Title: Only if the Lord Wills
Text: James 4:13-17 (NCV) "Some of you say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money." 14 But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a mist. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away. 15 So you should say, "If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that." 16 But now you are proud and you brag. All of this bragging is wrong. 17 Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning."
Introduction: The passing of time is an amazing thing. When I think that tomorrow we will be celebrating Christmas AGAIN, it makes my head swim.
It seems like only yesterday: That we were doing Christmas worried about Y2K. That my kids were born. I was married. I was riding a bicycle to the store to get a bag of chips, coke, and candy bar with only a quarter.
What would you fill in the blank with after “It seems like only yesterday”?
1. Self-Confident Society. "Some of you say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money.” (Verse 13)
A. How many times have we heard that in America, you can do anything you want?
‒ In our country we talk about self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-motivation.
‒ We concentrate on what WE can do.
‒ Whereas I think we need a healthy does of these things, (KEY WORD: HEALTHY) the real problems we have stem from the idea that I can do what I want.
1. Jails are full of people who did what they want.
2. Homes are broken by parents and children who do what they want.
3. Churches have been destroyed by people who did what they wanted to do.
2. The Main Focus Is Wrong. “...do business, and make money.”
A. We focus so much on doing business and making money. (Even Christmas has become that)
‒ We teach our children much about going to college and getting a good job.
‒ We focus all of our time on the office and job.
‒ Again, I say that money and jobs are an important part of life.
1. “If a man won’t work neither should he eat.”
B. I think that one reason time does fly so rapidly is our focus and drive to have more stuff.
3. Control and Time are Fleeting (Verse) 14 “But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a mist. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away.”
A. Control is fleeting: “You don’t know what will happen.”
‒ Look at the amount of time spent in our society trying to predict the future.
1. Weather, Presidential election, Sports shows, so called psychics.
‒ God says, “You don’t know what will happen.”
B. Time is fleeting: “...like a mist....”
‒ The point has already been made. Time is rapidly leaving us.
1. Someone said, “The older you get the faster it goes.”
2. Now that is hard to imagine.
3. Time will go away.
4. If the Lord Wills. (Verse 15) So you should say, "If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that."
A. Why should we say, “If the Lord wills?”
‒ God is in control: 1 Corinthians 15:25-27 (NCV) "Christ must rule until he puts all enemies under his control. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. 27 The Scripture says that God put all things under his control. When it says "all things" are under him, it is clear this does not include God himself. God is the One who put everything under his control."
1. Nothing has ever put God under control.
2. ALL things means ALL things.
3. Anything that has control, it is because God gave it. Romans 13 (Governing authorities) and Hebrews 2 (Angels)
1. Because of His control, I can be content (If I choose) in any situation.
2. Because of His control, I do not have to fear even death itself.
3. Because of His control, I can live how I want to IN HIM.
‒ God is not bound by time: Deuteronomy 33:27 (NCV) "The everlasting God is your place of safety, and his arms will hold you up forever. He will force your enemy out ahead of you, saying, ’Destroy the enemy!’"
1. God is. Moses was told to tell the Egyptians, If they asked about who sent them, that the “I AM” sent you.
2. God is always present tense.
1. Would you want a God who was getting old and out of date and scheduled for death one day? NO WAY!!
2. Jesus came out of the grave through the power of the everlasting God and so will every one of us in this room.
1. How can that happen?
1. With an infinite God.
2. Never bound by time.
3. “Who was, is, and shall evermore be!!
‒ Man must submit to Him: James 4:7 (NCV) "So give yourselves completely to God...”
1. The word submit is not a passive word.
1. Not the idea of just giving in, but the idea of giving in with a purpose.
2. The word really means and is many times translated in the NCV as “obey.”
2. The word completely is a pretty stiff word.
1. There is no room for my will.
2. There is no room for compromise.
3. The idea is to submit and do what God says.
4. **Why do I say, “If the Lord wills?” God is in control, God is not bound by time, and My will must submit.
5. God Hates Bragging. (Verse 16) But now you are proud and you brag. All of this bragging is wrong.
A. You might say, “Hate is not a good choice of words.”
‒ Listen to Proverbs 6:16-19 (NCV) "There are six things the LORD hates. There are seven things he cannot stand: 17 a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, 18 a mind that thinks up evil plans, feet that are quick to do evil, 19 a witness who lies, and someone who starts arguments among families." Hate, when it comes to pride is the only choice words. God hates it.
‒ This is the point James is really driving home. Time is swift, don’t carry around pride.
Conclusion: James ends with a very pointed statement, 17 Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning."
‒ Time is short.
‒ Life is running out.
‒ Nothing will exist when God is through here.
‒ Question is, “Are you and I doing the right that we know to do?
1. Are we too busy?
2. Are we unfocussed?
‒ What a great time it is to be saved, know why? Right now is all God has given you and me. There is no promise of tomorrow.
1. Why not hold to the one who is in control of tomorrow right now?
