Thought for October 10, 2023

•  1780: Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1780 kills 20,000-30,000 in the Caribbean--deadliest Atlantic hurricane.
• 1845: Naval School opens at Annapolis
• 1886: First dinner jacket worn to an autumn ball in Tuxedo NY--the tuxedo is born
• 1954: Ho Chi Minh enters Hanoi
• 1961" "The Bob Newhart Show" premiers
• 1966: Beach Boys release "Good Vibrations"
• 1973: Spiro Agnew resigns
• 2018: Hurricane Michael [Category 4] makes landfall at Mexico Beach FL
• Born: Henry Cavendish [discovered hydrogen], Giuseppe Verdi, Helen Hayes, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinkwich [Heisman], John Prine, Nora Roberts, Tanya Tucker, Brett Farve
• Died: Abel Tasman, William Seward, Adolphus Busch, Billie Thomas [Buckwheat of Our Gang], Orson Welles, Yul Bryner, Christopher Reeve, Alex Karras, George Bennard [Wrote "The Old Rugged Cross" and on this day exchanged his cross for a crown], Edith Piaf

Thought:

Yesterday, we looked at the causes of my internal and external conflicts. Today, in James 4:5-12, we are told how to deal with conflicts and quarrels. 

• Allow the Spirit to control [4:5]. God sent the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, remind, comfort, teach. Conflicts come when we try and listen to two voices. Scripture tells us that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Listening to two voices creates conflict, indecision, compromise. Listen to the Spirit.
• God's grace is sufficient [4:6]. God has a grace designed for every trial, every temptation, every struggle, every thorn. Internal conflict arises when I question God's grace, His power, plan and purpose. Learning to live in total reliance on His grace eases conflicts.
• Submit to God and resist the devil. [4:7] Notice how this works--when I submit to God, His power and strength defeat the devil. And when I resist the devil, God comes with grace and strength for the moment. Think about Jesus' response to Peter telling Him not to go to Jerusalem--get behind me Satan. Sometimes I just need to say out loud--Satan get away from me in the name of Jesus. 
• Draw near to God [4:8-9]. Notice a couple of things here. First, when I reach out to God to draw near, He reaches out to me. He responds to my call and my faith with open arms. Second, how do I draw near--confession and repentance. Here James says to cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. Confession and repentance. Yesterday, a friend called saying he had read Jeremiah 3:13 and was told by the Lord to call me, worried about our church and an issue of sin that would compromise our witness. I told him I knew of nothing going on at the church but would pray. Quickly the Spirit convicted me that the problem was unconfessed and repented sin in my heart. Grateful how God sends messages to call us to repentance. 
• Humble yourself in His presence.[4:10-12] Sometimes when I think I have cleansed myself and purified my heart, I get haughty and proud. I begin to compare my self with others. Here is a reminder, my job is to humble myself under the mighty hand of God. He will exalt me at just the right time. And He will exalt me for His glory, not mine. Notice that we are warned not to speak against a brother or sister. Here the context is that I should not compare myself to you in terms of righteousness or purity. Only God can do that. 

Today, yield to His Spirit, submit to the King, draw near to His throne of grace, resist the evil one. And wait patiently for Him to exalt you at just the right time for His glory alone. 

Blessings

Larry