"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 8 November 2011"
Today's Blog Title: "Rely on Grace"
Today's Scripture Reading: James James 4:1-17
Today's Key Verse: James 4:6 "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud. But gives grace to the humble."
James looks at more problems for the person committed to living a life of faith. Faith's lifestyle demands that the believer submit to God, despite the presence of warped desires stimulated by the flesh, the world and the devil. The conflict within us is between our sinful desires for pleasure and the desire for God's will, an attitude the Holy Spirit has placed within us. The source of conflict among believers is often material. James here attributes fighting, murder, and war to materialism. John in 1 John 2:15,16 also warms believers of lusting after "the things in the world."
We as believers must also struggle against the temptation to usurp (to take or assume) God's place as a judge, rather than accept our rightful place as a mere citizen in God's kingdom. Envy in verses 4 and 5 is God's jealous longing for our love. God is truly disturbed when we abandon friendship with Him with the world. and disturbed for our sake. But how does God respond? Not with punishment, but with "more grace" to lead us back into His arms. Only our pride can keep us from responding to His grace. We as Christians need to turn our backs on the world, and experiencing His blessings.
However powerful Satan is, if we set ourselves against him, he then is unable to prevail against us and he will flee from us.
Verses 7-10 contain 10 sharp commands calling for immediate action. In essence they tell us how to humble ourselves before God, so that we can experience His grace. The 10 commands are: (1) submit, (2) resist (verse 7), (3) come near, (4) wash (5) purify (verse 8), (6) grieve, (7) mourn (8) wail (9) change (verse 9), (10) humble (verse 10). Together they picture a complex reversal of the attitudes that shape the spiritually immature and unfaithful.
We as Christians must live each day with the awareness of our mortality and thus of our total dependence on God for all things.
Today's Hymn: "Glory To His Name"
Down at the cross where my Savior died, Down where for cleansing from sin I cried
There to my heart was the blood applied, Glory to His name!
I am so wondrously saved from sin, Jesus so sweetly abides within
There at the cross where He took me in, Glory to His name!
Oh precious fountain that saves from sin, I am so glad I have entered in
There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean, Glory to His name!
Come to this fountain so sweet and sweet, Cast thy poor soul at the Savior's feet,
Plunge in today and be made complete, Glory to His Name!
Glory to His Name, Glory to His Name, There to my heart was the blood applied
Glory to His Name!
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, may we as your son and daughters when the evil one attacks us and puts things that are not of God in our minds, may we seek your help Father that in seeking You and Your Protection Satan has no power and he will flee from us. How thankful we are to know that You will never ever leave nor forsake us and that no one can EVER pluck us out of Your hands.
Amen
"Today's Biblical Truth: "When we resist the any temptation from the evil one, he will have no choice but to flee, for we all belong to the Army of the Living God."
Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for Today's Bible Verse from Psalm 139:14.
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go and Serve the Lord our God with Gladness. Love God More Today. Prayer for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are persecuted for there faith in Jesus Christ. Also pray for the Nation of Israel. Always remember that when you have a spiritual dilemma in your life and you yell out, "I CAN'T", God Whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
"And he said to them, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
Today's Blog Title: "Rely on Grace"
Today's Scripture Reading: James James 4:1-17
Today's Key Verse: James 4:6 "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud. But gives grace to the humble."
James looks at more problems for the person committed to living a life of faith. Faith's lifestyle demands that the believer submit to God, despite the presence of warped desires stimulated by the flesh, the world and the devil. The conflict within us is between our sinful desires for pleasure and the desire for God's will, an attitude the Holy Spirit has placed within us. The source of conflict among believers is often material. James here attributes fighting, murder, and war to materialism. John in 1 John 2:15,16 also warms believers of lusting after "the things in the world."
We as believers must also struggle against the temptation to usurp (to take or assume) God's place as a judge, rather than accept our rightful place as a mere citizen in God's kingdom. Envy in verses 4 and 5 is God's jealous longing for our love. God is truly disturbed when we abandon friendship with Him with the world. and disturbed for our sake. But how does God respond? Not with punishment, but with "more grace" to lead us back into His arms. Only our pride can keep us from responding to His grace. We as Christians need to turn our backs on the world, and experiencing His blessings.
However powerful Satan is, if we set ourselves against him, he then is unable to prevail against us and he will flee from us.
Verses 7-10 contain 10 sharp commands calling for immediate action. In essence they tell us how to humble ourselves before God, so that we can experience His grace. The 10 commands are: (1) submit, (2) resist (verse 7), (3) come near, (4) wash (5) purify (verse 8), (6) grieve, (7) mourn (8) wail (9) change (verse 9), (10) humble (verse 10). Together they picture a complex reversal of the attitudes that shape the spiritually immature and unfaithful.
We as Christians must live each day with the awareness of our mortality and thus of our total dependence on God for all things.
Today's Hymn: "Glory To His Name"
Down at the cross where my Savior died, Down where for cleansing from sin I cried
There to my heart was the blood applied, Glory to His name!
I am so wondrously saved from sin, Jesus so sweetly abides within
There at the cross where He took me in, Glory to His name!
Oh precious fountain that saves from sin, I am so glad I have entered in
There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean, Glory to His name!
Come to this fountain so sweet and sweet, Cast thy poor soul at the Savior's feet,
Plunge in today and be made complete, Glory to His Name!
Glory to His Name, Glory to His Name, There to my heart was the blood applied
Glory to His Name!
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, may we as your son and daughters when the evil one attacks us and puts things that are not of God in our minds, may we seek your help Father that in seeking You and Your Protection Satan has no power and he will flee from us. How thankful we are to know that You will never ever leave nor forsake us and that no one can EVER pluck us out of Your hands.
Amen
"Today's Biblical Truth: "When we resist the any temptation from the evil one, he will have no choice but to flee, for we all belong to the Army of the Living God."
Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for Today's Bible Verse from Psalm 139:14.
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go and Serve the Lord our God with Gladness. Love God More Today. Prayer for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are persecuted for there faith in Jesus Christ. Also pray for the Nation of Israel. Always remember that when you have a spiritual dilemma in your life and you yell out, "I CAN'T", God Whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
"And he said to them, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
No comments:
Post a Comment