James 4:15-16, “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”
All my life I have heard people sinfully boast of their future plans without
glorifying God. I was in a grocery store and heard a radio commercial
advertising investing money for future retirement. I remember thinking how
sinful it is for anyone to assume that they'll have a future on earth to
retire. We don't know what a day may bring. Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not
thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Our text Bible verse says we ought to say: “IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE,
AND DO THIS, OR THAT.” Very few believers obey this Scripture.
Dear reader, you should get into the godly habit of always preceding any declaration of future plans with such statements as: “IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE, AND DO THIS, OR THAT.” Humbly, I am continually prefixing my sentences with the God-honoring words, “God willing” or “Lord willing.” I say this even if speaking with an unsaved person. If it's a Christian I'll usually say “God willing” but if to another believer then I'll say, “Lord willing.” This is 100% solid Bible teaching! I can tell if someone is living by the inspired Word of God simply by this little test. I dare say that less than 1% of Christians use such terminology, but God commanded us to do it. ...
James 4:13-17, “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: 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. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Did you get that? The Scripture tells us that boasting of future plans without regarding the fact that we may not be here, unless it is GOD'S WILL, is evil. Evil is worse than sin. Sin is when we do something wrong, but evil is when WE KNOW BETTER and still sin. It is evil the Bible says to talk about your future plans without regard for God's will, because you might be dead by sundown! “God willing” we'll do this, or we'll do that! Here again is Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar's son, king Belshazzar, knew all about what had happened to his father because of his pride. Nebuchadnezzar was stricken by God with madness, and became as a wild animal with hair like feathers which grew on him, walking on all four feet like an animal, and he wandered in the palace garden for seven years, until he learned that God only is to be extolled and praised, and not himself. God humbled king Nebuchadnezzar, and I believe the king got saved! But his son didn't learn from his father's fall from self-righteous glory...
Daniel 5:23-28, “But hast lifted up thyself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Not glorifying God is the horrible sin of pride. Romans 15:5-6, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” King Belshazzar failed to glory God, the almighty living God Who kept him breathing. ...
Acts 17:22-26b, “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”
God keeps you breathing dear friend! Have you ever felt that God is far away from you? Oh no, He is so near that His very presence and power keeps you alive! Read what saith the Scripture—“THOUGH HE BE NOT FAR FROM EVERY ONE OF US”! The human heart beats on average 100,000 times each and every day of your life. Can you imagine that miracle? From the time your heart forms in your mother's womb until you breath your last dying breath 70 years later, if you live a typical lifespan, your heart beats at a rate of 100,000 times per day. GOD IS MORE THAN AMAZING!!!
Only God knows when you and I will breath our last breath friend. Are you ready to meet your God? I am. Have you been born-again by the Holy Spirit of God? Don't put it off if you are uncertain. Getting saved is a free gift, and nothing on your part is required except to receive it from God by faith. And if you are born-again, are you serving the Master? Have you picked up your cross to bear? Just as Christ suffered on a cross for us, He calls us as believers to suffer on a cross for Him. Philippians 1:29-30, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” The former I mentioned (about receiving God's gift) is SALVATION, but suffering for Christ is an entirely different matter of DISCIPLESHIP. You don't have to suffer for Christ as His disciple to be saved, but you do to earn rewards in Heaven. ...
