|
|
|
|
JAMES 4:13-16 “Making Plans”The story is told of a cowboy who applied for health insurance, the agent routinely asked if he had had any accidents during the previous year. The cowboy replied, No. But I was bitten by a rattlesnake, and my horse kicked me in the ribs. That laid me up for a few weeks. The agent said, “Weren’t those accidents?” “No”, replied the cowboy, “They did it on purpose.” The Sovereignty of God is more than a doctrine. I have learned that God exerts his hand and control on everything in life, for a Christian there are no accidents. Not only are there not accidents, but sometimes God’s plans tend to mess with my plans.
As we continue our studies through this wonderful book of James, we have seen this book is a very practical book, practical in application of daily Spirit filled life with Jesus Christ. If you would this is the how to book of “how to live by faith”, and as we have said before, this book shows us, “just how the Just shall live by faith.” As we finish up chapter four today we have come to a portion of text where James deals with how we need to line our plans up with God’s will, and he points out some things that keep us from knowing God’s will. Things that interfere with our relationship with the Lord. Making plans is part of that, how we as Christians should consider: “What is the Lord’s will.” What is God’s will, when I/ when you/ make plans for the future. We need to ask the master what he would have us to do, and then we stay in tune with what he has for us. READ THE TEXT JAMES 4:13-16 MAKING PLANS In this text today, I would want us to see three things that keep us from hearing God’s will when we are making plans. 1. The sin of presumption. 2. The sin of boasting. 3. The sin of omission.
Or having a wrong attitude toward the future. A Christian by definition is a person who has another ruling over their life. Jesus Christ is their Lord. Lord means master, a slave by choice, a bond slave, one who could have their freedom, yet knows that in their masters service there is fullness of life. So they choose to become a slave. Therefore as Christians we have no right to have a presumptive attitude about what the future holds, because that future is in the hands of the master. He is called the potter, we are the clay, as clay, we can not tell the potter what we want him to make, maybe he is making you into an ashtray, or a vase, or a water pot, as the potter, it is his choice-they are his plans, all we do is remain on the wheel and he does the work. So when making plans, abide in the Lord, and let him reveal to you what he desires for you to do. James highlights this wrong attitude in making plans as what we will call the sin of presumption. Presuming that we will do whatever we want and God will bless it. This attitude is a heart issue. Who is in control of my heart? Is Christ my Lord? Or am I the lord of my life? Now obviously we do make decisions every day without seeking the will of God. I don’t need to fast and pray to find out what pair of socks the Lord would have me ware today, or if God wants me to get out of bed and go to work. I don’t need to spend hours in meditation over whether I should love my wife, or you should support your husband, these things are clear. But there is the sin of presumption that when we do not know the will of God, when we are not sure if the Lord desires for us to make some future plans, so we just do what we think is best and hope that God will bless our actions. James highlights those things when he tells us this type of boasting is evil. God has plans for you, he has plans for me, and not unlike Israel when they had sinned greatly against the Lord, and God was going to send them into the bondage of Babylon, He was going to cause them to be slaves for seventy years. He sent his prophet Jeremiah, to tell them that was his plan. Now I don’t think that anyone, man, woman, slave or free would have made those future plans, but that was God’s future plans, that was God’s will for them. But then the Lord in his mercy tells them what his long term purpose is - when he says to them. Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. God had plans for Israel, they were to go into the captivity, into slavery – yet they knew full well that this was the Lord’s will, this was his plans. So don’t be presumptuous about what you want, seek the Lord, he may have another plan for you. The example that James gives is clear, don’t say I’m going to secure my future by going to another city, to get rich -rather seek the Lord and have the heart attitude that if it is the Lord’s will I will do this or that. Will God give you a lightning bolt? He might. But more then likely he will reveal himself by and through his word, he will speak to your heart and you will have peace knowing this is God’s will for your future. Like the time (years ago) Sue and I were moving to Oregon, and on the way to by property we felt uncomfortable, and stopped to pray, we ended up turning around and have had peace with living here in the Carson Valley ever since. Instead of making plans, that may not be God’s will, say to your own heart, “if the Lord wills I will do this thing.” I think we in America often neglect to consider God in
making our future plans, the majority of us, me included, don’t seek God’s
guidance and will in our purchases -- let alone in the major events in our
lives. I’m not talking about what color socks should I wear, I’m talking about
marriage, having children, career changes, new cars, houses, vacations moving
and so on. How do you make those decisions and plans? The Apostle Paul gave us a good example of making plans when he was in Ephesus and things were going very well, many people were coming to faith in Christ and the people begged him to stay, yet we read. Acts 18:20-21 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will."…. Paul knew even though things were going very well, that God wanted him to leave, and if the Lord showed him later to come back then he would. Then he wrote to the church in Corinth. 1 Cor 16:7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. Notice Paul’s attitude, not presuming what he would do, but
trusting it to the Lord and following what God wanted, Paul wanted his plans to
be contingent upon the Lord’s plans. When we make plans for things we believe are good, but we don’t understand that God may have something different in store for us. We end up accepting what was second best and reject what would have been better. God has a plan for all of us. And like Israel they are plans for our good and not for evil. James reminds us that we should not be presumptuous in making plans but rather seek the Lord’s will in making our plans. If you were to read letters that Christians wrote to one another just 100 years ago, you would see the postscript: D.V. at the bottom of the letter. These two letters stand for the Latin words, "Deo Vo-lent-e," which means "God willing." That goes right along with verse 15, James tells us, "We ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that." Presumption keeps us from knowing God’s will.
