There was an officer in
the navy who had always dreamed of commanding a battleship. He
finally achieved that dream and was given commission of the newest
and proudest ship in the fleet. One stormy night, as the ship plowed
through the seas, the captain was on duty on the bridge when off to
the port he spotted a strange light rapidly closing with his own
vessel. Immediately he ordered the signalman to flash the message to
the unidentified craft, ’Alter your course ten degrees to the
south.’ Only a moment had passed before the reply came: ’Alter
your course ten degrees to the north.’ Determined that his ship
would take a backseat to no other, the captain snapped out the order
to be sent: ’Alter course ten degrees--I am the CAPTAIN!’ The
response beamed back, ’Alter your course ten degrees--I am Seaman
Third Class Jones.’ Now infuriated, the captain grabbed the signal
light with his own hands and fired off: ’Alter course, I am a
battleship.’ The reply came back. ’Alter your course, I am a
lighthouse.’
No matter how big or
important any of us think we are, God’s Word stands forth as an
unchanging beacon. All other courses must be altered to His.
It has been a couple of weeks since we
looked at the letter James wrote. So far we have seen that he tends
to say what he thinks and does not shy away from the tough topics.
James has told us that we need to be full of joy as we endure
hardships. He has reminded us that words are not enough, the love for
God and the love of God needs to drive us to act on our faith. We are
not supposed to play favoritism, or let our tongue run wild. He told
us to depend on God for the wisdom we need and that we should submit
to and draw near to God.
This morning we are picking up where we
left off.
James 4:13-17
“13 Come now, you who
say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and
spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 14 You don’t
even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you
are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
15 Instead, you should
say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and
doesn’t do it.”
In life it is safe to say
that if you fail to create a plan or figure out what you need to do,
you are going to fail. The truth that many forget is that if you
create a plan without God's leading, your plan is going to fail.
No plan = fail, Plan with
No God = fail.
If you want to achieve
success, you need to have God in your life and He needs to be first
in all things.
James said 'Come now'...
we might say something along the lines of 'ah come on', 'are you
serious', or 'you have got to be kidding'. James didn't get bashful
in these final verses of chapter four. He wanted to get there
attention and let them know that they were mistaken.
James 4:13
“Come now, you who say,
“Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend
a year there and do business and make a profit.”
Life is complex, it is
very hard to predict what is going to happen later today, tomorrow,
let alone for the next year. When we first moved out of California
back in 2008, we 'planned' to stay in Michigan. That is why we bought
the house, we expected to stay there. When we moved to Iowa, we
planned on buying a house and staying put. Obviously as we all know,
neither of those plans worked out. I believe each of those steps were
part of God's plan, they were just that steps not the final
destination. Our plan verses God's plan.
How many can say they have
had their plans changed by life? Job changes, loss of a spouse, major
medical issue, and I am sure the list can go on. Things happen in
life that change our plans. That does not mean we should stop
planning.
Romans 12:11
“Do not lack diligence;
be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.”
We need to take time and
develop plans that will allow us to be successful.
Part of James' frustration
with the people he was writing to is that their plans were based on
making a profit. They were concerned with money and that was driving
their plans and actions not God. They were putting things of this
world first, not God.
While we may not be making
plans to move for a year and make money, how many of our plans are
based on worldly things? Do we have plans that are based on having
money, some new toy, new car, Caribbean vacation, etc... James is
not telling us to not plan for things or even some nice things we
want. He is calling people on the carpet for that being their driving
force. In other words, plan your nice vacation, have those toys that
you enjoy, but that cannot be what drives you every day. God first,
these other things are a blessing.
James 4:14
“You don’t even know
what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like
smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.”
How can you plan for
making a profit, how can you plan for these worldly things, how can
you be making plans on your own for tomorrow?
Proverbs 27:1
“Don't boast about
tomorrow, for you don't know what a day might bring.”
How can these business men
or even us make plans for a year away when we do not know what
tomorrow will bring.
Jesus taught on this.
Luke 12:16-21
“16 Then He told them a
parable: “A rich man’s
land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I
do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do
this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones
and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to
myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it
easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’
20
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is
demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they
be?’
21
“That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself
and is not rich toward God.”
