Humbling Ourselves in our Plans (2)
Notes
Transcript
OPENING
OPENING
Introduction
Introduction
Difference between Sunday School and Preaching
Complete faith in this congregation smaller than my 2nd grade classroom
Progression of Faith
Progression of Faith
Became a Christian 4-5 years ago
Junior in college and married
New seasons of life
“....People begin asking such invasive and personal questions.”
Examples
Response
People are normally unsettled with this response
Why? Our culture is obsessed with security.
Why? Our culture is obsessed with security.
Illustration of getting into bed knowing we did all our things
We love to know that our plans in the future are well planned. It is why so many Christians fall in love with the Bible verse:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
People hear: “God has plans for me? To prosper and not harm me? To give me hope and a future? All of that sounds amazing.”
Abraham and Genesis 12
“People love a secure plan for the future”
“People love a secure plan for the future”
Messed up car making noises.
“But it’s not the problem itself that is unsettling; it is the not knowing what the problem is”
“But it’s not the problem itself that is unsettling; it is the not knowing what the problem is”
My mom
Chairi-Malformation
No modern medical advances to treat this
“As faithful believers who profess Lordship in Jesus Christ, what do we do with this? What do we do when life becomes so unsecure? When we simply do not know what is going to come of our lives I think we first look to our God. We look to a God who is utterly and completely secure in an unsecure life.
“As faithful believers who profess Lordship in Jesus Christ, what do we do with this? What do we do when life becomes so unsecure? When we simply do not know what is going to come of our lives I think we first look to our God. We look to a God who is utterly and completely secure in an unsecure life.
Look to faithful believers who have finished their life and race in faith.
Look to seek God’s will this morning.
Ask to pray.
PRAYER:
PRAYER:
“Father,
We thank you that you’ve woken us up another day, and that we have the opportunity to have your message and Spirit stir our hearts. Father, we pray that as everyday we struggle over anxiety or stress over an unsecure future. We pray that we can become holy enough that we can depend fully on nothing else but you. We pray that no one receives glory today but you. We pray that your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We pray all this to the glory of your son Jesus. Amen.”
MESSAGE:
MESSAGE:
Sharing from James
James and the Jewish-Christians whom he wrote to
Extreme anxiety and stress
“ And in our world, in light of anyone mentioning either the upcoming election or the last 9 months of coronavirus, everyone of us could recall moments when we were effected by the exact same issues they were facing. They faced
Worldliness
Violent Speech
Arguments
Arrogance
In this election, Politicians are unconcerned with the affairs of God and it doesn’t take long talking about social media or in person about politics to see where we have fallen short.
Favoritism
Double Mindedness
Poverty
Millions of Christians have lost their jobs to Covid.
We struggle to make ends meet just like the Christians of the 1st century.
On the topic of double mindedness:
It seems that health officials are changing their minds all the time.
“Wearing masks will protect you from contracting Covid.”
But then actually “masks only protect others, not yourself.”
Officials have stated that “Covid can be dormant but spreadable for up to 48 hours”
Some believe “it sometimes is contracted and spread without even showing symptoms.”
No one has a clue what is going on.
James writes in 4:13-17:
James writes in 4:13-17:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 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.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
He addresses them urging them to listen
James gives this illustration of men planning for their future.
So upon reading through James and coming upon this text:
One has to address a question: Is James possibly alluding to the idea that it is wrong to plan for our futures?
One has to address a question: Is James possibly alluding to the idea that it is wrong to plan for our futures?
Because if so, I think we are in some serious trouble. And any Christian does not even have to leave the book of Proverbs to answer that question.
Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
In no way is it wrong to plan for the future.
We say things all the time like “today and tomorrow, we will go to Independence or Pittsburg or Joplin to do this or that.”
Bank accounts illustration
We seem to never stop planning for the wedding
“But the issue is not at all in the planning. The issue is in one’s motives when planning. When they are trusting in the world for our plans not in God. Our lives should not be lived with confidence in ourselves or of the world.”
“But the issue is not at all in the planning. The issue is in one’s motives when planning. When they are trusting in the world for our plans not in God. Our lives should not be lived with confidence in ourselves or of the world.”
A long list of things that fail us
“How often do we actually take a moment to examine whether or not we consult God in our decision-making? Look at these last nine months. Has your confidence been fully devoted in a completely secure God during the ups and downs that this year has been? And look at the next nine months. Are you actively planning for God to lead you through it?”
“How often do we actually take a moment to examine whether or not we consult God in our decision-making? Look at these last nine months. Has your confidence been fully devoted in a completely secure God during the ups and downs that this year has been? And look at the next nine months. Are you actively planning for God to lead you through it?”
“I think about how we have a Father that loves us so much that sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross so that there might be nothing that stands between a relationship with us and Him. Not only that, but his Spirit is consistently dwelling in me drawing me towards him.
“I think about how we have a Father that loves us so much that sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross so that there might be nothing that stands between a relationship with us and Him. Not only that, but his Spirit is consistently dwelling in me drawing me towards him.