Day 15 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
Day 15 - James 4:6
SCRIPTURE:
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
LESSON:
This verse is also found in 1 Peter and is a quote of Proverbs chapter three. I often refer to this verse during my sermons to highlight the importance of surrendering to God. Imagine a scenario where you have the devil attacking you on one side and then God resisting you on the other side. NOT a place where I want to be!
So what does a proud person look like? Personally, I am very proud of my children! I am proud of what has happened over the last few years through my ministry at FFCC. I am proud of my family heritage and my cultural background! I am proud to be an American! I am proud of many things! But this is not the kind of pride that James is referring to when he says that “God resists the proud.” The pride he is referring to is even more than vanity or self-centeredness. Although God won’t give his blessing to those attitudes either. The pride that James is referring to is the attitude that refuses to submit to a higher authority.
One of the most important things I learned in Bible College was the discipline of submission. I went to a very strict conservative school. Many of the rules didn’t make sense to me! I hate dress ties. But I was required to wear them to class. South Florida heat and yet I wasn’t allowed to wear shorts to play basketball. Long pants only. My sleeves had to be past my elbows at all times. No short sleeve t-shirts. Needless to say, I struggled with my attitude and tried to find ways to skirt around the rules whenever I could. Looking back, I would have to say that my attitude was not great! I was snarky, rebellious, and at times I even sowed dissension among the other students.
All of this came to a head during my junior year. I had been wrestling with the rules of the school and with the Holy Spirit for a couple of years at this point. God spoke to me and said, “Melvin, if you can’t obey a simple rule about sleeve length how will you be able to obey me when I ask you to give up something more important?” I was convicted so deeply during that time that I stopped resisting the rules and began to submit to the authority that was over me. And this discipline of submission has helped me to surrender my pride and humble myself many times since.
When James says that God resists the proud, he is actually making the statement that those who refuse to align themselves under God’s authority and truth do not receive God’s blessing. Proverbs chapter three phrases it like this, “God scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” Another version describes the scornful as one who “mocks the truth.” In other words they refuse to align themselves with God’s truth and instead choose their own path. God cannot bless this attitude. He can only resist it.
A proud person is one who refuses to submit and instead chooses their own path. A humble person is someone who acknowledges their true position in the authority pyramid of the universe. Someone who is willing to surrender to the authority of God and to align themselves with God’s truth. This is the person who God will give grace to.
This verse is also found in 1 Peter and is a quote of Proverbs chapter three. I often refer to this verse during my sermons to highlight the importance of surrendering to God. Imagine a scenario where you have the devil attacking you on one side and then God resisting you on the other side. NOT a place where I want to be!
So what does a proud person look like? Personally, I am very proud of my children! I am proud of what has happened over the last few years through my ministry at FFCC. I am proud of my family heritage and my cultural background! I am proud to be an American! I am proud of many things! But this is not the kind of pride that James is referring to when he says that “God resists the proud.” The pride he is referring to is even more than vanity or self-centeredness. Although God won’t give his blessing to those attitudes either. The pride that James is referring to is the attitude that refuses to submit to a higher authority.
One of the most important things I learned in Bible College was the discipline of submission. I went to a very strict conservative school. Many of the rules didn’t make sense to me! I hate dress ties. But I was required to wear them to class. South Florida heat and yet I wasn’t allowed to wear shorts to play basketball. Long pants only. My sleeves had to be past my elbows at all times. No short sleeve t-shirts. Needless to say, I struggled with my attitude and tried to find ways to skirt around the rules whenever I could. Looking back, I would have to say that my attitude was not great! I was snarky, rebellious, and at times I even sowed dissension among the other students.
All of this came to a head during my junior year. I had been wrestling with the rules of the school and with the Holy Spirit for a couple of years at this point. God spoke to me and said, “Melvin, if you can’t obey a simple rule about sleeve length how will you be able to obey me when I ask you to give up something more important?” I was convicted so deeply during that time that I stopped resisting the rules and began to submit to the authority that was over me. And this discipline of submission has helped me to surrender my pride and humble myself many times since.
When James says that God resists the proud, he is actually making the statement that those who refuse to align themselves under God’s authority and truth do not receive God’s blessing. Proverbs chapter three phrases it like this, “God scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” Another version describes the scornful as one who “mocks the truth.” In other words they refuse to align themselves with God’s truth and instead choose their own path. God cannot bless this attitude. He can only resist it.
A proud person is one who refuses to submit and instead chooses their own path. A humble person is someone who acknowledges their true position in the authority pyramid of the universe. Someone who is willing to surrender to the authority of God and to align themselves with God’s truth. This is the person who God will give grace to.
PRAYER:
Father, you are God and I am not. Help me to remember that today. Help me to surrender to you in all areas of my life. Give me your grace today. I don’t want you to resist me therefore I won’t resist you. Whatever you ask of me today I will do. Bless me I pray! Amen!
Father, you are God and I am not. Help me to remember that today. Help me to surrender to you in all areas of my life. Give me your grace today. I don’t want you to resist me therefore I won’t resist you. Whatever you ask of me today I will do. Bless me I pray! Amen!
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