Sermon Central
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A Vapor
Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Dec 17, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Even when we don't say, “if the Lord's will,” but even if we don’t say it, we should think it!
James 4:13-Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
14-whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15-Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
16-But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17-Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
There are some people who are so prideful that make plans without thinking about what God may want, or how God may want to lead.
There is no prayer seeking guidance!
There is no submission to what God wants!
There is only a person wants to be in control!
5 ways that we can see this boastful attitude reveals itself.
1-THE TIME
“Come now, you who say, “Today or Tomorrow”
They have decided when all this should happen!
They didn’t ask God when this happen or if this should happen, they are just going to do it because it feels right to them.
2-THE DIRECTION
“we will go to such and such a city”
They have already decided when they are going and where!
3-THE LENGTH OF TIME
“and spend a year there”
They sure confident on when they are going and where they are going and now how long it's going to take!
And they know all this without consulting God! How prideful is that?
4-THE STRATEGY
“and engage in business”
They they already know how they are going to accomplish all of these things!
5-THE END RESULT
“and make a profit”
That was all they was focused on, all they thinking about!
Luke 12:16-21 “And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘ You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Now these are not bad things, these are not bad plans, but where they went wrong is they didn't consult with God and they haven't realized that life is but a vapor and that God's plans for our life are the best plans!
James is telling how we should be thinking, how our thought process should go!
We need to mindful of our dependence upon God, as the song goes...We can't even walk without Him holding our hand!
Even when we don't say, “if the Lord's will,” but even if we don’t say it, we should think it!
Life is a vapor
If you are going to make plans?
Make plans to tell someone you love them!
Make plans to tell someone you appreciate them!
Make plans to tell someone admire them!
Make plans to tell someone thank you for something they did for you or your love ones.
The nurse that stayed with lady at the hospital. When the nurse was 16 years old she had had a head-on collision and a lady stayed with her the whole time until the ambulance arrived. Now fast forward years later, that 16-year-old was now a nurse and the lady was in the hospital and the 16-year-old who was now grown woman got to return the kindness.
Make plans to help someone!
Make plans to take someone food!
Make plans to say hi to someone!
With wearing mask we can't smile at someone but maybe we can make them smile.
Make plans to say something nice to someone!
Scratch that! Do it today! Do it while you have a chance! Do it while you are thinking of it! Time can get away from us!
Opportunity can get away from us!
You may not be here tomorrow!
They may not be here tomorrow!
Do not live with regret!
Do not live with missed opportunities!
Do not stand by a grave side and wished you would have told them things, wished you would have spent more time with them!
Don't say, "Oh, I'll call them tomorrow!"
Don't say, "Oh, I'll visit with them tomorrow!"
Don't say, "Oh, I tell them tomorrow how much they mean to me!"
You may not be here tomorrow!!
