For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14).
James in chapter 4 has accused the people he's speaking to of lusting after things they don't have, fighting among themselves, being covetous, murderers, being adulterers, enemies of God and being friends with the world! Wow what a tough crowd!
All of the things he speaks about are things that can be inside us. Our lives are filled with all the negativity that inhabits the old sin nature when we are living outside of God's will for our lives. That's why James begins to focus on grace and humility.
Grace is what we need from God. It is a favor that we don't deserve but is offered to us freely because of the work of Christ on the cross. Philippians 2:5-8 says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."
Humility is what Jesus teaches. Humility is what He lived. He was never overcome by the world. He gave himself willingly for us. That's the mind of Christ. It's what James says we need too. He says just as God the Father lifted up Jesus, we will be lifted up in the sight of God.
When this happens we'll begin to see that life is short. It's like a vapor. The Psalmist in Psalm 39:5 compares our years to the width of our hands and says that our life at best is like a vapor, so let's pray that God makes the most out of the vapor of our life.
James in chapter 4 has accused the people he's speaking to of lusting after things they don't have, fighting among themselves, being covetous, murderers, being adulterers, enemies of God and being friends with the world! Wow what a tough crowd!
All of the things he speaks about are things that can be inside us. Our lives are filled with all the negativity that inhabits the old sin nature when we are living outside of God's will for our lives. That's why James begins to focus on grace and humility.
Grace is what we need from God. It is a favor that we don't deserve but is offered to us freely because of the work of Christ on the cross. Philippians 2:5-8 says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."
Humility is what Jesus teaches. Humility is what He lived. He was never overcome by the world. He gave himself willingly for us. That's the mind of Christ. It's what James says we need too. He says just as God the Father lifted up Jesus, we will be lifted up in the sight of God.
When this happens we'll begin to see that life is short. It's like a vapor. The Psalmist in Psalm 39:5 compares our years to the width of our hands and says that our life at best is like a vapor, so let's pray that God makes the most out of the vapor of our life.
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