Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayer for attention to the epistle of James. James chapter 4 and verse 6. But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. It is specifically the first clause, but he giveth more grace. James 4 and verse 6.

James has in this chapter some very severe words. Words to those that were fighting among them. And he gives the reason why. From whence come wars and fightings among you? Can they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members? And though He speaks so severely against them, and it seems that they were very bold in sin, and yet He encourages them that even to them that God giveth more grace.

And to look to the Lord for that grace, to overcome those things that were causing the contentions and the things that he'd highlighted that they were doing amiss and wrong. And how much more then to those of God's people that do desire to walk in a right way, that are struggling with sin, and temptations that feel very much the corruption of their own heart.

We read in the Psalm, Psalm 38 of David, and under the chastening hand of God, that he speaks of his iniquities, that there is no sourness in his flesh. Mine iniquities have gone over mine head. He says, my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, there's no soundness in my flesh. And he speaks in that psalm of so much of the struggle with sin and of the sorrow and grief of sin.

I believe in one sense, it is a psalm pointing to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. May we never forget that our Lord bore our sins. in his own body. And as David and as each one of God's people grown under sin in this way as described in this psalm, so our Lord would have felt it just the same. Pure, spotless, holy, and yet to realize the evilness and bitterness of that sin that he bore.

But for us that So labour and struggle under sin and under the corruptions of our heart, to read, when we read in the context here, think, well, if this was set before these people, but he giveth more grace, how much more with my poor soul that needs help, that needs strength, that needs grace, the Lord would give it to me, that he would grant it even to me.

No, grace is the unmerited, unmerited favour and goodwill of God. It's given in the face of ungratefulness, or when he gives good, then there's not that good requited back unto him. Grace is in that way different than just kindness. We can be kind to someone, but if after we've been kind to them, they go and injure us or harm our goods, and then we still show them acts of kindness, that is grace.

And we cannot promise future good to bring. And even Hezekiah, godly Hezekiah, after he was recovered, Of his sickness that was unto death, we read, he did not render according to the benefit, but he rose up in pride and he showed to the messengers of Babylon all his kingdom. And that was an act as what God testified. He'd been shown grace and favor and mercy, raising him up again, but he did not render according to it.

And as in the context here, it is He walked in pride. He didn't humble himself. His heart lifted up. But that is what grace is. And that is what we need. And this beautiful word here, this but, but he giveth more grace. And I wonder how much we can put in front of this text ourselves with all of our felt condition and sin and weakness and failings. and then add to that list, but he giveth more grace.

A ray of hope, I hope it is, to me, to you, this morning. So I want to look, with the Lord's help, firstly, at the common grace of God. And then secondly, more grace, given in conversion or saving grace. And then lastly, more grace given to believers to live their lives to the glory of God.

But firstly, the common grace of God. The Bible is very clear in teaching us that God is good to all, his tender mercies are over all his works. He causeth his sun to shine upon the just and unjust, him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Our Lord teaches it in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5. And we read it in verse 43, from verse 43. You have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his Son to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? If you salute your brethren only, what do ye? More than others do not even the publican sow. Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

And so our Lord is teaching that all of the benefits and all of the favours that we have, they all come from his hand, if we were to Go to the Apostle Paul speaking to those at Athens in Acts chapter 17, and he says to this concerning the God that made the world and all things that are in, in verse 24, he says, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, Neither is worship with men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things.

There is common grace. He giveth to all life and breath and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. He says later on, for in him we live and move and have our being, as certain also your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.

And so it is taught us that there is not just for God's people benefits and blessings given, but to all people. Some are not given things by chance or by their own endeavours only, but he opens his hand. He satisfies the desire of every living thing. It is a universal blessing of grace, free unmerited favour. How many thank him for the rain? How many thank him for the sunshine? However, when you acknowledge God for their food, for their keeping, for everything that they have, it's graciously given with nothing in return. And this is God's common grace. He gives these things to men.

