Conflict with God: Part 3

Redeeming Grace Church iconRedeeming Grace Church

0 views

0 comments

How to Draw Near to God: Part 4

00:00
What we're looking at, I'd like to bring a conclusion to this particular series from James chapter 4.
00:10
So please turn with me to James chapter 4, epistle of James. We're looking at three verses of Scripture.
00:21
James 4 verses 4 -6, verses 4 -6.
00:27
Let's hear the word of the Lord. Very strong words. Inspired, God -breathed word by the
00:37
Holy Spirit. It's God's breath. The adulteress says,
00:43
Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
00:56
Or do you think, do you think that the
01:01
Scripture speaks to no purpose? He jealously desires the spirit which he has made to dwell in us.
01:09
But, he gives a greater grace. Therefore, it says,
01:17
God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. May God bless the reading of His word to our hearts this morning.
01:26
Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we praise and we worship your majesty.
01:34
King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Lord, we know that you're in the midst of us.
01:41
And Lord, as your children, we are not afraid to receive the words you have for us.
01:46
Even though it may be strong correction and reproof. Lord, may we allow the word of God to correct us as it encourages us in the same way.
01:57
It's a two -edged sword. It comforts the afflicted and inflicts the comfortable. Lord, we thank you for the truth.
02:04
It pierces our hearts, it cuts us, but it is the balm of Gilead that heals us.
02:11
Lord, we need the light of the truth, but we also need the heat of the Holy Spirit. So Father, come.
02:18
You who alone possess immortality and dwells in light unapproachable, whom no man has seen or can see.
02:27
Father, to you alone belongs honor and eternal dominion, as Paul said. And our
02:32
Father, our prayer, Lord, is the prayer this morning of the psalmist. Deal bountifully with your servant,
02:39
Lord, that I may live, that I may live and keep your word.
02:45
Father, open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law. And Lord, we pray that this is our prayer this morning as we are confessing our inadequacy and your divine sufficiency.
03:04
Because in of ourselves we are nothing. Only you are sufficient. Only you are in your word.
03:12
So brand it to our hearts this morning, in Jesus' name. Amen. You know, one of the most definitive and decisive statements in all the
03:24
Scripture is found right here. Verse 4. It's in this statement,
03:30
Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Notice how direct that is.
03:36
To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. Did you hear that?
03:44
To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. A very definitive statement, isn't it?
03:52
And a frightening one at that. It makes me tremble to even say it. It's so serious and so sobering.
04:00
As it comes to our ears, but may it go to our hearts. As Scripture says in Hebrews 10 .31,
04:07
It is a fearful and a terrifying thing to fall in the hands of a living God. Certainly it's a foreboding thought, isn't it?
04:16
That people could be enemies of God. But yet, most of the world is enemy of God this morning as we sit here and worship
04:24
God and as God's people meet together. But not so much from the point as from man's point, from God's viewpoint.
04:35
See, God seeing man as an enemy and an enemy to be judged. Think of that.
04:42
Because Scripture says that His throne is for judgment. An enemy to be destroyed, not only to be judged, but after the enemy is judged, he will be destroyed.
04:58
Yes, and that is the day we're waiting for. God will bring all of His enemies under His feet, including death.
05:08
But all those that are against God, and we're going to look at that this morning. I believe as we look at the applications that God has for us here, it's going to be beneficial to our souls.
05:23
It's as a husband. So as a husband can brook no rival for the affections of his wife,
05:30
God is jealous for the individual affections of His people. And that's what
05:36
Scripture is talking about when He's speaking adulterous. You see, the
05:41
Word of God has much to say about the enemy of God. We're going to look at a few verses.
05:47
I'm not going to exhaust it by no means, but we're going to look at a few. First of all, turn with me in the
05:53
Old Testament to the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy chapter 32.
06:02
Deuteronomy 32, strong, strong verses. Have your Bible ready, because we're going to be going through a bunch of Scriptures this morning.
06:11
If you see in Deuteronomy chapter 32, this is pretty much the song of Moses.
06:20
We're not going to read all of it, but look it with me beginning at verse 35. Starting at verse 35.
06:29
Vengeance is mine. This is a song. Vengeance is mine, and retribution.
06:37
And in due time their foot will slip. For the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them.
06:46
For the Lord will vindicate His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.
06:53
Now, do you see friendship and enemies here? See this? Notice what he says. And when He sees that their strength is gone, and there is none remaining, bond or free.
07:03
And He will say, where are their gods? The rock in which they sought refuge.
07:09
Question there. Who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offering?
07:17
Let them rise up and help you. Let them be your hiding place. Notice that.
07:24
It's God speaking. This is a song. This is something Moses was singing. See now that I, I am
07:32
He, and there is no God besides me. It is I who put death and give life.
07:43
And I have wounded, and it is I who healed. Notice the sovereignty of God there.
07:50
And there is no one who can deliver from my hand. No one can deliver from God's hand.
07:56
In other words, if you are not on God's side, you are in trouble. Indeed, he says in verse 40,
08:02
I lift up my hand to heaven. And I say, as I live forever. And notice these last three verses.
08:09
If I sharpen my flashing sword. Another translation, a glittering sword.
08:16
Lightning sword. The sword. Out of God's, out of the mouth of Jesus comes a two -edged sword, right?
08:25
If I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on my adversaries.
08:34
And I will repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood.
08:41
And my sword will devour flesh with the blood of the stain and the captives.
08:48
From the long -haired leaders of the enemy. Notice he is talking about his enemies. And notice the end of it here, of this song.
08:57
Rejoice, O nations, with his people. For he will avenge the blood of his servants.
09:04
And he will render vengeance on his adversaries. And will atone for his land and his people.
09:11
And that's where the song ended. Incredible song, isn't it? And very, very sobering.
09:19
A very vivid picture of glittering, lightning, flashing sword, arrows drunk with blood as God brings vengeance on all of his enemies.
09:30
Another one is in Psalm 68, verse 21. You don't have to turn there, I'll quote it to you.
09:35
But Psalm 68, verse 21 says, Surely God will scatter the head of his enemies.
09:46
Shatter the head of his enemies. The hairy crown in him who goes on in guilty deeds.
09:54
And Solomon says this in Psalm 72, verse 9. Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies will lick the dust.
10:06
Isaiah 42, verse 13. Oh, the prophet Isaiah has great words for us here.
10:13
Don't you love the gospel of Isaiah? The Lord will go forth like a warrior. Listen to this.
10:20
He will go forth like a warrior and will arouse his zeal like a man of war.
10:27
He will utter a shout. Yes, he will raise a war cry. And he will prevail against his enemies.
10:36
No question about it. God wins. Just read Revelation. God wins.
10:44
And he goes on to say this. I'm sorry, let me go to another book, another prophet.
10:50
Nahum, chapter 1. Listen to Nahum, chapter 1, verse 2. Just one verse.
10:56
A jealous and avenging God is the Lord, and the Lord avenging and wrathful.
11:04
The Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserves wrath for his enemies.
11:16
Verse 8. But with an overflowing flood... Listen to this.
11:21
But with an overflowing flood, he will make a complete end of its sight and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
11:32
It's going to happen. God wins. If you fight against God, there's no chance.
11:40
Hebrews 10 .31. Once again, it's the writer of Hebrews. This is one verse that really stands out above everything.
11:46
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And in 1
11:52
Corinthians 16, the apostle Paul at the end of his letter says in verse 22, and this is strong.
11:58
If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be anathema.
12:04
That means accursed. That's some strong words. In other words, anathema, he's to be damned.
12:13
Damned. So we better make sure we love God. And that love, it can only come by the power of the
12:21
Holy Spirit as God sheds his love upon our hearts and regenerates us. So we can't do it within ourselves, right?
12:28
Salvation has to be of the Lord. To be an enemy of God is a terrifying, terrible, sobering, fearful reality, and it is.
12:40
It's a terrifying thing. And the question that comes to us from this passage in James brings to his readers, his
12:47
Jewish readers, how do we know if we're a friend of the world and how do we know that we're an enemy of God?
12:55
That's the question. We better know the difference. But it's sad to say in the day in which we live, people don't know the difference.
13:05
Now, I'm going to pretty much say I believe everyone in this room knows the difference.
13:12
But I'm going to still have to minister the Word of God to you because it's what the truth says. So how does one know this all -important question?
13:22
And we're going to look at this. James answers it by saying this. Back to James.
13:27
If you are the friend of the world, then you are an enemy of God, as the text says. MacArthur says here of this scripture,
13:35
I suppose that most people feel friendly toward God. That's so true.
13:42
They're not openly hostile to the concept of God. They're not hateful to the concept of God.
13:48
But the biblical diagnosis of sinful man is that while he may entertain some sentimental thoughts that are positive toward a supreme being, he hates the true
13:58
God. There's a major conflict, he says, between man and God.
14:04
End quote. And that is so true. There is a major conflict. And in John 15, 18, the
14:12
Lord Jesus made it very crystal clear. As we looked at, He draws a line of demarcation.
14:17
And He talks about the relationship of the Christian, the believer, to the world. And this is what
14:22
He says. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.
14:30
Verse 19. That should give us comfort. So when the world does hate you, they're literally not hating you, they're hating the
14:36
Christ in you because of the truth, you see. And then He goes on to say in verse 19,
14:42
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. A bird of feathers flock together. So true. Jesus said it.
14:49
If you were of the world, the world loves its own. But because you're not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this, the world hates you.
14:58
This animosity between God and man is best described in Romans chapter 1.
15:04
Here's some more verses. Verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness.
15:16
You hear that? Not some. All ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress, they suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
15:29
In verse 19. Because that which is known about God is evident within them.
15:35
Notice that. Within them. For God made it evident to them. And he's talking about creation, of course.
15:43
And then in verse 20. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature has been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse.
15:59
There's no excuse. So that's the words of the living God. That's the vile, the corrupt nature of man that hates
16:06
God. Now someone comes along and says, but people are searching for God, Pastor. People are searching for God.
16:13
You know, you share Jesus Christ with them, you give them the gospel, and they will not respond.
16:19
But yet, people say, they are searching for God. What does the Scripture say?
16:26
Well, that's what matters, isn't it? And this shows you, you see, people's opinions and feelings. It doesn't matter to a hill of beans or our opinion.
16:33
But what does God have to say? Romans 3, verse 11. There is none who understands.
16:40
There is none who seeks for God. No one, no person seeks God. People are not searching for God.
16:47
They are searching for all that God can give. They are looking for His benefits,
16:52
His love, His joy, His peace, His forgiveness, His security. They want all these things. They want eternal life, but they don't want
16:58
God. When it comes down to it, you tell them about the hard things that Jesus speaks of, that you need to deny yourself and follow
17:07
Jesus. And remember, when Jesus said this to many of the disciples, many of them did not walk with Him no more.
17:14
They left. And right then, Peter spoke out, and the inner core,
17:23
Peter, thank God, says, where are we going to go? Because Jesus looked at them and said, are you going to go away also?
17:32
Peter says, where are we going to go, Lord? You had the words of eternal life. So really, even though the words are hard, we must accept the truth, because that's what
17:46
God says. You see, people are running.
17:52
People are hiding. They are trying to hide from God, but they can't. Remember in the garden, like Adam and Eve, they were trying to hide from the true living
18:04
God, but nothing is hidden from God's eyes. No one is hidden from God's eyes. People really don't want
18:12
God. As Adam and Eve were trying to do, they were trying to cover themselves up with fig leaves.
18:19
They just wanted the goods and the blessings and the benefits. That's the way people are.
18:27
But you see, what really matters is knowing the person
18:34
God. Knowing God for who He is. Really, the only
18:41
God that people want is a God of their own making who will want to basically tolerate their sin.
18:55
Isn't this true? This is where we're at in our nation. They want a God that's all love, but not a
19:03
God that's holy. They want a God that's all merciful, but don't give me that wrath.
19:10
I got news for them. You read the Word of God as I just read just a few verses. God's attribute of wrath is just as much as His mercy and His love.
