Humility

James 4:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

 

The quarrels and fights among us are caused from within, from our passions, our flesh. Our flesh seeks to take control. Because of this, we ask wrongly, that is with wrong motives. We are not seeking to glorify God in our prayers; instead we are seeking to gratify our flesh, to satisfy ourselves, and to identify with the world's system. Sadly, we want to be prosperous and enjoy what the world has and not be noticed as different. Perhaps we don't go whole hog, but at the same time we are not standing for Jesus.

 

James speaks out strongly. Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend with the world makes himself an enemy of God. There is no fence riding, no middle ground. It is either God or the world! Then to drive home his point even more strongly, James says, Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scriptures says, He yearns jealously over the Spirit that He has made to dwell in us? God's jealousy is a fearful thing. It is because of this fact that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. It is our human pride that would make us think that we could love and worship God and still blend into the world adopting its system and ethics. The answer is submission! Submit to God...Resist the devil...draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts, you double- minded. [What an apt name for someone who wants the best of both worlds.]

 

Confessing, cleansing, and purifying should produce mourning and weeping. Seeing our humanity in light of God's holiness should bring overwhelming grief. What other reaction would there be? Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. What we desire should be from Him and not from the world. We should care only to please Him and to shun all else. Humility is the forerunner of godliness! Humility clears away the double-mindedness! It purifies the flesh, taking away the prideful dross and opens the door to the blessings of God!

 

Father,

I want to be Your friend. I confess that my fleshly passions have tried to undo my soul. Help me to grieve over my sin. Open my eyes to see it as You do. Cleanse me and draw me ever closer to You.

In His name,

Amen