A Life of Works Produced By Faith
Part 16
“My Plans Or God’s Plans”
Date: November 10, 2002 A.M Service
Place: Allendale Baptist Church
Text: James 4:13-17
Introduction
This is our 16th message on the book of James. Last Sunday evening as we looked at the beginning of chapter 4, James addresses the problem of war and conflict within the Body of Christ. No he is speaking to believers about the will of God. This may seem to be running from one side of a broad spectrum to the complete opposite, but in actuality it is not.
Let me testify for just a moment. When a believer is out of the will of God, he has the opportunity & availability to become a troublemaker and not a peacemaker.
I have said this many time, a child of God outside the will of God is in a very dangerous place.
Lot moved into Sodom and brought trouble upon his family.
David committed adultery and brought trouble not only to his family but also to the entire kingdom.
Jonah disobeyed God and nearly sent a shipload of sailors to a watery grave.
I will probably repeat myself at the close of this message but to even ponder the thought that a Holy, loving God has a plan for my life and yours also is beyond belief.
God in His all knowing power and grace has a plan for you. So many people struggle with the question, what is God’s will for my life? And then the other question is, how do I know God’s will for my life?
I may not answer all these questions this morning, but in our text James seems to point out three attitudes toward the will of God.
Stand for the reading of our text from the inspired & inerrant Word of God.
First let’s see…
I. Ignoring The Will of God. (Verses 13-14,16)
A. Now I must remind you that James is speaking to Christians. It is so evident among many I talk with that they never once consider what God’s plans are in their life.
1. Many often jump head first into something and then later ask God to bless their plans.
2. Then there are others who have heard from God and completely ignore the will of God in their lives.
B. James gives us an example of these that did not seek the will of God or pray about their decision. They seem to measure their success in life by how many times they got their own way and accomplished what they had planned.
1. We mentioned last week several times, each of us need the wisdom of God. Each of us cannot of our own knowledge and wisdom succeed in this thing called life.
2. Without the wisdom God has available to us as Christians, on are own we will fail.
C. Here James presents 4 facts of the foolishness of ignoring the will of God.
1. The complexity of life.
a. Think about this for just a moment, all that is involved in life. You see life is more than living, dieing and paying taxes.
b. Life is made up of, today, tomorrow; days & years; going here & there; places and activities; and not to mention decisions. Many decision.
c. Someone told me a long time ago, live is made up of a lot of decisions, than you live out the rest of your life facing all the decisions you have made.
d. Apart from the will of God, life is a mystery. But when you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and seek to do His will, then life starts to make sense.
2. The uncertainty of life.
a. This is taken from Proverbs 27:1; “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
b. These were making plans for the entire year.
c. Let me stop and say this; life is not uncertain for God but it is uncertain for each of us.
d. Not one of us knows what tomorrow holds. Many of you here today have and keep putting of what God has planned for you, saying I’ll do it tomorrow or I’ll do it next week.
e. God has been calling some of you to salvation for a while now, and you refuse to give God your life.
f. Some have even put off becoming members of the church.
g. My friend God has a plan for your life, He desires you to be saved, He desires you to worship Him, and He desires you to live a holy life.
h. Many say I don’t know God’s will, but some of you hearing me this morning have heard from God, you know God’s will for your life.
i. My advise to you this morning is YOU BETTER GET THERE.
3. The brevity of life.
a. This means life is short.
b. So many of us even as Christians “spend” our lives doing useless meaningless tings and claim it for the cause of Christ, when in reality we are “wasting” our lives.
c. A person in the will of God will not spend their life, waste their live but “invest” their life in things, which are eternal.
d. Not fulfilling their own desires but doing something for the Kingdom of God.
4. The frailty of man.
a. James says in verse 16, “But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
b. Have you ever noticed boasting usually covers up a man’s weakness?
c. Let me stop and ask you a question my dear Christian friend, what in the world have you done for the cause of Christ, on your own now, to boast about?
Enough said.
Next we notice …
II. The Disobeying the Will of God (Verse 17)
A. Why do people disobey the will of God?
1. Man’s Pride. James has stated earlier, man enjoys boasting.
2. Man’s Ignorance. So many of us think that the will of God is something we can accept or reject.
a. In reality it is not an option but an obligation.
b. We cannot take it or leave it.
c. I know someone very close to me, who told me once early in their life they felt God calling them to the ministry, to preach the Gospel. But refused to obey. I look at this man’s life and I do not know for certain if God had once called him to preach, but it is very evident he is outside of the will of God. Been without jobs many times for long periods, divorced several times. But he tells me he was certain God had once had a call on his life.
d. Hear me now; God will does not always involve a calling to vocational ministry.
B. What happens to the believer who deliberately disobeys the will of God?
1. They are chastened, punished by a loving Father.
a. God, as does an earthly father, loves His children so much He punishes their disobedience.
2. But also there is the danger of losing rewards.
3. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, in order to qualify for the crown, the runner must obey the rules of the game. If any contestant was found to disobey the rules he was disqualified.
4. Now let me stop and say this, to be saved all you have to do is trust Jesus Christ as Savior. Nothing else.
5. But someone that says I am saved and can live as I chose is in direct conflict with the will of God.
Last lets look at
III. The Obeying the Will of God (Verse 15) “If the Lord wills, we shall do this or that”
A. This is not just a statement that rolls flippantly off the believer’s mouth, but a constant and consistent attitude of his heart.
1. Jesus said in John 4:34; “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”
2. Paul considered the will of God not as a chain that imprisoned him, but as a key that opened doors and set him free.
B. I am certain of few things but I am certain for the Christian it is God’s will that:
1. We yield our lives to Him. (2 Corinthians 8:5)
2. That we avoid sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
3. That we rejoice, pray and thank Him for all He has blessed us with. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
I share this as I close. Someone told me a long time ago as a new Christian. God’s purpose is to reveal His will to you. Your purpose is to seek His will, and then obey it.
Each one of you has a purpose and a will according to God. I do not claim to be a smart man, but I do know this God’s plan, God’s desire is for you to be saved. And until you make this decision you will never be able to understand God’s ultimate will in your life. So if you are here today and you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you need to do so today.
Some of you are saved; you have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. But you are struggling with God’s will and understanding it. If you truly seek Him He will reveal His will to you.
Some of you do not know because you are not truly seeking Him. God wants you to say yes before He asks the question.
Invitation
