05
Jun '20
Stop, Look, and Listen
05
Jun '20
James 4:13-15
“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.”
Introduction: Do you ever STOP and think about your life? How about making plans for tomorrow? Should we, as believers in Jesus plan for tomorrow, when He said, “Take no thought of tomorrow…?” (Matt. 6:34). Is that a lack of trust? James writes and gives us (3) reasons to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN.
1. Where are you at in your life TODAY? “STOP!” (James 4:13)
“Go to now, ye that day, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain.”
- Your Spiritual life
- Your Relational life
“Life is one mad dash between diapers and depends!”
2. What are your Plans for TOMORROW? “LOOK!” (James 4:14)
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? Is it even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (“Vapour” is the Greek word -atmos- which means mist, ex. pot on stove boiling)
- Uncertainties about tomorrow (things out of our control)
- Securities for tomorrow (God’s promises)
3. How should we live TODAY and TOMORROW? “LISTEN!” (James 4:15)
“For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
- “One day at a time Sweet Jesus” – in the Will of God
- Planning for tomorrow – as the “LORD WILLS”
Conclusion: By the way, Jesus wasn’t talking about planning for tomorrow, rather He was speaking about ANXIETY in life in regards to our daily needs. Therefore, it is not a lack of trust; in fact, we must TRUST Him on the future plans as well! So we are to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN to these biblical instructions about living our life today, and planning for tomorrow… as the Lord wills. How are you living and what are you planning?
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese