Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Why did God leave us with conflicts and struggles?
What is His intention?
To answer this we need to know that God originally created man to be dependent upon Him.
But due to the fall, man became proud and independent of God.
Now God is at work to humble us and make us dependent on Him.
For this He uses everything, including our problems.
When James says that God gives grace to the humble, it means that your conflicts and struggles are intended to humble you in order to receive fresh supplies of grace.
We can position ourselves for grace, even though there is a nature within us that is at enmity with God.
James is speaking to believers who have wars and fights among them due to the warring pleasures in their members–all this conflict (4:1-5).
Then he tells them that God is going to give more grace.
How does God give more grace?
It happens by our drawing near to Him and dealing with our sinful doings, dealing with our divided heart.
When we admit we are wretched, when we admit there is nothing good in us–that is the best place to start.
James 4:9 says, “Lament and mourn and weep!”
The Greek word for lament is the same word Paul uses in Romans 7:24 to describe his inward condition of wretchedness: “O wretched man that I am!”
So James is saying, “Be wretched!”
Simply admit that in yourself dwells no good thing.
In James 4:6 we read that God gives more grace.
Then in verses 7-8 we see how this can happen: 7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
This is James’ way of saying “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).
Paul uses the word “law” in Romans.
This means that if you touch the Spirit, if you go to the Spirit, you are going to a higher law in you.
The Lord lives in you 24 hours a day.
He is in your spirit–deeper than your mind, your emotions, and your will.
You have a spirit and I have a spirit.
We are joined to the Lord.
Our mind may be going one way, and our emotions another way.
But that is okay.
Simply stay in your spirit.
Call “Jesus.”
Pray.
Sing to the Lord.
Open yourself to the Word.
Share the gospel with others.
Fellowship with believers.
By activating your spirit, you get into another law that frees you from the law of sin and death every time.
This is Paul’s way of describing the divine solution to our problems.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Dan Haines – Serious Surgery June 7th
David Burnette
Dwight Byrd
Daniel Cooper
Sandy Paschal
James Parker
Amy Garner
Lamar Knight
Jim Mabe
Charlene Palmer
Lorraine Elliott
Eric Ward
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Sandra Graham
Dan Haines
Doris Loyd
Linda Alexander
June Cronan
Jillian Gray
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Brandon’s Dad
Darlene Thaxton
David Harrison
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Easton Fielder
Erik Magusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
June Cronan’s Sister
John Austin
John McClain
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Michael Stanley
Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother
Rose Fuller
Scott Nix
Terrell Loyd
Tom Witcher
James Garner’s Friend
Kim McClain’s Mother
Lonzo Christin
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Larry Barker
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Stubbs
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier