Preparing for Eternity in God’s Will

Introduction

Good morning! It is a blessing to be with you once again as we continue our study in the book of James. May God be gracious as we approach Him in the ministry of His Word.

Please turn in your Bible to James 4:11-17. Place your favourite bookmark in the passage, and let’s stand together and read it aloud.

Prayer

Most Gracious and Merciful Father,

We come before You with hearts full of gratitude and reverence. We praise You for Your infinite power and sovereign authority over all things. We thank You for everything in our lives and in this world depends entirely on Your will. And from that thought, our faith is strengthened bolstered of your sovereignty.

As we gather to study Your Word, we seek Your guidance and wisdom. Illuminate our hearts and minds so that we may understand Your truth and apply it to our lives. Help us to align our plans and actions with Your divine will and to live in a way that prepares us for eternity with You.

Please lead us as we go through your word, and may our worship be a reflection of Your grace and truth.

We humbly ask this in Christ’s most precious name,

Amen.

Preparing for Eternity in God’s Will

Create a Propositional Statement with the 3 points

Our aim this morning is to explore the rich truth of God’s sovereignty and the fragility of our lives as revealed in His Word. May God’s Word convict us of our pride, arrogance, and hypocrisy, and transform us into humble and submissive servants. Let our words be free from slander and condemnation, and instead, guided by God’s mercy and grace, so that we may live our lives in alignment with His will and reflect His glory in all we do.

· Guard Your Tongue (verses 11-12)

· Guard Against Pride (verses 13-15)

· Guard Your Heart (verses 16-17)

Last month when we were here at James, we learned the 10 imperative calls of God towards salvation and sanctification for our glorification.

These imperative calls are not merely suggestions or invitations but authoritative instructions that demands humility and obedience in our part. We are called to holiness. 1 Peter 1:15–16

15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

This is a directive from God to live a holy life in accordance to God’s very character.

We are called to obedience. John 14:15

15If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Obedience to God’s law is not optional but required for every believer.

And if we recall those 10 imperative commands of God, they start with: "Submit yourselves therefore to God" (James 4:7). This is a directive for us to obey with our own volition, determination, and will, placing ourselves under the authority of God.

It then concludes with: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up" (James 4:10). Humility is the root of righteousness. This becomes our natural desire upon salvation, recognizing that only God can exalt us, lift us from our unworthiness and the depravity of sin, and translate us from darkness into His marvellous light.

These two imperative commands serve as the bookends for all the other directives of God (James 4:7-10), because none of them are possible for us to apply without submission and humility. And all these imperatives depend on God’s grace. (James 4:6)

After James concluded his exhortation and challenged us about the authenticity of our salvation in verses 1-10, he continues in verse 11 with the theme introduced earlier in chapter 2. Remember, James addresses the sin of partiality or favouritism in chapter 2 with the Jewish Christians. He uses the illustration of the man with the gold ring, the poor man, and the needy brethren to demonstrate how their faith is false. Their testimony reveals that their treatment of these three groups of people becomes progressively worse, indicating a lack of genuine faith. Then in chapter 3:1, James warns of their sinful motives of being masters of words when clearly, their empty blessing to their brethren is not just inconsistent with the faith they claim to have, but it also exposes their bitter jealousy and selfish ambitions. And he expands on how volatile the tongue is by illustrating it as a fire, able to destroy and consume things it affects and influence. And so we reach chapter 4:11. Let’s now look at our first point

1 Guard Your Tongue (James 4:11-12)

11Speak not evil one of another, brethren.

He that speakethevil

of his brother,

and judgeth

his brother,

speaketh evil of the law,

and judgeth the law:

but if thou judge the law,

thou art not a doer of the law,

but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver,

who is able to save

and to destroy:

who art thou that judgest another?

We see another imperative verb here in the word “speak.” James commands, "Speak not evil," meaning do not slander one another or speak against each other. These are destructive verbal attacks, including gossiping, false accusations, insults, maligning, and backbiting. Notice that James repeats the phrase "speaking evil" three times, implying that choosing to slander and defame another person also involves ignoring the greatest commandment of all: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” By choosing to use insulting, maligning, and backbiting words instead of loving our neighbor, we are essentially not applying submission and humility, and therefore, we do not have the grace of God.

When we speak evil of someone, slander another person, or defame their character, in our twisted and corrupt nature as self-appointed judges, we often fail to see it as sin. In fact, we might consider ourselves righteous and feel justified in our judgments. The self-righteous indignation burns within us, making it difficult to hold our tongues. We feel compelled to unleash hurtful words because we believe the other person deserves such a verbal assault. We think they need to be told off, yelled at, and subjected to our temper and condemnation. We want them, and everyone within earshot, to know how justified we feel in our verbal abuse and harsh judgment, convinced that they deserve it.

We attack their dignity, defame their character, and stain their reputation without recognizing our wrongdoing, believing that we are right, and they are wrong. This attitude reflects a failure to understand and apply the grace and humility that Christ calls us to embody. Instead of acting as loving brothers and sisters in Christ, we usurp God’s role as the ultimate Judge, forgetting that we are all in need of His mercy and forgiveness.

Other sins may require external circumstances or actions before we commit them, but slander comes directly from the heart and is exposed by a malicious, evil tongue. As we learned in chapter 3, a duplicitous and volatile tongue lacks a safety mechanism. It is all too easy to commit slander, and when it occurs, its effects can ruin a person or even destroy a community. James repeatedly emphasizes the relationships between the slanderer and the victim, using terms like “brethren,” and “brother.” Slander often occurs between familial relationships, either at home or at church.

Conflicts and quarrels often arise between those closest to us: between a husband and wife, parents and children, pastors and members, teachers and students, siblings, friends, families, and neighbours. And yet, we often exercise greater restraint when speaking ill of strangers.

When you speak against another person, not only do you attack their personhood, but you also place yourself outside and above the law. Beloved, where is your humility? How can you demonstrate your submission to God when the person you are attacking is created in His image? How can you prove you have resisted the devil? How can you confirm that you have drawn near to God and can sincerely sing, “I surrender all”?

Beloved, God does not want you to be deceived. God calls us to “Repent, cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

The Lord speaks these sobering words: Matthew 18:4–7

“4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”

The Lord Jesus says it is better to die a horrible death than offend a person who believes in Him. Such was His concern on someone being offended that He continues in the following verses: Matthew 18:8–10

8Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

9And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Do you understand from these verses why slander is a heinous sin? The Lord used exaggerated language to emphasize the severity and seriousness of slander. His instructions are meant to be shocking to drive home the point. When He talks about cutting off a hand or plucking out an eye if it causes you to sin, He is not speaking literally. Instead, He is illustrating the drastic and severe measures we should be willing to take to avoid sin. This hyperbolic language underscores the critical importance of guarding our words and hearts against slander and other sins. Why? Because sin has eternal consequences. God’s word says “it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

Do you see how understanding the holiness of God should lead us to pursue the righteousness found in Christ and turn away from sin of slander? That’s why we fall short of God’s glory.

And do you know what is closely associated with slander?

Look at your Bibles, James 4:11

He that speaketh evil

of his brother,

and judgeth

his brother,

speaketh evil of the law,

and judgeth the law:

Do you see how speaking evil is parallel with judging? The word "judging" here does not mean making a distinction for evaluation of sin or guilt but rather condemning. Slander and condemnation go hand in hand. They are a pair of sins often committed by those with a proud arrogant heart and a hypocritical spirit. Matthew 7:1–5

1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

If the source of our desire is the wisdom that comes from above—wisdom that leads us to love God and love His people—then it naturally translates into honoring, loving, and protecting those whom God loves. For a born-again believer, this new desire towards fellow believers in the Lord is marked by humility.

The issue is that we often think the solution to slander and condemnation is simply to be quiet. There’s a popular saying, which is a quote by Thumper the cute baby bunny from the Disney film "Bambi," that goes, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all." This saying carries a simple yet profound truth: the importance of restraint and kindness in our speech.

However, if the words are already loaded on our lips, like a bullet in the chamber of a gun, we should focus not just on keeping silent but on keeping our thoughts and intents clear of this sin. Don’t even load your thoughts with words that aren’t nice. Remember that sin is not just made manifest out of our mouth, but also through our thoughts and motives.

Why is it important that we do not slander and condemn others?

Because to slander and condemn another person means we not only fail to love them, but we also violate the law and, on top of that, we act as self-appointed judges.

Beloved, do you understand what this means? Do you grasp the implications of speaking against someone and condemning them? It signifies that you are not under the law but rather outside and above the law of God. You place yourself in a position of superiority and sovereignty over God’s law, refusing to be bound by it or to submit to its authority. This demonstrates a profound disregard, disrespect, and irreverence toward God. This is pride and arrogance.

Loved ones, we must repent of this attitude and turn to Christ, seeking His mercy and extending His grace to others. Lord, please forgive us.

Given the gravity of placing ourselves above God's law by speaking against others, how does James remind us of God’s sole authority as the ultimate lawgiver and judge? And what does it mean for us to question our own role when we assume the position of judgment?

