Five truths about "the will of God"

James is talking about the will of God here. And doing so in the context of businessmen who are making their plans for business. ( But, there are principles that have application to any Christian )

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";

James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

James 4:15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

James 4:16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Here are the five thoughts.......

First of all, James invites them to come or to pay attention to what he is going to say to them about making their plans. They were doing the needful things of making plans about their future business dealings. He is not telling them not to make plans as we will see.

Secondly, he reminds them that they do not even know what will happen tomorrow. And, that their lives, ( as our, our lives ) are a vapor that appears and vanishes away. In other words, they did not even know if they would be alive tomorrow, nor do we.

Thirdly, he explains that this is what they ought to do and say. “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” The will of God in Scripture, means among other things that which is pleasing to God. It's His intentions for us, based on His wisdom, love, grace, mercy etc, those things that would be pleasing to be in our lives.

Fourthly, James says that to forget God in our plans and planning, is boastful and arrogant and evil, or destructive and hurtful. Pride, or when we live as if there is no God comes very naturally to our lives through our human nature. God does not call us to live through our human nature, but rather under the leadership of His Holy Spirit.

Fifthly, and in application, James calls his readers to put this truth about God's will into application in their lives. You know what is good he is saying, "live with God's will in mind" and if you don't do that, and you live as if there is no God, then, that is sin. So, keep God's will in mind, and follow His will and His leading.

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

We can forget that God has a will, and that will is defined as what is pleasing to Him.

It's very easy to forget that there are some things that He may want us to do, and some things He may not want us to do. They may or may not be pleasing to Him.

Thank You Lord for this reminder, and remind us to live with Your will in mind, day by day.

Application/Promise

1. God's will and making plans are not at odds.

2. God wants to lead us in making our plans.

3. God does have a plan, and it's easy to forget that.

4. God's will is the best thing for us.

5. God's will for us, is pleasing to Him.

6. God's will is for each day, one day at a time.

7. God's will, will one day mean we see Him face to face.