Sermon Tone Analysis

The future is Uncertain

God is in control, not us.

James said Come now.

Modern terms would be “dude, really?”

We are not self-governed.

There is a God that is greater than us and can propel us forward, or stop us in our tracks.

If thou dost not know this, thou hast not yet learned the first letter of the alphabet of wisdom

Spurgeon, C. H. (1892).

God’s Will about the Future.

In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol.

38, p. 62).

London: Passmore & Alabaster.

Proverbs

Plans made without God focus on our glory, not His.

“engage in business and make a profit.”

The folks in this passage are seeking only money for themselves.

If they accomplish their goal, they will pound the chest and say look what I did.

And for what?

Money, that in an instant could be gone, or stolen or near worthless.

Hyperinflation: In May 2008 the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe issued banknotes worth 500 million ZWD, which were worth less than 3 bucks in U.S. Dollars.

Probably the worst thing that can happen when we make plans without God is that those plans succeed.

Our lives are fragile

Matthew 6:19

We are vapor

More than 2 million Americans die each year.

Deaths so far this year:

Heart Disease: 482,349

Heart Disease:482345Cancer:464562Tobacco:274797Obesity:241036Medical Errors:197425Stroke:104504Lower Respiratory Disease:112229Accident (unintentional):106820Hospital Associated Infection:77728Alcohol:78513Diabetes:60053Alzheimer's Disease:73442Influenza/Pneumonia:43361Kidney Failure:33574Blood Infection:26274Suicide:33582Drunk Driving:26544Unintentional Poisoning:24934All Drug Abuse:19632Homicide:13189Prescription Drug Overdose:11777Murder by gun:9024Texting while Driving:4702Pedestrian:3926Drowning:3074Fire Related:2748Malnutrition:2176Domestic Violence:1146Smoking in Bed:612Falling out of Bed:470Killed by Falling Tree:117Struck by Lightning:64Spontaneous Combustion:

Cancer: 464,566

Medical Errors: 197,427

Accidents: 106,821

Suicide: 33,583

Drunk Driving: 26, 544

Prescription Drug Overdose: 11,777

Homicide: 13,190

Drowning: 3,074

Smoking in bed: 612

Killed by falling tree: 117

Struck by lightning: 64

Spontaneous Combustions: 0

Genesis 3:17-

English Poet: All men count all men mortal but themselves.”

English Poet: All men count all men mortal but themselves.”

When we focus on God

You ought to say, If the Lord wills.

Lord willing and the creek don’t rise

When we focus on God’s will, then when our plans don’t turn out the way we want to, we can trust that God has our best interest in mind.

Colonel Whittlesey: A British division commander in WWI commanded everyone of his troops to read or recite the 91st Psalm every day.

In all the years he commanded not a single soldier under his command was killed, despite fighting along side other regiments that were completely decimated.

Psalms