Daily Bible Reading – 10.1.2021
James 4:6-10, But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James gave them the appropriate response to their unfaithfulness to God. He reminded them that God is full of grace and offers it generously to those humble enough to receive it. However, God is opposed to the proud because they elevate themselves and refuse to receive from God what they most desperately need.
James gives 10 remedies which calls for decisive action to unfriend themselves from the sinful world into which they had fallen. The first three are preventive, and the last seven are for those who have become unfaithful to Jesus.
Submit to God- give up the fake act and give yourself anew in declaring Christ as Savior and Lord.
Resist the devil- when we speak a definitive “No” to Satan, he has no choice but to flee from us.
Come near to God- as we resist the devil, we must choose to come close to God, and He will come close to us and give us spiritual victory.
Wash your hands- change your actions. Stop doing what is ungodly. Start doing what is good and holy.
Purify your hearts- wholeheartedly confess your sin, and God promises to forgive and cleanse you.
Grieve. Mourn. Wail. Change your laughter to mourning and joy to gloom- these 5 commands speak of how deeply sorrowful we should be when we discover we have been unfaithful to Christ.
Humble yourselves- this is the overarching attitude required for all of these remedies to become real so that God’s grace can do its work and lift you out of your darkness.
Question to Consider:
Do any of these 10 remedies speak into your life? If so, what will you do?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 4:7, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.