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 us a greater grace.  Therefore, it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  Submit therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.

There are a few commands found in this section of James:  Submit, Resist, Draw near, Cleanse, Purify.  How are these connected to each other?

Now look at some of the characteristics of God:  Jealous desire, Maker of the Spirit in us, giver of greater grace, opposed to the proud, giver of grace, One who draws near.  How do these phrases go together?

I want to focus today on what it means that God would give us a greater grace.  Greater than what?  Did God not give us enough grace in the first place?

Yes, God did give us more than enough grace.  So what happened to it?  James says that God, "Jealously desires the Spirit which He made to dwell in us."  God DESPERATELY wants us to live in the way that He created us to live in the first place.  When we don't live that way, what should happen?  God should be disappointed - or maybe He should punish us to teach us a lesson - or maybe God would spend His time moping around Heaven because of our lack of faith.

No - James tells us the truth.  What we least expect to happen, happens:  greater grace.

Now that statement should change our lives:  Do we know how to deal out greater grace?