Boasting

But anyways stick around the best part of it is the conversation we have with one another getting to know one another and really enjoying that so stick around afterwards. Let's start with a word of Prayer. racist father Mighty and holy and true we come before you as our living God who is truly above all things, you know us so deeply father or you know, every little thing about us including the number of hairs on her head. Which changes rapidly and so father we thank you for that. We thank you that you are here in our and strength that your spirit is active and Alive touching each of our hearts. I pray that your spirit would truly touch my heart as I speak that I would speak your words and your way that I would be totally humbled before you and allow you have the full control in my life. Bless us. Oh Lord in this time in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Well, we're kind of Switching gears a little bit here. We're going to go to the Book of James and we're going to take a look at some practical teaching over the next few weeks for the month of January. We're going to look at in a series called taken control and it's kind of taking a look at our lives in various areas. Maybe you have control over these areas and you don't have any problem with them and maybe you're struggling with them. So take it in and see how you're doing. The big key to life is that we are continually wanting to change more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. The purification of perfection of life and as we examine each of these things, we we do close down on that image. And today we're taking a look at the James Chapter 4 verses 13 through 17 and is talking about boasting, you know, the whole idea of boasting, you know, it's really coming in our society today. You can't watch a sporting event where you don't see athletes the boasting about what they do or you can't turn on the TV and watch some politician talk where he isn't talking about what they've done. And you can't do that with business or entertainment or any area of life where you don't see this proudness this boasting about who they are, you know, it is kind of a life turning away from what is important to really what is unimportant. Because our lives are here and what a missed and eventually it go away and what we do for ourselves really doesn't make any difference. You know, we've lost the focus online. and the focus ought to be on God and what we can do on this Earth for him. So the boasting is not about ourselves, but about him now, I know that each and every one of us there are times in our lives when we truly have boasted about what we've done and you know, that's part of life, but it's also there needs to be a recognition that all that I have came to me because God chose this for my life. You know, my athletic ability is there because God chose to give me that my intelligence is there because God chose me to give to give me that my ability to do different things is there because God put me in a place so that I could accomplish those things.

Every one of us I'm saying that about myself but you ought to be saying about that yourself. As well because God has given you everything you have. Indigo and say boy I am a champion.

No, you're not. You're gifted by God to do something successful. So just take it in and say God thank you so much for it. And that's kind of the idea that we want to change in. Our own lives is that those things that we do you need to be given over to God and allow that boasting to be done by him? Well, we need to get going on this or I'll run out of time and give you any time to Fellowship together afterwards. So let's get with it versus the 13 and 14 of James chapter 4 said now listen you who say today or tomorrow. We will go to this city or that City spend a year their carry-on business and make money. What are you doing tonight even know what it will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a Mist that appears for a little while and then

You know.

What you do in life makes no difference if it is not done for the right purpose. And so even though the world might say, whoa. You are really looking good. It's What God Says is more important and what God thinks it's more important value, you know, one of the great writers of the New Testament Paul had a struggle within his life, you know, he was pretty proud of what he had done and he goes through that in Philippians chapter 3 and he starts talking about, you know, all the advantages that he had and for what he had done and he goes through that but then he gets the verse 7 and it's really interesting what he says, but whatever. We're games to me. I now consider lost for the sake of Christ. In other words all those things that were so important before he knew Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are unimportant now. Except for the fact that they might help glorify Jesus cry. You know and all the things that are important to you in this world. Are unimportant really to God except that they might glorify his name. And what he does did they might help you to purify your life that might they might help you to encourage somebody to know Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. God wants our Deeds to express him in life. Why why is that so important for God? If you think about it a little bit. That all life is unimportant except for getting out of this life and going to the right place, isn't it? I mean when you get right down to it This life doesn't mean anything to you if you are not going to heaven. And a terrible thing is that you might not go to heaven if you don't know the truth. You hold the truth. If you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior do the things that you do to express that truth to those who don't know. It is really really important.

James says back a chapter James 2:18 says couple chapters, but someone will say you have faith. I have Deeds show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by my Deeds. In other words God wants our Deeds to reveal him to a world in me world in need.

It's God's plan for our lives. You know, he is giving you what you need is shown you the truth of Jesus Christ and how important Jesus Christ is to you and to the world and now you have the opportunity to either Show Jesus Christ through your life or not. God knows your lie, he knows where you're going. He knows you from the very beginning before you were even created. To the very end. It's all written out in his book up in heaven. Your life is finished up in heaven. You have to live it out here. Psalm 139:16 says your eyes saw my unformed body. And speaking to each everyone of us all the Days Inn Jane for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. We talked about a God who knows everything. He truly knows everything we can go around to each and everyone of you. And he could show you your entire life. we had to it's already written down. So wisdom says I need to want to do what God wants me to do not what I want to do. I want to express my life and what I have done for him. only a fool Thanks about how important their life is. Jesus talks about that in Luke chapter 12 has this Parable where he talks about this guy who has been successful in these built up Barnes on his property and he's got everything ready to just lay back and retire and just enjoy the rest of his life.

Verse 20 and 21. It says but God said to him you. Very nice. Your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself how it will be for whoever stores up things for themselves, but is not rich.