19:23
We just can't pick and choose what we want. No, that's right. God is God, and that's who
19:28
God is. Now, He's a merciful God. He's a compassionate God. He's slow to anger.
19:34
As a matter of fact, that's why this world's still standing because He is patient toward all, isn't
19:39
He? I mean, right from the beginning, He could have put Adam to death and could have obliterated and been just about it and sent
19:47
Adam right into hell and been just, but He didn't do it.
19:53
God had a plan. God had a purpose. So God let man live, and He lets man live today, even though man, and even
20:03
He has so many enemies, and man fallen in his nature hates
20:08
God and the truth within him, God allows him to still live another day.
20:14
You and I live another day. We're breathing right now because of God's mercy and patience.
20:22
Praise God. He's lavished His love upon us in Jesus Christ.
20:28
That's one of the most important things. But you see, people want a
20:34
God of their own making that will tolerate their sin, and it's not until that is broken in them and in meekness, they cry out for mercy against the sin in which they've sinned against God and God alone, as David prayed, for salvation, that they begin to seek the true and living
20:59
God that only by the sovereign grace and the Spirit of God can pull them in irresistibly.
21:06
And only God can do this. You know, really, if you look at the
21:11
Scriptures, the true seeker, let me speak to you just a little bit about this, the true seeker is God Himself.
21:18
Scripture says none seeks God. None! That means underscore that. None. Zero.
21:24
Nobody. All of us. All of us included. If we seek
21:30
God now, it's only because He has first sought us. He's the seeker.
21:38
Again, let's go back to the garden. Adam fell. Adam rebelled against God. He disobeyed
21:44
God's Word. When that happened, what happened?
21:49
He didn't start searching for God, did he? He didn't start looking for God. As a matter of fact, he was afraid of God.
21:56
Naturally, look at people that's lost. There was a separation. They were fearful and afraid of God.
22:05
God's holiness, in which Adam knew at one time, began to be a threat.
22:11
It was a threat to him. So what did he do? He did not search for God. He started to try to cover up with fig leaves, which is a type of his own way, his own way of religion.
22:22
It was actually God who came in the garden that had fellowship with Adam every day.
22:30
And God says, Adam, where are you? Where are you, Adam? You know,
22:37
God's still asking that question today. Adam, where are you? Now, you can take that two ways.
22:44
It's not that God didn't know where Adam was because he's omnipotent.
22:49
He's ever -present. He's omniscient. He knows everything. He knew exactly where he was. He's asking him as a father, asking a son a question.
22:59
He's asking it for his benefit. He wants Adam to know where he is because God knows where he's at.
23:07
When he's saying, Adam, where art thou? He's basically putting it into his lap and he's saying, okay, now you search your heart.
23:17
Where are you? Amen. That's what it means. So praise
23:23
God. You know, God knows exactly where he's at. So when he says, Adam, where art thou? It's not like that God's up there looking.
23:29
Where are you, Adam? He knew exactly where he was. But Adam doesn't know where he's at today.
23:37
That's lost mankind. That is the enemies of God. They do not understand. They're blind.
23:44
As Paul says, they're groping in darkness. You see this. And God is still asking that question.
23:50
God knows, of course. So the true and the living God with absolute holy standards, men reject.
24:00
God of their own making, they would accept, but men would like to have a
24:05
God who gives without God Himself. They just want all the benefits. And that shows you, you know, you have a lot of people like that today.
24:14
They just want to serve God for what they can get out of God. Look at the prosperity of God.
24:19
Why do you think so many people flock to that? Because all they think about is the benefits, the benefits, the blessing.
24:29
You listen to Joel Osteen. Everything comes out of his mouth is about benefits, benefits, blessing. Your best life now.
24:36
You could take it. It's nothing but coveting in the name of God. And you know,
24:41
I tell you, God's going to judge it. It's going to come. Once persecution really hits,
24:48
I can guarantee you, those big mega churches are going to start thinning out. The tears.
24:58
Wow. Well, now back to James. The question facing James here and actually facing us is how to identify the enemies of God.
25:06
How do we know who the haters of God are? How can we identify them?
25:14
That's good questions. Now I want you to think about this. This question really is not easy. And I want to tell you why.
25:21
I want to give you some quick reasons here because many people have certain visible moralities.
25:28
Okay, that's one. There's a visible morality even in the churches. People come about visibly, externally appears to be righteous.
25:40
You see. But the righteousness is not the righteousness of Jesus. It's their own righteousness.
25:46
But we don't know that because a lot of times we don't always know that until later on they're revealed.
25:54
And basically it's seen. That's what James is talking about actually by true good works and deeds.
26:03
But there are people that put on a pretty good show you know kind of like the rich young ruler.
26:11
He's a perfect example. So he comes to Jesus. Now think of that.
26:16
He comes to Jesus. He goes to the right person, doesn't he? He actually goes to the right source.
26:22
He goes to the right source who is Jesus. Actually you think of his motives but Jesus knows his motives.
26:32
We don't. The word of God gives us his motives. But he comes with questions and the questions seem to be pretty good until Jesus started asking him questions.
26:45
His question is he had the right question. He talked about what must I do to have eternal life. He was telling me eternal life.
26:52
So you know you think of it but outwardly all he does and then he wheels off some lies right from the beginning.
26:59
If you're very careful in noticing he says oh I've kept all the commandments since my youth. That's a lie right there because no one can keep the commandments of God unless it's
27:07
Jesus. So there you go. He seems to be sincere keeping
27:12
God's commandments. You know that sounds like a pretty sincere man. Oh wow he's upright. He's really external.
27:17
He's good. He's a good guy. Supposedly searching to enter in the kingdom of God.
27:28
You don't think of that. He thinks he's really upright.
27:36
He has a high view of himself. That's right. And a low view of God. And a low view of God. But you notice everything that he's speaking of if you notice the text and if you read that story everything wants to be on his terms in a sense.
27:52
Right. And Jesus turns everything around. And Jesus knew by perfect wisdom with questions how to pull them in.
