"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH AVOIDS BOASTING

Real Faith Avoids Boasting
James 4:13-17
October 16, 2011 AM

By boasting I mean - self-sufficiency. What is self-sufficiency?
Even we Christians can get to the point where we feel like we are self-sufficient.

We sometimes look at others who are struggling and say, “Its there own fault… and if they were more like me they would not be in this mess.” Really?!

Aren’t we all, what we are, only by the grace of God? Isn’t it still true that all good gifts come down from the Father above? Isn’t He the one who blesses us with the ability to become and to do and to have certain things? Or are we so arrogant that we would say, “I am what I am because I have done this or that!”

The truth is – I am only what I am by the grace of God!

You see, self-sufficiency is a terrible sin in the eyes of God. Why? Well, I will answer this question with the passage at hand.

Let’s Stand and Read James 4:13-17…

First of all notice:

One who is Self-sufficient Plans without God (v. 13)

Here’s the problem – when you plan the details of your life without considering God, you are saying, “God, I am in charge here.”

Here me out…there is nothing wrong with planning or being prepared. In fact, as someone has said, “Those who fail to plan have planned to fail.”

However, planning without regard to God is a mistake. And let me show some Scripture that affirms this truth:

Isaiah 55:8-9 – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

So we see here that God has a plan for our lives…and I promise you that God’s plan for your life is perfect! He has planned an expected, predetermined course for your life.

That’s why we should hear and heed: Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Whose plan are you following? Yours or His?

Notice the plans of those in our text:
They have constructed their own desirable plan – “today or tomorrow” we will do this
They have chosen their own desirable place – “we will go into such a city”
They have calculated a desirable period of time – “continue there a year”
They have considered a desirable purpose – “buy and sell” – it’s what we want to do
They have even assumed a desirable profit – “get gain”

Now listen carefully – They were not being criticized for making plans or setting goals. They were being criticized for their failure to include God in their plans and goals.

They are also being condemned for what they’re after in life. The context suggests that they did not even consider what God wanted or what He thought.

Pastor Johnny Hunt said, “Their only reason for traveling, and trading and even living was to make a profit.”

Well that’s admirable goal…isn’t it? It is admirable as long as it is what God wants them to do…as long as it is the way God is leading in their lives!

However, we can see from the context here that although their goals and aspirations were high, they were not high enough.

They failed to remember that in their brief lives, their ultimate goal should have been to bring glory to God, not to make a profit! While they stacked up profits in this life, they failed to store up heavenly treasures for the next life.

And so we ought to be careful about being so self sufficient in life that we plan without regard to what God wants.

One who is Self-sufficient Presumes without Regard to God (v. 14)

No one can predetermine what will happen in their lives, in a year, a week, a day or even this very hour. Our lives are in the hands of Almighty God! He is in charge! He knows the number of our days and all that will occur.

Psalm 39:4-5 – Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.

None of us knows what tomorrow holds. Proverbs 21:1 – “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Life is complex – Life is uncertain – Life is brief – And we control none of it!

James says that your life is like a vapor; Here one moment and gone the next.
What is a vapor? …Morning mist or fog, puff of smoke, steam from boiling pot of water. It appears for a short time and then it’s gone…That’s your life!

When I was a child, I laughed and wept – Time crept.
When I was a youth, I dreamed and talked – Time walked.
When I became a full-grown man – Time ran.
When older still I grew – Time flew.
Soon I shall find in passing on – Time gone.

We like to measure our lives by years, but God tells us to number our days…
Psalms 90:12 – 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Luke 12:16-21 tells us a story about a man that Jesus called a fool…

Life is brief, God is in charge and only the fool lives contrary to these two facts!

One who is Self-sufficient fails to acknowledge God (v. 15-16)

James says in verse 16 – “You brag about your arrogance!” By the way this is the same word that John uses when he talks about “the pride of life.” The idea is to arrogantly live as if you are the master of your own fate. The problem here is PRIDE.

Louis Snedes says that this kind of pride comes in three models:
The Pride of Power – I have the power within myself to do whatever I set my mind to do.
The Pride of Knowledge – I know it all and you cannot tell me anything that I do not already know. Whatever contradicts my knowledge is a lie!
The Pride of Virtues – I am holier than thou and you should do what I do so that you can be like me!

Jeremiah 9:23-24 – 23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

I am convinced that pride is first and foundational sin and I believe it is at the root of just about any sin that you could name. We can show others our faith by avoiding pride!

One who is Self-sufficient lives in sin (v. 17)

James finishes this section with a statement of the obvious. He has already explained what these boasters of life do. They make plans without regard to God; they presume the course of their lives without regard to God; and they fail to acknowledge God in their decisions because of pride. Now he says, “If you know that you should do something and you do not do it, this is sin.”

While the self-sufficient bragger goes about life according to his own desires, he often fails to do the obvious things that God has put before him.
I know that I should go to church;
I know that I should quit this bad habit;
I know that I should read my Bible;
I know that I should spend more time with my family;
I know that I should give more to the Lord;
I should go on a diet;
I should take better care of myself;
I know I should, I should I should…
but if I know that I should do good and I don’t do it, then I am in sin.

There are so many uncertainties in life. Life’s complexities can leave us whirling and wondering what we should do. There is so much about our lives and our futures that we will never be able to predetermine…these things should be left to the Lord’s will.

Even we Christians spend a lot of time doing what we want to do, trying to fulfill our desires and oftentimes without regard to God, not knowing what tomorrow holds. BUT… what we do know… that is what we should do…those are the things that we should spend our time doing! Amen!

Let me close by saying that James makes it very clear that knowledge and responsibility go hand in hand. It is one thing to sin without a clear understanding, but to sin in the face of known truth is altogether something different.

2 Peter 2:21 – 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Our life phrase and philosophy should be verse 15 – “If the Lord is willing” I’ll do this or that. However, once we know His will, we must do it!

Prayer: Lord thank you for your Word. Now help us to live by it. God help us to seek your plans and purposes for our lives and not our own; realizing that our lives are in your hands, and too short to try to make a go on our own. Help us Lord to look for and live according to your will.
Now as we come to this invitation, help us to respond with action to your leading. Salvation…separation…membership…etc.
In Jesus Name. Amen

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Chruch
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida
904)376-5049