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James 4:4-6
This passage begins with James referring to those who have been seeking the wisdom of the world as “Adulterers and adulteresses!” (James 4:4a, NKJV). These words are used in association with those who have professed Jesus Lord and Savior, and yet have continued to live lives by worldly wisdom, and in so have been unfaithful to the Lord. For this reason, in unfaithfulness, the label of adulterers and adulteresses have been given these unfaithful people. James goes on to tell us, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4b-c). James teaches us that the Holy Spirit that lives within all who will profess Jesus Lord and Savior is jealous for all of our lives – to permeate our entire body and spirit for Christ Jesus – to live for Him in our new forgiven lives. James then gives reference to the meekness in humility that he spoke of in James 3:13 by quoting Proverbs 6:34 which states:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” [Proverbs 6:34]
This is a promise and example that God is a jealous God and wants all of us – to permeate all of our life with His Holy Spirit as we live – in Christ.
The overarching storyline of the Bible is that we have to make a choice: to choose to follow God and how He would have us to live our lives, or to choose the world and follow the ways of this world. God is telling us in the Old Testament and the New Testament that He has a better way of life for each of us if we will put our sincere faith in Him – to trust that His way for our lives is better than the ways of the world. But we have the sinful nature pulling us in the ways of the world as Satan uses everything in this world: money, power, prominence, and even negative things such as drugs, alcohol, and pornography to trick us into believing that his way of being self-centered, arrogant, and prideful in the individualism of the world is the way in which we should live our lives. History shows us, and the stories of our own lives show us that the ways of this world only lead to failure, depression, and a lost state of being. Our hearts cry out to God to save us, but we must listen to His call on our lives to respond – to make the choice to open our hearts to Him and ask of His forgiveness as we welcome the salvation – the gift of Jesus Christ into our hearts to permeate our entire being with His Holy Spirit and give us a new life with hope and eternal life. We cannot live both lives, and in the love that God has for us, a choice must be made in acceptance of His great love for us. He will take care of our needs and bless our spiritual being for eternity if we will believe in Him.
Dear LORD,
In love You give us a choice as love cannot be forced but freely given and freely accepted and returned to the originator. You gave us Your one and only Son as a gift to all who will believe in You and accept the free gift of salvation that only Jesus can provide. It is our choice to accept or deny the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus in the love that You give to us. We know that You are Love (1 John 4:8, 16) and that Love must be genuine, freely given, freely accepted, and freely returned to make the circle of Love complete. Dear LORD, please help us to see that in Your Almighty Holiness we help make You complete as we put our faith in You as is Your desire for each and every one of us – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.