28:01
Reel them in. Jesus probes him. That's what he does.
28:07
Every time you go to the gospel and you see the questions Jesus gives he's probing. And he knows.
28:14
He already knows their hearts. He knows what's in man. So he does not commit himself to no man.
28:20
Right. Come on Pastor. So Jesus knows and he exposes. And what does he do? He exposes him through questions and then eventually he pinpoints his idol.
28:30
There you are. Come on. What's his idol? It was the love of money. Yes sir. He loved to covet.
28:39
He was a covetous man. He loved the love of money. And there are a lot of people like this in the church it's sad to say who have a certain visible morality.
28:48
You see. But they're very enemies of the living God. They are enemies of God. Next. What's another thing that we see?
28:57
Next they maybe even have not only visible morality externally but this is scary now.
29:04
This is scary because there's a lot of people that can have all these things and be lost. They may also have some knowledge of revelation of the truth.
29:14
They may have a lot of scripture in their head but nothing's hit the heart.
29:19
With the heart man believes into righteousness. The heart. See.
29:26
It doesn't say with the head man believes into righteousness or with the brain. Oh it's got to go process through the brain and repentance is a change of mind but it's got to go to the heart to the soul.
29:38
It must dig deep. But see a person can have the knowledge of the truth and still be lost.
29:44
He can have scripture memorized. He can know all the creeds. But like a devout
29:50
Jew of Jesus' time, our Lord who like many of the devout
29:57
Jews who were steeped in the Old Testament revelation they knew the scriptures. They twisted it but they knew it backwards.
30:04
They did know it and they did know it backwards and forward and yet they were a generation of vipers
30:09
Jesus called them. And Jesus also said how can you escape the damnation of hell?
30:16
That's pretty strong language. That's strong words. And so those who hate God may have a visible morality they may have a knowledge of the truth and the last thing is the scariest of all.
30:28
They may even possess a form of godliness in worship. Yeah. Yeah.
30:34
I've seen it. You've seen it. People come in the church they're enemies of God but yet they go through the ritual they go through the they even can speak the language they can even sing the hymns they can even sing what can wash away my sin nothing but the blood of Jesus.
30:53
They can even sing amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
30:59
I was once lost but now I'm found I'm blind I was blind and now I see. They say these things but it's not real to them.
31:08
It's not a reality because God's not a reality to them. And the reason why God's not a reality to them repentance and sin repentance from sin is not a reality to them.
31:19
They have not turned and forsaken their sin. I heard a great question by R .C. Sproul and he explained the difference between what is authentic genuine repentance and false repentance.
31:30
And he put up two words and he says and this is a good way to memorize and get this he says you have altruism which is false repentance which is confessing sin but not really turning from sin.
31:45
Yes, confession of sin is agreeing with God but what Sproul said is they only confess it and they do not really desire to turn from their sin.
31:55
Because they don't hate their sin. It's attrition. You see.
32:02
It is false repentance and then he says what is true repentance? Contrition. That is one is worldly sorrow contrition is godly sorrow.
32:13
You just put Judas and Peter right up side by side and there you have it. You see,
32:19
Judas was an enemy of God. He supposedly confessed in a sense and wanted to come back to God but what happened?
32:30
He hung himself in deep despair and rebellion against God.
32:39
But then you have Peter. Peter truly repents doesn't he? That was true contrition.
32:48
And that's the amen, Keith. Because see, Jesus prayed for him. You notice
32:54
Jesus said that the scriptures may be fulfilled for Judas. He was the son of perdition.
33:00
It's really sad but it's important for us to know these things because it's there in scripture. But people can have a form of godliness but deny the very power of God.
33:10
They even call Jesus Lord, Lord. That doesn't mean anything. Jesus says why call me
33:16
Lord, Lord and do not obey me. Do not do what I say. But they have no intention and no motive to obey the
33:22
Lord or obey his commandments because the love of God is not in them.
33:27
So when you're looking for enemies of God one of those things openly comes to play and that is living a godless life.
33:40
It's ungodliness and there is the rejecting of Christ overtly.
33:46
Now let me speak about this just a little bit. Rejecting God overtly and there's also who apparently they apparently look like but maybe they don't hate
33:58
God supposedly but they put on like they love God but there's no love toward God.
34:07
So if we really love God we're going to keep his words. If we really love God we're going to obey his words.
34:13
That's really what Jesus meant. If you love me, you do what
34:19
I say. These people have a certain visible morality and the knowledge of the truth.
34:24
They possess even a certain form of worship. It's all externalism. Notice this. It's external.
34:30
Nothing internal. Nothing. Jesus says like he says you're like whited sepulchers.
34:36
You're full of dead man's bones that are full of decay and rot and everything vile and detestable.
34:46
Well there's much that could be said about those who are enemies of God.
34:52
James chapter 4 if we go back to the text in James 4 the conflict with God all starts with the source of quarrels in verse 1 and the conflicts among you.
35:06
He asks the question is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
35:12
So they're at war with themselves they're at war with others and they're at war against God.
35:20
So to be an enemy of God is a frightening thought. I don't know about you but I desire to be
35:25
God's friend. Abraham was the friend of God. That's our father of the faith.
35:34
He was called the friend of God and James is the one that made that known in the revelation of scripture like Abraham.
35:40
Rather than being God's enemy we should be God's friend.
35:46
And the only way to be God's friend is to be justified and have the righteousness of Jesus upon us and clothe in his righteousness that's the gospel.
35:56
God does that. God clothes Adam and Eve. Robert Johnson the last century commentator said this to constitute oneself an enemy of God is to remain in spiritual death and can grow more fit daily for eternal death than to have the almighty king of the universe as your foe.
36:17
Wow. Verse 4 again you're going to hear me repeat this therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
36:26
So here is the conflict with God. So not only does friendship with the world mean that you're the personal enemy of God but secondly it's a conflict with God you see that demonstrates a total disregard towards scripture.
36:42
Now if you look at the verse in which we looked at verse 5 or do you think that the scripture speaks to no purpose?
