“TO KEEP ONESELF UNSTAINED!”

 James 1:26-27                    (ESV)

“[26] If anyone “thinks” he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. [27] Religion that is PURE and UNDEFILED before GOD the FATHER is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and “TO KEEP ONESELF UNSTAINED” from the world.”

It isn’t often that I am requested to write a devotional regarding a specific matter, but recently this request was made known by an acquaintance oh a social media site.  I almost always write from my heart, mainly through the path that GOD ALMIGHTY has delivered me through.  

For someone to request something from “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) is humbling, but to write that we need “TO KEEP ONESELF UNSTAINED” from the world seems unattainable, putting it mildly!  

BUT GOD had a PLAN for the redemption of humanity laid out “even as he CHOSE us in HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we SHOULD BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM!” (Ephesians 1:4). The Apostle Paul also writes in Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake HE made HIM to be sin WHO knew no sin, so that in HIM we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD.”  

Speaking for this humble servant, and for the author of at least thirteen of the New Testament books, I am the “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) and I fail living for JESUS CHRIST daily!  My ONLY HOPE is permitting HIS HOLINESS to be credited (or IMPUTED) to my account, therefore allowing me “TO KEEP ONESELF UNSTAINED” to HIS GLORY!!!