Introduction
It is now evident people all over social media are complaining that their fancy 2020 planners are going to be rendered useless or just filled of blank pages. There just isn’t much to plan for right now. With covid-19 and riots everywhere who dare make travel plans… One such planner sold on the market had a beautiful cover that read – “the future is bright”. H&R Block recommends you save your planner you may be entitle to financial compensation. One dear mom allowed her daughter to buy an expensive ‘Best Year Ever’ 2020 planner. That couldn’t have been more inaccurate. This year over 342 million dollars were spent in retail sales for over 16 million 2020 planers. Somebody could get rich if they could think of an alternate use.
That waste of money is like pennies compare to the Texaco Corporation who using the very latest and best equipment, set about drilling for oil at Lake Peignoir (pen weir) in Louisiana. This was back in November of 1980. The company boasted about the millions of gallons they would reap and the huge fortune the enterprise would make. It would be in the billions!
“After a few hours of drilling they sat back expecting oil to shoot up and the profits to come rolling in. Instead, they watched a whirlpool form, sucking down not only the entire 1,300 acre lake, but 5 houses, 9 barges, 8 tugboats, 2 oil rigs, a mobile home, most of a botanical garden and 10% of nearby Jefferson Island, leaving a half mile wide crater. No one knew that there was an abandoned salt mine underneath. “A local fisherman said he thought the world was coming to an end.”
These examples illustrate the wisdom God gave Solomon. Proverbs 27:1; “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” How many of us made plans for vacations, cruises, weddings, parties to succumb to a pandemic. If we are to learn from the experiences of the last three month let’s validate God’s truth “Boast not thyself of tomorrow’. The fact is no one really knows what life will be like tomorrow? James in verses 14-17 deals with living by the will of God and begins with…
I Warning of Presumptuous Planning. Vv. 13
1. James chapter four pictures a typical Jewish Merchant, making resolutions for the next year. “James concludes by saying in verse sixteen, that boastful resolutions are “evil.” You might say, “What is wrong with making plans. Planning is great, but presumptuous projection and counting on the future is always folly. Jesus gave us a wonderful example of this exact thing. The parable that Jesus taught deals with this kind of presumption. — Luke 12:16-21
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
2. Notice that James does not find fault with planning, we have all heard, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” The fault that James finds with this man plans is that he left God out of the equation. James warning is against an arrogant attitude in planning on the basis of profitability.
The merchant in James 4 assumed he could plan unconditionally. In planning the next year’s itinerary he acted arrogantly as though he himself were in control of the future. When dealing with the future, which is what planning is all about, God expects us to acknowledge the fact that He alone is in control of the future. How many people made plans to go to the city of Minneapolis for business or for pleasure? The present times can change so that your future plans vanished!
I have said this before and I think this is worth repeating …”Too many of us in executing planning are setting ourselves up today concerning tomorrow, so that when tomorrow gets here we are totally disillusion and shattered because today’s dream does not become tomorrow’s reality.
3. No one except God really knows what the future holds and we would do well not to count tomorrow as fact. God gives us only the grace sufficient for today. It may be God’s plan to take us home either in the rapture or by death. Someone once said, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present! James next expounds on this truth in verse #14 as he reminds his readers to…
II Consider the Brevity of Life – vv. 14
1) James said,” life is like a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. The Greek word for vapor is “Atmis” it refers to a mist or puff of smoke. Because life is short, we ought to plan beyond the parameters of this life. We ought to plan for eternity. This is a repeated Biblical theme: Job said, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. — 14:1, 2
2) Life’s plans are always tentative. Things happen that we don’t plan on. Sometimes the weather doesn’t even cooperate with us. We cannot control the day before us. Covid-19 has taught us this very disturbing truth… Therefore, our life is entirely in God’s hands. Nobody plans for the hardships, trials, illness etc. The Lord may allow something of this nature to teach us, mold us and make us what He wants us to be. If we make our plans with-out God in mind then when things don’t go our way we can become angry with God and dishearten.
Illustrations: One of the greatest painters of all time was the Italian artist called Raphael (1483-1520) Sanzio. When his short life ended at age 37, his half-finished masterpiece, “The Transfiguration,” was carried in his funeral procession as a symbol of life’s incompleteness and brevity. Since James brings his readers to the realization of this truth when he teaches that the best approach is …
III Providential Planning vv.15 -17
1) It is planning that says, “I will do such and such if God wills.” James “if” (v.15) is vital; it makes all the difference. It isn’t the “if” of doubt, concern or fear. Rather it is the “if” of confident reliance on benevolent wisdom of a sovereign God who promised to work out everything for your good. This is the “if” that removes all others. It is the one that takes worry away and points to the beneficence of an all-powerful God. The person who plans with God rejoices in the assurance that the expert Planner is at work alongside and plans “Lord willing.”
2) In order to plan providentially you must have a proper perspective of life. Careful planning is important but it is foolish to plan without God. When dealing with the future, which is what planning is all about. Failure to recognize God’s providence as the all-important factor in planning reveals an arrogant attitude. That is what we see in this passage. God expects us to acknowledge the fact that He alone is in control of the future. He is sovereign!
IV Presumptuous Living vv. 17
1. George Floyd moved to Minnesota for a fresh start — an opportunity to better himself and to be a better father. He moved to Minnesota for work and to drive trucks but his life was tragically taken before an entire nation. Floyd was only 46 years old when he died Monday in the city he moved to for a better life, his last moments caught on camera. Consider the brevity of life; consider the little control we possess over this.
Our nation is in upheaval and suffering civil unrest. This has turned some unscrupulous people to living presumptuously. They are living, with the concept that there are no consequences for their actions. Looting, stealing, destroying property, injuring others and causing utter chaotic is evil and wrong. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. – James 1;20 Man’s anger will not produce God’s peace. Angry are people yes, people demanding justice yes, people who want change yes! By God grace may we all witness justice and change.
2. Verse 17 is a truism or an axiom, “Therefore to him that knows to do good,” that is to do what is right. These people know what they are doing is wrong. It is wrong and shameful to the family of George Floyd, to the citizen of Minnesota and to the nation as a whole. It is a mockery before almighty God but remember man proposes but it is God who disposes.
Paul preached in Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” This means that we must do what is right too and doing good is the answer to this evil. We can do good to right the wrongs and help the hurting. It means we pray passionately to our Heavenly Father for the Lord Jesus to change hearts and heal our land.
Here is the person who believes in God and believes God is supreme and knows God has a will and just doesn’t do it. What is implied here in not doing what you know you ought to do, it is the fact that you went ahead and did what you ought not to do.
Conclusion
Doing the will of God is another test of living faith it’s another way to examine your heart to see if you’re genuinely God’s child.” Is it your strong desire to do God’s will?