Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Peace,

    I was in prayer and asked Father what HE would like me to share with HIS children. I was told by the still small James 4. 

So, let's get into James 4. We will break this down by verse as I am being led. 

Verses 1-3 James is speaking to the people about wars and fighting. The desires within ones self such as lust, coveting and hatred these all war within us and do not give us peace. Are prayers are not answered because we are selfish we have fleshy intentions.

James goes onto to say that we ask and receive not because when we pray we are not seeking Father with a pure heart. Father knows the intentions of our heart. 

Verses 4-6 James continues speaking to us telling us that being friends of the world we have become enemies with God the Father. To be friends of the world is to be unfaithful to God the Father. To be friends of the world is spiritual adultery to God the Father.

Verses 7-10 James tell us what we must do not to fall into the trap of the devil. James says,
"Submit yourselves therefore to God" When we submit our whole selves to God we no longer are friends of the world, we resist the devil and he flees. Why does the devil flee? Because we are not feeding him we are resisting him. We have submitted ourselves to God.

James also tells us the closer we get to Father God, HE will draw closer to us. We must come to God the Father with a pure heart and with clean hands. We must be willing to come before HIM in a complete ALL out surrender. We cannot think one way one day and another the next. We must say what we mean and mean what we say. We must do what Father God wants us to do. To be friends of the world is to feed our fleshy desires. We want what we want and even though we know it is not pleasing to Father God, we justify in our minds our sins, by saying God will forgive us. This is what we are told in Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

We are told to mourn and weep. We are told let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to heaviness. I have been dealing with this verse 9 for sometime. I have a wonderful peace within me. Yet, my joy has turned to heaviness. I feel such sorrow for the lost souls of this world. I feel such pain for those who do not seek truth from Father God but from man and become so confused their souls grow weary and dark.

Yet, in verse 10 we have been given encouraging words. HUMBLE ourselves in the sight of Father and,  "HE WILL LIFT US UP"  Amen?!?!

Let's continue in verses 11- 12. If we truly love the Father then we know we are to follow HIS commands. Yahushua/Jesus said, "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF" When we follow this command we will not speak evil one of another brethren, we will not speak evil of a brother nor will we judge him. When we judge our brother we now speak evil of the law that was given to us. We act as the judge. BUT there is only ONE lawgiver and that is Yahushua/Jesus who is able to save and destroy. So, if there is only one judge and we are not HIM then we need to do as the law says and keep the judging to HIM.

Moving on to verses 13-17. How many of us say, Oh,this Spring we are going to do this or this Summer we are going to go there. Or I can't wait for this day in the Fall when we take a trip. We are all guilty of this. And the bible says, "ye know not what shall be on the morrow" I, myself have planned many times and many times my plans have fallen through. Why is this do you think? I have just one answer. Father God is in control. HE knows ALL things. And what I may want to do or where I  may want to go is not HIS will for me. The bible goes on to say, "what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and vanisheth away."  We are here to serve Father God. We are here to please HIM. If HE wills we shall do this or that.

Verse 16 states, "ye rejoice in your boastings:" Then we are told, this is evil. It is arrogance to say such things and believe that YOU or I have the control for all things to go as we planned. 

So, we end this study with verse 17. "to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin"  Let's meditate on that. 

As I was coming to a close in this study I was given this by the still small voice. " FOR THOSE WHO SAY THEY WILL BE RAPTURED IS TO SAY THAT THEY ARE IN CONTROL, FOR YE ARE JUST A VAPOR, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE MORROW WILL BRING"

In HIM with love,

Cassie