36:49
He jealously desires the spirit which he made to dwell in us. Question now
36:54
I'm going to tackle this it's not an easy scripture because there's so many different commentators on this.
37:04
Much can be said about this verse and it's really a difficult verse to interpret but it happens to be however that the authorized version the
37:14
King James Version translates this verse right here more accurately. Now if you have an
37:19
ESV an NAS it gives the translation for spirit notice this with a large
37:28
S. But the authorized version gives a small S here to the spirit.
37:34
Now most all the time in these translations when you see when you see a large
37:40
S it's meaning the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God. Right? But when you see a small
37:47
S it means man's spirit. Our spirit. So right here in most translations is the
37:54
NAS and ESV and I don't know about the new King James.
38:01
The big S. Okay. That's interesting isn't it? But the old authorized translations right and I want to tell you why.
38:09
In the original Greek manuscripts they didn't capitalize number one. So it reads in the original
38:16
Old King James. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.
38:26
The spirit. Notice that. The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.
38:34
MacArthur in his notes and I needed some help here right. Okay. So I got his notes on this. He said this.
38:40
This difficult phrase is best understood by seeing the spirit as a reference not to the
38:45
Holy Spirit but to the human spirit. And you could check him out on this but he goes on to say this.
38:51
And translating the phrase jealousy desires in the negative sense of the lust to envy.
39:01
This is a hard verse now. But he goes on to say this. James' point is that an unbelieving person's spirit inner person is bent on evil.
39:12
Those who think otherwise defile the biblical diagnosis of fallen human nature. And the reason why
39:18
MacArthur says this and those who live in a worldly lust give evidence that the faith is not genuine.
39:25
End quote. Now that interpretation is clearly consistent really with James' emphasis in the larger passage and that's why
39:35
I believe he's right about that. He did some study on it and I thank God for these kind of men that dig deep and they do some homework for us don't they?
39:44
But it's not only him. I checked out some other commentators and there were some that disagreed.
39:49
Now MacArthur says I'm not going to be dogmatic here. I appreciate that. This is a tough text.
39:55
This is a tough verse if you really look at it. But the key is the word spirit.
40:02
And the way the original translates the word spirit is it the holy spirit or is it the spirit of man?
40:11
There's a big difference here. So if you take it with the spirit of man, that vileness that's corrupt in him what
40:20
MacArthur is saying and I agree with him here, he says it's in context with everything else that James is saying.
40:28
Let's look at it. The interpretation is consistent with the teaching of the
40:35
Old Testament, number one. Right? Genesis 4 -7 says God says to Cain, sin is crouching at the door.
40:42
It is, it's desire is for you. But you must master it.
40:48
You see how that fits right into what James is saying? About the that he jealously desires the spirit in you that may dwell in you to envy, lust to envy.
41:05
A few chapters later in Genesis he also later read that and told that the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of his heart and thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
41:19
This is what James is saying. Jeremiah of course 17 -9, one that we all know very well,
41:26
Jeremiah the prophet says the heart is more deceitful than all everything else and is desperately wicked.
41:33
There's a translation that says desperately sick. I don't like that translation. I think the word wicked is more appropriate.
41:41
So you gotta kinda do some word study here and like I said it's important to know and get as close to the original as you can because it can make all the difference in the world in interpretation.
41:52
Yes. I mean we can go on and on about this but it's very important that we are students and devout students of the word of God and we have to get the bible out and study it.
42:03
Meditate on it. Who can understand it? Right? Who can understand it? So in whatever way verse 5 of James 4 is interpreted,
42:13
James seems to be saying that the unbelievers now who are in a permanent state of spiritual conflict with God, not only are his enemies but also reflect a hostility toward God by not trusting and obeying his word.
42:31
Now also believers refuse to acknowledge their natural I'm sorry, unbelievers refuse to acknowledge their natural enmity with and separation from the sovereign
42:41
God. So regardless of what people claim it is impossible to hold scripture in genuine high regard to hold scripture in genuine high regard in God's own word and yet not trust in the
42:55
Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus said it. John 5 39 40 he says to the religious people of his day.
43:02
He says you search the scriptures because you think you hear that?
43:07
You think that in them you have eternal life. And then he said this about the scriptures it is these that bear witness of me.
43:16
Isn't that wonderful? And you are unwilling to come to me so that you may have life.
43:22
And I think about when Jesus after his resurrection he comes up as a stranger on the road of Emmaus behind the disciples and then he expounded to them on the word of God starting with the prophets and the
43:33
Psalms and went through the word of God. Wouldn't you love to hear about the living word expounded in the living written word?
43:40
And then after all that they didn't realize it. They took it for granted. Oh didn't our hearts burn within us? But they didn't know it was
43:48
Jesus until he opened their eyes. He had to open their eyes. Amen.
43:55
Thomas is another one. He had to open his eyes. So conflict with God involves being
44:02
God's enemy. And I got a few more things to say this. Let me get back to the last verse and this is where I'm driving at right here.
44:11
Verse 6 gives us our application. And here it is. He gives a greater grace.
44:18
Therefore it says God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble. I'm going to camp right there for a little bit.
44:27
Despite the natural, wicked, defiled, unbelieving world hearts of men,
44:35
God nevertheless gives a greater grace. But he does not give it to his proud and ungodly enemies.
44:47
God does not give grace to the proud. That's what scripture says.
44:54
James clearly quotes from the Old Testament here. And where does he quote from? Proverbs 3 .34. And by the way, this verse is also so good,
45:03
Peter quotes it. 1 Peter 5 .5. He quotes it. You know it's really good if the apostles both in harmony and they're quoting it.
45:16
But notice how pointed this, and that's what I love about the Proverbs. It is pointed. It is direct.
45:22
It is wisdom on spot. James says this, God resists the proud.
45:27
He's quoting from Proverbs. He's opposed to the proud. He resists the proud. Now I want you to think about that for a little bit.
45:36
If you're consumed with your lust and desires, then we're consumed with pride.
45:46
I want you to notice this. Lust and desires of the world is basically prideful.
45:53
Because we are consumed with what we want. You get that?
46:00
It's coveting to the highest. And it's not what
46:05
God's will is. What God desires. It's what we want.
