12-14-20   THOUGHTS

Why we do what we do is so important.  As we approach God, our smallness and his greatness must be present.  Love must drown out the self.  There is no place for ME...  except He gives it.  In the passage area below, prayer is frustrated by wrong motive.  The one praying wants for self...for pleasure.  The one praying is a FRIEND OF THE WORLD!  The SPIRIT INSPIRED WORD says that cannot be!  God is jealous over OUR SPIRIT.  HE MADE IT, HE WANTS IT!  Our pride in God’s presence is WRONG!  SUBMIT and DRAW NEAR WHEN IT COMES TO GOD.   RESIST is the word when the devil is considered.  DOUBLE-MINDEDNESS is a disaster.  Let God exalt you.  WE MUST PUT HIM IN HIS RIGHT PLACE IN OUR HEARTS!

Jas 4:3-10     You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4  You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5  Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6  But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7  Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  9  Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10  Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
1Pet 3:15    but sanctify Christ [set him apart in his right place] as Lord in your hearts, always [being] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Jas 4:8 is so simple...   DRAW NEAR TO GOD... and HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU!
The words CLEANSE and PURIFY follow.  These words are set over against
DOUBLE-MINDED.  HUMBLE YOURSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD!
2Cor 5:15    and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Deut 6:4-5   Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

My Prayer:
Thank you Oh Lord for victory in Jesus.  Thank you for light, and love and promise.  Help us to see you so clearly that ourselves can joyfully be destroyed.  Give us right humility.  Help our single-mindedness toward you.  Help us to diligently resist this world as we draw nearer and nearer to you each day.  May we live, not for self, but for you.     In the name of precious Jesus       Amen