Not only does he do that, all these gifts, but he also restrains sin, surely the wrath Of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Psalm 76. And we see that. The wrath of man shall praise thee, the Lord takes those like the apostle Paul and he converts them and they praise him, but the remainder of wrath, they're restrained. How many times do we really think of how much wickedness is restrained in the land? that though men are fallen, though men may design many wicked things, there is a restraint upon them. Who is he that saith, that cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not? We ought to thank God for that restraining grace on wickedness of man. We think also of the common grace that the Lord has given us to be able to view the natural creation. And we may understand or know that there is a God through that. We think of in the first chapter of Romans that the invisible, verse 20, the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Man shall be without excuse, but what a gracious thing that God has given, even without the word of God, in nations where they do not yet have it, yet they have God's handiwork, God's work all the way around them. that those things they utter speech, they testify there is a God and that he made us.

We have also through the grace of God the whole structures of government, the powers that be are ordained of God. The Lord has given parents, he's given the family unit, then he's given over us counsellors and magistrates and local government and national governments, that which orders our lives, that which arranges that we have water from our taps, and we have a telecommunication system, and we have electricity, and we have gas. We have all of these things. There's so much that we need to happen for us to enjoy life as we do. Many nations, they do not have these benefits and these blessings, but when we have them, and even the smallest things, they come from God's good hand. They don't just happen. They are appointed by God, arranged by God, that we should have them.

God also gives, in his common grace, man wisdom and understanding. And those benefits that come to the church, as well as the ungodly, they come because God has given to man wisdom to be able to design things, make things, organize things. All of these things, they come from God. It is specifically to be distinguished from saving grace. It's not saving. But it is the free, unmerited favour of God. It is the grace of God. And it explains why non-Christians, that they can act in a virtuous way, that they can do things that benefit society, that they can be very upright and good. Why are they so? God has given them of common grace.

Some would argue and say, well, you don't need the grace of God. You don't need to be a Christian to be of use in society. Look at this person or that person. They're very honest and they're very upright and they could benefit to society as if something was belonging to them. And yet we learn with common grace that it is God that gives them these things. He gives them that ability. And so the glory is to him.

You think of when the tabernacle was built, later on the temple was built. God raised up men like Betheliel that had understanding in how to work with brass and how to work with gold. And then the temple was built. We need those that have understanding in building and technology. in medicines, all of those things, for society to continue.

And shall we think that all these things came from some fictitious thing, or from the wisdom of man and the knowledge of man, independent of God? God gives man wisdom and understanding. And though they don't acknowledge it, They don't fear Him. They don't give Him the honour and glory for it. It doesn't mean that He hasn't given it. No, He gives them their lives and He gives them their abilities, sovereignly, some more to others and some different things to others.

But society could not continue. Life would not be as we have it without that common grace of God. The Lord giving to all his enemies, as well as his friends, as well as God's people, those natural blessings. They're not saving, but they are like Peter refers to in his epistles, if so be you've tasted that the Lord is gracious.

It's a good thing to recognize even in common grace that the Lord has been gracious. The Lord is is kind. We would think especially that God's people, the difference with them is that they do acknowledge where that comes from. They do ask of the Lord grace and help, and when he gives it to them, then they acknowledge him and do give thanks. And because they ask, they are given grace in much more and specifically spiritual things than those that do not know the Lord.

But I want to go from the common grace to look at God's saving grace, that is, more grace given in conversion. Our text, it says, he giveth more grace. And of course, if he gives more grace, there is that implication that he has already given some and he's adding to it. And that's why we began with common grace, because that is what he gives to everyone that cometh into this world. So in that sense, whenever he adds to that, he is adding, he is giving more grace. And so is saving grace. Saving grace, it's absolutely vital that we have that grace from our Lord. Paul writes to the Ephesians, Ephesians chapter two, verse eight, by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Why the Lord ever saves one and not another is just because of his grace. It is all of mercy. It's a free, unmerited favor of God, why he passes by us in our sin and why he bids us live, why he quickens and calls us by his grace.

The Apostle Paul, he speaks of it, writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1, verse 14. Or verse, perhaps verse 13, where the apostle says, he was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was abundantly, was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. that this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. And he ascribes to that grace of God his conversion. And what a big change was made in his life. And what a big change is made in everyone that is called by God's grace.

Paul, when he writes the Ephesians, said, it is the same power that raised up Christ from the dead is put forth to quicken a soul into divine life. We have the example of the wicked king Manasseh reigning some 50 years, and most of that time, causing the blood to run down the streets of Judah. Such a wicked, ungodly king. And yet the Lord caused the Babylonians to come to take him and to put him in chains. And when he was in affliction, he cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him. And the Lord gave him grace, gave him mercy. We can read of that in 2 Chronicles chapter 33. a monument, you might say, of grace. And every one of God's dear people, they testify, as my mother did on her dying bed, I am a miracle of grace. It is the grace of God that performs that miracle of taking one that is dead in trespasses and sins and making them alive, quickening them into spiritual life I give unto them eternal life, they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of mine hand. And as that grace in a common grace, it gives us food and every temporal blessing, natural things, so that saving grace, spiritual blessings are conveyed through that way, instead of the bread that perishes. It is that which endureth unto eternal life. Instead of natural water, it's living water that the woman at the well of Samaria had to understand. Instead of the manna that Moses, they thought, gave, they are to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man.

I am, he says, the bread of life and a spiritual soul. that then desires that bread, desires that living water, and by God's grace they're given that living bread. My flesh is the life, the life that I shall give for the life of the world. And so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. except you do, you have no life in you. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.

And so the Lord teaches the blessing of saving grace is giving those things that are spiritual, those things that pertain to eternal life, those things that pertain to the soul, beginning with the new birth, the gift of faith, and the gift of life. And so when that is the soul, saving grace, we are to recognize that. We recognize it as a distinctly different aspect of the grace of God than common grace.

I wonder how many of us naturally can see or can see the grace of God in natural things, but have been brought from that, and maybe the Lord has used natural things to bring us to realize there is a God and to seek for spiritual blessings. The Lord said of his people, you will not come unto me that ye might have life, but that grace of life spiritual life, it comes forth from the Lord. And how many of us have recognized that the Lord has given us that blessing. He's given us something more than those that are still in trespasses and sins.

Throughout the Word of God, there's many, many contrasts. Right from the very beginning, the contrast of the difference between Cain and Abel, two given, two worshippers, one saved, one lost, one acceptably worshipping, the other not, two in the temple, one praying acceptably, God be merciful to me, a sinner, and the other praying, just exalting himself. And right through the word, in the parables especially, The Lord often uses two or more things to contrast one with another.

Well, the contrast here that makes it clear is the difference between grace, that is a common grace, and that which is saving grace. And we may say that when saving grace is received, then also the common grace will be recognised and ascribed unto God. He must not stumble at the thought that it is not God that is healing all of those in our hospitals that do not worship Him, do not call on Him. He is. They don't ask for it. They don't give thanks. But it is the Lord that heals in a natural way. But how many of these, they don't know that naturally, They don't know it spiritually and nor would we, but for the saving grace of God.

To have our eyes opened, to see the Lord, to recognise Him, to acknowledge Him as Lord, that He is the giver, we are dependent upon Him. In one way, the saving grace of God or the new birth is put as the time when a man looks to his Maker. And we look to our Maker, otherwise it is, depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Who is the Lord, that I should serve him, says Pharaoh, and there is not a desiring after him at all. But when the Lord then quickens into life, Often it is as it was with Paul first. The law came as a schoolmaster. It brought him in as a guilty sinner. It brought to feel under condemnation. And then he is brought to know and realize the sin that was working within, the good that I would, I do not, the evil that I would not, that I do, a wretched man that I am.

and he is brought from the law, from the broken law, to look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the grace of God that convinces of sin using the law. It is the grace of God that then brings a sinner to look to Christ and to come to him and to ask for those favours and mercies and blessings of life. The grace of God is what does all for a poor sinner.

