James 4:7-8

For Reading and Meditation:     Acts 15:1-11

Now that we understand what Scripture means by the term "heart" - the core of our being - we ask ourselves another important question: What does our Lord mean when He uses the word "pure"? "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The word "pure" (Greek: katharos) means a heart that is clean or clear....

EVERY believer must expect to be visited by Satan; he is our adversary; he is always watching for an opportunity to injure us. He first tempts us to sin, and then accuses us of sinning. He misrepresents every subject. He endeavours to make the world appear lovely, sin trifling, death terrible; he generates hard thoughts of God, perverts His holy word and leads believers into bondage. His fiery darts are very terrible. Thoughts the most blasphemous, horrible, and unnatural, are often thrown...

"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." James 4:8

The nearer we come to God, the more graciously will He reveal Himself to us. When the prodigal comes to his father, his father runs to meet him. When the wandering dove returns to the ark, Noah puts out his hand to pull her in unto him. When the tender wife seeks her husband's society, he comes to her on wings of love. Come then, dear friend, let us draw nigh to God who...

There are too many, even among those reputed Christians, who seem never to have drawn nigh to God. They have a certain reverence for him, and occupy themselves considerably with the doing of his will. But they do not seem to have ever entered into the holy of holies, and beheld the peculiar manifestations of God. They remain at a certain distance, and think it reverential perhaps so to do. But true reverence will not allow us to slight any means of becoming fitted to glorify God. By drawing...

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. § “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. § And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of...

Thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” § The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise. § Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar. § Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,...

You shall bruise His heel. § This is your hour, and the power of darkness. § As the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. § Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him,...

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. § Resist the devil and he will flee from you.Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole...

Enoch walked with God. § Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? § It is good for me to draw near to God.The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you … When in their trouble [Israel] turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope....