James Study: Week 3 ~ Thursday

James 4:1-6

SOAP: James 4:4-6

S: You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you 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.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

O&A: So possibly not an uncontroversial point, as he says "adulterers and adultresses", then references the world and Elohim, I believe he's talking about cheating on/being unfaithful to Elohim with the world/being worldly/of the flesh. So I looked it up in the concordance, and here's what I spy with my green eyes: As the intimate alliance of God with the people of Israel was likened to a marriage, those who relapse into idolatry are said to commit adultery or play the harlot; hence, is figuratively equivalent to faithless to God, unclean, apostate. -BOOM- Back to how we can't serve two masters, or serve God and mammon. 

There's a song by this artist named Jimmy Needham, called 'Clear The Stage'. At one point in the song, he sings:
"Anything I put before my God is an idol
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol
Anything that I give all my love is an idol"

Abba doesn't want there to be a competition between *Him* and **anything** else. He doesn't want us to be faithless, seeking after the things that this world offers, lusting after the flesh; He has sovereignty over it ALL! If we would humble ourselves in the sight of Adonai, we would not be proud, but humble, and therefore receive His grace.

P: Abba, most Sovereign and righteous, I am guilty of following after the world. I am guilty of putting things before You. I am guilty of being unfaithful to You. I am guilty of being a friend of the world, which makes me an enemy to You. Abba, please forgive me, B'shem Yeshua (in Yeshua's name). I want no master but You, no Saviour but Messiah, and no idols. I want to be counted as a faithful servant, a loving bride, a humble spirit. With and by Your grace, it is so. B'shem Yeshua, Amein.