Let’s go back to our main text and have a look at verse 12: 12 There is one lawgiver,

who is able to save

and to destroy:

who art thou that judgest another?

The phrase at the beginning of this verse, “There is one lawgiver,” is both profound and rich in truth. It should dwell in our hearts and serve as a resounding warning whenever we feel justified in verbally attacking another person. It highlights our own insignificance and reveals our rightful place as creatures under the authority of the Almighty God. In contrast, it exalts God, affirming His supreme and unmatched sovereignty.

It starts with "There is," indicating that the role of the lawgiver is an existing and established position. The position as lawgiver is not vacant for us to fill in, it’s already been taken by God. In fact, this role is fulfilled by God since eternity past and He will continue to fulfil this role in eternity future. Who are we but creatures of dirt trying to take the role of God as lawgiver?

The term "one" emphasizes that this role is uniquely reserved for a single, exclusive person. This highlights that only one can hold this position: the ultimate authority who gave, defined, and enforces the law. This excludes any of us to be included and hold this position because it defined that only God can exclusively hold the role of the lawgiver. The term "lawgiver" encompasses both the existence of the law and the authority of its issuer. This role involves not merely the issuance of laws but also the authority to establish and enforce them. Unlike any laws established by human governments, God's law is fundamentally different. While human legislators and judges operate within limitations and are prone to fallibility, God, as the ultimate lawgiver, is omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly just. His laws are not arbitrary but are rooted in His holy, perfect and immutable nature and eternal wisdom. Consequently, no human can rightfully claim this role or possess the authority to define or enforce divine laws.

And so, with those four deeply truth-saturated words, James clearly affirms that neither he, nor any of the Jewish Christians, nor any of us can hold the position of the lawgiver. These words reveal that when we slander and condemn another person, we are foolishly committing blasphemy. We usurp this divine role, acting as if we possess the authority and power to judge others.

Consider and compare yourself to what this lawgiver can do? Look at the middle of verse 12. “who is able to save

and (who is able) to destroy:”

Beloved, do we have the ability to save a person—to keep someone alive by our own will and power? Do we have any power to save the souls of those who place their faith in Christ and bring them to the eternal glory of God in Heaven?

Do any of us have the authority to destroy, meaning to appoint the time of death and be the cause of another person’s death? Do we have any power to condemn unrepentant sinners and send them to the everlasting judgment of hell?

No, only God holds these powers and authority. He is the sovereign sustainer of life and the Savior. He is the sovereign taker of life and the Holy Judge. He ordains our conception and appoints our time of death. In fact, it is by His judgment that our life begins and our eternal destiny is determined. It is by His will, pleasure, and purpose that He saves those He chooses for salvation and passes over those He wills for eternal destruction.

So what is the rebuke and condemning question of James to those who exhibit pride, arrogance, and hypocrisy in slander and judgment? Look at the end of verse 12:

“Who art thou that judgest another?”

The powerful opening statement, “There is one lawgiver,” is concluded by the equally powerful question, “Who art thou that judgest another?” This highlights the profound truth that we lack the authority, power, will, and wisdom to judge others. It reveals our utter inadequacy to assume the role of judge, emphasizing that such authority belongs solely to God. Our tendency to view ourselves as highly important, righteous, and worthy is, in reality, a gross exaggeration of who we think we are.

Consider what Paul says in Romans 12:3:

Romans 12:3

“3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

We exalt and glorify ourselves when we engage in slander and condemnation. Paul echoes James’s message in Romans 14:4:

Romans 14:4

“4Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

Beloved, does God's Word confront you about your sins of slander and condemnation, pride, arrogance, and hypocrisy? God's Word exhorts us to remember who we are before Him. We are all fellow servants of the Almighty King, created in His image.

Do we see how foolish and blasphemous slander and condemnation are?

Have we considered that the harsh and hurtful words we say today may remain in the heart of the person we offended for the rest of their life? Please take a moment to reflect on this. We often fail to consider how deeply our words can impact someone and how they might affect them tomorrow and in the future.

Not only that, but God’s Word also warns us against deception. God has been merciful and gracious to allow you to come to church today so that you may hear His words. Over and over again, He wants us to make sure our salvation is genuine.

Don’t rely on what you feel; rather, place your faith in the truth of His Word. You have today to prove the authenticity of your salvation and faith. You have today to reflect on the sins of slander and condemnation. You have today to remove the sins of pride, arrogance, and hypocrisy. You have today to guard your tongue. You have today to repent and confess your sins before God. Today is the day of salvation!

Are you waiting to deal with all this tomorrow? What is James’s warning for tomorrow?

