God Promises He Will Be Near – James 4:8

Today’s short powerful devotional is based on James 4:8, “Draw Nigh to God and He Will Draw Nigh to You. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

In this verse James rebukes those who had divided their affections on one side and longing for the world’s pleasures and desires on the other. This type of spiritual schizophrenia was dangerous and led to a lack of obedience to God.

It also led to a lack of faith in God and a denial of the grace that God extends to His children.

The first thing that needs to be done when we are “double-minded” is to choose to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction in our lives instead of trusting in our own understanding. This will help us to remain faithful in our spiritual walk.

Secondly, we need to make a decision to purify ourselves and take the necessary steps to become more like Jesus. This involves a cleansing process called hagnizo which means to remove any uncleanness from our lives and thus become more fit for God’s worship.

If you’re interested in reading more of these 31 Bible Verses About Practicing The Presence Of God, you can find it in our Resource Library. There you will find a free printable PDF of these 31 scriptures, along with a bible reading plan and guided prayer to help you be more focused on praising and thanking God for His many blessings in your life!