The connection …
How does this section connect with the previous? That was my initial question. I am very familiar with this week’s text. Our lives are compared to a vapor or mist, making sure we look to the Lord’s will, the sin of omission, etc.
But how does it connect in the flow of the context? And, then, when I saw the link, I couldn’t believe how plain and powerful it was.
Earlier in the letter, James compared earthly wisdom to wisdom from above. He very pointedly spoke to the reasons that we as believers in Jesus Christ sometimes fight and quarrel.
And that is where we find the connection with this week’s text. Underlying much of our fighting and quarreling are our wrong desires. We want the wrong things and fight over the wrong things.
What if …
But what if we allowed God to set the agenda and determine our priorities? What if we didn’t push and shove for our ideas? What if we sincerely sought the will of the Lord with all of our decisions on the church board, as a congregation … Get the point? If we sincerely desire the agenda of God (aka the will of the Lord), then we will not fight for our agendas.
So easy. No more church fights now.
This is not ruling out application of this principle to our lives as individuals. Of course, each person needs to seek God’s will. How far we take that into our day-to-day routine, I am not sure. As in … Do I have cereal or bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning?
Here is a very realistic application: Do I pray with my wife or husband as to how we spend our money? Guys, do we just go out and buy new tools or hunting equipment with no regard for the wishes of our wives? Ladies, do we go on a shopping binge because we can?
Back to the church …
I was in a church several years ago where I would beg the guys on our board to seek the Lord first in our decisions. I don’t know if that ever happened. We always had in mind how certain individuals in the church–three women especially–would react to our decisions. Make the wrong decision, which it seems we did often per our three women, and there would be “hell to pay.” And I don’t mean that as slang or rhetoric but as the spiritual dynamic that occurs when we speak against each other in our pride and hand the keys to the church to the devil. He does stalk about looking for church people to recruit and devour for his purposes.
So back to James … back to our context …
What if we genuinely brought everything before God? Will we do this perfectly? No. Do we have the ability to do this well? Yes. Do it faithfully? Yes. Will God bless? Yes.
Message Title: “If the Lord Wills!”
Message Text: James 4:13-17
- PDF LESSON 11 : If the Lord Will! : James 4-13-17 : ffc : dave scott : 013116 : STUDY SHEET ONE
- PDF LESSON 11 : If the Lord Will! : James 4-13-17 : ffc : dave scott : 013116 : STUDY SHEET TWO
