14 day plan

Intimacy with God - Part 1

Day 1 of 14

CEV

James 4:6

6 In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say,

“God opposes everyone

who is proud,

but he blesses all who are humble

with undeserved grace.”

Reflection:  No one knows God without humility. It is only those who have a right understanding of themselves before a holy God who truly know him.  Pride does the opposite. Pride sets up a person’s own opinion, own glory, against God. It is little wonder Scripture says that God opposes the proud (James 4:6). It’s a strong word. God is not indifferent or vaguely dismissive of the proud; he opposes them. But those who seek him with humility, who are aware of their mortality and have a true perspective of themselves before a holy God (Psalm 39:4-7), they are the ones who find him.

Humility is the bridge one must cross in order to find God and experience his favour. God says to his people in the Old Testament: ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14).

It begins with humility.

Prayer:  Dear Father,  I dare not cling to anything in the belief it buys me the right to your favour. It is by your grace alone that I stand before you. And that grace gives me the greatest confidence a person can have. Thank you, Lord.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

James 4:1-17

Friendship with the World

1Why do you fight and argue with each other? Isn't it because you are full of selfish desires that fight to control your body? 2You want something you don't have, and you will do anything to get it. You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want, and you won't get it by fighting and arguing. You should pray for it. 3Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.

4You people aren't faithful to God! Don't you know if you love the world, you are God's enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5Do you doubt the Scriptures that say, “God truly cares about the Spirit he has put in us”? 6 In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say,

“God opposes everyone

who is proud,

but he blesses all who are humble

with undeserved grace.”

7Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. 8Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you people who can't make up your mind. 9Be sad and sorry and weep. Stop laughing and start crying. Be gloomy instead of glad. 10Be humble in the Lord's presence, and he will honor you.

Saying Cruel Things about Others

11My friends, don't say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God's Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it 12or God who gave it. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone?

Warning against Bragging

13 You should know better than to say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!” 14What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. 15You should say, “If the Lord lets us live, we will do these things.” 16Yet you are stupid enough to brag, and it is wrong to be so proud. 17If you don't do what you know is right, you have sinned.