A Jealous God
James 4:5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says,
"He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
"He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
Is there no point to the scripture? He is a jealous God, he says that throughout scripture!
Why is it okay for God to be jealous? He’s jealous because love is exclusive. What would happen if my wife brought home her boyfriend for dinner one night? There would be a few deeper conversations; there would be some extreme language. I would be very jealous! Why? Because love is exclusive. I love her, she loves me, I expect all her love to be poured into me, and she expects all my love to be poured into her.
Love is exclusive, and because God loves us with all He’s got, He sent His son to die for us, He’s given us everything. It’s okay for him to be jealous of our love. He wants our worship, and he deserves it because it’s his! It’s not ours! That’s why it’s okay and good.
What do we do with all this, now that we’ve all been kicked in the teeth?
Why is it okay for God to be jealous? He’s jealous because love is exclusive. What would happen if my wife brought home her boyfriend for dinner one night? There would be a few deeper conversations; there would be some extreme language. I would be very jealous! Why? Because love is exclusive. I love her, she loves me, I expect all her love to be poured into me, and she expects all my love to be poured into her.
Love is exclusive, and because God loves us with all He’s got, He sent His son to die for us, He’s given us everything. It’s okay for him to be jealous of our love. He wants our worship, and he deserves it because it’s his! It’s not ours! That’s why it’s okay and good.
What do we do with all this, now that we’ve all been kicked in the teeth?
James 4:6 But he gives more grace.
Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
BUT: That is an AMAZING word in Scripture!
GRACE: I love that word.
He follows the scripture that he quoted in verse 5 with another scripture as a comfort. All the things we’re struggling with: our possessions, our passions, our position, we ask and we don’t have, we covet and can’t obtain, we’re jealous and we argue, all these things we can’t have and it’s like the world is coming to an end, but he gives more grace. His love covers all of this! So what do we do with that? We’re in awe, almost imploding on ourselves, and he gives more grace.
GRACE: I love that word.
He follows the scripture that he quoted in verse 5 with another scripture as a comfort. All the things we’re struggling with: our possessions, our passions, our position, we ask and we don’t have, we covet and can’t obtain, we’re jealous and we argue, all these things we can’t have and it’s like the world is coming to an end, but he gives more grace. His love covers all of this! So what do we do with that? We’re in awe, almost imploding on ourselves, and he gives more grace.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
You resist the devil, he will flee. He cannot stand against God through you. That’s a promise from God! You should be celebrating, because you’re struggling with this and he is pouring out more grace on you. Humble yourself, resist, and the devil will flee.
