Day #54

God, thanks for loving me.  Thank you for giving me tiny glimpses of who You are and what Your purpose is each day.  I am seeing things differently.  It’s not about me.  I beg you to never let me go back to relying on myself to be a good person and being prideful.  I need You every day, every moment of this life.  Without you, there is nothing.  With all I have, which is so little, I love you.  Help me give to others what you have given to me.

For the past few days we have been studying the conflicts that go on in this life… 

1.    God vs. the world

2.    Holy Spirit vs. flesh

3.    Jesus vs. the devil

Yes, I say this every day, but I have to always clarify with the following note.

NOTE: Please remember, Jesus did win the battle against Satan when He died on the cross, which allowed God’s creation to be reconciled to Him if they chose to believe and follow.  However, Satan’s desire is to deceive the lost from ever coming to faith in Christ and to deceive Christians from ever becoming effective for spreading the GOSPEL (story of Jesus).

Yesterday we learned the first of three ways to overcome in all the conflicts above. 

1.    SUBMIT TO GOD, James 4:7 (see Day #53). 

Today we will learn the next weapon we have to overcome...

2.    DRAW NEAR TO GOD, James 4:8.

Please read James 4:8.

How do we DRAW NEAR TO GOD?  By confessing our sins and asking for cleansing.  “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” James 4:8b.

The Greek word translated “purify” also means “make chaste.”

Chaste (adjective) - Abstaining from extramarital or from all, sexual intercourse; not having any sexual nature or intention; virginal.

The reason that I give this information on “chaste” is because it totally goes along with our discussion on “spiritual adultery” from James 4:4 (click on Day #50).  We are to be chaste in the spiritual sense.  We should never become intimate with the world.  We should be virgins to its ways.

The nearer we are to God, the more we are like God.  Careful now, I am not saying that we will be God! More rather, we are to mirror His image.  I have read a great way to explain this idea, and it goes like this…

Mr. Brent and I have a dog named Wishus.  I could be in the living room petting her, while Mr. Brent is 20 feet away in the kitchen, yet I am nearer to Mr. Brent because the dog is unlike me.  We have very little in common.  Are you getting this?

Out of God’s amazing grace, He draws near to us when we deal with the sin in our lives that keeps Him at a distance.  He absolutely won’t share us.  Praise God that He is jealous for us!  He must have complete control.

Being double-minded, one foot in the world and one foot in the Christian life, will never work.  God will never come close to the double-minded.

I have a wicked story that you really should read over the weekend for yourself.  The story begins in Genesis 13 and ends in Genesis 19.  It’s a terrible story.  I will give you a brief introduction, though, so the point of being DOUBLE-MINDED can be driven home. 

This story is the history between Abraham (then Abram) and his nephew Lot.  In chapter 13, Abraham and Lot’s servants are fighting over who’s herd of animals should get the grass and water in the area, because there clearly was not enough for both.  So that is when Abraham decided to take Lot and go to the highest point in the area so they could get a good look at the land.  Abraham told Lot that he could pick the best of the land for himself and Abraham would take the rest.  Lot chose the area that was closest to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  At first we see that he has pitched his tents near the city.  But, as the story progresses, his tent is inside the city gates.  The rest of the story I will leave for you to read… (click on STORY). 

SPECIAL NOTE:  When you see the words “know them” this means have sex.    

TARGET of the DAY

Please know that God is jealous for you!  He is the Great Rescuer!  Please listen to the following song and lie back on your bed and know that you are not dealing with a cushy, cotton candy, grandpa in the sky.  He is magnificent, gracious, and one to be feared.
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How He Loves