46:12
It's evident to the heart of fallen human unregenerate man. That's never going to experience
46:18
God's grace unless God intervenes. So why? Let me ask the question. Because God's opposed to the proud.
46:24
Why? Who are the proud here? They're the ones who are the enemies of God.
46:34
But they're the friends of the world. They're friends of the world. There you have it.
46:41
The ones who lust and lust desires for the world, they love the things of the world. That's why 1
46:46
John 2, 15, if you love the things of the world, if you love all those, what's in the world?
46:52
The lust of the eye, the pride of life, all those things. It's not of the
46:59
Father. And then He's direct. He says, But the love of God is not in you.
47:04
And then that's a command. If you look at the beginning of that verse. Love not the world. Do not love it.
47:10
The people of the world, the enemies of God, are driven by the desires of the flesh, right?
47:17
And of the mind. They're the ones that are led by their own ego, their own pride.
47:24
It's all about them. God hates the proud. God hated us when we were proud before God graciously humbled us, right?
47:38
Everybody included. Now we'll try to wrap this up in a few verses here, and this is very important, so stay with me.
47:48
Proverbs 6, 17. There's so many verses I can go to, but I just chose just a few. Scripture says right here,
47:54
God hates a proud look. What does it say there in Proverbs 6, 17?
48:00
There are six things specifically which the Lord hates. And then it says, yes, seven are abomination to Him.
48:09
Amen. Number one, one translation says a proud look, one translation says a haughty eyes.
48:15
Same thing. Haughty eyes, proud look. Number two, a lying tongue.
48:22
Hey, you notice James is dealing with this? Isn't this something? And also hands that shed innocent blood.
48:29
Hey, he's dealing with that. Wars. Okay, and God ranks the proud with murderers.
48:38
Ranks the proud with murderers. Who are an abomination to the Lord. And God resists the proud.
48:47
Now, let's look at this word resist. Now, you're going to really like this. You know what the
48:52
Greek word resist actually means? It's an interesting word. The word is really, in original
48:58
Greek, is a military word. It's military. And what does it mean military,
49:04
Pastor? I'll explain. Basically, it means it is God that depicts a full army ready for battle.
49:12
Now, don't you listen to this. It has the idea of God setting His troops to do battle against the proud.
49:21
That is the original meaning of that. It's God Himself as a man of war,
49:28
Scripture says, setting up Himself to do battle against all the prideful.
49:34
You don't want to fight against God. You will be utterly destroyed. And that's the warning.
49:43
So, the word resist is filled with pride. It's got pride. It's connected with the pride.
49:50
It's Satan. Satan is God's enemy. But yet, God allows
49:55
Satan to go on. Because there's a purpose. God's in control, but He's using that evil.
50:01
God's not the author of evil, but He uses it. He's got a purpose. He overpowers it.
50:07
Look at the cross. The cross is a perfect example. All the disciples and apostles thought, this is it.
50:14
This is the end. It was just the beginning. They thought
50:20
Jesus was defeated. He hung on the cross. He's dead. But Jesus, His word came through because He is the word.
50:27
They put Him in the tomb. They put Him in the sepulcher. Three days after that,
50:33
He came out of the grave. Praise God. Amen.
50:38
And all those scriptures that Jesus spoke of and all the prophets that spoke of the Messiah, it was a fulfillment.
50:46
But see, think of the word resist. And this way, the enemies of God are prideful. They're proud. They're boastful and the like.
50:54
And I want you to think of this. It's not only the pompous. It's not only the external pride that we see, but it's the inward.
51:02
Yes. And it's against those. And we need to watch and search our own hearts. It is an inward rebellion in a sense.
51:10
I don't want to do God's will. I want to do my own thing. That is pride, folks. Any time we want to say, okay,
51:18
I'm going to do it my way rather than God's way, what are we doing? We're trusting in an arm of flesh.
51:24
We're not trusting in God's leadership as an all -wise, all -powerful, omnipotent
51:31
Father that knows best. So, the word is military.
51:38
It has a military connotation there to do war and battle against the proud.
51:45
It's vivid, isn't it? But the word but, there's the transition.
51:50
But, He gives grace, greater grace to the humble.
51:56
Now, let's talk about the humble. That's a present tense. It means it's always true.
52:01
Grace to the humble. What kind of grace? Forgiving grace. Saving grace.
52:08
Amazing grace. Come on now. He always is the light.
52:15
What does Isaiah 66 say? To this one I will look to Him who is humble and contrite of spirit and who trembles at my word.
52:27
That's what God says. First fundamental beatitude, Jesus, when He spoke in the greatest sermon ever preaching the beatitudes,
52:36
Matthew 5, 3, blessed are the poor in spirit. That is the humble. That's the humble.
52:42
The meek. For theirs is the kingdom of God. If you're poor in spirit, see, the kingdom is yours.
52:50
Now, you know it's not by anything we do within ourselves, but it's a humility. It's a grace.
52:56
It's a virtue that God gives us. But we must do the humbling. Kind of like repentance.
53:02
It's like God gives you that gift and it's like God says, okay, you're going to do something with it.
53:09
And it's exercised. It's exercised. And then once God does that, it's
53:14
God working in you, then He gives you the tool. It's like the instrument, and then you start working on it.
53:20
That's what it says. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God does the work in you, but it's you that must do the humbling.
53:29
It's you that must do the repenting. I mentioned this to Brother Keith the other day.
53:34
A lot of people feel that sanctification is just synergistic.
53:40
That means it's me doing it, not monergistic. God doing it. Is it all of God or is it all of me or is it me or but thee?
53:49
It's both. It's God doing the work in you, but you've got to do the exercising.
53:58
It's like God gives you the gift and you exercise that gift. You use that gift for His glory.
54:04
Well, you see, that's just as proud as the root of all sin, so it's humility.
54:10
The root of all righteousness. So emphasizing the same truth
54:16
James does in the present verse. Let me go to a few verses very quickly in closing here that talks about humility.
54:24
Let's look at these verses. Go with me to Matthew 23. Oh, I tell you what.
