Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8
The Christian walk does not offer the option of sitting on the fence. One either has a God-centered life or flits back and forth between the love of Him and the love of self and what the world offers – a double-mindedness that undermines a relationship with the Lord. The Word of God is clear: “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4).
The apostle James writes of the wisdom from above and urges his readers to purify their hearts from worldliness. He contrasts the conduct of wisdom as pure, full of mercy, peaceable, gentle, and sincere against the world’s attitudes being unspiritual and demonic, with jealousy and selfish ambition that leads to disorder and quarreling (James 3:14-4:3).
Sin is serious business. James says to mourn and weep over it. In a matter of four verses (James 4:7-10), he gives ten imperatives to the believer for a life lived close to God. These include voluntarily submission and obedience to Him, drawing near to Him in prayer and supplication, having a serious mindset about your sin, and being humble before God and man.
Bible commentator Edgar Gibson said, “Scripture sets its face against compromise in matters of principle.” Pray that those in positions of authority in this nation recognize their need for the Lord and turn to Him. Seek daily to build that precious fellowship with God in your life. Set your face toward things above and love Him. He is ready and willing to provide all you will ever need.
Today’s Verse: James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: James 3:13-17, 4:7-10
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
7 Submit yourselves 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 wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
