Trusting God's Will in a Fleeting Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Illusion of Control

Life often gives us the illusion that we can control our destiny through meticulous planning and hard work. However, James reminds us that life is a vapor, and we must acknowledge God's sovereignty over our plans. True wisdom lies in recognizing that while our decisions matter, ultimate control belongs to God. This understanding helps us to live with humility and trust, knowing that our lives are ultimately in God's hands.

When we boast about our future plans without considering God's will, we fall into the trap of arrogance and self-sufficiency. James warns against this mindset, urging us to adopt the phrase "if the Lord wills" in our planning. This humility acknowledges that our successes and failures are in God's hands, not ours. By recognizing God's sovereignty, we can find peace and avoid the anxiety that comes from trying to control every aspect of our lives. [40:15]

James 4:14-15 (ESV): "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. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'"

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you have been trying to maintain control? How can you begin to trust God with these areas today?

Day 2: The Danger of Self-Sufficiency

Boasting about our future plans without considering God's will is a form of arrogance. James warns against this self-sufficiency, urging us to adopt the mindset of "if the Lord wills." This humility acknowledges that our successes and failures are in God's hands, not ours. By recognizing God's sovereignty, we can avoid the pitfalls of pride and overconfidence.

The illusion of control can lead to overconfidence and anxiety, as we mistakenly believe we can foresee and control the future. Instead, we should adopt the mindset of "if the Lord wills," recognizing that our plans are subject to God's will. This approach not only humbles us but also brings peace, as we trust that God is in control and has our best interests at heart. [39:25]

Proverbs 27:1 (ESV): "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring."

Reflection: In what ways have you been self-sufficient in your planning? How can you start incorporating "if the Lord wills" into your daily decisions?

Day 3: Trusting God Over Wealth

Our handling of money reveals our true trust. Crooked business practices and self-indulgence indicate a misplaced trust in wealth rather than in God. We must strive to be generous and use our resources to further God's kingdom, demonstrating our trust in Him.

Jesus' parable of the rich man who hoarded his wealth illustrates the folly of self-reliance and the importance of being rich toward God. Our handling of money reveals whether we trust God or ourselves. By being generous and using our resources to help others and spread the gospel, we show that our trust is in God, not in our wealth. [56:22]

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV): "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

Reflection: How do you handle your finances? Are there areas where you need to trust God more and be more generous?

Day 4: Life's Fleeting Nature

Life is short and fleeting, like a vapor. We must focus on what will last, storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. This involves using our resources to invest in God's kingdom, helping others, and spreading the gospel.

The currency of heaven is faith, and we should use our resources to invest in God's kingdom. By helping others and spreading the gospel, we store up treasures in heaven that will last for eternity. This perspective helps us to prioritize our time, energy, and resources on what truly matters. [45:10]

Psalm 39:4-5 (ESV): "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!"

Reflection: What are some ways you can invest in God's kingdom today? How can you use your resources to help others and spread the gospel?

Day 5: Surrendering to God's Will

Jesus' example in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us the importance of surrendering to God's will. We must continually yield our lives to Christ, using our resources for His glory and trusting Him with our future. This daily surrender is a testament to our faith and trust in God.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus surrendered to God's will, even though it meant facing immense suffering. This example shows us the importance of yielding our lives to Christ and trusting Him with our future. By using our resources for His glory and continually surrendering to His will, we demonstrate our faith and trust in God. [51:34]

Luke 22:42 (ESV): "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we addressed the recent revelations involving prominent church leaders and the impact on the body of Christ. We must remain in prayer, trusting that God can work all things for good. Transitioning to our series in James, we explored the concept of life as a vapor, emphasizing the fleeting nature of our existence and the importance of aligning our plans with God's will. James warns against the arrogance of self-sufficiency and the illusion of control, urging us to recognize that our lives are ultimately in God's hands.

We discussed the problem of pride in our planning, where we often boast about our future endeavors without acknowledging God's sovereignty. Jesus and Proverbs both advocate for wise planning, but James highlights the danger of boasting and self-reliance. The illusion of control can lead to overconfidence and anxiety, as we mistakenly believe we can foresee and control the future. Instead, we should adopt the mindset of "if the Lord wills," recognizing that our plans are subject to God's will.

