Dear friends, thank you to several of you that responded to last week's Victory Call letting me know you are out there reading. I appreciate your input. We are able to track the emails and know that of the nearly 900 subscribers only a small portion of you actually open the Victory Call email - and of course you are the ones reading this. I can't fault those who choose not to open and read the e-votional because I'm just as bad, signing up for things and then just delete, delete, delete them as they come along. For those of you who continue to follow and be blessed by our meager offerings, we are encouraged and blessed to know that God takes our loaves and fishes and multiplies them a thousand-fold to feed His people.
Our experience has been similar with the Crossing the Jordan Bible study. To think that God has seen fit to use our writings way beyond our intentions is very humbling. I am even today (Thursday as I write this) reviewing the manuscript, I think for the final time. Soon it will be whisked off to the publishing house and the printer. We will keep you posted when it hits the shelves. Please pray with me that it is God's heart, God's words, and God's truth that ends up in print, not ours.
Okay - back to the task at hand.
James 4:5-6
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (ESV)
Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (NIV)
Commentary
"Scripture. The passage James had in mind is not known. the spirit...envies intensely. The words 'the spirit he caused to live in us' refer to God's creation of man (Gen. 2:7). Because of the fall, man's spirit 'envies intensely,' but God's grace (v. 6) is able to overcome man's envy. Regarding the two alternative translations...the meaning of the first is that God jealously longs for our faithfulness and our love...In this case the Scripture referred to may be Ex. 20:5. The second capitalizes "Spirit" and makes Him the subject. It is the Holy Spirit who longs jealously for our full devotion. If this is the correct translation, it is the only clear reference to the Holy Spirit in the letter." [The NIV Study Bible pg. 1884]
The difference God makes between pride and humility, v. 6. This is represented as the language of Scripture in the Old Testament. 1. The disgrace cast upon the proud: God resists them. The proud resists God. Let proud spirits hear this and tremble - God resists them. He will certainly fill with shame the faces of such as have filled their hearts with pride. 2. The honour and help God gives to the humble. Grace, as opposed to disgrace, is honour: this God gives to the humble. Wherever God gives true grace, he will give more. He will especially give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, will pray for it and be thankful for it; and such shall have it. [Matthew Henry's Commentary in One Volume by Matthew Henry pg. 1935-1936]
Blessings,
Diane
Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America's KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment