God In Our Plans
A. THERE SEEMS TO BE A REBUKE OF MAKING PLANS (vs. 13).
1. We are encouraged to plan – to prepare for the future (Luke 16:8; 14:28).
2. Paul planned (Acts 18:20-21; Rom. 15:22-28; Phil. 1:25-26; 2:23-24).
3. Wisdom demands looking ahead (Prov 15:21-22; Eph. 5:15-16).
B. THINGS WE OUGHT TO PLAN: Marriage, job, school, vacations, retirement, etc.
C. JAMES DISCUSSES THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR ANY MAKING ANY PLAN.
D. IT IS A FACTOR MOST OFTEN LEFT OUT, HENCE THE REBUKE.
A. CAPITALISM NOT REBUKED.
1. He is very far from stigmatizing commercial enterprise as a form of worldliness.
2. He doesn’t condemn such, if it be contemplated in subordination to God’s
will, and not be allowed to interfere with service to God
(Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:10)..
3. He rebukes those who plan without taking into account:
a. What God wants (vs. 15; Matt. 13:22; Luke 12:16-21).
b. Or even the uncertainty of human life(Psa. 49:11; Isa. 56:12).
B. WHAT IS CONDEMNED IS THE SPIRIT OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN REGARD TO
THE CONTINUANCE OF LIFE THAT TENDS TO SHUT GOD OUT (vs. 16).
A. A FOOLISH AND IRRATIONAL SPIRIT(vs. 14).
1. A love of the world. "Trade, and get gain." (1 John 2:15-17; Matt. 6:19-21).
2. A false view of life. "Spend a year there."
a. The transiency of life in itself. "A vapor." (Psa. 39:5; 90:4).
b. The permanence of its spiritual results: left for inference, how immensely
important every moment now! So (Psa. 90:12; 39:13).
B. AN IMPIOUS AND WICKED SPIRIT (vs. 15-17).
1. Sets at naught the will of God (Heb. 10:28-29; 5:12).
a. Our destinies are in the hands of God (Matt. 10:28; Heb. 10:31).
b. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed (Heb. 2:1-3).
2. Procrastinates his obedience.
a. Something else always comes first.
b. How long do we have? (vs. 13-14; 1 Thess. 5:2-3).
A. OURS IS A LIFE OF SUBJECTION TO GOD’S WILL (James 4:7; Rom. 6:12-18).
B. GOING TO HEAVEN DEPENDS ON DOING HIS WILL (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9).
1. It has to be most important (Matt. 6:33).
2. Ahead of those things most precious (Luke 14:26-27) Full Self-Sacrifice.
3. Total submission like Jesus (Matt. 26:39, 42).
C. GOD EXPRESSES HIS WILL IN THE BIBLE (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
D. HIS GRACE IS EXTENDED TO ALL THROUGH HIS WORD (Titus 2:11-12).
E. YET MANY ARE LOST (Matt. 7:13-14), GRACE CAN BE RESISTED (2 Cor. 6:1).
F. IF NOT BY OUTRIGHT REJECTION, BY NEGLECT (James 4:17; Heb. 2:1-3).
G. NOW IS ALL WE HAVE (2 Cor. 6:2). TO PUT IT OFF IS TO TELL GOD NO.
A. WISDOM DICTATES WE USE OUR TIME WISELY (Eph. 5:15-16).
B. FELIX WAITED FOR A CONVENIENT SEASON (Acts 24:25). IT NEVER CAME.
C. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? (Acts 8:36; 22:16).