“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).

What are three score and ten, four score, or even a hundred years, compared to eternity.  We often adopt our temporal perspective on things that causes us to have wrong priorities.  We have been freed from sin in order to become children of God.  In that becoming, our eternal life is infinitely more important than what we think of this life.  Do not be caught up in the thinking of this world, but be transformed by Christ.

It is fine, as long as the Lord wills, to think about what you will do if there is a tomorrow, but it does no good to live as though tomorrow in this age is assured.  How many I have seen that lament and even deny the faith when a loved one dies unexpectedly.  Your faith is dependent upon circumstances?  No, your faith is based upon the One who knows all circumstances, the Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed you.

Lord Jesus, You are returning to judge the living and the dead.  You have come into this world to free as many as would turn to You in order that we might become children of the Heavenly Father.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of living such that I focus upon what is right and good.  Lead me now and forever, Lord, to see past the few years I have in this age and live with You always foremost in my heart and mind.  Amen. 

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit” (James 4:13).

We do this often in our culture.  We have our calendars and appointment schedules and plan our lives around all that we are going to do.  What foolishness.  You and I do not know what tomorrow will bring.  We have no idea what the Lord has in mind.  Therefore, do not live with the certainty that you will have tomorrow, but in the certainty of the promise of the One who saves.

Lord, at the least, help me to have as much faith in You as I have in my schedule.  From there grow me in the truth such that I am not shaken when my schedule is changed.  Guide me according to Your purposes to live into the life You give through the promise of salvation.  In that promise let me place my trust and energy.  Guide me to do what is right always and to live as You know I need to live.

Lord Jesus, You knew that You were heading to Jerusalem that final time to die on the cross.  But You are God.  We do not know what is in the future other than that we all have an appointment with death.  Lead me, Lord, to live looking to You so that I may grow in true trust and hope.  Help me to not shirk my earthly duties, but neither to live apart from my hope in You.  Amen.

“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12)

There is a coming judgement, but none of us are the judge.  Jesus did not come into the world to judge the world because it was already judged.  But, when He comes back, He will come to judge the living and the dead.  We therefore do well to remember that there is only One judge.  We also do well to remember that we have been given a new life and that we are to walk in that new life.  Love and help your neighbor and do not judge them.

Lord, You know my inclination is to look at my neighbor and compare myself to them.  Take that away from me that I may look at my neighbor and see what You see.  Help me to be guided by goodness and not evil.  Lead me according to the goodness that is You, that I may learn how to love while leaving the judging to You.  You know what I need.  Thank You for providing all that I need.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is all hope.  Apart from You I cannot do these things, but with You all things are possible.  You have come to free me by redeeming me from what the letter of the law says, which condemns me.  But this is not freedom to judge others, but the ability to learn how to love as the Father loves.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of everlasting life and lead me according to the Father’s will to learn how to love.  Amen.

“Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it” (James 4:11).

Think of what people like the least in the church and other organizations.  Is it not those who, in the background, spread rumors and tell stories?  And we do not stop them.  This is the curse of wickedness.  The Lord is a God of order, not chaos.  Good order follows what is right.  You and I hold the positions we hold and we should not listen to those who act as if they were in a position that is not theirs.

Lord, help me to see this clearly so that I may grow in faith and by Your admonition.  If I have spoken sinfully, forgive me and change my heart to not speak in this way.  Teach me to be forthright and a willing disciple, lifting up the saints according to Your good and gracious Word.  I have shared gossip.  Help me be one who stops it.  Teach me to be no one’s judge, nor live with judgement in my heart.

Lord Jesus, You did not come into the world to judge the world, for the world is judged already.  You came in order that all who come unto You might have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me Lord in the way of the abundant life.  Guide me according to Your goodness and mercy.  In You Lord is there all hope and the way of eternal life.  Prepare me through grace to live the life to which I am called.  Amen.

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).

This does not say to pretend to be humble, for before the Lord that is not possible.  It means getting to the place where you are not thinking of yourself at all.  Empty yourself and the Lord will fill you.  Be a blank slate and the Lord will write what needs to be written.  Stop trying to direct and watch as the Lord creates in you the image of a child of God; one who is, like Christ, doing the will of God.

This is at the heart of the Christian walk.  The fall came through pride and the new life comes through humility.  Look at Christ and what do you see?  You see that He emptied Himself unto death, even death on a cross.  Come then and live into the life which is offered to you by grace.  Know that in the Lord there is hope and an eternal future.  He will do great things through you if He is Lord of your life.

Dear Lord Jesus, these are great promises but the world tugs at me each day.  Help me, O Lord, to see through the fog of this age in order that I might be made into the person You are making me to be.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of everlasting life so that I may truly become humble and live as You would have me live.  Lead me this day, step by step, to humbly do what You give me to do.  Amen.

“Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom: (James 4:9).

