[Anglican Devotional 16 June 2023] Topic: Drawing Closer To God

TOPIC: Drawing Closer To God

READ: James 4:1-17 (KJV)

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

THE MESSAGE:

In today’s passage, James warns against pride (verses 8-10), criticism and arrogant self-confidence (verses 7-13). James’ primary reason for writing was to bring Christians closer to God. He illustrates the pitfalls and blessings for Christians who desire to develop a closer walk with God. James advises that we submit ourselves to God while resisting the devil too. He also mentions lust, adultery, murder, slander and pride. All of these hinder us from drawing closer to God. God resists such behaviour and blesses those who are humble and draw near to Him.

Dear children of God, let us take heed to our daily living. Just as there were conflicts in the days of James, so it is today, maybe even more. Humility is a conscious decision to remain under God’s tutelage, knowing full well that everything that pertains to life comes from Him alone. Let us therefore remain humble under God and He will lift us up in due time.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I submit myself under Your Lordship, draw me closer to You day by day. Amen.

Henry | Categories: Devotional

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