It is the grace of God that provided our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be given from the Father to come to this world, to be made like unto his brethren of the seed of Abraham, and to be made under the law, to live a life perfect and spotless under that law that he might give to believers a righteousness imputed as if it was their life, their spotless life, and by grace also. He tasted death for every man. That is, every man must go through death. He went through death, but for his people he bore their sin. He had laid on him the iniquity of us all.

I lay down my life for the sheep. What a solemn thing to not be of his sheep. His sheep are known, that in their lifetime they are brought to see Him who laid down their life. I, if I be lifted up above the earth, will draw all men unto me. That is, all of His people. No man can come unto the Father but by me. No man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

And all of this drawing, all of the sending of His Son, his sufferings, his death, enduring the wrath of God in himself instead of us, that is the sufferings of our Lord so much more than just the nails, terrible as they were, the thorns, terrible as they were, the whip, the lash, those things, so much, they're terrible things, but so much more, the wrath of God poured out upon the Son of God.

I often think of the illustration of Mount Carmel with Elijah when the children of Israel had gone after Baal. Why should the Lord have ever turned their heart back again? Only by grace. The Lord gave them three and a half years of famine, no rain. There he is restraining common grace as it were, but it was to prepare their hearts to receive Saving grace received grace to be brought back to him again.

And so they're brought to Mount Carmel and brought to the test of two altars, one for Baal, one for the true and living God, the God that answered by fire, let him be God. Well, Baal cried and cried, but no answer. He was no God at all, just a figment of their imagination. But Elijah, he repairs the altar, he builds the altar up, he lays the wood on it, he puts the sacrifice upon it, he causes it to be completely sodden with water, and then he prays.

that the people might know that the Lord had turned their hearts back again. And you know, the fire fell from heaven. It didn't fall on the prophets of Baal. It didn't fall upon the idolatrous Israelites. It fell upon the sacrifice. It must have been a fearful sign to be standing around that altar and then, like a lightning of fire from heaven, come down and consume not only the sacrifice and the wood, but the stones and the dust and the water are licked up around the trench. It must have been a fearful sight. And when we think that that altar and the sacrifice on it all set forth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and that fire, the wrath of God completely consuming it, Our Lord laid down his life under the wrath of God."

Well, we might say, at the time of laying it down, he'd endured the wrath of God. But at last, as that darkness over the land for three hours, then, instead of saying, my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? He then says, into thy hands. I commit my spirit, and he's able to call his father, father again.

That we should view as the grace of God that should give his son. When we had nothing, when there was no redeemer, no savior, no possibility of saving ourselves, and God provided his own, only begotten son. And then not only from that, but right to the end of time, he is quickening souls into divine life, giving them graciously spiritual, eternal life, so that they can believe, so that they receive him, so that they are alive unto God, a new creation, a new creation.

When the Lord does that, he gives a desire that they might live godly lives. The Lord said to those that believed on him, if you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. We don't just want to be one that says, I believe, but doesn't live an obedient and a godly life. It is vital the reality of the grace of God is seen in separation from the world that lieth in sin and wickedness, and in a desire to live godly and upright lives.

But it is God's people, those who are quickened of all the people upon the face of the earth, that really know what sinners they are, that really see sin as it is, that sit in the light of Christ's sufferings, that feel the real fight and opposition of their old nature to that new nature. And so this is the need for the third of our points this morning, that more grace be given.

But he giveth more grace. You remember the Apostle Paul had great, wonderful visions. Visions of God, as he said, caught up into the third heavens. No doubt that was upon the Damascus Road. But he said, lest he be exalted above measure, there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to Buffet him, and he prayed three times that that might be taken away. But the Lord said no, he wouldn't take it away, but he would give him grace to bear it. My grace is sufficient for thee. And the apostle's verdict, and you can read in 2 Corinthians 12, was that he would rather glory in his infirmity that the power of Christ may rest on me. When I am weak, then am I strong.

And so there was the infirmity, the weakness, that which he'd rather not have, but God gave him grace to be able to bear it, help to continue with this infirmity, with this messenger of Satan.

