Humility in Life's Decisions

Greg revivals and go to the book of James for the Sunday evening we continue going through this on Sunday night it like the last will go.

It feels that he nodded and really intend on just keep going through but it just keeps happening so James is getting down to brass tacks, as it were talking about very practical matters of our Christian life. In this section is one of the most basic and practical expectations but strongly needed and I think you'll affirm that as we go along this evening as I want to continue with the theme of humility when your say you get a dose of God's grace that humbles us makes us grateful and we growing really grasp what we are before God without grace, cleansing us and forgiving us and so we were were just where to walk in the gospel humility so he can.

He continues with this humility that is unique to the Christian and how it ought to have application into our lives. So let's look at James chapter 4 verses 13 through 17, and will entitled this humility in life's decision, humility and life's decisions or you could call it just the normal Christian life for the way the normal Christian should approach his decision-making process.

James chapter 4 beginning in verse 13, now you say today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow you're just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that, but as it is, you boast in your arrogance and all such boasting is evil.

Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it to him it is sin that when were facing decisions. Here he uses a hypothetical of a businessman businesswoman on the go here and go to go there and going investable to start a business.

I'm going to make money and needs us to wait a minute what you should say is if the Lord wills.

I'm going to do this or that. Here's some thoughts I when were making decisions, don't be presumption don't be presumption's you're preserving when you see the same something is going to work and you don't know if it's going work, but like you're not omniscient, you don't know what tomorrow will hold now so don't be presumptuous you don't know something is true because you are not there yet. Now we talk about presumption. Let's make sure as we look at text like this.

We guard ourselves from the naïve and carnal interpretation that this is some sort of superstitious monitor. If I decide what the Lord wills are doing is about this voice that go on the noncovered I'm okay that's not what this means. It's the heart attitude that is the key here, not just the expression if the Lord wills. I'm going do this is a heart that truly says Lord I'm resting in you on this. God I want your will.

More than anything else.

I'm going to go for this Lord but I'm I'm going Fort Leggett before you. I don't want to be presumptuous that when when we as Christians make decisions without seeking out God's will, are considering it, then we are sinfully presumptuous when we make a decision apart from God, we presume some things I want talk about. So here's some sub point. First of all, you presume that this honors and glorify God so that is if you're Christian you would directly sing as I belong to God.

Listen what your here's your whole purpose of existence is his honor and glory. So whatever you choose is a presumption that I know what glorifies God. How do you know you know what glorifies God. Had you asked God about have you brought it to the abusive Lord is this your will.

Few references is here. First Corinthians 1031. Talking to. Again, this was a carnal church that needed to grow and grasp even some basic things. Paul writes to them and says within you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God is almost like Paul is saying a course you know this. Don't you course you do understand when you're Christian you do not compartmentalize God into one area of your life. This is my social area. This is my school area. This is my work area.

This is my family at nominal God covers the totality if you join something you see God about it first. If you partake of involvement in any event, an organization you get laid before God being genuinely led before God for because your purpose here is to do all you do for the glory of God. Something in itself may not be immoral or corrupt our happiness scandal involved in it.

I'm not suggesting that that I'm just saying it can be a fine and wonderful thing, but it might not be right for you, so don't be presumptuous everything were about this to be for the glory got in. If you presume without taking it to God first in your say this is what glorifies God because it will.

I'm not saying that I didn't think about that Betsy Morse is even worse. First Corinthians 615 and 16 do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ. Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute. May it never be or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with their forces.

The two shall become one flesh was my point here 40 say is what you become a Christian, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit and everything you do involves God and in this culture.

Fornication was just a part of the culture and he said you got a repeat of that. Let that be behind you know that you're Christian because you're joining Christ with the prostitute we have relations with the point again is the totality of our being is for God and about God and is wrapped all up in God's purposes and God's glory. So if you're Christian you decide you make a decision and you haven't brought it before God. You're making the presumption eyes God's child as God's instrument in the world I is the vessel dedicated to the honor and glory of God and doing what I think honors God and that's presumption you don't need to make and that you brought it to God. None of the presumption is that this thicker thing indeed is God's will for your life and I think what some Christians carelessly. I don't know of a real Christian that could pre-meditate really think this through and do it. But in careless thoughtlessness.

