From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>
To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"
Sent: Mon, Dec 20, 2021 at 5:13 AM
Subject: 12-20-21 THOUGHTS
12-20-21 THOUGHTS
The “GENTLENESS OF WISDOM” is considered below. The “lust of the SELF” as it pursues the world is also discussed. God’s opposition to the proud and His giving of grace to the humble is a foundation for all our behavior. To be double-minded is deadly!
Key words: wise, gentleness, jealousy, ambition, arrogant, pure, peaceable, reasonable, unwavering, without hypocrisy, conflicts, pleasures, quarrel, adulteresses, humble, submit, resist, and double-minded.
As in Ecclesiastes, a “striving after the wind of vanity” is contrasted with a “gentle, humble wisdom” that draws near to God! Satan screams for our pursuit of the world... God wants us to resist the Devil and DRAW NEAR TO HIM! We chose our eternity each day!
Jas 3:13-18 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Jas 4:1-10 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 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. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 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. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Luke 11:34 "The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear [single, healthy, good], your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
My Prayer:
Help us to approach life with a singleness of sight, and a pure and humble heart. Give us the gentleness of vision that can only come from you. May the quarrels within us be removed by your presence! Help us to resist Satan, and diligently draw near to you, O God. Fill us with your light! In the name of our Savior, Jesus the Christ, Amen