What do you live for?  What drives you?  Behind this is the objective to no longer be led by the world and its constant demands or to be conformed to what it thinks right (in the ever-changing unreality of this age). (Romans 12:2)  Instead, come willingly and be conformed to the image of Jesus.  In Him is true and everlasting life.  In Him is joy and peace.  In Him is understanding and goodness.  Come unto Him and be saved.

This world encourages us to eat, drink, and make merry.  The world entices us; but it is driven by hedonism and gets us nowhere.  What do you accomplish in  trying to be happy and joyful if you are not in the Lord?  True life does not demand self-harm but recognizes that all things of this world are not good for us.  We are in a battle between good and evil.  Come then and live into the life to which You have been invited by grace.

Lord Jesus, You have given me faith.  You have given me the ability to walk into eternal life when I walk with You.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, in the way of everlasting life so that I may now and forever abide in You.  You are the way of life and in You is truth.  In You is true hope, joy, and peace.  Lead me, my Lord, so that I may take Your yoke upon me and learn from You how to live life.  Amen.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8).

The intent of the heart is the direction of life.  The one who desires to be close to God will be and the one who draws away cannot be.  The Lord will draw near to those who desire it.  Is this not true of most things?  You must want it for it to happen?  Life does not just happen, there is design and purpose.  Draw near to God and God will run to meet you like a “prodigal son”.

For this to happen, one needs to live in the way the Lord intends for us to live.  The Ten Commandments are a good place to start.  But more than this, it goes back to the intent of the heart.  One who desires to be close to the Lord needs to move in that direction.  You cannot pretend in this matter.  You cannot just do it on the outside.  It must come from within.

Lord Jesus, You have made possible the way of life, that is, eternal life with You.  By the power of Your Spirit, kindle in me the desire to be whom You are making me to be.  Kindle in me the will to walk in Your ways.  Lead me through Your grace to live this kind of life from the inside out and no longer be double-minded.  Lead me Lord in the way You know I need to be led in order to walk humbly with You.  Amen.

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Humility requires submission.  The last thing, no, the one thing the devil will not do is submit to the Lord.  There are many who will join the devil willingly.  Do not be as those whose pride is more important than truth.  You and I are whom we are and we did not make ourselves.  We are created.  Look to the Creator of all and know that He will lift you up if you bow down before Him.

Lord, pride has gotten me into nothing but trouble throughout my life.  People do not listen to me.  And they do not need to.  People do not do what is right.  Neither do I.  I am what I am and  I am not You.  Lord, teach me to humble myself that I may not walk in the anxiety of pride, but live in the peace of humility.  Guide me to live in submission to Your Goodness and mercy all the days of my life.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world giving up status, position, and power so that all who follow you will not perish but have everlasting life.  Help me now and always to live into the new life You give me by humbly submitting to You.  Guide me forever in Your mercy in order that I would be in submission to what You have taught me.  Lead me in humility dear Savior.  Amen.     

“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  (James 4:6)

Pride goes before a fall.  The devil fell because of pride.  Sins against the flesh are bad, but they are, like the flesh, temporary.  Sins against others for malicious reasons are at the heart of pride.  I will take it because I can and keep it from you.  Yes, the Lord is opposed to anyone setting themselves up in His position, as well He should be.  Humble yourself and become who you were made to be.

Lord, You know that this world is in a mess because of pride and avarice.  Lead me in the way of salvation so that my pride might be replaced with humility.  Guide me in the goodness of Your mercy to see where I act as though I were the center of things.  Lead me to know You as You know me.  Lead me by Your grace to go where You lead and do as You would have me do.  Remove presumptuous sins from my heart.

Lord Jesus, You who are Lord of lords, told me that You did only what the Father would have You do.  You spoke only the words He gave You to speak.  You are the example to follow and to You I need to be conformed.  Lead me today to hang my pride on the cross in order that the person You are making me to be may breathe new life.  Guide me in the way of salvation to live into this new life You have given me.  Amen.

“Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? (James 4:5)

You want your soul cleansed, yet you pour dirt into your soul.  Which is it to be.  You cannot have things both ways.  Either it is impure, or else being cleansed by the Spirit, a constant tug-of-war.  The Lord has given you His Spirit to guide you into all righteousness.  Take this seriously and walk humbly, knowing that He is always with You.  Learn to listen as He leads you.

Lord, You have given me all the grace I need, yet such grace is not for the sake of doing as I please.  Lead me Lord into the way You know I need to go.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is there all hope and an eternal future which You have promised through the same grace.  Let me not fall back into worldliness, but move forward by Your Spirit into the goodness for which I have been redeemed.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister to my heart.  You know where I compromise and go in wrong directions.  You know where my weaknesses are.  Guide me to strengthen what is good and to remove that which causes me to stumble.  Help me now and forever to be guided by You into the life for which I have been saved.  Conform me to the image of Christ and lead me today and always in the way of holiness.  Amen.