While we do not know what
is coming, God has no doubt. God knows exactly what tomorrow will
bring, He knows exactly where we will be a year from now. We are
'like smoke' we are here for a time but then we are gone.
We measure life in years
and hopefully we get to live to a ripe old age. Regardless of how
long we live, our lives are nothing compared to eternity. Life, is a
vapor.
Job 7:6-7a
“6 My days pass more
swiftly than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but a breath.”
Our days go faster than a
weaver's shuttle or loom. Life is so very short. We cannot afford to
waste our lives, our plans. No matter how long we live, life is
short. We cannot allow ourselves to think we have plenty of time left
to live for Christ, enjoy our loved ones, or to do what we know we
should be doing.
Today is the day to live
for God! Today is the day to let God guide our plans. If we live for
God today and every day that follows when our days come to an end we
will have done what God wanted us to do.
“The tragedy of life is
not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it” -
Richard L. Evans
Our view is so narrow with
the limited time we have, we need to look to God. Our lives are
short, He is everlasting. One of the benefits of seeking God first
and putting His will ahead of our is that, while we don't know what
tomorrow will bring, He does.
What's going to happen
next week? God knows. Who is going to win the World Series and Super
Bowl? God knows. Where are you going to be a year from now? God
knows. When are you going to join Him in heaven? God knows.
We don't know any of those
things, but God does. We need to put our lives in God's hands.
James 4:15
“Instead, you should
say. “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
God first! Not in words
only, but we need to live our life putting God first.
Put God first in prayer.
James 4:3
“You ask and don't
receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it
on your evil desires.”
If you pray with motives
that are focused on worldly plans they will not come to fruition.
Instead keep God front and center and your prayers will be with the
right motive and your plans will be blessed.
Put God first by reading
His Word.
Joshua 1:8
“8 This book of
instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day
and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.
For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”
God reveals His will in
His Word and yet many people do not read their Bibles. Spending time
in God's Word allows us to learn what God wants us to learn and apply
to our lives. Knowing and obeying the Word of God is the best way to
be successful with your plans. Plans that are made with God being
first.
Make your plans with God's
Word and in prayer.
Proverbs 3:6
“think about Him in all
your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”
Put God first in your
planning process and God will guide you in the right direction. He
will help you accomplish what you were created for.
Proverbs 19:21
“Many plans are in a
man's heart, but the Lord's decree will prevail.”
God is soverign and we can
do nothing without Him. In His hands plans will succeed.
Put God First!
James 4:16
“But as it is, you boast
in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
Let me paraphrase for
James, 'You think you know everything, you think you have it all
figured out, but you are wrong. You do not control your life or your
future, only God does. Stop trying to be God.'
No one here can control
the future. We do not have the wisdom or ability to see the future
and we don't have the power to control it. So for anyone to put claim
to the future is them trying to be God.
That is what is happening
when someone does not put God first. Making plans on their own, not
spending time in prayer, and not reading God's Word for guidance.
Taking matters into your
own hands is evil. Instead we need to trust in God and let Him guide
the way.
James 4:17
“So it is a sin for the
person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.”
The commentaries I read do
not agree if James is referring to these last couple of verses or to
the 4 chapters we have reviewed so far. Either way I think the point
is pretty clear.
You now know how God wants
you to act, you need to do it.
2 Peter 2:21
“21 For it would have
been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than,
after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to
them.”
We tend to think of sin as
a result of an action, but James and Peter are telling us that it is
also a result of choosing to not act. Yes it is a sin to lie or
steal, but is also a sin when we are not doing what we know is right.
If we don't spend time
with God – it is a sin.
If we don't act on God's
Word – it is a sin.
If we don't love our
neighbor – it is a sin.
If our life is not
different from those in the world – it is a sin.
If we don't watch our
words – it is a sin.
If we don't submit to God
– it is a sin.
If we make plans without
God – it is a sin.
What do we need to do? We
need to put God First! If He is first in our lives, His will will
find its way into our plans.
If God is First, we will
spend time with Him.
If God is first, we will
act on His Word.
If God is first, we will
love our neighbor.
If God is first, we will
be different than those in the world.
If God is first, we will
watch our words.
If God is first, we will
submit to God.
If God is first, His plans
will be our plans.
Keep God First in Your
Life!
Thanks for reading and God Bless,
Robert
No comments:
Post a Comment