-7 “”Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.””
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.”