We may make decisions, and in effect what were saying is, God is going to yield his will to my wheel as well. Licensing got now. I got just got God's a good old God and I'm so superior and I'm so wise and I'm so good and virtuous in my and my motives that tell not just going to go for the sick, the Lord on this verse. I just go forward into this and of course God is going to line his way with Manuel who told you that worded that kind of notion come from God somehow was gonna align with you. That's not the way it works. Not at all. Bible says improper 1412 there's a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is the ways of death. Another thing you're presuming when you start off to do something so I'm gonna go here ability that I'm going to build this on will be involved in that. This is how you know you will be alive tomorrow.

I do know you will be allowed to not they were finite beings were not the omnipresent and were certainly not eternal. We can't see the future, you better go to God. It's a gun that fits your will and you sustain me keep this door open and that's the way I like to pray about it, is what I'm going through this door and got I ask you, and I really mean it. Lord, if this isn't right.

Close the door. Show me another avenue. Sometimes God closes a door.

None shall you know that you know what you I got usually doing when you're going to try to make a decision about something is just not working and you did get to go the way you thought you ought to go and there's no other way to choose. At this point, you know what God still listen to me.

God's not so interested in get you to a destination as he is performing Christ in you, Moses spent 40 years in the median desert before God said okay here's my wheel go do this, why did Moses spent 40 years in the desert because God was doing something in Moses God has no trouble parting the Red Sea, God is no trouble leaving the turn to bitter allowed out of Egyptian bondage with any instrument, he walks.

He just had to get Moses to where he qualified to do the work. You know why think that grace lacked church and anchoring truth missions. All the gods allowed us to be involved in. You know I think were seeing unprecedented open doors retina when Toby before the service that one of our videos had 52,000 views online Nexus one outlet that is all you I think God's opening up some of those doors to us because God had to get us ready. There was in.

You know how many years I had a vision of doing certain things for God and year after year. I'm stalking you, decade after decade, nothing happened because God had worked on Jeff and by the way he's not through you probably notice that average but is not there with you either. So as you get you go after something. And sometimes God doesn't open the door. He said he said he's working on you ask out of a side note, that's not really an outline of what I'm saying but my point is you're presuming you're going to live long enough to see it through.

And sometimes God stops think because he's protecting you, but just all the own the thought of the fact that our lives are so finite and passing.

He said that there are very clearly in verse 13 of our text is not 13 for 14 yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow you're just a vapor that appears for a little while and then it vanishes away lysergic that Psalm 39.

Five behold, I was made my days as and brats in my lifetime. He says nothing in thy son shortly every man at its best, is a mere breath.

Some 3911 with reprieves that is chastened if a man for iniquity that is consume them off.

That is consume as a moth what is precious to him and every man is a mere breath. You just don't know what tomorrow will hold so don't you presume that you go to make this decision.

Do this and that you don't know couple days ago Scott Hutchins, 56 years old I remember correctly, and I think I'm 99.9% sure on this, but have it give me the records from the office but he was converted here at archer. He was called to ministry this church.

I mentored him for several years in ministry. He later came out of gospel ministry he was doing construction work, he left house where he was working.

Went to Lowe's, no Walmart. I'm sorry got halfway into a parking place and died of heart attack. I'll be officiating in the service part of the for the ministers officiating tomorrow. You don't know what tomorrow's don't be presumptuous is the attitude of the heart that matters not's chanting some mantra but is the attitude of your heart real and genuine before the Lord before you make a decision before you knew something Lord. If this is your will. This is what I'd like to do and cannot said the side note over and over in my life is. There have been things I would like to have our lot to do very often. I just didn't have the means to have it RR the opportunity to do it and I would just give it to the Lord. What I would like to have this or I would like to do that but then I try to work on my heart by God's grace and inhale and hype help a name and Lord I just give that to you. I'd like to have it but it is not your will, praise Lord, anyway.

Whatever it is that here's what I'd like. But I give it to you. And when God got me to the place where I really didn't have to have it. Then he gave it to me. Have you noticed that your life.

I'm a winning bidder told you years ago about. So when Pam and I built our first house and that was just like a monumental achievement. Finally got a hold of the owner of the bank and I had one step in and it's kind of funny. You know, we built the house in. We got it like we thought we wanted it.

We left upstairs and finish we could afford to do that at first it. I remember being at the front yard. One day I forgot it mostly together in the yard was in the disrupter.

Ray and I thought not do something for me to sit is this all there is to it is like the Lord said you got a nice home and enjoy it. But these things of the earth still have a hollowness to them only your communion with me has a full lasting value to everything else is not bad, it just didn't last. These things are temporal, so don't be presumptuous about liability presumptions about your next plan. Don't be presumptuous about what you're going to do in business next year.

