Lesson 67
Final point of summary for
8. Don't separate yourself from the Word of God and face to face
teaching to gain some apparent advantage in the cosmos.
Instead, you
ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or
that."
** Not only our lives but also
the ability to carry out planned activities depends on God's provision and our
use of it.
** As believers with some BDRS
they would all agree with this - as you should - but its not an active part of
their thinking, their MA, in the routine evaluation of the circumstances of
life and the planning of their life - is it yours?
Summary
1. Facing life's uncertainties and being able to think and to say this
(vs:15) is a part of growing up spiritually.
2. A part of worldliness is excluding God from one's thinking and plans.
3. One aspect of maturation is to be able to readily accept God's veto
power in our lives.
4. What He does is always in our best interests.
a. From the perspective of faith, the believer recognizes that God has
neither abandoned him nor turned against him even though he is experiencing
some really tough tests. Heb 13:5
b. Faith recognizes that these crucibles of life are a part of the refining process to
remove the dross of human viewpoint we tend to drift to. 1Pet 1:7
c. Faith realizes that wisdom, like every other benefit of temporal
experience is acquired
progressively as a part of our spiritual maturation.
d. One walking by faith is committed to gaining wisdom, not just for the
test being faced but through the present test looking ahead to the future and what
it might bring.
e. B.L. Our faith rests then on
the confident assurance that the one who promises the wisdom in order to face
the test will also do it.
5. If our plans truly prosper it is because God is the unseen power
behind them.
6. This comes primarily 2 ways:
a. directly through the circumstances faced in
life.
b. indirectly through believing and applying His
word. Josh 1:8; Ps 1:1-3
7. It is gratifying to know that our plans, our lives do not depend
totally on us for completion but on Him to provide the resources to bring it to
pass. Ps 37:4-5; Prov. 3:5-6
- Prayer is a major part of this, its importance and manner is noted 1
John
8. What is not required is to say every time we make a decision - Lord
willing or God willing.
- The concept or principle James is dealing with here is not just
repeating a mantra but to have a constant attitude in one's thinking.
- Paul on occasion when talking about his plans makes the statement re:
to God's will - Acts
- On other occasions he omits it verbally but in the context it is that
it is still in his thinking - Acts
19:21; Rom 15:28; 1 Cor 16:3-6
9. This MA (the desire to do everything in the sphere of His will) is to
be the objective and conviction of the adjusted and committed believer.
10. In doing this it takes the fear and dread out of the future.
11. Do not take this verse as an excuse not to make plans or that James is forbidding
making plans.
12. Rather what James is saying is to make your plans in cooperation or
conjunction with God.
13. Question you must ask!!
Are you
relaxed with the idea that God has absolute authority over whether you continue
living or not??
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance;
all such boasting is evil.
- statement rightly recognizes that there is also bonifide
boasting.
- Ex:
James 1:9 - boast in our high position in Christ
- Ex:
Phil 3:3 - boast in Jesus Christ.
- Ex:
Gal
- 1 Cor
Evil
boasting is boasting is boasting which relies on ones self - one's own
abilities with no reliance on God.
No one
by their own inherent ability has ever been saved or advanced spiritually; apart from grace -
God's faithful provision it is impossible to grow spiritually.