James - Practical Faith from Godly Wisdom
Practical Perspective (James 4:13-17)
1. What is your Life? (the duration of your physical life)
- a. Finite - Acts 17:26 -27; Psalm 90:3-6
- b. Fixed – Hebrews 9:27-28; Appointed...and then, the judgment
- c. Fragile – mist, vapor – grass/flower – 1 Peter 1:24
- d. Forever – your spiritual body – in 1 of only 2 places – Matthew 7:13-14 – hold until the end
2. How shall you live this life? V15-17
- a. Don’t presume on God’s Will – Arrogance! Are you God? Do you know what tomorrow will bring? V 16
- b. Don’t reject God’s Will – Sin! Disobedience…v17 – that separates you from God
- c. Submit to God’s Will – v 15
i. You are surrendered to God – You trust Him
ii. Christ is your Lord – you have already given Him permission and access to your life
- d. Seek God’s Will – Romans 12:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6
i. His Will is Good, Pleasing, Perfect
ii. Lean not
iii. Seeking Him – is your reasonable Worship – It makes sense to trust your Creator!
- e. Live Expectantly (God’s in charge; you aren’t); Live Eternally – for His purposes, not your own.
3. What about now, for you?
- a. For Some of you – the next step in your life – your frail, finite, fixed Life – is you need to receive Christ; is that you?
i. What are you waiting for? Tomorrow? that’s dangerous! You don’t know… Paul understood this concept well – 2 Corinthians 6:1-2