We examined the harmful mindset that good things come solely from our hard work, rather than from God. Jesus' parable of the rich man who hoarded his wealth illustrates the folly of self-reliance and the importance of being rich toward God. Our handling of money reveals whether we trust God or ourselves. Crooked business practices and self-indulgence are signs of misplaced trust in wealth rather than in God.

Finally, we considered how to make the problem better by storing up treasures in heaven. Life is short, and we must focus on what will last. The currency of heaven is faith, and we should use our resources to invest in God's kingdom, helping others and spreading the gospel. Jesus' example of surrendering to God's will in the Garden of Gethsemane serves as a model for us to follow, continually yielding our lives to Christ and using our resources for His glory.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Sufficiency**: Boasting about our future plans without considering God's will is a form of arrogance. James warns against this self-sufficiency, urging us to adopt the mindset of "if the Lord wills." This humility acknowledges that our successes and failures are in God's hands, not ours. [39:25]
3. Trusting God Over Wealth: Our handling of money reveals our true trust. Crooked business practices and self-indulgence indicate a misplaced trust in wealth rather than in God. We must strive to be generous and use our resources to further God's kingdom, demonstrating our trust in Him.

4. Life's Fleeting Nature: Life is short and fleeting, like a vapor. We must focus on what will last, storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. This involves using our resources to invest in God's kingdom, helping others, and spreading the gospel.

5. Surrendering to God's Will: Jesus' example in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us the importance of surrendering to God's will. We must continually yield our lives to Christ, using our resources for His glory and trusting Him with our future. This daily surrender is a testament to our faith and trust in God.

### [39:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:57] - Addressing Recent Revelations
[34:00] - Life is a Vapor
[36:00] - Practical Christianity in James
[37:41] - The Problem of Pride in Planning
[39:25] - The Illusion of Control
[45:10] - Life's Fleeting Nature
[51:34] - Surrendering to God's Will
[56:22] - Trusting God Over Wealth
[66:53] - Storing Up Treasures in Heaven
[74:59] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to James 4:13-17, what is the proper attitude we should have when making plans for the future? ([34:00])
In the parable from Luke 12:16-21, what was the rich man's mistake in his planning and attitude towards his wealth? ([53:46])
What does Matthew 6:19-21 say about where we should store our treasures and why? ([01:08:29])
How does the sermon describe the illusion of control in our lives and its impact on our planning? ([40:15])

