25—Forty Days with James: Submit, Resist, Draw Near, Wash, and Be Purified

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/25-forty-days-with-james-submit-resist-draw-near-wash-and-be-purified/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>James 4:7-8</strong></p><p>Review: James 4:4 is a passage that most churches don’t teach:</p><ul><li>Stepping on toes – consumerism..</li><li>Challenging specific sins from the pulpit</li><li>Warning members against the dangers / ugly side of politics</li><li>Rejecting nationalism, thinking instead of our global community</li><li>Caring genuinely (and knowing about) the needs of the poor and oppressed globally.</li><li>In light of these considerations, is it not fair to conclude that most churches are worldly?</li><li>Some heart-searching questions<ul><li>Are my spending patterns the same as my neighbors’, or do I truly honor the Lord with my wealth?</li><li>Do I lovingly confront others when I see sin in their lives? And do I welcome their input when they sin in mine?</li><li>Do I have a high threshold for tolerating sex and violence in what I watch? How about “explicit-language” music?</li><li>Am I informed about the world, and do I care about the plight of the oppressed?</li></ul></li><li>Are we <i>really</i> living as the holy people of God? Or have we accepted the values of our country / culture — which in most of the West means the pursuit of pleasure and a high standard of living—backed up by a strong military.</li></ul><img src="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/wp-content/uploads/brotherofJesusResized-e1640100006358-300x281.jpg" alt="" width="187" /><p>Points from today's text:</p><ul><li>The devil is stronger than we may think, but he’s also weaker than we may imagine. Resist him!</li><li>How does the Lord wish us to renounce the ways of the world?</li><li>It means relying on the Lord instead of our own power, wisdom, pundits...</li><li>We must choose. We can’t embrace God and the world.</li><li>For every one of us, this has both personal and political implications</li><li>As the peo