Deo Volente - God Wills Series

Deo Volente (God’s Will)

James 4:13-17

July 23, 2023

How many decisions do you think you make in a given day? From the simple of what to wear and eat for breakfast to the more significant decisions.

Let me ask you - - - How many of you have purchased homes in your lifetimes? How many of you have worked? How many of you have taken a vacation or will take a vacation this year? Who has bought a car?

For the youth — have you bought a scooter, bike, TV, computer, phone, play station games, or decided whether or not you’ll play a certain sport or act or anything like that?

Thanks! Now, I have one more question, it’s one I want you to think about, because it is what today’s scripture is about.

When you bought your last car, your house, began a new job, or decided on a vacation — did you pray about it?

Have you prayed about your retirement -- what you’ll do or how you’ll finance it? Have you prayed about the upcoming school year? Have you tried to discern and understand God’s will for today, tomorrow and the coming months?

The scary thing is - - - most of us don’t consider God in the midst of our everyday 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 I should wear, I’m talking about marriage, children, career changes, new cars, houses, vacations and so on. How do you make those decisions and plans?

In fact, I’m guilty! We went to Ohio this weekend to see Zachary. A quick trip Friday night to Saturday night. He had plans for us. But were they God’s plans? I don’t know, because we really didn’t consult with God. I did during the past week, and didn’t hear a NO, so I felt it was good to go.

When buying something, it’s easy to just walk into the store, or look at Amazon and buy what you want or need and be done. Yet, even when you have the money, what goes into considering what to do or not to do?

Sometimes, it’s do I really need to upgrade my TV from a 64" to a 100". From 2K to 4K? Do I need the newest phone? We can ask lots of questions and in fact, we can drive ourselves crazy asking ourselves questions, but the question is . . . are we seeking God’s blessing and wisdom when we make these decisions?

Of course, making plans is normal and acceptable. If we would like to succeed in life, we must make plans. It’s been said if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there. We must plan for retirement, saving money for homes and cars and college tuition. We hope to find a career path which is fulfilling. Plans are a vital, vital part of life. But the question James is asking us is God involved in those plans?

Let’s look at what James is telling us in the final 5 verses of chapter 4 - - - -

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—

14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Making plans is biblical. Paul often made plans regarding his travels. See Acts 15:36; 18:20-21; 1 Co 16:5-9. In 1 Corinthians 16:7, Paul states, he hopes to spend some time with the people of Corinth, “if the Lord permits.” And in Acts 18:21, he adds, ‘he will return to Ephesus, if God wills.’ Do you see what Paul was doing? He wanted his plans to be contingent upon the Lord’s plans.

In Colossians 1:9, Paul reminded the people to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will AND in Ephesians 5:17, he wrote ‘don’t be foolish, but understand God’s will’.

What I hear in what Paul was saying is this . . . And for me it was more of a revelation. Understand, I’m still growing and hopefully will always be growing in Christ. Paul was making plans, but he was always willing to adjust course, to adjust his plans if he heard from God not to do something.