“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV) Rebellion against God is rooted in pride. Submission to God is rooted in humility. Rebellion brings harm and punishment. Submission brings relief and reward. Knowing that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, the child […]
“You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. 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 pleasures.” […]
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” James 4:1 (NIV) Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever quarreled with someone and sought to get your way at any cost? Can you imagine that kind of behavior among believers? James identifies the reality […]
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Eccl 12:14 (NIV) As you revere God and obey Him, you will be obtaining and employing heavenly wisdom. Another essential to doing life God’s way is portraying the life of Christ. God pursued you with His love […]
“Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they […]
“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 (NIV) Jesus wept aloud when He stood over unrepentant Jerusalem in their failure to recognize Him as Savior. But when Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus, He shed a tear. Jesus’ expression of grief was not a loud lament but rather an intimate display of grief over the reality of […]
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” Mark 9:35 (NIV) Our culture thrives on being the best at whatever you do. Reality television shows have magnified the surge of cynicism and critical evaluation. You’re too tall or […]
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14 Your impact for God will never rise above your prayer life. God honors […]
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Matt 16:24 (NIV) While driving down the interstate, I discovered a billboard advertisement that had this phrase in large gold letters with a dark background, “It’s all about you.” That phrase captures the ebb […]
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:3 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves humility. Recognizing your spiritual bankruptcy apart from God is imperative for the follower of Christ. You cannot come into the Kingdom of God without acknowledging your utter hopelessness outside of God’s provision. To be poor in spirit is […]