Date: 10-23-14
Text: — James 4:13-16 — 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. [*NIV84]
The Big Idea: Many of us have trust issues and will not follow unless we know where we are going.
Much of the book of James is inspired by the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel chapters 5-7. The passage noted above is roughly from Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.*” Further, James borrows heavily from the Book of Proverbs, as well. He comes to the place in his book where Pro. 27:1 directly applies: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.*” …
Lifestyle Worshipers, you may be wondering what this has to do with following the Lord, and with today’s Heartwork devotion. Well, wonder no more. … When we are asked to follow someone, isn’t our first question, “Where? Where are we going?” I think so. And for some, this is an innocent question like Mary’s to the angel Gabriel (see Luke 1:34), but many of us have trust issues and will not follow unless we know where we are going—like Zachariah’s question to the Angle (see Luke 1:18). …
So let us joyfully do the Heartwork homework, and unswerving search the Gospels for just a few tasks the Lord Jesus asks us who follow Him to do. Then, let us confront our trust issues as we follow Him to places we, as yet, cannot see. Your thoughts?
Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts
— 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV84)
— John 12:26 (NIV84)
— 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NKJV)
Lord Jesus, hold my hand ever tighter as I follow You, weaving through the crowd of doubt and uncertainty. Firm up my faith in You as I see with the eyes of faith that You will never lead me into temptation, but always in paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake. Where You are leading me, I will faithfully follow. In Your Name, Amen.
Pastor Mike