We read in Hebrews chapter four of the way to such blessings of grace as coming to the throne of grace. Hebrews 4, the end of that chapter is speaking about Lord Jesus Christ as our high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but he was. He said, we have not an high priest which cannot be touched. He is touched, but was in all points tempted like as we are. yet without sin. He applies it in this way, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. What a beautiful way of describing, describing prayer, describing where we come to God in prayer, it is a throne, but it is a throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So we have saving grace, but then we have the people of God having those times of need, times when Satan comes in, times with their own wicked, deceitful heart, times that they need hell to bear a trouble, a tribulation, and we have a throne of grace to go to. We read also that he gives grace for grace. You might say he gives the grace and the spirit of prayer and supplications and then in answer to that prayer he gives other gracious answers and all is coming from his hand.

So in this chapter there is directions as to obtaining this grace and this helm. Now we must not think that just because God will give grace that we are to be fatalistic, that we are to say, well, I've got this trial, I've got this tribulation, I've got this sin in my heart and in my life, and, well, there's nothing I can do, I've got strength and that, and I just pray that God will give me grace and just subdue him, so I don't have trouble with the sin at all. That is not how it's set forth in the word of God.

We're told, actually, Hebrews 12, you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. You say, well, if we're given grace, why do we need to strive against sin? We need that grace to be able to strive against sin, to be willing to do it, to want to do it, to have strength to persevere in that. We must not have wrong views of how we are in this world. We are not just drifting along as if we've got no enemies from within or without. We have. And we're called to warfare. We think of in Ephesians, we think of the passages where we're given the Christian in armor. We are to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold upon eternal life.

And so in view of this, That grace to help is the strength and help of Almighty God. It's like when the Lord comes to one that's in a withered hand, and he's going to graciously heal that man's hand. But what does he say to the man? He says, stand forth and stretch forth thine hand. The man would say, but it's withered, I cannot. But he tries to do it, and as he does it, then it's restored and made whole. And many instances like that, that those are commanded to do something that they could not do. But as they try and do it, then that strength is given.

Over in Holland, they will have electric bikes. But those electric bikes, the electric power only comes in when they are pedalling. If the police were to see a bike going along the road and the person wasn't pedalling and yet it was powering along the road, they would pull them over and say, you've got to have a registration plate, you need a helmet on, this is a motorbike, this is not a power-assisted bike. But a power-assisted bike, it works as the pedals are turned, then it gives that strength and power. So you could look at a hill, and they don't have many hills in Holland, but when they come over here, they do. And think, how can I pedal up that? How can I get up that hill? Well, if they start to do, then they feel the electric take over and power them up the hill. And this is the same with the grace of God. It is that which is given to a people, that the Lord has already given grace to try to attempt to be willing. Thy people shall be willing the day of thy power.

So I want to look quickly down this list that follows our text because here is given these directions by God as to how that grace actually is given. So we have in verse 7, Or really in our text it summarises, God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble. But then we have the specific points that go through. Verse 7, submit yourselves therefore unto God. That is the first thing. If we're seeking that the Lord would give us more grace, let us seek to be submissive unto God. If we are reliant on what he gives or what he withholds, then maybe seek grace for that. It's lovely sometimes to hear the brethren testifying of grace and help that they've received, perhaps in afflictions and trials, and to identify this point and say, the Lord graciously gave me submission to the trial.

The second thing is to resist the devil. We're told a promise there, he will flee from you. The devil comes in, he comes as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He comes setting suitable baits and temptations before us that he knows he's been successful before in drawing us away from the narrow way in. What if we're to be delivered from it? there's that resisting of the devil, not thinking, well, I can't help myself, I am just a sinner, and I'll just blindly go to every temptation, every beckoning that he comes. We're to seek for this more grace in resisting the devil.

