The natural, carnal being does NOT like to humble, submit, and surrender itself; it goes against the way the world has taught us, and requires that changes be made throughout the being! This is one thing THE LORD'S enemy counts on, because it IS SO difficult to relinquish the self, and step into the spirit, as it entails giving up many things of this world, which we are SO used to...
When we resist HIM, humility, submission, and surrender, we are denying our spirit, but worse, we are denying HIM, as our pride leads us away from what is right, just, and good FOR the being, and for our safety...
JAMES 4: 4-10...
4/ Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5/ Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks without meaning when it says, "The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy"?
6/ But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
7/ So submit yourselves 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 of two minds.
9/ Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection.
10/ Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God.
And let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, by the disposition of the heart when prayers are granted. When men ask of God prosperity, they often ask with wrong aims and intentions. If we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them.
Unbelieving and cold desires beg denials; and we may be sure that when prayers are rather the language of lusts than of graces, they will return empty. Here is a decided warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world. Worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. An enemy may be reconciled, but enmity never can be reconciled.
A man may have a large portion in things of this life, and yet be kept in the love of God; but he who sets his heart upon the world, who will conform to it rather than lose its friendship, is an enemy to God. So that any one who resolves at all events to be upon friendly terms with the world, must be the enemy of God. Did then the Jews, or the loose professors of Christianity, think the Scripture spake in vain against this worldly-mindedness? or does the Holy Spirit who dwells in all Christians, or the new nature which he creates, produce such fruit?
Natural corruption shows itself by envying. The spirit of the world teaches us to lay up, or lay out for ourselves, according to our own fancies; God the Holy Spirit teaches us to be willing to do good to all about us, as we are able.
The grace of God will correct and cure the spirit by nature in us; and where he gives grace, he gives another spirit than that of the world.
The proud resist God: in their understanding they resist the truths of God; in their will they resist the laws of God; in their passions they resist the providence of God; therefore, no wonder that God resists the proud. How wretched the state of those who make God their enemy!
God will give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, pray for it are thankful for it, and such shall have it.
Submit to God, ver. 7. Submit your understanding to the truth of God; submit your wills to the will of his precept, the will of his providence. Submit yourselves to God, for he is ready to do you good.
If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand out against him, he will leave us. Let sinners then submit to God, and seek his grace and favour; resisting the devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or, hereafter, in eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before him.
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
He who puts confidence in man, shall be like the heath in a desert, a naked tree, a sorry shrub, the product of barren ground, useless and worthless.
Those who trust to their own righteousness and strength, and think they can do without Christ, make flesh their arm, and their souls cannot prosper in graces or comforts.
Those who make God their Hope, shall flourish like a tree always green, whose leaf does not wither. They shall be fixed in peace and satisfaction of mind; they shall not be anxious in a year of drought. Those who make God their Hope, have enough in him to make up the want of all creature-comforts. They shall not cease from yielding fruit in holiness and good works.
The heart, the conscience of man, in his corrupt and fallen state, is deceitful above all things. It calls evil good, and good evil; and cries peace to those to whom it does not belong. Herein the heart is desperately wicked; it is deadly, it is desperate. The case is bad indeed, if the conscience, which should set right the errors of other faculties, is a leader in the delusion.
We cannot know our own hearts, nor what they will do in an hour of temptation. Who can understand his errors? Much less can we know the hearts of others, or depend upon them.
He that believes God's testimony in this matter, and learns to watch his own heart, will find this is a correct, though a sad picture, and learns many lessons to direct his conduct. But much in our own hearts and in the hearts of others, will remain unknown. Yet whatever wickedness there is in the heart, God sees it. Men may be imposed upon, but God cannot be deceived.
He that gets riches, and not by right, though he may make them his hope, never shall have joy of them. This shows what vexation it is to a worldly man at death, that he must leave his riches behind; but though the wealth will not follow to another world, guilt will, and everlasting torment. The rich man takes pains to get an estate, and sits brooding upon it, but never has any satisfaction in it; by sinful courses it comes to nothing.
Let us be wise in time; what we get, let us get it honestly; and what we have, use it charitably, that we may be wise for eternity.
It ISN'T easy to stay on THE PATH of righteousness, but, is a the ONLY SURE path there is, and which GIVES us ALL necessary, in ALL ways, to assured arrival to our CHOSEN destination! And, HE BLESSES those whom BLESS HIM!!!
Thus, we should ALWAYS be learning, and taking to the deepest heart, THE LORD, and HIS WILL, by studying, contemplating, then, aligning to HIS DECREES, and example, WILLINGLY, and glad for the opportunity to do so, because without HIS MERCIFUL GRACE, we would be lost eternally!!!
PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, REJOICE IN HIS PLAN, and HONOUR HIM in ALL ways, for HE IS RIGHT, HE IS HOLY, and HE IS GOOD! BLESS HIM, and let HIS GLORY SHINE forevermore, yes, even through us!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
1 comment:
Sometimes posts are lengthy, but in truth, they do not share but a fraction of the teachings, and ARE IMPERATIVE to understanding, then growth IN CHRIST! I spend MUCH time finding ways to effectively drive home the core of matters in the shortest feasible manner, but alas, it doesn't always mean easy reading:))) OXOXOXOX
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