Living Out Faith Submissively - James 4:14-15
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Introduction
Introduction
We are right back.
Self Dependency fails to Recognize Life’s Frailty
Self Dependency fails to Recognize Life’s Frailty
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Here is a truth that many of us try to ignore. None us are guaranteed tomorrow. Many people have convinced themselves they will themselves into tomorrow. Yet, when death comes, we quickly realize that tomorrow is not certain. There are two reasons why tomorrow uncertain.
We are not Omniscient
We are not Omniscient
There is not a single person here this evening who can tell me what you will be doing at this time tomorrow. You may have plans for what you think you will be doing. And, it is quite possible you will succeed in your plans. However, what we think we will be doing and what we actually will do is totally in God’s hands. Consider this. Tomorrow may bring...
an accident
disease
a broken relationship
bad news
good news
death
financial gain or loss
war
We just don’t know. In fact, we have no idea what will happen in the next hour, day, week, or month. That is our problem. We tend forget or even ignore the fact we are not omniscient. It is pride and arrogance on our part to even think we could know that will happen in the future. It is utter foolishness.
Here is the second reason tomorrow is uncertain.
We are Finite Beings
We are Finite Beings
Look again at verse 14.
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Our life on earth is brief compared to eternity. The Holy Spirit adequately compares our life to a vapor. It is here and then, just like that, it is gone. Every person born into this world soon realizes they will one day.
Life is fickle. It is not just finite, but it can change in a moment. Your life as you know it right could end in an instant. All it takes is...
A tire blowing out
An oncoming car to cross into your lane
A physical emergency happen
We just never known when our time on earth is done. In fact, none of us know how it will end. Yet, with great certainty, we all know it will end one day. It will end in death or with the sound of a trumpet, but it will end. Life is uncertain. Thus, any person, especially a believer, who attempts to life life without God is a fool.
Self Dependency Fails to Acknowledge God’s Will
Self Dependency Fails to Acknowledge God’s Will
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
As we noted in our last message from James 3:13, we often leave God out of our plan’s. However, once again, the Holy Spirit reminds that, as believers, we are to live our lives according His will and not ours.
Do you remember how the Lord taught us to pray in Matthew 6? It is often referred as the Lord’s Prayer. It is, however, our Model Prayer given by the Lord.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
There are six different parts to this prayer. They are as follows.
Worship - verse 9
Witness - verse 10a
Will - verse 10b
Provision - verse 11
Pardon - verse 12
Protection - verse 13
As you see, one of the important things we are taught to pray is to allow God’s will be done on earth. There is no mention of our will. On the other hand, we see repeatedly in Scripture instruction to follow God’s will and nothing else.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
This verse is a prayer to know God’s will. I already know my own. It must be aside. I must know His will and follow Him.
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
In this verse, we see a Divine relationship between God the Father and those who do His will.
Christ, as we know, was the perfect example of doing the Father’s will.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
By the way, in that last verse, the context was Christ in the garden of Gethsemane just before His death. Who was there with Him? His disciples were there. What were they doing? They were doing their own will as the caught up on their sleep instead of watching and praying as instructed.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Here we find that living each day to do God’s will leads a person to greater spiritual knowledge.
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Again, the focus of this verse is simply doing the will of God. However, note that it is “doing the will of God from the heart” opposed to doing things for men’s approval.
These verses are only a handful of verses that direct us to put God’s will first in our lives. We are to set aside our will for His.
Unfortunately, we often go about living life as we want and not as God desires. Yet, for us as His followers, that is not the way life God wants us to live our lives. He desires that we acknowledge Him and place our complete trust on Him depending on Him for all things.
Now, look again at our text.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
There are two things we must depend for which we must depend upon God.
We must depend upon Him for life itself.
We must depend upon Him for life itself.
James 4:15 (KJV 1900)
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Our next breath depends totally upon Him whether we acknowledge it or not. We just read how short life is compared to eternity. We are frail. Everyday and every moment we draw a breath of air must become a moment we remember and thank the Lord for the life He has given us. However, it must be more than that. It must be a reminder to us that His gracious gift of life is further opportunity to live for Him and not for ourselves. Thus, everything we do in life should meet His approval. Everything in life from our wealth, our protection, our security, our housing, our fulfillment, our joy, our welfare, and our provision is to meet His approval. This is something that I realized as I am reading through the Old Testament Law. God gave precise instruction about everything related to life for the Israelite. In doing so, God was teaching them to live their lives according to His will. It is a lesson we need for own lives today. Yes, we may be living under the age of grace and praise God for that, however, it does not excuse us from living our lives His way.
Whether or not I live or die is totally up to God. And, without a doubt, God is the ultimate deciding factor on when I leave this old world. However, there is nothing wrong with having a discussion with God about that. King Hezekiah had such a discussion with the Lord.
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,
3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
God heard his plea and added fifteen more years to his life.
My point is this. God and God alone determines how long a person will live on earth. We are His children and He has given us a great commission. Our duty each day and each moment is to obey Him and trust Him. In doing so, we provide God an avenue to work through us and help us. Thus, as He wills, we live.
Go back to our text and see a second thing.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
We must depend upon Him for a life full of actions.
We must depend upon Him for a life full of actions.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” God Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is a Divine Power that enables it to act.” You see God enabled us to not only to live but to live lives filled with words and actions. The very fact that you are able to make plans is testament to God’s power. No matter how you slice it, there are thousand things which could happen preventing you from carrying out your plans UNLESS God wills it. Thus, as believers, it is our duty to trust God and pray about what we plan to do seeking to follow His will. We are to acknowledge God in all our ways praying for His will as we “do this, or that.”
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Note some how the Holy Spirit used Paul as an example to us all.
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
Paul was a simple follower of the Lord Jesus Christ who, as we know, followed God’s will perfectly.