God wants us to be rich toward him which means that our lives should Desire with everything we are to include him in the things that we do. and that's where James goes in the next verse verse 15 instead you ought to say if the Lord's if it is the Lord's will we will live and do this or that depended upon God

Trying to get into that habit Mary and I try to do that each day. Every time we get into it at the car. We pray Lord. Guide us through the activities that you're calling us to do when we list those activities that we're looking forward to we want God to be a part of each of those situations and it ought to be for each and everyone of us that that is our desire. Remember Paul, you know, he learned his lesson and he's writing to the Romans Romans 1:9 TV antennas has constantly, I remember you in my prayers at all times and I pray that now at last God's will back to ask 1821. I'll go to that one just a second. But as he left Corinth and he is is a bin with them a year-and-a-half. He's come to love the people of Corinth, but he knows he's leaving and he wants to be back and he says but as he left he promised I will come. If it is God's will.

Our desire should be the God's will be done. We have to think through those things now onto Romans 1:9 be in pain constantly. I remember you in my prayers at all times and I pray that now At Last by God's will the way may be open for me to come to you. He wanted to go and be with the Roman the people in Roman to minister to their lives. It didn't happen the way you thought it would you know, that was as hard as desire and elated before the Living. God said gone if you want. I want to be there well after this happened he got arrested in Jerusalem, and he got to go to Rome. But you got to go to Roman chain. Not the way you thought they might be. What was it wrong? You read the books that he wrote while he was in prison in Rome you say that he glorifies God in those things. You know. Whatever your will Lord not my will but yours.

God's got a great plan for your life. You really does and a follow his plan is the very best thing in our lives. And so even though we might want to do something and God says, okay. I'm going to have you do it, but you're going to do it differently than I I want you to do it then you want to do it. Let let's do it my way. It's God's plan and it's the best plan all rights and Romans 8:28, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose if you been called according to God's purpose if you ask Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior. Then he's working in you and he wants to do good for your life. You don't want to bring evil upon you and all those wrongs, but he wants you to accept what he gives you. It's the very best path for your life. Whether it's great things happening or whether it's drugs. That is God's best plan for your life is best plan continues on in Romans, 8:31 and to What then shall we say in response to these things. If God is for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also along with him graciously. Give us all things.

You know what? God loves us so deeply that he would sacrifice everything for us. How could we imagine that he would do wrong to our lives? We ought to believe that everything that comes our way as we trust in him is going to be good for our lines and for the lines.

That's what he wants. Okay, let's get onto the best boats. Here. Here is the last little section verses 16 and 17 of James chapter 4 as it is you you're you boast in your arrogance teams. All such boasting is evil if anyone then knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it. It is sin.

So, what's the best roasting?

All describes that back to 1st Corinthians 131. He says therefore as it is written let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.

So when you have a great accomplishment recognize God and then accomplishment. You know, there are times when you look at that sporting events, and you see somebody take pride in all they do and they try to tell you how great they are and everything. You know what there are occasions in in sporting events where I see an athlete finishing event. And the speaker comes up and said why you did great. Oregon score

It's recognizing God. Being involved in the accomplishments you have it's not about you. It's about him and what he's done for your life and how you can express his glory through what you have accomplished. Because he's giving you everything you have to accomplish that thing. the wrong ghost the Corinthians as most of you know had a lot of struggles with who they were and they felt very prideful about themselves and Paul writes them 1st Corinthians. 5:6. Your boasting is not good don't you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of yo, in other words when you take from God a little bit it grows in you. Can you take from God a little bit more a little bit more? He'll all of a sudden it's all about you and not about God at all.

Give him glory for all this.

for all that you are

your power and your strength

It's from God Alone. You know, he could have made you a paraplegic from birth. He could giving you an IQ of 50 from birth. But he didn't.

He gave you so much much more. Do you give it back to him Thanksgiving and blessing and that's a big question All rights and Olympians 413 I can do all this through him. Remember, he wrote that?

I can do it all through him who gives me strength. I can face the difficulties. I can face the blessing. Because he gives me the strength to do so.

And then when we get down to the end of this and we think about okay, how does this play out? What is the conclusion you want to well Solomon wrote a book called Ecclesiastes in and if he examines life in the so often in the book, you see this term meaningless described, you know, all these things are meaningless because you go ahead and you do all these things and Nothing comes from it, you know, nothing really good comes from it. Unless you do it the right way and finally gets to that point in the very end. The last two verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 12 verses 13 and 14 e writes this he says now all has been heard and here's the conclusion of the matter. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the duty of all mankind for God will bring every deed into judgment including every hidden thing whether it is good or evil.

The ideas when we consider boasting and how accomplished we are in this life and all that we can do. Fall on Your Knees and give it over to God. Because it's either good or evil and if it's about you it's not good. It's about God. It's very good. to praise and glorify In the things that you accomplish in this life.

Metro says closer to him purifies that image Did we have in Jesus Christ Our Lord?

Grace's Father in heaven, we thank you that we can gather your name and to worship you and to really take a look at what you've written in your word. And help it to become more and more apart of Our Lives. These are issues that we face day-by-day and sometimes we are victorious and are active. Is it sometimes we fail but father as we turn our eyes to you and look at you more and more we can accomplish more and more and become. increasingly christ-like in our lives