54:33
Now you're talking about some good verses. Now I'm going to try my best not to camp here too much, but we just look at the verses.
54:44
Amen. We like camping. I love camping too. You can tell. Amen. With fire.
54:50
Amen. Let's have the fire right in the middle. Amen. That's good.
54:57
I love that analogy. Amen. Wow, my time's almost gone, but let me say this.
55:03
We're going to look at these verses. I don't care how fast time is. Okay, chapter 23 then
55:09
Jesus, verse 1. Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples saying this. The scribes and the
55:15
Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. What does that say? They loved to have the preeminence like the atrophies.
55:23
Therefore all that they tell you do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds.
55:32
For they say things and do not do them. They say, you know, do as I say and don't do as I do.
55:39
Well, that's pretty much them. Listen to what they do. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.
55:50
Tozer said it right. A Pharisee is someone that is hard on others and easy on himself.
55:59
A true believer is hard on himself and easy on others. There you have it.
56:05
But there it is. From the scriptures. They tie up heavy burdens, lay them on men's shoulders, and they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.
56:17
Verse 5. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men. For they borden their phalaceries.
56:27
How do you say that word? Phalaceries? Phalacteries. Yeah, that's a tongue twister there.
56:33
And lengthen the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets.
56:40
Oh, they love the chief seats at the synagogues. I'm somebody. I am really worthy.
56:47
Listen to this. Jesus goes on. Boy, you see this in the church? Yeah. Wow. Verse 7.
56:56
And respectful greetings in the marketplace. Oh. Love to be called rabbi by the men.
57:04
Oh, I love to be called rabbi, master. In other words, I love to be called teacher. Thank you very much.
57:10
But do not be called rabbi, Jesus says, for one is your teacher. Jesus said this.
57:17
And you are all what? Brothers. Your brothers.
57:24
Do not call anyone on earth your father, for one is your father, he who is in heaven.
57:30
Do not be called leaders, for one is your leader, and that is Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
57:40
Notice what he says here. Now he gets to his point. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
57:50
My goodness. Say that. Hey, praise God. God knows how to deliver that.
57:57
Praise God. And I tell you, we've got to watch out for our own enemy. We've got to watch out for ourselves.
58:03
Praise God. I've got a few others. I've got a few others. Amen. Okay.
58:11
I'm going to jump around a little bit. This is wonderful, isn't it? Luke 22.
58:17
We're talking about humility now. Go to Luke 22. Here's another illustration.
58:25
Just a few. You know the disciples love to argue sometimes. Yeah, they argue too. Guess what they argued about on this one.
58:34
Who's the greatest? I'm going to be the greatest. Now you think about Jesus here.
58:43
Here's the one that came from heaven above. Hey, he made heaven. He's the
58:48
Lord of the universe. Here he is in the flesh. Verse 24. There arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest.
59:03
Oh wow, they prided themselves. Let's talk about who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom. And he said to them, the kings and the gentiles lord it over them and those who have authority over them are called the benefactors.
59:17
Now he goes on to say this. But it is not this way with you but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like the servant.
59:28
Jesus said you got it all backwards. That's what he's saying. And that's about right because that's the flesh of man, right?
59:35
And then he says in verse 27 for who is greater? The one who reclines at the table or the one who serves?
59:44
See his questions? See how probing it is? I don't know about you, as he asked that question, as I read that that knife just hit my heart.
59:55
Then he said this, but I am among you as the one who serves. This is
01:00:01
Jesus. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. Notice what he says.
01:00:08
And just as my father has granted me a kingdom, I grant you. He said, I give you the kingdom.
01:00:15
Isn't that great? And then verse 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
01:00:29
How wonderful it is that our Lord points this wonderful truth out. Go with me to another one.
01:00:36
John chapter 13. Anybody know where I'm going on this? This whole chapter is about Jesus washing feet.
01:00:45
Now, you know, I want you to think of this. Think about this. These are the men that he is discipling.
01:00:53
They are the ones that are going to be taking up the torch. Jesus is the head of the church. So what's going on here?
01:01:01
Verse 1. Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that his hour had come, that he would depart out of this world to the
01:01:08
Father. Don't you love this? Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
01:01:16
During supper, the devil have already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him.
01:01:25
Already Jesus knew this. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, laid aside his garments, taken a towel.
01:01:42
Now this is what a leader in the church should look like, folks. He girded himself.
01:01:49
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel in which he was girded.
01:01:57
You talking about humility? I want you to think of who's doing this. So he came to Simon Peter and said to him,
01:02:06
Lord, do you wash my feet? Peter didn't get it. I want to get this.
01:02:12
This is good. Jesus answered and said to him, what I do to you you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.
01:02:22
You'll get it later. Peter said to him, never shall you wash my feet.
01:02:29
Now there's some pride here in Peter. Jesus answered him and then Jesus got right down to it.
01:02:35
He says, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Now that woke him up.
01:02:44
That got his attention. Verse 9, Simon Peter said to him, Lord, notice when he says
01:02:51
Simon Peter, that means he's not acting. He's not acting too good.
01:02:59
Amen. That flesh is showing. What does he say? Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.
01:03:07
Wash all of me. Jesus said to him, he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but completely is clean and you are clean, but not all of you.
01:03:20
Not all of you. For he knew the one who was betraying him. For this reason he said, not all of you are clean.
01:03:27
Now what you think of this? Jesus is right there. Jesus knowing that what he was going to do, this was the enemy of God, yet Jesus loved him.
01:03:37
Jesus washed his feet. Now I want to tell you, ask yourself this question. If you knew in your mind you had an enemy that would betray you to the electric chair, would you be willing to serve that person?
01:03:51
Lord, no. You see? Jesus said, love your enemies.
01:03:58
That's why it takes the Holy Spirit, doesn't it? And remember, I want you to think about this. Even though God will bring vengeance on his enemies,
01:04:06
God loves his enemies. Yes, he does. That's the first prayer Jesus prayed on the cross.
01:04:11
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Think of that. When I read
01:04:18
Jesus' sermon on the mount, and I come to that part, love your enemies. That hits me every time.
