We have our plans and we want things to work out, but is there any guarantee of things working out?
"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city and spend a year there and trade or get gain" 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. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills we will live and do this or that'. As it is you are boasting in your arrogance all such boasting is evil." James 4:13-16
VANITY
To make plans and act as if they are certain is foolish for there is no guarantee we will live through to see it. We should acknowledge that God is in control, instead of saying we are going to do this or that as if we were our own gods and masters over the events of the universe. It is wise to acknowledge that we are only here briefly at His pleasure and success or failure is His to give or deny.
THE LORD'S WILL
We must acknowledge God as sovereign, and consider if our plans are His will.
This does not mean to be fatalistic and give up. God created us in His image with a package of dreams, desires and ambitions- it is a sin to neglect the visions he has given us. He gives us these dreams to partner with us in fulfilling them; it is foolish to exclude such a partner.
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED.
God is a God of love and he wants to bless our lives.
* Give your plans over to God as the executive officer or the senior partner.
* Make prayer a daily part of the decision process.
* Have an executive meeting with the Almighty at the beginning of each business day.
* Ask for His plans to be fulfilled
* And ask that those plans be for our blessing.
God says, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord," Plans to prosper, you and not harm you plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
There is nothing wrong with making plans- indeed the Bible often encourages us to be prudent; and there is nothing wrong with business, commerce, or trying to get ahead. What's foolish is to leave The Lord out of the process and risks losing His blessing, but to acknowledge God is to become positioned to receive a blessing.
To read James 4 in its entirety click here.
VANITY
To make plans and act as if they are certain is foolish for there is no guarantee we will live through to see it. We should acknowledge that God is in control, instead of saying we are going to do this or that as if we were our own gods and masters over the events of the universe. It is wise to acknowledge that we are only here briefly at His pleasure and success or failure is His to give or deny.
THE LORD'S WILL
We must acknowledge God as sovereign, and consider if our plans are His will.
This does not mean to be fatalistic and give up. God created us in His image with a package of dreams, desires and ambitions- it is a sin to neglect the visions he has given us. He gives us these dreams to partner with us in fulfilling them; it is foolish to exclude such a partner.
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED.
God is a God of love and he wants to bless our lives.
* Give your plans over to God as the executive officer or the senior partner.
* Make prayer a daily part of the decision process.
* Have an executive meeting with the Almighty at the beginning of each business day.
* Ask for His plans to be fulfilled
* And ask that those plans be for our blessing.
God says, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord," Plans to prosper, you and not harm you plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
There is nothing wrong with making plans- indeed the Bible often encourages us to be prudent; and there is nothing wrong with business, commerce, or trying to get ahead. What's foolish is to leave The Lord out of the process and risks losing His blessing, but to acknowledge God is to become positioned to receive a blessing.
To read James 4 in its entirety click here.
