Heritage Bible Radio is a Ministry of Heritage Bible Church where Jim Harris is the teaching pastor. You can join Jim each weekday at 4 am, 8:30 am, and on Sunday at 7:15 am. Every day Jim works to devote his radio time to some portion of the Word of God so you can know God and serve him better.
Summary:
This week on Heritage Bible Radio, we’ll be finishing up the fourth chapter of the book of James, as Pastor Jim Harris will teach us from verses 11 through 17. The chapter began with a warning of worldliness in the Christian life. James taught that the reason we quarrel and fight boils down to our desire for worldly things, and when we don’t get what we want, we will tend to sin against one another rather than honor God by being content with what He either gives or takes away. Last week we investigated several commands that James gave us to successfully combat our tendency to worldliness and now as we close this chapter, we’ll see some very practical applications of how to avoid the trap of worldliness when what we might want just isn’t to be had. Have you ever made plans for your own prosperity and forgotten God’s sovereign will over your plans? Have you ever been disappointed by unfulfilled expectations and blamed others for not playing their part in giving you what you wanted? Well, of course, you have, maybe even yesterday. You should recognize yourself in both James’ examples. This week we will see the Godly alternative approach to planning and disappointed plans.
Section Text (NIV)
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[a] or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
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 in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
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Related: Life Point–James 4