James 4:13-17
Three Truths
- It is wrong for us to make plans without God
- It is dangerous to presume that we have an endless supply of tomorrows
- To know the good we ought to do, and not do it, is sin
1. Making Plans without God
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." James 4:13
What is wrong with that?
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. Proverbs 24:27
Through out scriptures we've been encourage to do a plan. Planning is a good thing.
So what's the solution?
Why warning?
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. James 4:15
Make plans include God in it:
What are His plans for our business? Our vacation? etc.
"What do YOU want me to do? What do YOU don't want me to do?"
Planning without praying is presumptions.
Practical Atheist : belief in God but don't want to do anything.
2. Is There An Endless Supply of Tomorrows?
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14
For,
All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall. 1 Peter 1:24
another mistake:
when we presume, shows that we had an endless supply of tomorrow.
Luke 12:16-20
Psalm 31:14-15a
If your planning to follow God, you need to work for a hundred years
but, you need to live as if God is coming tonight.
Planning not worrying
There for I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry saying, "What shall we eat?' or "What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Luke 12:22-34
3. Do what we Do, What We Know We Should Do
Anyone, then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17
On another Sabbath He went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So, he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"
He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus. Luke 6:6-11
First (spiritual) Benchmark
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:2-5
How to handle trials and testing? How do we handle temptation?
God "spare" you for a reason.
He always bought something good out of bad things.
Second Benchmark
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
Do we just listen to God's Word, or do we also put it into practice/action in our lives?
Third Benchmark
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. James 1:27 ; 2:2-4,8-9
Do you discriminate? Do you care for the weak? Do you favor the rich?
Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. Proverbs 28:27
If you help the poor, you are leading to the Lord -and He will repay you! Proverbs 19:17
During James' time, there are only 2 groups of people, the wealthy and poor. And there's always a gap between them. Nowadays, more varieties groups.
Fourth Benchmark
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:18, 26
Do we show our faith in Jesus Christ by our good deeds?
Fifth Benchmark
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. James 3:10
Do you control your speech? Do you judge others?
[imagine James growing up together with Jesus. Having Jesus as his brother. Can't buddy up to tell lies, no cheating, can't pick up on other kids, etc. :) ]
Sixth Benchmark
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:6-7
Do you know how to humble yourself? Do you actively resist the sinful temptations and impulses in your life?
The most humbling thing in the world is apologizing.
The issue here is not about us being tempted, or what kind of temptation you tend to fall to.
But, are you fighting IT?
Seventh Benchmark
Are you a "practical atheist"?
Do you think you have endless tomorrows?
The mistake is thinking that not doing something wrong, is the same as NOT sinning!
