Snow Delay

2/11/14

Dear City Calvary,
It is a good thing I'm sending out my letter this week because the snow kept the majority of you home this past Sunday.  Our focus was on James 4:6-12 where we talked about the cure for, or the way to battle, worldliness (friendship with the world) in the life of a believer.  We are faced with the choice every day: am I a friend of God or friend with the world.  This cure/battle plan that James outlines for us has six parts:

1.  "Submit yourselves, then, to God"  This word for "submit" is a military term meaning, "get into the proper rank."  We are to submit to our Lord Jesus, as our Supreme Commander.  Who else would you want to submit to?  He has perfect knowledge of everything.

2.  "Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you."  Our job is to resist Satan and he will flee from us, not the other way around.  How do we effectively resist the devil?  Jesus is our best example.  Every time he was tempted by Satan, while in the wilderness, He always responded by quoting God's word.  Every time He said to the Devil, "It is written" and then gave the appropriate Bible verse.  That is the model for us.  Quote the word of God.  The Bible is our authority.  We stand on the strong foundation of scripture.  Why is this the best way to resist the devil?  He has no comeback to God's word.

3.  "Come near to God and He will come near to you."  Too often, people expect it to be the other way around as well.  They want God to draw near first and then they'll respond.  Or, people, who have allowed themselves to become close in their friendship with the world, while growing cold towards Jesus, feel too unworthy to come near to Jesus.  The Lord is a jealous God but He is not a spurned husband.  He calls us to draw near to Him and the promise is that He will draw near to us.  Just draw near to Jesus, no matter what.

4.  "Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."  It is important that we deal with sin, especially if we find ourselves a little too close with the world.  Yes, we draw near to God and He draws near to us but it is important that we confess our sins and repent, turning from our sin - both those we commit (hands) and think (hearts).

5.  "Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom."  Some would suggest, quoting this verse, that the Christian life is best lived in sackcloth and ashes.  I don't believe that is our Heavenly Father's desire for us.  Remember, James was writing to believers, some of which had become "friends of the world", following their "desires that battle within".  Jesus was no longer their first love, but rather they had fallen in love with the world.  James likens it to adultery - calling them "adulteresses" (4:4).  They are the ones who should grieve, mourn, and wail - stopping their laughter and replacing it with real tears because that would be the appropriate response of someone caught in adultery.

6.  "Humble yourselves before The Lord and He will lift you up."  How do you do that?  Try doing steps 1-5 and that is a humble response.  Humility before God is important.  James says that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

This coming Sunday, we will finish up James chapter 4, looking at verses 13-17.  In this section, James asks a great question - "What is your life?"  He then gives the answer.  This is one of the most important questions anyone can ever ask themselves.  This will be a great Sunday to invite someone to church, especially those who are really searching for what life is all about.  Ask your neighbor, friend, family, co-worker - whoever, to join us this Sunday.  Have a blessed week.

In Jesus love,

Pastor John