Don't be presumptuous about your child or grandchild going to do this or that. Don't be presumptuous, yes, go for it, give it to God, pray about it. You work hard to think God let your will be done.

Whatever you choose for me. Praise the Lord, you have no idea how many heartbreaking roadblocks you come against and in that heartbreaking roadblocks God saved your life you have no idea what was on the other side. He's saving you from he knows what he's doing well. When we go forward in brash unbelieving presumption, we can be sure we get two things will get the discipline of the Lord because were his children, and we will certainly lose rewards lose rewards well, let's go to number two. Don't be presumptuous, but do the wives and do be protected in verse 14 he and do be wise and to be protected. He says in verse 14, yet you do not want know what your life will be like tomorrow you're just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes and goes away. Verse 15 instead, don't say if the Lord what deals we will live and also do this or that the Lord of it. Your will.

This is what I wanted that young people is that the way you approach lock on golf finished high school and go get a degree.

I'd like to do this. Are you saying that if the Lord wills. That's what I'm going is that the abiding spirit of the part that's the way to be wise and that's the way to be protected.

God does not want you to be presumptive. He loves you and presumption and leaving out the Lord always leads to her. He wants two things for you. He wants to. He wants you to do what you do, so that he gets glory.

And it's truly for your good. He gets the glory that is truly for your good self. You want to lay that forgot because you say God I don't know everything. I don't have always the best I can discern, this is the best track but God I give it to you.

God want you to seek him in his absolute truths and in his word so that as you go forward you are you are protected rather from harm. Let's remind ourselves that all of the universe functions by loss, there's the law of gravity and you can try to defy, but it still wins well.

God's got moral and spiritual laws that we need to seek in his word when were making decision. If we willfully disregard those and will not follow those it always leads to her in our own lives will so assist, do be wise and do be protected. See the Lord first lay out before him, yes, go for it. Don't be timid as a wallflower in Senegal do anything I don't know if it's God's will. No no no go for things build companies trying to achieve great achievements, but from your heart. Keep it yielded to the Lord now practice seeking the Lord it's it's interesting in today's world of I guess it's always been true, but more so in today's world and maybe another generations, but in today's world, many people believe that the will of God is a formula for measuring let me tell you what the will of God is the will of God is not a chain that shackles you the key that opens the door and set you free. I continue as a pastor I have a lot of dreams and visions of what I'd like to see God doing what Alexi got accomplished, and of men. There were some doors open to me that humanly would've been fantastic amazing doors and I am so glad God's will. Stopped me.

I mean, I'm so glad God's will that let me go through those doors, God's will is not a roadmap for misery are formative for misery, God's will is an open door that set you free. Three thoughts were closing down the three thoughts about God's will. First of all, if you want to know something is God's will. You're making a significant decision to look.

I'm not talking about whether you eat Sunbeam Brad are colonial.

I know very math 30. I'm not talking about those kind of decisions. God's not not not saying that's wrong but don't last yourself to morbid legalism. But on the major decisions you approach in life. Number one clear it by the word of God. Is there anything in that decision anything in that path that seems to violate the moral principles of Scripture, is there anything in that the decision on that path you're taking on that seems to dishonor God in some way clear it by the word of God. Now that the menu had go study the entire Bible. All 66 books but means as you understand the Bible and you're having your prayer time your your devotional time outside Lord, show me his or something in the word I need to be aware of concerning this decision of Psalm chapter 1 verses one through three. How blessed is the man who does not walk according to the Council the week if that's outside the count of the word. The world is wicked. You're listening to the world. When you do that, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor seed in the sit in the seat of scoffers. But he is the light where is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night knows what will happen.

Verse three and he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in its season, and it's a leaf does not wither and even what ever he does see Prost you wonder why your plans don't work, you didn't seek the Lord, you didn't seek the law of the Lord enough God to prosper you.

He can only prosper him. He said he's only if he prospered you. Then he saying your wise and these not so, he prospers you when you're flowing with the and walking in and flowing in his wisdom.

Joshua 178 every young man to memorize this habit of resounding in his heart. Joshua 178 only be strong and very create just listen. Be careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded and do not turn from it to the right or to the left. Listen, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night that's going to the word so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it for me and you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have goods clear it with the word of God. Number 2 ^ to the Lord in prayer carry it to the Lord in prayer. Goodness, it has been 35 years ago, maybe not quite that many years ago I was contacted by a huge church in Nashville, Tennessee, and the pastor said I want you to be the senior associate pastor here.

