1) Jeremiah 17:9-10, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I, the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”
A) God does not respond well to selfish ambition (James 4:10).
B) God grants grace to those who are humble (James 4:6-7).
C) There is one lawgiver. We are not it. Appeal to Him in all things (James 4:11-12).

2) The steps of a righteousness man are ordered of the Lord (Proverbs 16:9).
A) Commit your plans to God and purpose to please Him in all you do (Proverbs 16:1-4, James 4:13-17).
B) We will sleep better at night when we trust Him with the future and no longer feel the pressure to control every circumstance of life (I Peter 1:3-7).
C) God is going to do what pleases Him and He watches over His Word to make sure it remains true (Proverbs 19:21, Ephesians 1:11, Jeremiah 1:12).

3) We have not because we ask not or we ask with wrong motives (James 4:1-3).
A) We must not ask for anything that does not align with God’s Word (Matthew 6:5-18, I John 5:14-15).
B) We need to use our freedom in Christ to bring Him glory. (I Corinthians 10:23-31).
C) Christ set the example of humility for us to follow (Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 23:1-39).

Discussion Question: What steps of righteousness are we required to perform each day to keep a pure heart before Jesus Christ? How did He keep a pure heart before His Father?

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Creator, Researcher and Host: Rob Fell
Production, Editor and Cover Art (with help from ChatGPT): Susan Cofer Fell
Contact: Robs.Rhetoric.pod@gmail.com