Sermons on Yaakov 4:13:

Boasting About Tomorrow PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 24, 2023

The main point of this sermon is to remind us to seek God's will and trust in His sovereignty, rather than boasting about our own plans for the future.

Good morning, church family! Today, we're going to be diving into a powerful passage from the book of James that teaches us some important lessons about the futility of boasting about tomorrow, the need to prepare for the future, and trusting in God's sovereignty. To kick things off, I want to ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Topics: Boasting, Tomorrow

Inshallah… And Wait

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 10, 2025

To say Inshallah is not to delay life but to dedicate it — to live surrendered to the will of God, waiting in faith and walking in obedience until His “Mashallah” comes.

Introduction – The Word That Waits I once heard a story about a missionary who had served for twenty years in Lahore, Pakistan. He had learned many things in those two decades — how to drink tea politely, how to haggle in the market, how to stay calm when the electricity cut out for the fifth time ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15, Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 27:14, Romans 8:28, Luke 22:42  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Sermon On A Bridge Too Far

Contributed by William Meakin on Nov 2, 2025

"A bridge too far" is an idiom for an ambitious plan that is considered too demanding to succeed.

George Herbert, a British poet and orator once remarked: “He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven.” Luke 14:28-30 reminds us: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:2, James 4:13-15, Ecclesiastes 5:2-3, Mark 11:25

Go! And Trust In God's Plan - Proverbs 19:21 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Feb 15, 2025

We map out our lives, set goals, and pursue dreams. Yet, there is a greater plan at work—the divine plan of God.

Go! And Trust in God's Plan - Proverbs 19:21 Introduction: Have you ever made plans only to see them fall apart? Have you ever set out on a course of action, believing it was right, only to find yourself facing obstacles and detours? As humans, we love to plan. We map out our lives, set goals, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 16:9, James 4:13-15, Isaiah 46:9-10, Romans 8:28, Luke 22:42, Isaiah 55:8-9, Philippians 4:6-7, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 12:2, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 10:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Planning Wisely, Living Humbly

Contributed by Brian Williams on Jan 1, 2026

We plan responsibly, but we submit these plans to God willingly. When they change—when doors close, when timelines shift, instead of living in despair we can trust that God causes all things to work together for good.

How can we prepare our lives for the future when we don’t know what the future holds? Well we know that God has created life with rhythms we can normally count on. The world keeps spinning on its axis. The sun rises and sets. Gravity holds us to the earth. We breathe without thinking. Seasons come ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If I Could Put Time In A Bottle

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 5, 2026

Time is not random or meaningless; it unfolds under God’s sovereign care. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that life is lived in seasons, eternity is placed in the human heart, and meaning is found not in controlling time but in reverently offering it to God. What is given to Him is never wasted.

There are moments in life when time feels generous. Days seem long. Weeks stretch out ahead of us. The future feels wide and open, almost indulgent. And then there are other moments when time suddenly feels thin — compressed, hurried, and slippery. One season we are wondering how to fill the hours, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:12, Psalm 139:16, Matthew 6:34, James 4:13-15

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Stop Playing God Series

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Nov 25, 2024

James is clear - stop playing God with others and with your own life.

James: Practical Faith  James 4:11-17 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church  11-24–2024 Richard Jewell On July 27, 1996, Richard Jewell was working as a security guard at the Olympics in Atlanta. It was just after midnight when he spotted the suspicious backpack and began ...read more

Scripture: James 4:11-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Balance Between Planning And Trust

Contributed by Dasol Kang on Mar 9, 2025

We are called to plan for our lives with the Lord

I am a planner – I thrive on making plans and love setting short-term and long-term goals. I always map out plans for tomorrow the night before. It usually looks something like this: Tomorrow, I will do my morning devotions, have breakfast, go to church for office hours, and then go to my lunch ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Delusions That Defy Common Sense

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Jun 16, 2021

The world system and all who live by it apart are deluded by both the devil and their own depraved minds. They believe they have everything figured out and can live without the intervention of God Almighty. Scripture proves otherwise.

The apostle Paul reminded the church of Corinth that there was a time to put away childish things and assume the maturity and responsibility expected of an adult or mature young person (1 Corinthians 13:11). The time comes for everyone to grow up and realize that the world and all you know does ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:5-6, Matthew 3:7-9, Matthew 6:7, Luke 12:19, Acts 24:25-26, James 4:13-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Resetting The Timeline

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 30, 2021

As we move into the "Living with Covid" stage in Nova Scotia felt it was time to remind people why we are here.

Resetting the TimeLine Intro If I could save time in a bottle The first thing that I'd like to do Is to save every day 'Til eternity passes away Just to spend them with you. That is the opening verse of “Time in a bottle”, which is the title of one of my favourite songs. If you are old, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Denomination: Wesleyan

Three Big Mistakes In Life

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 30, 2022

People make mistakes because we can’t see ahead.

Illus: On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwich, aged 34, waded into the water off Catalina Island and began her 21-mile swim toward California. If she completed her journey, she would be the first woman ever to accomplish this feat. The water was ice cold, and the fog was so heavy, that Florence could ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

What Wilt Thou Have Me To Do?

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 7, 2022

After his conversion, the Apostle Paul did something every child of God should do after their conversion.

Look at Acts 9:6, we read, “And he trembling and astonished said, LORD, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DO? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Paul asked WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE HIM TO DO, and the Lord told him, “…Arise, and go into the ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17, Acts 9:6

Denomination: Baptist

Motives Are Weighed By The Lord Series

Contributed by Rudolf E. Y. Mensah on Dec 2, 2023

Cultivate a good motive anytime you pray. God's answer is primarily dependent on the motive behind what you are asking Him.

OASIS WORD DEVOTIONAL Verse Of The Day: We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. Proverbs 16:1 (NLT) Columnist: Rudolf E. Y. Mensah, ©Oasis WordBank Motives Are Weighed By The Lord Cultivate a good motive anytime you pray. God's answer is primarily dependent on ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:1, Matthew 10:19-20, James 4:13-14

Denomination: Charismatic

If Tomorrow Never Comes

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Oct 18, 2000

Have you time to prepare for time running out?

If Tomorrow Never Comes As I write this, it is 11:55 PM and I am on the brink of another tomorrow, but then I could have a massive MI and be gone before the new day. No next minute is guaranteed. Garth Brooks sang a song that spoke to the issue of our mortality. The lyrics ponder if the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:16-21, James 4:13-17, Ephesians 5:15-16, 1 Peter 4:1-2, Revelation 1:3, 1 Peter 4:17-18  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Planning Our Future

Contributed by John Kapteyn on Oct 18, 2000

Introductory Comments 1.

Introductory Comments 1. It was my first year end as controller. The year had just ended and in two months the auditors would be in to check the books. Accounts had to be reconciled and analyzed. Costs had to be projected on unfinished projects. For two months I worked an average of 16-20 hours a ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed