Day 11- Draw Near

This morning I got to chat with my momma on the phone for a little over an hour. It is always so good to talk with her. She is fun and encouraging and very wise. One topic that came up was our various Bible times for this morning. I want to share some of her insight on a well known verse...

this is my pretty momma and me.

James 4:7-8

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."

Momma talked about how a lot of people will only focus on one part of this verse, just submitting or just resisting, or just drawing, but we need all the parts.

The verse before this section says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gves grace to the humble. Submit therefore to God."  I know it is hard, but God really does know what He is doing, and besides who are we to question Him? Submit therefore to God. (submit means to relinquish your control, give it up, humble yourself.)

When we submit to God it also means we need to resist the devil and his temptations. We can't obey God and fall into sin, but "No temptation has overtaken you but such that is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are capable, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13) Temptation is not sin. Sin is when you give in to temptation. The devil can only tempt us as far as God will let him and when we don't fall, he has to flee.

To draw near to God we have to submit to Him and resist the devil, to resist the devil we need to submit to God and be close to Him (to rely on His strength), to submit to God we have to draw near to Him and resist the devil.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." That is what I am attempting to do this month, draw near to God and be still in His presence.

See the other 31 Days HERE.