Double-mindedness: to want God’s favor and everything the worldly culture offers – especially power, influence, and wealth. Divided loyalties lead to divided hearts and divided churches. It leads to sin. But God has more grace than we have sin. And he shows us a better way: the way of humility. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Get a Bible and work through the prayers, scripture reading, questions, and devotional reading below. May the Lord bless you as you do so. And may the Spirit of God work in each of us to shape us to be a little more like Jesus, today.

— Praise God with Me: (1)
Almighty God, Your love for us and for all people is powerful beyond measure.
Your love is so vast that nothing will prevail against it.
We know this love is trustworthy because of Jesus Christ:
His life of compassion, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead.
In life and death, we belong to you, holy triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

— Let us read and reflect on Scripture:
A little background: In this section of James, he takes on a common problem for God’s people: preferring the ways of the world to the way of God. James calls this “friendship with the world.” Ultimately, this divides our loyalties, threatens our fellowship, and leads to “double-mindedness”: we want God and the world. As Jesus warned us, we cannot serve two masters. Drawing from the Old Testament wisdom, James shows us how to put God first.

Come Holy Spirit, help us to remember who we are and who you are!
James 4:1-10

— Answer these four questions:
What does this passage say about God?
What does this passage say about people?
As a result of this reading, what is one step God is inviting you to take?
Who is one person you will tell about that step today?

— With a Heart of Prayer, Let us Respond: (2)
Almighty God, You have called us out of darkness into a marvelous light.
And we confess that we are often swept up in the tide of our generation.
We have failed in our calling to be your holy people, a people set apart for your divine purpose. Help us to turn our hearts toward you, to surrender our lives for you.
By your Holy Spirit, forgive us, revive us, and reshape us in your image. Amen.

— Let’s Gather Wisdom from One Who Walked with Christ before us: (3)
Jeremy Taylor writes, “Humility begins as a gift from God, but it is increased as a habit we develop. That is, humility is increased by exercising it.” In the excerpt below, he offers twenty examples of these exercises. Here are two:
“Sixteenth: Do not constantly try to excuse all of your mistakes. If you have made a mistake, or an oversight, or an indiscretion, confess it plainly, for virtue scorns a lie for is cover. If you are not guilty (unless it be scandalous), do not be overly concerned to change everyone’s opinion about the matter. Learn to bear criticism patiently; knowing the harsh words of an enemy can be a greater motivator than the kind words of a friend.
“Seventeenth: Give God thanks for every weakness, fault, and imperfection you have. Accept it as a favor from God, an instrument to resist pride and nurse humility. Remember, if God has chosen to shrink your swelling pride, he has made it that much easier for you to enter in through the narrow way!”

— Let us receive this blessing from God today: (4)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Sources:
(1) From The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources.
(2) From The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources, edited.
(3) From “The Grace of Humility”, an excerpt The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living, by Jeremy Taylor. (17th Century)
(4) From 2 Corinthians 13:14 as found in The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources.