James 4:1-10
Reflect
James mentions the most common problems in prayer: not asking, asking for the wrong things, asking for the wrong reasons. Our prayers become powerful when we allow God to change our desires so that they perfectly correspond to His will for us. (1 John 3:21,22)
In verse 6, he quotes Psalm 3:34 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”.
Our pride makes us self-centred, but humility releases us from pride.
Humbling ourselves means recognizing that our worth comes from God alone. It is essential to recognizing and accepting our total dependence on God. God has given us everything, even the gift of life. And without God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we would be separated from God and under judgement for the weight of our sin. Although we do not deserve God’s favour, He reaches out to us in love and gives us worth and dignity, despite our human shortcomings.
Rick Warren says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.”
James also gives five ways to come near to God: submit to God, resist the devil, purify your heart, grieve your sins and humble yourself before the Lord. When we do this, God draws near to us. God’s desire is to be in relationship with us all the time.
Karen Alksne
Pray
- Pray for our Senior Lead Team Pastor, Lyle Buyer, his ministry, and family.
- Pray for our Church Board members: Beth Cheung, Gerhard Hiob, Hal Reirson, JD Kliewer, Mary Jetha, Mike Ross, Randy Voss, Seth Jansen, Trevor Toews, Uwem Okome.
- Pray for our office staff: Vicky Bailey, Naomi Voss; bookkeeper Liudmyla Lushchyk
- Pray for our Hospitality Coordinator, Irene Dickau.
- Pray for Karen Alksne, our Congregational Life Ministry Associate.