Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from James 5:16-18.

 

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.  Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”  James 5:16-18.

 

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“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  Verse 16.  But, contrary to many people’s beliefs, the Lord does not give equal consideration to everyone’s prayers.

 

“The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.”  Proverbs 15:29

                              

“¹⁸ If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
¹⁹ But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
²⁰ Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.”  Psalm 66:18-20.

 

“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.”  Hebrews 5:7 

                                  

“FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”  1 Peter 3:12

 

 

 

Thanks be to God;  we possess the righteousness of Christ.  “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”  1 Corinthians 1:30;  “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”  Philippians 1:11;  “and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”  Philippians 3:9

                                    

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16.

Today’s devotion comes from James 5:13-15.

 

“Is anyone among you suffering?  Then he must pray.

 

Is anyone cheerful?  He is to sing praises.

 

Is anyone among you sick?  Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;  and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”  James 5:13-15.

 

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We endure, because we have faith that the Lord will sustain us while we wait for healing or the end of the suffering.  We pray, because we have faith in the Lord that He will heal us or otherwise help us in our suffering.  We praise, because we have faith that the Lord is the One Who healed us or otherwise helped us.  In summary, we believe that “the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”     

 

“We count those blessed who endured.  You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”  James 5:11.

 

“¹⁵ Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

 

…

 

²² “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
²³ “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God.”  Psalm 50:15 and 22-23.

 

 

We don’t pray as much as we should, but we praise much less. 

 

 

 

It seems like there is only one praise report for every ten prayer requests.  It should not be so.  It reminds me of the story of the ten lepers who were all healed by Jesus, but only one “turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.”

“While He (Jesus) was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.  As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him;  and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they were going, they were cleansed.  Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed?  But the nine—where are they?  Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”  And He said to him, “Stand up and go;  your faith has made you well.”  Luke 17:11-19.

Today’s devotion comes from James 5:12.

 

“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath;  but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.”  James 5:12.

 

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Oath is defined in part as “a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says”. 

 

Oaths are often pompous, filled with man’s pride and pageantry.  Oaths are often about trivial, even irreverent matters, and yet they dare invoke God’s holy name.

 

With singular focus, today’s Scripture rightly commands us to avoid oaths:  “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath …”  Verse 12.  Instead of oaths, we are commanded to speak the humble, simple truth:  “… your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.”  Verse 12.

 

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’  But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’;  anything beyond these is of evil.”  Matthew 5:33-37.  

 

Although neither today’s Scripture nor Matthew 5:33-37 expressly refers to the third commandment, the following part of the Heidelberg Catechism teaches us that part of the reason why we should not makes oaths comes from the third commandment which is:  “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”  Exodus 20:5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the Heidelberg Catechism also teaches us that there are times when we may swear religiously by the name of God.

 

                            

Today’s devotion comes from James 5:7-11.

 

“⁷ Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.  The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.  ⁸ You too be patient;  strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.  ⁹ Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged;  behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.  ¹⁰ As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  ¹¹ We count those blessed who endured.  You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”  James 5:7-11.

 

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Where do we get that patience, strength, and endurance?

 

 

 

Part of “the outcome of the Lord’s dealings” with us is “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  That grace is why we are patient, why we have strength, why we endure, and why we persevere, leading to salvation.

 

We do not deserve that grace, but “the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”  Verse 11.  

 

“We count those blessed who endured” verse 11, because they were blessed by God.   

 

In conclusion, “Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings;  for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, …”  Hebrews 13:9  Stick with “TULIP”.  Be patient, strengthened, and endure by “TULIP”.

Today’s devotion comes from James 5:1-6.

 

“¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.  ² Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.  ³ Your gold and your silver have rusted;  and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire.  It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!  ⁴ Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you;  and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.  ⁵ You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure;  you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.  ⁶ You have condemned and put to death the righteous man;  he does not resist you.”  James 5:1-6.

