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“ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Come near to God and he
will come near to you.” – James 4:7-8 (full
text James 4:1-10)
Often times we must step back, take a close look at who we
really are, and then ask ourselves are we willing to stay there. We’ve spoken over the last few weeks about
our weaknesses and our inherent characteristic of unrighteousness. Each of us have an innate propensity to sin
in life and are drawn to the selfishness and pride of those who walk without the
Lord. What is it inside of you that
causes you to argue with your spouse or kids or friends? What is it that is at the root of your
opinions and fuels your debates? Perhaps
it’s time to look closely into the mirror of your life and realize just who
your are.
I suggest; after reading through James this morning; that our thoughts, actions and words are driven solely by our closeness to God Almighty. Humanity is driven by the worldly attitude of “ME”. Let’s face it, your biggest problems each day center around the impact to you, your life, your comfort and your happiness. We focus on that which we believe we can control. Specifically, many would say today “It doesn’t impact me, so why should I care.” I propose, this apathetic attitude is at the core of our falling away from God in the last 20 years.
Then there are those in society that have become spotlight seeking servants. When the spotlight is on they want to come across as humble servants, interested in helping the wee little ones, or the unfortunate ones. Throw some money at the problem, but never really get their hands dirty. This is driven by a selfishness, an internal gratification principal. The reality of it is that this group of individual’s are using the unfortunate circumstances of others to promote themselves.
Think about the life of Christ for a moment. If we are to emulate and become more Christ-like, what does that truly mean? Are the scriptures asking us to become miracle workers, healers or speak wisely about things not of this world? No. To emulate Christ is to take on His characteristics. Let’s name a few: humble, loving, peace-filled, servant, approachable, just, pure of heart, submissive to the Father’s plans and committed to His purpose. Now, which of these are not characteristics you are capable of? The reality of the situation is that when we look at our life in comparison to Christ’s we often think about His perfection. This is certainly the role model we should strive for, but realize that He came from God and therefore did not possess the same propensity to sin that every other person has. Focus on who He was, not just what He did. These characteristics draw you closer to the Father and separate you from the worldly selfishness that envelope each of our minds and approach to life. If you, like me, are saddened by the state of the world today, then choose to do something about it. Follow the example of Christ and submit to the Father, let Him use you.
ACTION: Take an inventory of what is at the core of your plans, desires and purpose in life. Is it intended to benefit you or others? Are you living to improve your lifestyle or to help others improve theirs? Based on what you know about the person Jesus Christ, if He walked amongst us today, would He work live in a palatial home in the sub-burbs and work in an office or would He be homeless and work on the streets of the inner city? Why aren’t we following His example? Think about it, what motivates your decisions in life?
I suggest; after reading through James this morning; that our thoughts, actions and words are driven solely by our closeness to God Almighty. Humanity is driven by the worldly attitude of “ME”. Let’s face it, your biggest problems each day center around the impact to you, your life, your comfort and your happiness. We focus on that which we believe we can control. Specifically, many would say today “It doesn’t impact me, so why should I care.” I propose, this apathetic attitude is at the core of our falling away from God in the last 20 years.
Then there are those in society that have become spotlight seeking servants. When the spotlight is on they want to come across as humble servants, interested in helping the wee little ones, or the unfortunate ones. Throw some money at the problem, but never really get their hands dirty. This is driven by a selfishness, an internal gratification principal. The reality of it is that this group of individual’s are using the unfortunate circumstances of others to promote themselves.
Think about the life of Christ for a moment. If we are to emulate and become more Christ-like, what does that truly mean? Are the scriptures asking us to become miracle workers, healers or speak wisely about things not of this world? No. To emulate Christ is to take on His characteristics. Let’s name a few: humble, loving, peace-filled, servant, approachable, just, pure of heart, submissive to the Father’s plans and committed to His purpose. Now, which of these are not characteristics you are capable of? The reality of the situation is that when we look at our life in comparison to Christ’s we often think about His perfection. This is certainly the role model we should strive for, but realize that He came from God and therefore did not possess the same propensity to sin that every other person has. Focus on who He was, not just what He did. These characteristics draw you closer to the Father and separate you from the worldly selfishness that envelope each of our minds and approach to life. If you, like me, are saddened by the state of the world today, then choose to do something about it. Follow the example of Christ and submit to the Father, let Him use you.
ACTION: Take an inventory of what is at the core of your plans, desires and purpose in life. Is it intended to benefit you or others? Are you living to improve your lifestyle or to help others improve theirs? Based on what you know about the person Jesus Christ, if He walked amongst us today, would He work live in a palatial home in the sub-burbs and work in an office or would He be homeless and work on the streets of the inner city? Why aren’t we following His example? Think about it, what motivates your decisions in life?
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