James 4 This chapter, like the others is full of advice on living out my faith. I'm going to pull out a few verses that spoke to me as I read through this chapter.
James 4:2b-3
I wanted to address this verse because I hear it getting thrown around and taken out of context so often. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, "Ask and you will receive." Many take these verses and think that if they just have enough faith God will give them whatever they ask for. However, they fail to read on in James 4:3 where it says, "...you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives." Several times in the Bible, God tells me His ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) So often, I catch myself asking for something for myself that is for my own pleasure and not necessarily something God would want me to have or do. God sees the bigger picture, and knows what is best for me even though at times, I may not agree.
It's important to check my motives when asking God for something. Am I asking for self or because I believe it's something God wants for me? I am finding that the more time I spend with God through studying His Word and prayer, the more my desires begin to meld with His desires for me and the more I begin to want what He wants.
Moving on in James 4, in verses 7-10, James gives us 10 commands. I'm going to focus on the last one.
Submit to God.
Resist the Devil.
Come near to God.
Wash your hands...a symbol of cleansing.
Purify your hearts.
Grieve.
Mourn.
Wail...Grieving, mourning, wailing oftentimes accompany true repentance.
Change laughter to mourning...a brokenness that occurs when we realize our true state before God.
Humble yourselves before the Lord.
What does humility look like? Being humble is realizing I am fully dependent on God and not myself. It's standing up and having a boldness that comes not from pride in self but from God's power. The things I am able to do are all because God gives me those abilities. Pride is taking all the credit for myself. Humility involves giving God the credit. As I was looking up humility, I came across an article that I thought had some great points, What Does Humility Look Like? If you have time, I'd encourage you to read through it. Dr. James Kok, paints humility in a way I've not thought of before. I think we sometimes associate humility with weakness, but that's not the case. In a nutshell, Dr. Kok, in his article describes true humility as "seeing what is needed and stepping forward." He mentions that it's "pride that causes us to hang back" and not step up because we are afraid of how we will look. Failure to speak up because of fear of rejection is pride. I really struggle with this because I don't like conflict. I want to be accepted, but it's not about me. I can't be worried about what man thinks. All that matters is what's in my heart...what God sees. When I look at Christ, He was the perfect example of humility. He didn't hide or withhold words or actions because He was afraid of how someone might respond or how He might look. He went out with boldness and followed God's leading. The key was that He followed God's leading not His own.
James concludes with this statement in James 4:17,
How often do I step out in humility to do what God is calling me to do? When others recognize me for something I've done, do I give the glory to God or do I take all the credit for myself?
James 4:2b-3
You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasure.
I wanted to address this verse because I hear it getting thrown around and taken out of context so often. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, "Ask and you will receive." Many take these verses and think that if they just have enough faith God will give them whatever they ask for. However, they fail to read on in James 4:3 where it says, "...you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives." Several times in the Bible, God tells me His ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8) So often, I catch myself asking for something for myself that is for my own pleasure and not necessarily something God would want me to have or do. God sees the bigger picture, and knows what is best for me even though at times, I may not agree.
It's important to check my motives when asking God for something. Am I asking for self or because I believe it's something God wants for me? I am finding that the more time I spend with God through studying His Word and prayer, the more my desires begin to meld with His desires for me and the more I begin to want what He wants.
Moving on in James 4, in verses 7-10, James gives us 10 commands. I'm going to focus on the last one.
Submit to God.
Resist the Devil.
Come near to God.
Wash your hands...a symbol of cleansing.
Purify your hearts.
Grieve.
Mourn.
Wail...Grieving, mourning, wailing oftentimes accompany true repentance.
Change laughter to mourning...a brokenness that occurs when we realize our true state before God.
Humble yourselves before the Lord.
What does humility look like? Being humble is realizing I am fully dependent on God and not myself. It's standing up and having a boldness that comes not from pride in self but from God's power. The things I am able to do are all because God gives me those abilities. Pride is taking all the credit for myself. Humility involves giving God the credit. As I was looking up humility, I came across an article that I thought had some great points, What Does Humility Look Like? If you have time, I'd encourage you to read through it. Dr. James Kok, paints humility in a way I've not thought of before. I think we sometimes associate humility with weakness, but that's not the case. In a nutshell, Dr. Kok, in his article describes true humility as "seeing what is needed and stepping forward." He mentions that it's "pride that causes us to hang back" and not step up because we are afraid of how we will look. Failure to speak up because of fear of rejection is pride. I really struggle with this because I don't like conflict. I want to be accepted, but it's not about me. I can't be worried about what man thinks. All that matters is what's in my heart...what God sees. When I look at Christ, He was the perfect example of humility. He didn't hide or withhold words or actions because He was afraid of how someone might respond or how He might look. He went out with boldness and followed God's leading. The key was that He followed God's leading not His own.
James concludes with this statement in James 4:17,
Anyone, then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James gets right to the point at the end of this chapter. When I don't follow through with what I know God is telling me to do, I am being disobedient and that is sin. When I look back, I see so many missed opportunities because I failed to follow through with what God was calling me to do.
How often do I step out in humility to do what God is calling me to do? When others recognize me for something I've done, do I give the glory to God or do I take all the credit for myself?
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