James 4:5-10 (ESV) 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. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
God loves us very much. God desires for us to be saved and to be with Him in Heaven. When we think about God giving his Son to die for us we should be impressed by the great love of God for us. Christ died for each and every one of us.
John 3:16 (ESV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:10-11 (ESV) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 8:31-39 (ESV) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We should always recognize that everything is God's. We should always be grateful and thankful for every moment of life. James notes several attitudes and actions we should have in our life.
We should be those who are humble. Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV) "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
We should submit ourselves to God.
We should resist the devil. It is important for us to feed on the Word of God. Each time Jesus was tempted by Satan his response was "it is written". We should also remember Joseph's response when Potiphar's wife attempt to cause Joseph to sin -- "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9b). Sin always hurts our relationship with God and many sins hurt our relationship with our fellow man. May we seek to know God's word and will by studying the Bible so that we can seek to live a life pleasing to him and be ready to answer "It is written".
We should draw near to God. When we are seeking God it is harder to fall into sin. If we have put our focus on His word and his will. If we value our relationship with God more than anything else. If God's will is number one in our life we will be growing closer to Him.
We should purify our hearts. When we are seeking after what is good and desiring to follow in the way of God we will seek to avoid things that will distract us from this goal. There are certain things in this world that do not help us in living a pure life. There will be things we will not do. There will be things we will not watch. There will be things we do not want to listen to. We are in the world and we need to be in the world so that we can share the good word with others. God is not calling us to live a life of seclusion. We do need to be thoughtful of what we partake of in the world. We need to think about how things can affect our soul and how our example could impact other's lives. We need to live our lives as a living sacrifice and seek daily to renew our mind in the Word of God.
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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