 

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“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom:  she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.”  Ezekiel 16:49

                                 

Today’s Scripture is harsh, and we may naturally try to escape from it.  But, I think there are some things that we can do to better “help the poor and needy”.

 

 

“You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.  The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.”  Leviticus 19:13.

 

Notice in Jesus’ parable of the landowner in the kingdom of heaven, that the landowner paid his laborers on the same day of their service.  “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’”  Matthew 20:8

 

Second, for personal loans, we can personally decide to not charge interest.  “If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him;  you shall not charge him interest.”  Exodus 22:25. 

 

Third, as a nation, we can make sure that we have merciful laws.  We think of bankruptcy laws and “homestead exemption from the claims of creditors” laws when we read Scripture like Exodus 22:26-27.  “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, for that is his only covering;  it is his cloak for his body.  What else shall he sleep in?  And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.” 

 

Fourth, when we work, we can make sure that there is an overflow or other provision to share with others.  “Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.  Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard;  you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger.  I am the Lord your God.”  Leviticus 19:9-10.

 

1 Timothy 6:18
“Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,”

 

Ephesians 4:28
“He who steals must steal no longer;  but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”

 

I think of this attorney (not me) who puts most of the fine food gifts that his firm receives on the common room table for all to share.   

 

I think of not grabbing every bit of beautiful land, but saving some land for public parks.  I think of public accesses to beaches. 

 

 

We may not be as good as others in helping the poor and needy.  But, we all can still find ways to help the poor and needy.  For example, I would much rather teach than spend time in a soup kitchen.  But, I have a friend who operates a Christian homeless shelter that effectively gives out food and clothing to a large number of people.  I can send him money. 

 

In conclusion, if the Book of James drives home one point, it may be this point.  “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”  James 2:14-17.  Therefore, let us look for more and better ways to “help the poor and needy” and do it and encourage others to also do it.

Today’s devotion comes from James 4:13-16.

 

“¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”  ¹⁴ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”  ¹⁶ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance;  all such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”  James 4:13-16.

 

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“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”  Verse 14. 

 

“⁶ A voice says, “Call out.”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:6-8.

                                    

Today’s devotion comes from James 4:11-12.

 

“¹¹ Do not speak against one another, brethren.  He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law;  but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.  ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy;  but who are you who judge your neighbor?”  James 4:11-12.

 

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“For the Lord is our judge,
The Lord is our lawgiver,
The Lord is our king;
He will save us—”  Isaiah 33:22.

 

“But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5

 

There may be different reasons why we want to speak against a brother and judge our neighbor. 

 

There may be pride.  We may secretly think:  “I can do a better job of judging than God.”  “God must miss seeing something, otherwise He would not allow this man to live and prosper!”

 

There may be jealousy and envy.

 

There may be the thought that we will look taller in comparison if we knock our brother down a few notches. 

 

But, there is only One Who saves.  There is only One Who casts into hell.  “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy …”  Verse 12.  

 

So, don’t rebel against God’s authority.  “Allow” God to judge.  “Do not speak against one another, brethren.”  Verse 11. 

 

“‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip;  For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’”  Deuteronomy 32:35

 

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.”  Romans 12:19

 

“For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.”  And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”  Hebrews 10:30

Today’s devotion comes from James 4:6-10.

 

“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.”  James 4:6-10.

 

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“Though He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.”  Proverbs 3:34.

 

Before I did the search of verses which contained the words “humble or humility”, I thought there may be less than 20 of such verses and that humility was just a minor quality.  But, there were 90 verses which contained either word.  I have included only some of them, but hopefully enough to make for the format of a daily devotion (which must be brief in format) a solid and summary presentation of humility as one of the central themes through Scripture that will show how important God values humility.

 

There is value in summing things up.  “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;”  1 Peter 3:8

 

 

Deuteronomy 8:3
“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”

 

2 Kings 22:19
“because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”

 

2 Chronicles 7:14
“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

 

2 Chronicles 12:12
“And when he humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and also conditions were good in Judah.”

