Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. James 4:9 (NKJV)

What comes to mind when you read the above verse? Do you think, “How negative!” “That’s not a positive and happy thought”? Well, this verse actually reveals one of the forgotten elements of repentance. And that is, we don’t feel remorse over our sin. The Bible isn’t simply a book about how to feel good and think happy thoughts. That is an unrealistic “Peter Pan” philosophy, not Christianity. The truth is, we cannot find true fulfillment and abundant life until we properly hate our sin and love our God.

Read today’s text carefully with this in mind and hear what God is saying to you personally today.

“7 Therefore submit 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, youdouble-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For whatis your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:7-17, NKJV.

Homework: Identify the five steps we must take to be in good standing with God according to verses 7 and 8. ReadV:11-17 carefully. Then write out these verses in your own words.

May we all read, cherish and live God’s precious word.

Pastor Mike