Am I miserable? Do I mourn and weep over my sin?
Yesterday
We saw drawing near to God requires a cleansing, a purification.
Today
We want to LOOK at verse 9 and see what is involved in this cleansing.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
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Let’s Pray
Oh Lord, we want to receive Your holy Word and hear Your voice to us this day. Touch our hearts, as You grant us the understanding we need, help us to assess what is going on in our hearts not to condemn us but to change us. Thank you!
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha lead!
What will you do first?
READ God’s Word
Read James 4:6-10 again.
KEEP LOOKING
Incorporate All Our Strategies
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Listen Up!
Focus on verses 9.
So now, what does James say we do?
Unlock the Meaning 
Keep LOOKING at the commands which are 
Key.
There are a few to unlock.
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Miserable, talaipōréō; afflicted, wretched. Distressed, to lament, mourn.
Grammar: It is the Aorist Imperative Active (aima). This is a command!
We see: In the 
context of verses 6-10, to be miserable is the condition of those distressed and broken over their sin.
Mourn, penthéō; to grieve (the feeling or the act). To lament.
Weep, klaíō; to sob, wail aloud.
Grammar: It is the Aorist Imperative Active (aima). This is a command!
Turned to, metatíthēmi; Denoting change of place or condition.
Grammar: It is the Aorist Imperative Active (aima). This is a command!
Gloom, kateâpheia; dejected, with downcast eyes. A dejection of countenance, sorrow.
Grammar: It is the Aorist Imperative Active (aima). This is a command!
TIP: Remember to take the definitions back to the text.
“Be miserable (broken over your sin) and mourn (grieve over your sin) and weep (sob over your sin);”
“…let your laughter be turned (changed) into mourning (sadness over your sin), and your joy to gloom (sorrow over your sin).”
What is God Calling For?
LOOK at Other Truths About
Miserable, Mourn, Weep
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
Take a peek at the Cross References.
Remember we aren’t in any hurry.
Our goal is not to fly through a passage. We want to engage with God, see what God is saying and hear Him speak to us personally, letting these Truths free us.
1. Be Miserable
a. Jesus said, to the church at Laodecia, and some in the church today, ‘you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” (Rev 3:17)
b. Paul says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death.” (Rom 7:24)
LISTEN…
Do I take sin lightly? Why?
Am I deceived thinking I am in need of nothing, but do not know that I am wretched and miserable?
Or, Do I want help? Do I want to be set free?
Or, Has Jesus set me free? How?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
2. Mourn
a. Jesus said, we are blessed when we mourn. (Mat 5:4)
Mourn over what?
Understand: This should be our response to sin. When a person comes to Christ they are distressed, in anguish, grieved over their sin.
We come into the kingdom mourning over our sin.
LISTEN…
Have I come to a place where I mourn over my sin?
Do I mourn over the sins of others?
b. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart. (Psa 51:17)
LISTEN…
Am I broken, crushed, over my sin, longing and reaching out for God’s forgiveness?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
3. Weep
Peter wept when he denied Jesus the 3rd time. (Mar 14:72)
LISTEN…
When did I last weep over my sin?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
“Inner sorrow works its way to the outside. Tears are the outward evidence of brokenness over sin. Tears are the way penitence is very often released. They are a gift from God to release the aching heart.” John MacArthur
4. Let your laughter (joy or triumph) be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom.
a. THINK: Consider context – what would laughter and joy represent?
Could it represent those of the world who are indulging in their worldly pleasures who give no thought to God, His holiness and sin?
b. Paul tells us, God is looking for a Godly sorrow over our sin that leads to that turning, to repentance. (2Co 7:10)
Understand there is:
A worldly sorrow, that is focused on us; feeling guilty because we got caught; it is when we say we are sorry, but there is no repentance.
Versus…
A godly sorrow that is truly remorseful, and grieves over our sin, which leads to confession and a repentance. And there is evidence of that change of mind with a change of direction regarding sin.
Check out what repent means?
LISTEN…
Am I laughing, when I should be weeping over my sin?
Is my sorrow a worldly sorrow or godly sorrow?
Am I sick and tired of my sin?
Has my sorrow over my sin lead me to confession and repentance?
Am I earnestly pursuing righteousness, to do what is right before God?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Do you understand what James is saying?
We come to God painfully aware of our sin,
broken over our sin,
confessing (agreeing with God), and
repenting (turning from our sin).
Understand:
WE humble ourselves by cleansing and purifying ourselves.
WE do it!
WE bring our sin to the light and do whatever it takes.
We come to grips with:
double-mindedness;
giving in to temptations;
how we receive His Word;
not bridling our tongues;
partiality, how we treat others. . .
Do you see?
James wants us to understand that our actions and words reveal what is deep within.
They unveil if there is a deeper spiritual weakness that we need to deal with.
We’re Going to Stop Here For The Day!
Ponder and chew on all you are learning about humbling yourself before the Lord!
Talk with God the Father, who is good, and desires your good!
Save Your Discovery
As we bring this day to a close, journal your discovery, thoughts and communion with the Lord in your Notes.
Turn What We LEARNED into a Prayer
FATHER GOD WHO ART IN HEAVEN, we want to draw near to You! We want that wonderful relationship with You that can only be had through You, Lord Jesus! We want to approach You Father, and we know now that Your call for cleansing is crystal clear. You are calling sinners to turn. Father don’t let any on this journey be left naked, blind, miserable and wretched. We all desperately want to be set free! May we look deeply at our inner selves, and see if there be anything that would be separating us from You; that would be hindering our intimacy with You. Oh Father, may we be miserably overwhelmed over our sinfulness. May we mourn! May we weep! May we confess and repent our sin to You this day! Oh touch hearts today, to no longer indulge in their own desires and pleasures. Separate us all from the world, and bring that longing for You. Father, we bow humbly before You and ask this in the name of Jesus! Amen!
How can we pray for you as you try to apply the knowledge of the Lord to your life?
Next: we will finish this portion of Scripture to Humble Ourselves.
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