Chico Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Faith’s Response to God’s Will”
The book of James is all about living our life with genuine faith in God. James describes the kind of life the one who claims to live by faith lives.
I. Faith’s response to trials 1:2-27
Joyfully endure – continued endurance produces maturity and stability.
II. Faith’s response to partiality and prejudice 2:1-13
Love others as ourselves
III. Faith’s True Nature 2:14-26
Believe God and behave godly
IV. Faith’s response to conversation 3:1-12
Control your speech
V. Faith’s way of life 3:13-4:12
Live wisely
VI. Faith’s Response to God’s will 3:13-17
Discern and do the Lord’s will
We live in a world that values autonomy, independence, self-sufficiency, free will above all. People make decisions on their own interests. People pursue what pleases them. Unfortunately, that human value distorts true Christian values. Even though we appreciate Jesus’ prayer in the garden yielding His will to the Father’s will, few fully live that way.
As usual, James pointedly exposed more twisted thinking.
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”— 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. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:13-17
At first glance I thought James was addressing the tendency to presume upon the future. Then I realized that James’ admonition went much deeper and touches a tendency to make life choices based more on what we want than what God wants. He exposed the human tendency to self-sufficiency. He addressed his admonition to those who make plans giving little attention to what God wants. “Come now!” indicates a call to serious consideration.
The Bible clearly teaches that genuine faith motivates service, sacrifice, seeking God’s will before mine, denying self, suffering, pleasing God, obedience to God’s ways, following God’s ways, yielding personal rights, dedication, humility. Yet the much of the teaching we often hear today is all about self-fulfillment, personal blessing, success, personal dreams, escape from suffering, health, wealth, feeling special. Come to Jesus and He will provide such and such. Come to Jesus and He will fix what you messed up through selfish living. Rather than us yielding to God’s will, we are told that God is here to give us the desires of our heart. Personal ambitions come before kingdom purposes. James was clear about prayers focused on personal ambition.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3
Such a focus becomes clear by a simple examination of our calendars and our checkbook. Do our plans and daily activities reflect what God wants or what we want? Does our spending reflect what God wants or what we want? Paul clearly communicated his attitude.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ Philip 3:7-8
James does not imply planning is wrong. He urges us to make sure we consult God concerning those plans. He advises us to include God in our plans. He counsels us to be sure God is the object of our plans. One of the problems with buying on credit is the presumption on the future. We think we will be around to pay it off.
We assume we will have a job. We assume we will be able to work.
James again draws attention to the uncertainty and shortness of life.
You don’t know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
James again demonstrated his familiarity with Proverbs.
Boast not yourself of tomorrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth. Proverbs 27:1
He already alluded to the shortness of life earlier regarding the rich man. There he used the frailty of grass in a heat wave to illustrate the truth. Here he used the fleeting nature of a mist or steam or vapor. We have only a limited time to live a life pleasing to God. “Oh, I will get serious about my walk later.” There may not be a later. Most of us have experienced the tragedy of a life cut short.
Solomon understood that all of life feels like a vapor without the God component.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2
The Hebrew word translated vanity can also mean “mist” or “vapor”. Something without substance. Solomon came to recognize that everything “under the sun” is without substance. The “under the sun” phrase refers to life on earth without connect with God. Life under the SON is a whole other story. Solomon documented all his experiments to find meaning in Ecclesiastes. Nothing satisfied.
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. Ecclesiastes 1:8-11
Solomon’s conclusion.
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; Ecclesiastes 12:1
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of
man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
James instructed his readers to include God in their decision making.
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:15
Proverbs concurs.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Paul made plans but often added “if the Lord wills” to those plans. The problem is not making future plans but planning without a sense of the uncertainty of life, the necessity of dependency on God and the desire to please God above everything. James drilled down to the issue fueling the failure to include God in our planning.
As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:16
Moses warned the Israelites not to arrogantly forget God once they God established in the land.
“Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, Deuteronomy 8:11-14
And you say in your heart, My power and the might of mine hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore unto your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:17-19
Boldly making plans without including God reveals a proud heart. James again exposed the pride and arrogance that doesn’t consider what God wants. Jesus illustrated such pride.
And Jesus said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21
At the foundation of sin lies a life disconnected from a dependent relationship with God. Christianity teaches dependence on God and interdependence with each other. Failure to live that way is sin. James assumed that such a dependence on God was obvious and known by all Christians, so failure to do so was viewed as deliberate sin.
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17
The right thing to do in this context is to be sure to consider God’s will in all your plans. Be sure all your plans correspond to God’s will. James earlier referenced the sin of hearing the word and not doing. 1:19 A wise life is a life lived according to God’s will.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12
Of course, this assumes that you know what God’s will is. Paul urged the Ephesians to know God’s will.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17
Paul prayed that the Colossians would be saturated with a knowledge of God’s will resulting in a life pleasing to God.
We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:9-12
The only place you can discover God’s will is God’s word. All the commands recorded in the Bible reflect God’s will. That includes the things He tells us NOT to do and the things He tells us TO do.
Paul provided some guidelines to the Corinthians for making life choices.
“Will it actually benefit me or others?” 6:12a
“Will it control me or become additive?” 6:12b
“Will it violate God’s moral decrees?” 6:13-20
“Will it distract me from full devotion to God?” 7
“Will it adversely affect those around me?” 8
“Will it be a stumbling block to the gospel?” 9:1-23
“Will it be a stepping stone to the gospel?”
“Will it jeopardize my heavenly reward?” 9:24-27
“Will it displease God?” 10:1-13
“Will it entangle me with demonic influences 10:14-22
Knowing and doing the will of God permeates the whole Bible.
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! Psalm 143:10
Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2
try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Ephesians 5:10
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16
Jesus focused on pleasing His Father. All His plans considered the Father’s will above all.
And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” John 8:29
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. John 4:34
Jesus said doing God’s will felt like a great prime rib dinner. We love certain comfort foods. Jesus’ comfort activity was doing the Father’s will.
Come now, listen up those who make plans for the future.
My question for you is, “How many of those plans include the Lord?”
How many of those activities enhance your relationship with Him?
How many of those plans extend His kingdom?
How much of my earthly investments will count for eternity?
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21
The lesson taught here is clear.
Consider God’s will in every aspect of your life because life is short.
We don’t want to be like the Israelites.
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb 12:6
You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17
Consider the process you follow in deciding life decisions.
On what basis do you decide on daily activities, spending, relationships, ministry. Not just is it right or wrong but is it what God wants. Make plans but be sure to include God’s direction in those plans.
