Call to Maturity

I can remember getting saved and thinking,

“What does God want from me?”

I would come to church and listen to the message and it would go through one ear and out the other

There was no growth, there was no maturity, I was just stuck

God wants us to live abundantly and that life is possible as we grow in our maturity

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

We live the abundant life as we become more and more like Christ, we grow in maturity

The book of James is all about Christian maturity

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Paul rebukes the Corinthians fro not growing in understanding and maturity

1 Corinthians 3:2 “I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

In tonight’s lesson, we a mature believer prays and considers the Lord’s will in everything they do.

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”

1. (V13) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and make a profit

In context: James rebuked the kind of heart that lives and makes its plans apart from a constant awareness of the hand of God

James, possibly addressing the wealthy merchants boasting of their plans, of going here and going there, buying and selling, we see no evidence they sought the Lord’s will

The sin is not working to make money, but the fact they did not include God in their plans

There was no prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”

a) Have you ever made decision without prayer?

It could be a relationship, friendship, taking on a new responsibility, going to a new school

When make decisions without inquiring of the Lord we can step outside of His will

Maybe the situation ends up in a disaster even when our intention were correct

The temptation is to blame God

Many years ago, Molly told me of this fifteen year old girl. Every time she would paint her nails she would ask God how she should paint them.

At first, I thought it was kinda silly, but as I understood the story it made perfect sense.

She would paint her nails with differently and when people would make a comment about her nails, she took as an opportunity to talk about Jesus.

2. (V14) For what is your life, but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow

a) Life is short, what are your priorities?

When people are on their death bed, you never hear them say, “ I wish I would of made more money’

Played more sports

The things you do hear are, I wish I would have spent more time with my family, or been more faithful to the Lord

3. (V15) Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall do this or that

How do we know if the Lord wills?

We pray and ask

a) A mark of a mature Christian is they seek the Lords will through prayer, not just with big things, but even with the small things