 

“When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak.  But they will become his slaves so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”  2 Chronicles 12:7-8.

 

2 Chronicles 32:26
“However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.”

 

“¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.  ¹¹ Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. ¹² When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. ¹³ When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.  …  ¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. ¹⁹ His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the Hozai.”  2 Chronicles 33:10-13 and 18-19.

 

2 Chronicles 34:27
“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”

 

Psalm 10:17
“O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;  You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear”

 

Psalm 25:9
“He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.”

 

Psalm 34:2
“My soul will make its boast in the LORD;  The humble will hear it and rejoice.”

 

Psalm 37:11
“But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”

 

Psalm 69:32
“The humble have seen it and are glad;  You who seek God, let your heart revive.”

 

Psalm 76:9
“When God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth.”

 

Proverbs 11:2
“When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”

 

Proverbs 15:33
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”

 

Proverbs 16:19
“It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

 

Proverbs 18:12
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.”

 

Proverbs 22:4
“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”

 

Proverbs 29:23
“A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”

 

Isaiah 2:11
“The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.”

 

Isaiah 2:17
“The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased;  And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,”

 

“For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

 

Zephaniah 2:3
“Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances;  Seek righteousness, seek humility.  Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”

 

Zephaniah 3:12
[A Remnant of Israel]  “But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.”

 

Matthew 18:4
“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

 

Matthew 23:12
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

 

Luke 1:52
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.”

 

Luke 14:11
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

Luke 18:14
“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other;  for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3.

 

Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”

 

Colossians 3:12
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”

 

James 1:9
“But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;”

 

James 1:21
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”

 

1 Peter 5:5
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders;  and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

 

1 Peter 5:6
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,”

 

 

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain;  and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.  He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit (humble), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

 

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”  Matthew 5:1-6.

Today’s devotion comes from James 4:1-5.

 

“¹ What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?  ² You lust and do not have;  so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain;  so you fight and quarrel.  You do not have because you do not ask.  ³ 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”?  James 4:1-5.

 

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“The flesh” is the source of quarrels, conflicts, lusts, envy, fights, wrong motives, and friendship with the world which are mentioned in today’s Scripture. 

 

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21.

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23. 

 

 

“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  Romans 8:5-8. 

 

“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;  for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”  Galatians 5:17.

 

 

“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.”  Verse 4.

 

“No one can serve two masters;  for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.”  Matthew 6:24.

 

 

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:  sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:2-4

 

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”  Romans 8:9-11.

 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16. 

 

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:24.

 

 

“Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose:  “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?”  Verse 5. 

 

The jealous desire of God for His Spirit within us guarantees our salvation.  Because God desires His Spirit within us so much, God will not abandon us.  God placed His Spirit within us as a pledge or guarantee that He will not forsake us nor forget to redeem us to bring us to Himself in heaven.

 

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  Ephesians 1:13-14.

Today’s devotion comes from James 3:13-18.

 

“¹³ Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  ¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  ¹⁸ And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”  James 3:13-18. 

 

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There is a sharp contrast between earthly wisdom (which is jealous and selfish) and heavenly wisdom which is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy”.  Verse 17.

 

There is also a sharp contrast between those who seek that earthly wisdom and those who seek that heavenly wisdom.  Those who are jealous and selfish care only for themselves, and they sow and reap “disorder and every evil thing”.  Verse 16.  “Those who make peace” care for others, and they sow and reap peace and righteousness.  Verse 18.

 

There is a sharp contrast between those who trust themselves and those who trust God.

 

To those who trust themselves:

“You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors,”  Hosea 10:13.
 

To those who trust God:

“Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.”  Hosea 10:12.

                             

So, let us seek that “wisdom from above”.

 

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”  James 1:17.  

 

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5.