Happy Friday!! Last night, we watched our daughters basketball team beat their rival school, Pontiac. What was even more exciting than winning, was the fact that their coach had made a deal with them - if they won the game, there would be no practice on Saturday. Guess this means, that mom gets to sleep in tomorrow. Yeeee Hawwww! Our son doesn't have a game until 1:15 so that leaves me with a whole lot of relaxing time - I'm loving it!

Tonight, my husband and I are attending a "Couples Night Out" on a time-starved marriage topic. I'm excited to have a date with him and to make things even better, we are going to see "Fireproof" tomorrow with some friends. It will be a wonderful weekend for our marriage adventure.

Now, on to our study. James 4:1-6 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Oh, such good stuff!! Remember when we talked the other day about selfish anger that erupts when our egos are hurt and how it doesn't help anyone or anything. Many of our problems with others arises from our own selfishness. We want what we want, any amount of neglect or inconsideration throws us into a hissy fit. Looking out for number one is the source of many of our connection problems with God, too.

What kind of prayers are you lifting up? Are they filled with what you want and desires for God to bless what you are already doing? Instead of always living for our own pleasures, we need to submit ourselves, including our selfishness, to God and then truly seek what it is that He desires. This is not easy and will take moment by moment discipline, but it can be done.

It is our pride that makes us so selfish, so humility is the cure. "God is opposed to the proud", means that if we continue with our pride, God will have no other choice but to humble us. I don't know about you, but being humbled by God is not something I want to endure.

Again, I think the advice of Lysa Terkeust, yesterday, applies. Take the time to pause. Think about what it is that you truly desire. Pause, consider God's will over your own selfishness. Pause.

Have a great day and a great weekend
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie