James 4: 7-12….The positive life.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbour?

Comment: After yesterday’s very depressing passage of Christian behaviour today’s is a very positive answer for us. Note that in line with Jesus teaching that thinking evil is equivalent to acted out evil. Maybe some of the listed atrocities of yesterday were in that realm. Not that that is any excuse.

• Resist the devil causing him to flee.
• Draw near to God, He is waiting to draw near to you.
• Act with integrity and goodness (wash your hands); get your heart and mind thinking straight! Stop having two standards, being ‘double minded’.
• Stop just seeking ‘joy’, learn how to truly repent.
• Have a right relationship with others. Don’t speak evil; don’t judge others.
• God is the ultimate standard of right and wrong and He is the only true Judge.

Prayer: Help me to be the person James challenges me to be!