James 4:6-8

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...

IT is impossible to be more welcome at the throne of grace than we are, or for God to be more willing to bestow. We are as welcome to the throne of grace, as angels are to the throne of glory. Our God has provided on purpose to give. He invites us to come that we may receive. He gives grace upon grace. He is never weary of bestowing, though we are of asking. We dishonour Him when we ask doubtfully, when we ask for small matters; He bids us ask in faith, nothing doubting; to open our mouths...

"He giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6

Humble hearts seek grace, and therefore they get it. Humble hearts yield to the sweet influences of grace, and so it is bestowed on them more and more largely. Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are flowing, and hence they drink of them. Humble hearts are grateful for grace and give the LORD the glory of it, and hence it is consistent with His honor to give it to...

"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 is nothing more beautiful in God's spiritual creation than a believer who demonstrates a true spirit of brokenness. Even God Himself finds such a person irresistible; He can resist the proud and haughty (James 4:6), but He can't resist the broken and humble.

In our natural condition, none of us is broken. We are like a wild donkey's colt - rebellious, stubborn, impetuous. We resist the bit, the bridle and the saddle of God's will. We...

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...

I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. § He is gracious to him, and says, “Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom.” § Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. § Grace and truth came...

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,...