Gtcotr/ss031322
God does not first seek our permission before He upsets our plans.
At times, those among us with control issues may find it a little more difficult to trust God with things they do not understand. Faith is not always easy for some. Nonetheless, after Jesus died and was raised to life again, His half-brother James found faith and became the pastor of the Church in Jerusalem. He penned a very practical approach to faith. Faith is trusting God with things we don’t know and things we can’t control.
James 4 NLT
13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a
certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a
profit.”
14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little
while, then it’s gone.
15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will
live and do this or that.”
16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious
plans, and all such boasting is evil.
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Let’s look at 3 Great Truths of Life that Pastor James wrote about.
1. God Is In Control
Proverbs 27:1 Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.
Psalms 37:23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
What may seem like a surprise to you is a plan to God.
God is never unprepared … We can trust His wisdom in allowing the things we do not understand.
2. Life On Planet Earth Is Short By Any Standard
James 4:14 … Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
Jesus, the Son of God, lived a brief 33 ½ years on earth … so short a time. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old, and he died nearly 5000 years ago.
Life on planet earth is short by any standard … however, death is not our enemy … dying lost is. Death will be swallowed up in victory.
Thomas Cromwell, the great-great grandfather of the more well-known Oliver Cromwell, served as the chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 until 1540. At one point King Henry gave Cromwell the title, Earl of Essex and shortly thereafter beheaded him for all sorts of charges of the day. Cromwell took great pride in his religious activities and is credited with the publication of the Great Bible, the first authoritative version in English.
It is recorded by some historians that on the day in which Cromwell was to be executed, it so happened that another member of the entitled royalty was also set for execution – his name was Lord Hungerford. Here is one account of that morning, although I cannot verify it – it does intrigue me:
“Cromwell, Earl of Essex, going to his death, first called for his breakfast, and cheerfully eating the same, and after that meeting the Lord Hungerford going likewise to his execution, and perceiving him to be all heavy and doleful, with cheerful countenance and comfortable words asking him why he was so heavy, he willed him to pluck up his heart, and to be of good comfort: For, said he, there is no cause for you to fear, for if you repent and be heartily sorry for what you have done, there is for you mercy with the Lord, who for Christ’s sake will forgive you; therefore be not dismayed. And” “ … though the breakfast we are going to be sharp, yet, trusting to the mercy of the Lord, we shall have a joyful dinner.” “And so went they together to the place of execution, and took their death cheerfully.” – (Trapp)
When the moment comes that we draw our last breath on planet earth, providing we are a born-again child of God, we can confidently say, “My Greatest Day Is Yet Ahead.”
3. We Ought To Do What We Know To Do
James 4:17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Point #137. It may be bad now but trust me, you can make it worse.
1.
God Is In Control
2.
This Life Is Short By Every Standard
3. We Ought To Do What We Know To Do
This
brings us to the question of salvation.
·
God
is presently building an eternity with you in mind.
·
Have you recognized that you are not in control?
·
Have
you realized that you need help … you need a Savior!
·
Will
you humble yourself: Businessman; Husband; Mother; Drug Addict; Teacher’s Pet;
Plant Worker; Cheerleader; Truck Driver; Medical Professional; Construction
Worker; Father … Friend?
·
Turn
your tomorrows over to Christ by making Him the Lord of your life …
