Jun
12
Who is in control?
Filed Under Bible Study, James | Leave a Comment
Maybe you are like me and love to be in control of things in your life. Does it frustrate you when things don’t go according to your plans or you feel like you have lost control of something? Well, James has something to say about that!
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” -James 4:13
Do you notice the problem in the above verse? James is using the phrase “Come now” to get our attention, basically saying, “Listen up!” Then he gives an illustration that we can all relate to–making plans. You see a businessman making plans for doing business. He sets a time, “today or tomorrow.” He chooses a place, “into such and such a town.” He sets a duration of time, “and spend a year.” He chooses a business, “and trade.” And, he chooses the result of his labor, “and make a profit.” Did you notice how many times I used the word “he”? James is not scolding us for making plans, but rather for making plans without any thought of God and His plans! Yet, how often is this the characteristic of our lives? We make plans and goals but never give any thought to what God wants! Notice how James points out the utter foolishness of this:
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? for you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. -James 4:14
You don’t even have the insight into tomorrow, but you act like you do. When we insist on our plans without considering God and His plans we are assuming a level of omniscience, something that only God possesses. Not only do you not know what tomorrow holds, but your life is so short in light of your eternal God! The life that He possesses anyway!
So, how ought we live?
Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” -James 4:15
This is not just the common statement that so often rolls of of our tongues, “Lord willing…” This is a true submission to the will of God in every instance of your life! This is making plans in light of what you know to be true about God and the expectations of His word. Then, once you have made plans, submitting them to the will of God and stating as we have example in the Lord’s prayer, “thy will be done.”
There is a simple way to tell if you are truly submitting to the plans of God–the way in which you respond when your plans are altered! This is how you know that you haven’t been truly submissive to God’s plans. You can probably recall right now a time that you had plans that didn’t go your way…maybe already today! How did you respond? In frustration, anger, disappointment? If so, then you weren’t submitting to God!
God has a plan for every area of your life, are you willing to submit? Do you really want to live under the control of an almighty God? It is okay to make plans, in fact it is good to plan ahead, but you must consider God in those plans. You must submit to God’s plans and be willing to allow God to change your plans if necessary. Remember, God knows what you need and what is best for you anyway!
So, I ask again — WHO IS IN CONTROL???
Apr
23
Welcome!
Filed Under Bible Study | Leave a Comment
Welcome to the Way of the Righteous Blog! This is where all of the articles written about Christian living will be posted. The goal of these articles is to help Christians to make wise choices in all aspects of living in this ungodly world that we currently live in. The basis of this goal is found in Psalm 1:
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the seat of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
(taken from ESV.)
Our desire is to take current events, fads, entertainment, and other venues and to reveal the “counsel of the wicked, way of sinners, and seat of scoffers” while pointing to the “law of the LORD.” So continually check this site, or subscribe, so you can stay up to date with all that is written!