“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.

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

When we are done with this age, there will only be two kinds of people.  There will be those who look to the Lord and those who look away.  There will be no in-between.  There is not now, but some live as if there were.  Do not be one who compromises salvation by trying to be in the world and say you love the Lord.  Like Joshua, chose this day whom you will serve.

Lord, I am tempted by this world and the things it proclaims.  Lead me in the way of righteousness so that I would live my life following You.  Guide me, dear Lord, into all goodness and help me to see where I am choosing the way of the world over You.  Clear my mind and heart to look to You and listen as You speak.  You know what I need, guide me in accordance with Thy will.

Lord Jesus, You came into the world to not only die for our sins and free us from the recompense of death, but also as a model of the godly life.  Lead me in the way You would have me live today.  Help me to know what decisions to make and in Your goodness, keep me from choosing the way of the world.  You came in love, so lead me in love in order that I may grow to be like You.  Amen.   

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

What is your motivation?  Is it to get ahead and be what you want to be?  Why do you seek after what may you think is right when the One who made all things has called you to Himself?  Come then and stop playing the world’s game and start living into the life to which you have been called through faith.  He who made you knows you better than you know yourself.  Come to Him and see.

Lord, I follow after the world and the words of Jesus are true for me, “Did you think of that yourself, or have others told you?”  How often I am influenced by who knows what.  Help me Lord not to be influenced by who knows what, but to be led by You.  Guide me into the way of everlasting life in order that I may now and always be led by You and the goodness of Your thoughts and words.

Dear Jesus, You said, “Not my will but Thine be done.”  Help me to live this way so that I may receive Your righteousness knowing that all else that is needed will come along after I receive Your righteousness.  Lead me, O Lord, today and every day so that I may grow a little more to be like You.  Help me see what You are giving me that I may rejoice and be glad.  Guide me, Lord, now and always, in Your goodness.  Amen.

“You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2).

To ask the Lord is to be in communication with Him.  It is not a matter of telling the Lord what you want and expecting Him to do as you wish.  That is not prayer.  It is asking, “Lord, what would You have me do?”  We want, but why?  Who has the Lord made us to be?  Are we pursuing what He has given us to pursue?  Do we look to the Lord and ask for Him to provide what we need?

Lord, You do provide what is needed whether I ask for it or not.  You provide for everyone.  Yet the world goes on hating You and seeking for its own.  Lead me in the right direction so that I would live into the life You have given me by faith.  Guide me to be in communion with You and not quarrel over what I do or do not have.  You have given so much.  Lead me into You.

Lord and Master, dear Jesus, You came to us humble and, worldly speaking, without anything.  You who have everything gave that up to become nothing so that we who have nothing would gain access to You and eternity and have everything.  Lead me into prayer and communion so that I may ask rightly for what You know I need.  Guide me according to the Father’s purposes.  Amen.

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?” (James 4:1)

If one learns to be content in all things, why then any grounds for quarreling?  Is it not the jealousies and ambition of some that cause others to rise up, quarrel, and fight?  What are the pleasures of the flesh but temporary things that are here and gone in the next moment.  Focus instead upon the higher and better things which you will always have.  Focus on the things of the Lord and live into the life You have been given through faith.

By grace you are called to become like Christ.  Through grace you will become more like Him.  Live then with this as your focus and not the vain pleasures of this world.  You have been called with an eternal call and in the Lord you are more than able to do these things.  Be guided then so that by the fruit of the Spirit you may both resist those things which produce conflict and live with the goal of becoming like Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit, and direct me from the inside out.  Lead me today where You know I need to go.  Guide me in Your goodness to see through the temptations of this world and to focus upon those things which are right and necessary for eternity.  Help me to have the wisdom to understand these things.  Guide me in Your goodness to live according to Your grace and mercy.  Lead me always, Lord, in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).

Often, the simple way of going about things is the last that is used.  Christianity is not an outside in, but inside out way of life.  The way to begin being Christian is to act as if you already were, so that it becomes a habit.  The way to become a person of peace is to act as if you were a person of peace.  That small seed of acting will become the reality, for the Holy Spirit is always at work in you.

Lord, I often want either an instant fix, or else some difficult way to do things.  Help me to put on peace and practice it as if thinking it were already mine.  Help me to do this with all things that You are calling for me to do in order that I may grow into the faith You have given me.  Help me to stop wanting instant fixes and instead, walk humbly step by step, in the way of everlasting life.

Lord Jesus, You have come to clear the field that I may enter it and begin the work of living a new life.  By Your grace I can put these things into action as if they were already mine.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of life so that I may now and always grow in the upward way.  Help me to live according to Your goodness and mercy and become the kind of person You are making me to be.  Amen.