Look at James 4:13-15

2 Guard Against Pride

13 Go to now,

ye that say,

To day

or to morrow

we will go into such a city,

and continue there a year,

and buy

and sell,

and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not

what shall be

on the morrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapour,

that appeareth

for a little time,

and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say,

If the Lord will,

we shall live,

and do this,

or that.

Loved ones, not only is God the one and only lawgiver, but He is also the God of time. Why? Because everything depends on the will of God. The whole of creation depends on the sovereignty and will of God. He is the Sustainer. Regeneration, election, and even eternal damnation depend on the will of God. He is the Saviour. The suffering, sanctification, and glorification of Christians depend on the will of God. He is the Sanctifier.

Look at verse 13. 13 Go to now,

ye that say,

To day

or to morrow

we will go into such a city,

and continue there a year,

and buy

and sell,

and get gain:

This reflects the foolishness and corruption of our thinking. We often focus solely on the present moment, failing to recognize the lasting effects of our slander and condemnation. We seek instant gratification, demanding immediate results and fruits. Yet, in our arrogance, we delude ourselves into believing we have tomorrow to make things right. We procrastinate in our repentance, confession, prayers, communion, and devotion, placing our hope in the uncertain promise of tomorrow. Meanwhile, we dwell on the past, becoming regretful and bitter.

Beloved, guard against pride, for pride is the root of unrighteousness. Look at verse 13, where James rebukes those who make careful plans as if they own the future.

“To day

or to morrow

we will go into such a city,

and continue there a year,

and buy

and sell,

and get gain:”

I am reminded of Aesop’s (EE-sop) fable "The Milkmaid and Her Pail," a milkmaid sets out with a pail (a bucket) of milk, dreaming about the future profits she will make from selling the milk and the eggs she plans to buy. She imagines how she will use the money to buy a new dress and then attract a handsome suitor. However, as she daydreams, she loses her focus and ends up spilling the milk. The fable concludes with the moral, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” highlighting the foolishness of making plans based on future outcomes that may not materialize.

Beloved, our lives are fragile, hanging by a thread of breath and heartbeat. We are only a breath or heartbeat away from death. Do you see the foolish pride and arrogance in thinking we have plenty of time to repent, confess, and make things right with God or with people? We assume that tomorrow is guaranteed for prayer, Bible study, growth in Christ, and personal transformation. We think that tomorrow we can finally gather up the courage to seek forgiveness from a brother. We may plan extensively for the future, but in doing so, we must not ignore God's imperative commands and warnings.

Notice how verse 13 reflects a misplaced confidence in time: "Today or tomorrow." The plan includes a destination: "we will go into such a city," a timeline: "and continue there a year," and an agenda: "and buy and sell and get gain." This is a classic case of "counting chickens before they hatch."

What’s missing from their plan besides the time, the destination, the timeline, and their agenda? God is missing. God is not included in their plans. Additionally, they overlook the ten imperative commands found in verses 7-10. Moreover, they fail to account for the grace of God that could fulfill their plan and the opposition of God against the proud.

They were only thinking of temporal things that would give them temporal fulfilment, satisfaction and pleasure. What is James’s response to such people? Look at verse 14: 14Whereas ye know not

what shall be

on the morrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapour,

that appeareth

for a little time,

and then vanisheth away.

James presents two problems with making plans without God—problems they overlooked due to their pride and arrogance:

The first half of verse 14 says,

14Whereas ye know not

what shall be

on the morrow.

1. They don’t know what the future holds.

The second half of verse 14 says, For what is your life?

It is even a vapour,

that appeareth

for a little time,

and then vanisheth away.

2. They’ve forgotten that life is fleeting and fragile.

Proverbs 27:1 says, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

Do we realize that countless factors such as timing, events, people, and circumstances must align perfectly for any of our plans to actually come to fruition?

No matter how much planning and preparation we do for the future, it is foolish to think that we control everything to bring those plans to fruition. As Christians, we have the blessed insight and comfort of knowing that God’s sovereign, omniscient, and omnipotent hand controls every event, person, timing, and circumstance. And yet, we somehow, forget that and not take it into consideration.

Proverbs 3:5–6

5Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.

6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.

In the second half of verse James 4:14 says, For what is your life?

It is even a vapour,

that appeareth

for a little time,

and then vanisheth away.

We are also reminded that life is just but a fleeting moment.

