MATURE FAITH SUBMITS HUMBLY TO GOD
March 18, 2019 | James 4:7–10
DEVOTIONS
This Month’s Issue
The narrative climax in John Milton’s Paradise Lost is the choice made first by Eve and then by Adam to give in to the serpent’s temptation and disobey God. In Milton’s Paradise Regained, the story’s climax is Jesus’ perfect resistance to the Devil’s temptations in the wilderness (Luke 4:1–13). Christ’s victory over temptation signaled that Adam and Eve’s fall to temptation was on the verge of being undone.
Come near to God and he will come near to you.
JAMES 4:8
James 4, indeed the entire epistle, has been building a set of contrasts. On one side we find the Devil, selfish desires, worldliness, spiritual unfaithfulness, quarrels, pride, and enmity with God. On the other side we find God, love for our neighbor, a focus on eternal values, wholehearted worship, peacefulness, humility, and friendship with God.
We are to imitate Jesus in resisting temptation, which requires submission to God’s will and is the key to staying on the right side of this contrast (v. 7). Submission means obedience, which in turn means resisting the Devil and his temptations (see 1:13–15). Resisting the Devil will move us in the direction of drawing near to God, and God reciprocates the move toward a closer relationship (v. 8a).
Since we are not yet perfect, this all requires confession and repentance (v. 8b). Confession of sin is the opposite of pride, which never admits it’s wrong. The mourning referred to in verse 9 is grief over sin—the laughter and “joy” indicate a casual attitude to sin—and how it creates barriers in our relationship with the Lord (see Ps. 24:3–4). When we humble ourselves before God in this way for these reasons, He is always faithful to lift us up, that is, to forgive us and restore the relationship (v. 10).
APPLY THE WORD
The people of Nineveh dressed in sackcloth and called out to the Lord (Jonah 3:5–9). Peter wept bitterly over his three denials of Christ (Matt. 26:75). The tax collector “beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner’” (Luke 18:13). Take time to draw near to God through confession and repentance!
PARTIAL OBEDIENCE
March 20, 2019 | 2 Chronicles 25
DEVOTIONS
This Month’s Issue
Probably every parent of teenagers can relate to this experience: the parent issues an instruction or relays a story, while the teen nods and murmurs “um-hmm” without looking up from his mobile phone. A few minutes later, the parent asks, “Did you hear me?” “Um-hmm,” the teen replies without moving. When the young person still sits looking at his phone, the parent demands: “Were you listening to me?” “Oh, sorry—what did you say?” Half listening is scarcely better than fully ignoring someone.
God has the power to help or to overthrow.
2 CHRONICLES 25:8
Amaziah half-heartedly listened to the word of the Lord. When it was to his benefit, he humbled himself before the Law or the word of a prophet. He would not put to death the children of those who conspired against his father, respecting the Law in Deuteronomy 24:16 (v. 4). He acknowledged his error when the first prophet told him he was wrong in hiring Ephraimites to join his army despite risks of retaliation (vv. 7–10). He was even willing to take a risk in dismissing a sizeable fighting force.
But Amaziah’s obedience was inconsistent. After he won a victory over their enemies in Seir, he brought Edomite idols back to Jerusalem and began to worship them (v. 14). He rejected the word of the second prophet. He would not listen to his counsel, and neither would he listen to the counsel of the much stronger king of Israel (vv. 16–20).
Obedience to the word of the Lord takes full-hearted effort; a half-hearted effort is disobedience. James tells us to “do what it says” (James 1:22). We must adhere to its wisdom, or eventually we, like Amaziah, might reject all sound counsel. We must trust in the grace of Jesus our Savior in order to walk in faith and obedience (1 Cor. 15:10).
APPLY THE WORD
What is your attitude to the preaching of the Word of God at your church? Ask the Lord to give you a meek heart—one that places you under the authority of the Word. It’s vital to overcome a prideful heart—one that places you above the authority of the Word and is often characterized by criticisms of the preacher or the message.