And then there's a drawing nigh unto God. Previous in this chapter, was a reproof because they did not have because they did not ask. And then where they asked and they did not receive because they asked a mess. But what is said after our text is to draw nigh to God. And again, he will draw nigh to you, a promise attached to it. Different way, in a way, of setting forth prayer, isn't it? many the ungodly will pray in times of need and then they'll forget as soon as they've got the blessing and never return to give thanks. But if our desire is to draw nigh to God, drawing nigh to God in prayer, that we seek him first and then come with our petitions, that our first acts in prayer are adoration, are praise, and then we come with confession Then we come with supplication and asking. This is where we are directed. If you and I need more grace, and we prize this text, he giveth more grace, let us seek that we might draw near, draw nigh unto God.

And the next thing is to cleanse, outwardly and inwardly. So how can I cleanse my hands and purify my heart? Again, it's that desire and willingness. It's looking at what we're actually doing. Are we doing things that are wrong? Are we walking in wrong ways? Are we doing things wrong with our hands, our life outwardly? Then seek grace to stop doing those things as you see the word directs you to. And what about our heart, the imaginations there, the filth, the evil, the uncleanness? Are we not to seek grace that we might be cleansed and washed and free from that? Or grace that we might bear what remains with the temptations of sin and of our sinful nature? Paul says, if I do that which I would not, is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. God's people, the difference is they want to be cleansed. They want to be free. They mourn over their sin. They're grieved over their sin, like we read in Psalm 38. So if we praise this word, he give us more grace. We need to be willing that our lives outwardly and inwardly would be cleansed.

And then we have an exhortation to really to be sober and serious. He says in verse 9, be afflicted and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. The very spirit of the world is just lightness, frivolity, vanity, empty things, foolishness. But the mark of those that know their soul and know they're on a battlefield and know what it is to be standing, as it were, on the verge of eternity, it surely will have an effect of sobering us, making us to be truly in reality, not fantasy land, and in that to be the opposite to this laughter and vanity, to be afflicted and mourn and weep. those that are showing really the reality of what they feel within.

Sometimes you may hear people and their words don't go with how they're acting. On one hand, they might stand up maybe in public prayer and there'll be so much confession of their sin and iniquity, but then their enlightenment as if, well, that prayer was finished and now their life is very different.

I remember hearing one of the Lord's servants many years ago. He said he was troubled by a man that often in public prayer would use great words to describe how vile and wretched and evil and sinful he was. So one day he thought that he'd test him. And he said, your prayer. He said, I agree with it. You are. You are vile, you are sinful, you are wretched. And the man rose up against it. He couldn't take it. He had to go at him.

And there's one thing to actually say without words. There's another to really feel in your heart that what we are confessing is truly the condition of our hearts.

And so then he comes in verse 10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Remember our text, the latter part of it, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. And then those verses that follow, they describe how we are to walk, and then it's, we're closed with this same word, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

What a lesson for us. Really, pride is one of the chief sins. But when we know ourselves and know what we are, and don't deserve anything from the hand of God, remembering what we're asking for, what we're looking for, what is precious here is grace. And grace is the free, unmerited favour of God. It's given to humble ones, not to those that think they deserve something, think that God is their debtor. and that he's a terrible God if he doesn't give them these things that they feel are their right.

All the while we think that we deserve so much, we're not going to think of giving thanks and glory to God. But when we view everything that we receive out of a deserved hell, then we receive everything as graciously given, blessedly given.

Really the message here is, when the Lord gives saving grace, He will also give more grace to that song, that they might live godly and upright lives to God's honor and glory.

Where we may feel just so failed to be not what we would be, then we think, well, I've made efforts. I can never be perfect. I feel like giving up. The word really sets before us here, don't give up. You still press on, you still fight on, you still resist the devil, you still humble yourself before the Lord, you still pray. But have your eye looking to God's grace.

And as you attempt to do these things, attempt to do what's right, be all the time looking and praying for the grace of God, the help of God. And when it is given, Then give him thanks, give him praise for him. Don't be looking to your own righteousness or to some supposed goodness, but realize that what you are, as the apostle says, what I am, I am by the grace of God.

May we be able to say the same. But he giveth more grace. Amen.