James 4:1-17
"O God, give us the worldly pleasures that we strongly crave, and are willing to fight for." Can you imagine anyone praying like this? Well, James addressed some who had asked the Lord for these things as "adulterers and adulteresses." Their prayers were not answered. They most surely asked amiss.
"Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4.
Worldliness is like a common disease among professing Christians today. A good definition of worldliness is anything that does not conform to the image of Jesus Christ. The world with all its decadence has been warmly embraced even by some who warm the pews on Sunday mornings. They have no desire to be more than Sunday-go-to-meeting Christians. Through the week they seek satisfaction in vain entertainment and worldly pleasures and pursuits.
James prescribes a cure for worldliness. It begins with submission to the Lord. "Therefore submit to God." Someone has said, "We need to admit our need of God; submit our wills to God, and commit our lives to God."
Our submission to God should be accompanied by our resistance of the devil. "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Satan is the god of this world, the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 2:2. He's overrated. He isn't omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient. Only God is. You should know that the devil is a coward. Resist him, and he runs!
"Draw near to God." You can do that in prayer. Just bend your knee and bow your head and talk to Him. Tell Him that you need Him, and you love Him, and you want to know Him. Open your Bible, and get into the Word. Hide it in your heart. Become a Bible student, and learn about Jesus. When you draw near to Him, you will discover that "He will draw near to you." He will satisfy your deepest desires.
"Cleanse your hands..., and purify your hearts." Clean up your life both outside and inside. Don't be a germ carrier. Stay away from the pig pen. Don't wallow in the mire. The Holy Spirit will help you.
"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." In the Christian life the way up is down. That's how He works. Those who are proud He brings down. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Are you friend or foe?
O God, help us to set our hearts and minds on You. Cure us of any worldliness. Thank You for cleansing and healing. Thank You for Your warm embrace. In Jesus' name. Amen!