Interpretation Questions

Why does James describe life as a vapor, and how should this understanding affect our daily decisions and plans? ([34:00])
How does the rich man's attitude in Luke 12:16-21 reflect a misplaced trust in wealth rather than in God? ([53:46])
What does it mean to store up treasures in heaven according to Matthew 6:19-21, and how can this be practically applied in our lives? ([01:08:29])
The sermon mentions the danger of self-sufficiency and the importance of saying "if the Lord wills." How can this mindset change the way we approach our goals and ambitions? ([39:25])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you made plans without considering God's will. How did that turn out, and what did you learn from that experience? ([34:00])
In what ways do you find yourself trusting in your own efforts and wealth rather than in God? How can you shift your trust back to God? ([53:46])
How can you start storing up treasures in heaven this week? Identify one specific action you can take to invest in God's kingdom. ([01:08:29])
The sermon talks about the illusion of control and how it can lead to anxiety. What are some practical steps you can take to surrender your plans to God and reduce anxiety? ([40:15])
Jesus' example in the Garden of Gethsemane shows ultimate surrender to God's will. What is one area of your life where you need to say, "Not my will, but Yours be done"? ([51:34])
How does your handling of money reflect your trust in God? What changes can you make to ensure your financial decisions honor God? ([56:22])
Think about a recent decision you made. Did you consider God's will in that decision? How can you make it a habit to seek God's guidance in all your decisions? ([39:25])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Life is a vapor. Life is a vapor. James Ford. So, this is some heavy stuff. Buckle up. Come now, you who say... Today or tomorrow, we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. you don't know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance and all such boasting is evil." (45 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So James is this practical book where James is saying, what does real Christianity look like? So he's speaking to the Jews that have been dispersed out of Jerusalem. They're in all... You know, they're... They're all over the... They're all over the place, and so they're in the midst of the pagan world, and so he's saying to them, what does it look like to be a real Christian? That's a good question. I mean, you know, this is the first generations of Christians. This is early Christianity, and they don't really understand it all yet." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So the thing is, well, it's like if you work hard and if you work for it, then your dreams will all come true. And. That's a truism, but it's not true. There are many things that you can do, but everyone has limits. Like there was, there was no, there was no sport that I could have imagined that by working harder at it, I would, I would be a pro. I could have worked really hard and the best I was ever going to be is mediocre because one thing I run. Like a three-toed sloth. It's a big hindrance, big hindrance to being successful in sports. I'm slow. I've always, even in my prime, thin, young, I was slow." (60 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So what you ought to say, if the Lord wills, what you ought to say is that the Lord's will. The third thing, what makes the problem worse is thinking that we can control our lives through our plans and hard work. And that lead can lead us to a harmful mindset, which means, you know, uh, my life depends on me, not on God. So. So there's two mindsets. Good things come from my hard work or good things come from God." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So how do you store up treasures in heaven because the currency of heaven what what does heaven need i mean they're paving the streets with gold in heaven so i don't think money's a problem right so the currency of heaven is faith the currency of heaven is faith so how do you increase your faith by not trusting money but trusting god so you put your trust in god not in your money so when you put god first with your money and you trust him with the rest that you're trusting him i'm going to give god his part i'm going to give god what i've determined to give him and then i'm going to trust him that he's going to be able to take care of the rest" (52 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "So, we're in this series in James, Faith in Real Life. I want to talk today about really fun stuff. Just, let's just get it right off the bat. It's kind of like... I think I've already told you this, but the guy's in a restaurant, and he says to the waitress, how do you prepare the chicken? And the waitress said, we just straight out tell them they're going to die. So, I just want to prepare you today. Life is a vapor. Life is a vapor. James Ford. So, this is some heavy stuff. Buckle up." (45 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So James is this practical book where James is saying, what does real Christianity look like? So he's speaking to the Jews that have been dispersed out of Jerusalem. They're in all... You know, they're... They're all over the... They're all over the place, and so they're in the midst of the pagan world, and so he's saying to them, what does it look like to be a real Christian? That's a good question. I mean, you know, this is the first generations of Christians. This is early Christianity, and they don't really understand it all yet. You know, they haven't got the full picture yet of what it means, and so James is giving them, as Paul did, giving them some real life instructions. And he's saying, listen, if you really believe the gospel, if you really believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus came and accomplished what he claimed to accomplish, that he died and rose again to bring us into the family, it means that it's going to affect, if you're really a Christian and you really believe that, it's going to affect the way you live every day." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So being wise in life means that recognizing the importance of our decisions, they are important and that we're responsible for them and we're accountable for them, but know that God is ultimately in control. God's ultimately in control. So what you ought to say, if the Lord wills, what you ought to say is that the Lord's will. The third thing, what makes the problem worse is thinking that we can control our lives through our plans and hard work. And that lead can lead us to a harmful mindset, which means, you know, uh, my life depends on me, not on God." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So the illusion of control that we think we have. We have over our money can make us prideful and foolish, blinding us to the fact that our successes are gifts from God. Our achievements are gifts from God. And we see people who are able to cross over into that territory and even in the sports realm where they, when they're able to say, look, they want to say thanks to the Lord. They're realizing that it's more than talent and gift. It's an opportunity. It's a privilege. It's a privilege that in this season of their life, they have a privilege to do this, this thing that they love. They have this opportunity. And so we realize that that's how it works for all of us, that we have this season. And so are we trusting God or are we trusting ourselves?" (-35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "I think one of the great examples of this trusting God is Jesus giving up control in the garden he gives up control in the garden he says lord this is hard and i don't want to do it but i will because it's your plan nevertheless not in my will but yours be done i think some that that's that's like a statement we go through life with you know we talked about christianity christianity is not a one-time decision where you raise your hand you come down to the front you say i give my life to jesus you know when you do that you do it every day you're not getting re-saved but you're reaffirming every day i'm surrendering and yielding my life to christ and i think and we do it through a thousand little things and this is one of the ways we do it we exemplify it by james is saying by the way we give our money it shows the way we invest our money and what we believe about our money is it whose is it is it ours then i get to cheat people so i can have more money is it is it mine so i can spend it all on myself or is it something that god's given me as a resource that's not really mine it's his to use for his glory to use to see people get into heaven" (86 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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