10/04/08

Reaching our Destination

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded - James 4:7-8

James always packs a lot into a small space. Here he gives us the process to reach our destination: our call to holiness.

1) Surrender to God: If we want to start our journey to holiness, our ticket to the highway of righteousness is our surrender to God. Making God the center and the purpose of our lives.

2) Resisting the devil: Devil is the one who want to offset us from this highway of righteousness. Since he can not physically touch the travelers on this highway, he and his goons slow the traveler by tripping them or get them off the journey by enticing them. So the best way to remain on the track is to resist the devil.

3) Coming nearer: James gives us a clue on how to accelerate or quicken our journey to our destination. He says the faster we run towards our destination, faster will it come towards us. Our destination is not fixed in a place it can move, it draw near or move faraway. So if we want to reach faster, we need to run.

4) Procedure on route: Our destination is the Kingdom of Heaven but even thought we live in this world, we have to behave and live a life as if we have already reached. The qualification to enter the Kingdom is to overcome sin, being pure in heart and being a fully dedicated, integral part of the body of Christ.

So let's focus on this call to holiness, taking charge of our thoughts, our motives, and our behaviors in the light of the holiness and righteousness of Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's seek after God. Let's long to draw near to him. Let's ask Him to cleanse us and make us part of Him and make us completely holy!


[ Prayer Starter ]

Righteous Father, thank You for your love and forgiveness. Dear Father, help me as I seek to draw closer to You and as I seek to know You better. Purify my heart of any duplicity or secret sin. Cleanse my conscience and empower me to be an example of your grace and holiness. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)