The second thing that keeps us from hearing the voice of God in knowing what he has for our future is the Sin of boasting. James tells us boasting and bragging about such stuff is evil and he brings out the fact that our future is unknown. James is writing to young believers who were making plans without considering what God wanted for them. Then they would boast about what they were going to do. James reminds them that they don’t know what tomorrow may bring, in fact, tomorrow may not come for many of them. Jesus taught about this in a parable. TURN TO LUKE 12:16-20Jesus tells the story of this man who has an abundant harvest and builds new barns so he could retire, relax, and party. He is making his own plans without considering what God has for him. God tells him what his plans are, and God’s plans really mess up the man’s plans, that very night his soul would be required of him. Although there are several important lessons in this parable, one point is that this man made plans without regard for God and he was boasting about what he would do. James reminds us that kind of boasting is sin. As men / as women, we only have hindsight, we can only live in the present time. All that exists for us is this moment that we are living in. The past is gone and there is nothing we can do about it, the future is ahead and although we make plans for the future, we do not know what the future holds. So we entrust our lives / our futures to the one who knows the future. God sees it all, he is eternal and he sees the beginning from the end. Our lives are just a mist, a vapor and puff of smoke that is here for a very short time then vanishes into eternity. How true that is. In the scheme of history, how many people are even remembered beyond the next generation. How many are recognized 100 years or 1000 years after they are gone. Like the six year old in Sunday school who thought “Joan of Arch” was Noah’s wife. Few are remembered in history, and even them, there time of influence was just a mist that puff of smoke that lasted only a short time. Jesus Christ, is one who’s influence is seen and remembered every day, Christianity is the worlds largest faith, followers of Christ are in every culture and land because his life did not end, he rose from the dead and lives forever more. Your life, my life, in the scheme of history is nothing, just a mist that appears for a little while, then vanishes away. Even if you live to be 100, and with our advancements in medicine there are some in this room that will. Even at 100 that is a very short time in human history. To plan your future without consideration for what the Lord wants is boasting and bragging, and it is sin. You do not know what your future holds, you could walk out of this church today and get hit by a greyhound bus. Destination heaven. Like the policeman in Reno this week who was doing a routine traffic stop and within minutes he is whisked into eternity. So don’t brag that is sin, rather say, “if it is the Lord’s will I will do these things.” Things that keep us from the heart of God, when making plans, the sin of presumption, the sin of boasting. Finally.
It almost seems like James is changing the subject when he speaks about the sin of omission in. James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. What does this have to do with making plans? Well just like presumption and boasting keeps us from hearing the heart of God, his will for our future, so does the things that we omit in our lives, things left undone. When we know we should do good, what we know is God’s will, when we neglect these things, then we will have a hard time hearing the voice of the Lord concerning other things, such as our future. James reminds us that we should make the "Deo Vo-lent-e," part of our every day life. We need to have the proper attitude concerning our futures. “ If it is the Lord’s will, I will do these things.” Then seek the Lord’s will. What is God’s will? Much of it is found in scripture. God’s infinite will for all is revealed in the scriptures. His finite will for us as individuals is revealed to us as individuals. So we begin with that we know we live that out. His infinite will, leads us to his finite will. What is God’s will? Eph 5:17-21 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. It is God’s will that we be Spirit filled, not filled with distilled Spirits, it is his will that we are filled with praise, Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. It is his will that we are thankful in everything, and that we live a life of submission. Like the example Jesus gave. 1 Thess 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Again God’s infinite will revealed in scriptures, it is his will that we are full of joy, full of prayers, full of thanksgiving. Then we read in. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. The Lord shows his patience in his will, when he waits for more to come to repentance. If you are not a Christian, if you have not been born again, it is God’s will that you turn to him in repentance. And you will be given an opportunity to do just that in a moment. We see God’s infinite will reveled in the scriptures, and when we live out his infinite will, we will be able to know his finite will for each one of us. What does God have for me, what is his will for you? This finite will of God, is what James is talking about and it is reveled to us as individuals. Is it God’s will that you move? I do not know, you must find out. How will you know? God speaks to each of us as individuals, sometime like I said, it is though the scriptures, or by a friend, or just a sureness in direction, be that as it may, God will speak. Our challenge is to avoid the pitfalls that keep us from knowing his will and hearing his voice. Avoid those sins of presumption, presuming we know best. The sin of boasting, boasting about what we will do without regard for the Lord’s direction. And the sin of Omission, not doing what we know for sure is the will of God. The Lord says. Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. AS DAVE COMES FORWARD. As we listen to James, as we heed the counsel that he gives us, as we avoid the things that keep us from knowing the Lord’s will, as we prayfully seek the Lord about the future. I would like to leave you with two very important principles for running life’s race: #1. MAKE YOUR LIFE’S PLANS WITH ETERNITY IN FOCUS. If you are not a Christian, if you have not given your life to the Lord. Look at your life and you will see that in the scheme of things you are just a vapor. Look to eternity call upon the name of the Lord, and you will see, that God has a plan for you. If you are a Christian and are making future plans: What is the eternal focus of it all, how is God going to use you in this new place, where are you going to serve? How is this going to advance the kingdom? Paul says. 1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. So make any plans with an eternal focus. #2. CARRY OUT YOUR LIFE’S PLANS IN A MANNER THAT WILL
KEEP ETERNITY IN FOCUS.
SING /PRAY INVITE BENEDICTION. Series: James -Through the Bible |
(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
