Series: James
Title: The Lord Willing
Text: James 4: 13-17
Date: February 28, 2010
Place: SGBC, Princeton, NJ
James 4: 13: Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16: But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
I. A CAUTION AGAINST PRESUMPTION
James 4: 13: Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
A. Go To Now, ye that say--reflect on what you are saying:
1. Today or tomorrow WE WILL--
· We will go into such a city
· We will continue there a year
· We will buy and sell, and get gain
2. The heart is filled up with happiness at thinking of our future plans.
B. But two things we need consider.
First--James 4: 14: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.
1. We do not know what tomorrow holds.
2. We can not presume what we will do tomorrow when really we have no idea of what shall be tomorrow.
Secondly--James 4: 14: For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
1. Would you put much confidence in vapor?
2. Would you put assurance in something that appears for a little time then vanisheth away.
Your life is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
If God is not in our thoughts today--when we make plans, he will not be in our thoughts tomorrow if our plans come to pass. If today we boast in ourselves, we will surely boast in ourselves tomorrow if our plans come to pass.
II. A SURE WORD TO ALWAYS REMEMBER
James 4: 15: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
It is not that we have to say this before every statement, but it ought always be the first thought in our hearts.
A. You know not what shall be tomorrow--
1. If the Lord is willing there will be a tomorrow. If not, we will stand before his great white throne tomorrow.
2. Do you know who God is?
Isaiah 46:10: Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
3. You and I do not work all things together but our God does. He does it for someone in particular. And He does his will according to purpose.
Romans 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30: Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
B. Your life is a vapor--
Psalms 31:15 My times are in thy hand:…
I Samuel 2: 6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7: The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8: He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
All our actions and the actions of all men are under the control of the Lord. He is Almighty! He does all for the glory of his name and the good of his people. Boast not--we depend entirely upon him. Therefore all our plans and conduct should be in submissive dependence on God.
III. THE OFFENSE OF NOT SUBMITTING TO THE LORD.
James 4: 16: But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
A. It is not only presumption to put confidence in ourselves it is evil.
1. Ye rejoice in your boastings--as if you were independent from God
2. Rejoicing in things you have no power to bring to pass is pride.
Psalm 10: 4: The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
3. God hates pride--and he will destroy the prideful.
B. Pride is the main culprit James is dealing with.
1. One is your Master--he is able to save and to destroy--he is able to give his law in the inward parts and constrain our brethren--therefore be not desirous of vain glory, envying and desiring to be many masters--little gods over men.
2. One Law--one Word--he gives this word in the heart making our tongues to declare Christ, to sing of his grace and mercy--but dare we use our tongues to rail, to condemn, to make presumptious plans? To do so is not to walk in the Spirit but to mind the things of this earth:
· It is to speak evil of the law of liberty
· It is to speak evil of the Lord who is able to save or to destroy--to deny the power of God who is able to save or destroy.
1 Peter 4:7: But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
3. This is the will of the Father that you believe on his Son--Christ.
· He is the Pearl of great price!
· In him are hid all the treasures God has for his people.
· Righteousness! Justification! Sanctification! Eternal life!
I John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
4. Rather than exalt yourselves, rather than presume upon vanity--the Lord gives such simple and clear instructions:
a. Submit yourselves to God.
James 4: 7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
b. Ask God for wisdom.
James 4: 8: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
James 1: 5: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
c. Set your mind on one object--Christ Jesus.
James 4: 8;…Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
c. Humble yourselves in the sight of God.
James 4: 9: Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
It is called repenting from all vain hope and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, tomorrow, in every hour.
Pride says
I will, I will, I will…
Listen to the uncertainty that is in you
For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
But get hold of how certain this word is from the Lord who is able, mighty to save:
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and HE SHALL LIFT YOU UP.
C. It is a greater offense for you who have heard the word of the Lord and do not obey him.
James 4: 17: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
1. God has not left any in this place in darkness.
2. Great light has come--the light of God.
Luke 10: 24: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Mark 1: 40: And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Are you a leper? Say no more, "I will, I will"…but humble yourselves in the sight of God, saying, "If thou wilt, thou can make me clean!"
Oh, to hear these words in your soul, "I will; be thou clean!"
I pray he make you willing to seek his will!
Amen!