Moses says in his Psalm found in

Psalm 90:10

10The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70 years); And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years (80 years), Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Beloved please consider this: if the average lifespan is 70 years, as stated in Psalm 90 by Moses, here's a breakdown of how many weekends you have left. If you are a teenager, you have approximately 3,000 weekends remaining. At 20 years old, you have about 2,500 weekends left. By age 30, that number drops to around 2,000 weekends. At 40, you would have roughly 1,500 weekends left. At 50, you’d have about 1,000 weekends remaining, and by age 60, you would have only about 500 weekends before reaching the end of life.

What did Job say about the frailty of life? Job 14:1–2

1Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble.

2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Beloved, does God's Word prompt you to stop and reflect on the fragility and limited time of your remaining life? What should our mindset be in response?

Given the insight from James 4:13-14, where James cautions against the arrogance of planning without recognizing God and the uncertainty of life, we are led to a deeper truth in James 4:15.

“15 For that ye ought to say,

If the Lord will,

we shall live,

and do this,

or that.”

The crucial phrase, "If the Lord wills," is notably absent in verse 13.

Here in verse 15, James is not merely advising us to exhibit spiritual maturity in a superficial or token manner. The phrase “If the Lord wills” should not be used casually, flippantly, or superficially. Instead, our hearts should truly recognize God's sovereignty. Beloved, do not be deceived by a superficial faith. Instead, let your faith be deeply rooted in the understanding of God's sovereignty and will. While we make our plans, we must remember that ultimately, we are in the safe hands of God.

Verse 15 illustrates the humble spirit of obedience and submission to the will of God. It reminds us that every plan, decision, and preparation for the future should be preceded by the acknowledgment, "If the Lord wills." This perspective reflects a deep recognition of God's sovereignty over all aspects of our lives and our dependence on His will.

It is according to the Lord's will that we live and that our prayers are answered. God is sovereign over all circumstances, and our plans are subject to His divine will. As illustrated in Matthew 20:13-16, where the landowner responds to the workers' complaints about the generosity he showed to the latecomers, we are reminded that God acts according to His own will and pleasure.

Matthew 20:13–16

13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

The landowner's reply highlights that he has the right to do what he wishes with his own resources, underscoring the truth that God's sovereignty is absolute and unchallenged.

Beloved, let us remember that God is not obligated to seek our approval or give an account to us. As finite beings, we have no power or authority to demand that God express His will in the manner we desire. Just as the landowner made his decisions according to his own will and not the expectations of the workers, so too does God dispense His grace and sovereignty according to His perfect plan.

As we reflect on the principles of humility and the acknowledgment of God's sovereignty in our plans, it's essential to recognize how arrogance and self-reliance can lead us to sin.

Look at James 4:16-17

3 Guard Your Heart

16 But now ye rejoice

in your boastings:

all such rejoicing is evil.

How often do we make plans and place our faith in tomorrow? Do we boldly and confidently speak about future actions and outcomes without considering uncertainties, events, and, most importantly, God?

James rebukes us for rejoicing and boasting as if we own our lives. This is pride and arrogance. Our lives depend entirely on the will of God; we cannot live independently or apart from Him.

Beloved, God does not want us to be deceived. To deny God and His will is sin. To acknowledge God and His will, yet reject them arrogantly, is still sin.

So what is James’s conclusion to the one who fails to act when they know what they should have done?

Look at James 4:17 17 Therefore to him

that knoweth to do good,

and doeth it not,

to him it is sin.

James’s exhortation is clear: Friends, guard your hearts against spiritual deception. He directs you to submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, seek cleansing of your thoughts and deeds, cry out to Him, and be humble before Him. By doing so, you may receive His mercy and grace and be spared from His eternal judgment.

Christians, guard your hearts particularly against pride and arrogance. Consider God's will in all your plans, preparations, and decisions. Avoid superficiality in your spiritual life; instead, pursue genuine growth and maturity.

Beloved, we are reminded of the profound implications of living in humble submission to God's will. James calls us to recognize our utter dependence on God and to guard against the arrogance of planning our lives as though we are in control. We are not to boast about tomorrow or presume upon our future, for all of life’s uncertainty are under God’s sovereign hand.

Conclusion Application

Let us, therefore, live each day with a heart attuned to God's sovereignty, ready to submit, humble ourselves, and act with grace, knowing that our ultimate security and purpose in life are found in His will and preparation for eternity.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the ministry of Your Word and the great reminder it brings. We are grateful for the clarity You've given us that slander and condemnation are contrary to submission and humility. Help us remember that our lives are not our own but are borrowed from You, and that it is Your will that directs our paths and future.

Guide us to guard our hearts against pride and arrogance, and strengthen us to live according to Your will. Now that we know Your truth, lead and help us to fulfill Your purposes in our lives. We entrust ourselves to Your sovereign grace and guidance. We give you all the honour and glory.

Amen