01:04:25
And I say, I know in my heart of hearts I pray for my enemies, but do
01:04:31
I really love them? But yet, when Jesus is nailed to the cross in crucifixion, think of this, in open shame, he literally prayed for them in meaning,
01:04:43
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. That is so powerful.
01:04:53
You see? It's almost like someone, like a Muslim, that has got you by the neck,
01:05:00
God forbid, and about to execute you and take your head off, and you're praying for them.
01:05:06
Father, forgive them. And knowing, yes, Stephen, knowing that your life is about to end in a horrible way.
01:05:16
That's it. And yet, you really love them. Wow. I tell you,
01:05:22
I agree with Corrie ten Boom. Because Corrie ten Boom was so honest to God, and she knew, and she said this in her heart, she said,
01:05:31
I cannot do this. She said, you might as well be honest with God. God knows your motives already.
01:05:38
And she confessed it. She says, God, I cannot love this person, because this person put my sister to death.
01:05:48
And yet, she said, right then, the Holy Spirit quickened her. It gave her the love of God, and she says,
01:05:54
I'm telling you, it was more than a feeling. She says it was the power of the living God that just overpowered her to help her forgive her enemy.
01:06:06
Folks, I'm telling you, it's the Holy Spirit of God. Amen. I want it to. Amen. Let me just give, there's more scriptures on that, but let me give you one more.
01:06:15
Okay, one more. Matthew 18. Matthew 18, 1 through 6.
01:06:30
I'm going to close with this. Here in this chapter, you have the arrest of Jesus.
01:06:45
I'm sorry. I'm almost there. It was not the arrest of Jesus.
01:06:51
I went too far. You have, actually, instruction about humility in verse 1.
01:07:02
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and said, here they are. They're talking about who's going to be the greatest again. Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of God?
01:07:12
And what does Jesus do? He just doesn't start teaching verbally.
01:07:20
He gets, he called a child to himself. He gives an illustration. He gives a living sermon, folks.
01:07:27
That's the way Jesus did many times as he preached. Yes. Amen.
01:07:34
He gave an illustration and he called a child and he set him before them.
01:07:41
I'm saying it, I must have been a young male child, and said, truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children.
01:07:52
Now, he said like children. Okay? He's talking about, in a sense, not to behave like children.
01:07:57
He's talking about, this is the way a child, a child has no rights. A child is innocent.
01:08:04
Look at the children here. It's like, he's talking about humility, folks.
01:08:11
There's a humility in a child. When we become an adult, we think, we get prideful in our ways and we think, oh, we've grown up and I'm very independent.
01:08:23
You know. But yeah, big for you britches. But see, right here, Jesus calls the child and says, unless you are converted, unless you, there's a transformation, that's what he's saying.
01:08:33
Become like children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. He gets right down to it.
01:08:39
In other words, you've got to be stripped of all your pride. That's what he's saying. And then, what does he say? He says it again.
01:08:45
Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
01:08:53
I love Jesus. He turns everything around. And whoever receives one such a child in my name receives me.
01:09:00
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to stumble, and then he says, you better watch out.
01:09:07
It would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea. Powerful warnings.
01:09:14
Very powerful. The gospel's here, folks. I'm telling you.
01:09:19
Also, you go to Philippians chapter two. Jesus humbled himself even to the death of the cross.
01:09:25
What do we do? Come out from among the world and be separate. Cleanse ourselves.
01:09:32
Repent. J .C. Ryle said this. Humility is the crowning virtue of the
01:09:37
Christian. Let all who desire to please Christ watch and pray against self -esteem.
01:09:46
It is a feeling which is deeply rooted in our hearts. This is Ryle. Thousands have come out from the world, taken up the cross, professed to forsake their own righteousness, and believe in Christ, who have felt irritated and annoyed when a person has been more favored than themselves.
01:10:05
These things ought not to be so. We ought often to ponder the words of Paul.
01:10:10
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind.
01:10:16
Let each esteem others better or greater than themselves.
01:10:23
Philippians 2 -3. Blessed is that person who can sincerely and gladly rejoice when others are exalted though themselves are overlooked and passed by.
01:10:39
May God help us to be more like Jesus. Sanctify us, Holy Lord. Sanctify us and cleanse us.
01:10:45
Let's pray. Father, we thank You.
01:10:51
We bless You. Lord, I just want to repeat this prayer by this
01:10:57
Puritan. I don't know which Puritan prayed it, but Lord, I want to mention this prayer with my brothers and sisters here in this room.
01:11:06
O Thou terrible meek, let not pride swell in my heart. My nature is the mire beneath my feet, the dust of which
01:11:15
I shall return. The body I surpass not the meanest reptile.
01:11:24
Whatever difference of form and intellect is mine is a free grant of Thy goodness.
01:11:31
Every faculty of binded body is Thy undeserved gift. Low as I am as a creature,
01:11:38
I am lower as a sinner. I have trampled Thy law times without number.
01:11:46
Sin's deformity is stamped upon me. Darkens my brow, touches me with corruption.
01:11:53
How shall I flaunt myself proudly? Lowest abasement is my due place.
01:12:00
For I am less than nothing before Thee. Help me to see myself in Thy sight.
01:12:08
Then pride must wither, decay, die, and perish. Lord, humble my heart before Thee, and replenish it with Thy choicest gifts.
01:12:20
As water rests not on barren hill summits, but flows down to fertilize the lowest vales, so make me the lowest of the lowly.
01:12:32
That my spiritual riches may exceedingly abound when
01:12:38
I leave duties undone. May condemning thought strip me of pride, deepen me devotion to Thy service, and quicken me to more watchful care when
01:12:53
I am tempted to think highly of myself. Grant me to see the wily power of my spiritual enemy.
01:13:02
Help me to stand with wary eye on the watchtower of faith, and to cling with determined grasp to my humble
01:13:12
Lord. If I fall, let me hide myself in my Redeemer's righteousness, and when
01:13:19
I escape, may I ascribe all deliverance to Thy grace. Lord, keep me humble, meek, and lowly.