I want you to run everything you like what you do down there muscle Shoals. I want you to run everything and you'll be in the pool for the Lawton benefit.

Johnny Cash was a member that your yellow Johnny Cash hello, I'm Johnny good and so humanly that was a very appealing thing and Pam and I just laid it for those of Lord, this looks like this could be a wonderful ministry up to, but we let before you, Lord, we pray that you'll close the door I met with the church staff that I would be over. And when I left that meeting. I didn't know what those staff guys wouldn't talk to all the key men in the church key leadership and said don't let that guy come here. He's trouble. Well I'll just go and get things going. I just going drive. I'd had no idea what they are talking about. Pam and I went into the personnel committee meeting and they career old me. They let me. Had I mean there was nothing I could say that they didn't twist it and turn it around and say your just a mess.

I mean just the problem. It's got a funny Pam and I left that meeting, knowing that we were not coming here first of all, they were going to call me to come there second outing will go and we got in our cars and you Nestor she's right and we went home praising God that he close that door. I had gone there. I want to become your pastor no sentimental that point.

All right sick. God knows what he's doing link go to the Lord in prayer to God, stop this if it isn't right bombing Starbucks that you seek God had prepared a remnant here to follow a thoroughly biblical ministry, but I didn't have one up there.

God knows what he's doing.

Leave it before the Lord, all lessee. James 15 says if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. God give us wisdom to address you go to the Lord like that.

Don't be presumptuous, clear by the word go to God in prayer. Let before him. Listen. Be more scared of being out of the will of God then you are God not giving you what you're asking for. Are you hearing me be more afraid of being out of the will of God then you are afraid of not getting what you're going for. I may look God can. God can cause you to fall backward in the more things you can achieve with all your energies never gives to his beloved. Even his sleep. I told you, then this simple just practical, but in that good for us well. Thirdly, if you want to practice seeking the Lord cleared by the word led the floor for the Lord in prayer and receive the Council of godly men.

I mean that generically obviously godly ladies count there for sure. Proverbs 15 a wise man will hear and increase in learning in a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. Proverbs 1215 course problem is full of this the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. The fool is the one that says I just presumptively head headlong into a decision and trust God to get on board with me.

What a fool. Photos right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel, I'm telling you, with all of my heart as a young man when I learned the biblical truths of God ordained authority rested in it fully fully when I had a key decision to make. I went to godly men and said if you tell me this is wise I'm not doing that includes asking that beautiful dear lady down here who's the first lady of grace like church. Pam that includes when I was going to ask her to marry me.

I went to my pastor's and said do you see a reason this could not be God's will.

If so I will not proceed. I remember so clearly the first time Pam asked me out on the date that she every time I do this. She says that's not the way I remember it, but now the truth was I had talked to her and I had told her that God had done a reviving work in her heart, and she had really had a spiritual awakening in her life, and I saw the difference in her. She's always been beautifully look at but I saw a difference in her. I said I would love to talk with you about with the Lord's doing in your life.

The next time you're that she was traveling and stuff and the next time she is in town.

She saw one of our staff members out somewhere to go back to brother Jeff. He promised to take me out would all talk so that same different and she asked me what I think will and then 10 months later, were married. But I'm telling you look I laid that before the Lord and said, Lord, if this is your wheel. It stop it. I'm more afraid of being out of God's will that not getting my wheel and you better be to do if you're not, you better be you better, but look, I'm convinced you can blunder and stumble and mess up, but if you have a yielded a humble heart. This is what I want your will. God will bless you in ways you cannot possibly imagine. I found this some time ago many years ago. This was back in the horse and buggy days. A man in this wife were driving along a narrow and very dangerous stretch of road. The woman, she became extremely nervous and in her front. She grabbed one of the rain as calmly as possible.

The husband responded by offering her the other strap as well all know she cried.

Both of them. I could never manage this animal alone.

Well then he said gently you're going to have to make a choice.

It's either you or me. We can both drive the same horse frightened lady quickly surrendered full control of the carriage to her husband.

Everything was good may arrive safely at home. What I'm saying is that you're making decisions in life you get both of the straps to God's out trust you steer this course to the right steer it to the left. Stop it slow it down, speeded up, here's where I'm going, Lord, but would you take the reins. I'm not wise enough to control this thing myself.

Humility in life's decisions